Page 35 of Dragon Fight

“It's events like this which make her month, Your Highness.”

“Draven surely,” the prince replied, cutting into his meat. “We virtually grew up together.”

“You three did,” Charles said, nodding to Ada and Brom. “My father was fairly determined to put me forward as Emberly’s steward and had me working under Auld Lochie by that point. It was only the bonding of Cousin Brom to the magnificent Obsidian that saved me from the old man’s lectures on the veritable merits of hand carded wool versus drum carded wool.”

“Auld Lochie, gods rest his soul.” Bernard raised his glass and many of the other men at the table did the same. “What that man didn’t know about running Emberly could fit in a thimble, but damn me if he couldn’t talk. Worse when he had a drink in him.”

“So, unfortunately, I heard more about your exploits than I participated in them,” Charles continued. He turned to Ada. “My wife came to our marriage quite the wildling, used to wandering off on the moors at will, or dancing up a storm at all the local shindigs.” He let out a small sigh. “I’ve often wondered if she would have been better off marrying a man who lived in the capital. It is frightfully boring out here in the country.”

“But I have you, my love,” Ada replied warmly, gazing across the table at her husband. “And these little tearaways to look after.” Her sons played at being wolves or bears, growling and pawing at the air. “I find my hands and heart are quite full, thank you very much. But what of you, Lady Pippa? From country mouse to dragon rider cadet. You must have some stories to tell about the delights of Wyrmpeak?”

“Pippin is a cadet in the keep,” Soren said in a gruff voice. “The vast majority of her time has been spent training with the lads.”

“Oh, how dull,” Ada sighed.

“Training?” Randall said. “What is happening in the capital nowadays that a noblewoman would train to fight with men?”

“The queens of old used to,” Bernard pointed out.

“All the more reason to stop such nonsense,” Randall grumped.

“Pippin works hard and doesn’t expect special treatment due to her gender or social standing,” Soren said.

“Absolutely rubbish with a sword,” Draven said, with a smirk directed at the men in the room and Bernard, Randall and Charles all chuckled predictably at that. Then he fixed me in his sights. “Though with knives…” As I looked at him, I remembered him showing me how to use a knife to sneak up on a man and deliver a killing blow, and I recalled with some satisfaction the moment I had got the drop on him. He nodded slowly. “With the right training I think she could be quite good.”

“As long as she’s using those knives to slice up your meat, not your neck, eh, cousin?” Charles asked Brom, and I watched my husband force himself to meet the collective gaze of his family. “Letting women get too familiar with the martial arts? I’m not sure that’s wise.”

“Well, it isn’t for us to debate, is it?” Flynn had been conspicuously quiet till this point of the dinner, but he leaned forward now, challenge glittering in his eyes. “The king himself made Pippin a Royal Rider and we work hard to ensure she’s trained as best as she can be to participate fully in that role.”

“You think this undersized queen of yours is going to fly?” Randall asked with a frown. “Seems a cruelty to raise such a creature, knowing its fate.” Before I could answer him, he turned to Draven. “You need to talk to your father, Your Highness, and make him see sense. I know what we do if our dogs birth undersized puppies or a sheep drops a lamb that’s not likely to see daylight. It’s a mercy, it is. Women learning to fight? Three queen dragons? It’s not done. It’s just not done.”

“But those blind little puppies can’t do anything but squeak before you end things for them.” Draven’s reply was deadly quiet. “And the lamb will do little other than bleat before you wring its neck.”

“Please!” Kay burst out. “The children...”

But Draven forged on. His eyes burned into Randall’s, not looking away until after the older man did.

“A dragon, even at birth, has a consciousness. Much more than we do as babies. To kill such a thing, a sentient creature…”

I hadn’t realised I was holding my knife and fork so damn hard until I felt the hard edges bite into my palm.

“Well, it counts as murder in my book. And, as for Lady Pippa…” When Draven’s eyes met mine, they burned so brightly they were hard to look at. “She has done her damndest to rise above all the challenges that have been set for her, like a true lady. No one will fault her for that, not in my company.”

When the rest of my wing all agreed to that statement, when Randall stiffened and Charles turned his attention conspicuously to his plate, I wondered what Ada thought about Draven’s response to a question she’d put to me. When I turned my gaze to her, she had become quite pale, and her eyes were stark in her face, dancing with a strange light. I wanted to ask her whether she was alright but before I formed the words, she scrambled to her feet.

“I have a gift for Lady Pippa that I forgot was in my bag,” she said. “I’ll just go and get it.”

22

"I’ll go and see what Ada has,” I said, getting to my feet and nodding to the prince and our host. “My curiosity always gets the better of me.”

No, it didn’t, but I couldn’t sit at that table for one more minute and I think most of those around it knew that. My life, Glimmer’s, had been discussed so cavalierly, as if these veritable strangers had a right to do so, and I hurried towards the door to get the hell away from them all before I said something stupid.

“Pippin,” Ged said in alarm, as all four of them watched me go. No, five. Draven set his napkin to one side, but I shook my head.

“Continue with your meal. I’ll be back shortly.”

I didn’t stop to see if they listened to me. Instead, I walked swiftly out of the dining room, then down the hall, past the many grand rooms until I reached the front door. I undid the latch and stepped out into the cold night air.

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