Page 15 of Hidden Dragons

“Cleef Mantell,” Robert repeated, trying the name out. “Is that the name of the man who lives in the mansion under the trees?” he asked urgently.

She nodded. “It was to his barn that I was summoned last night. But you know that, don’t you? I thought I saw Sir Growloranth aloft as I was making my way back home. And I have a feeling you weren’t far behind.” She tilted her head as she looked up at him, challenging him to tell her the truth.

At that moment, he could’ve kissed her. Not only was she smart, but she was observant too. Could the Mother of All have picked a more perfect mate for him? He thought not.

“As Bear and Tilly scout the day, he and I…” Robert pointed toward the dragon lurking not far away in the woods, “…have the night. We heard the commotion and would never have let you walk home alone as those barbarians in the village allowed. In truth, we were watching over you from the moment you answered your door. We would not let anything happen to you, Isabelle.”

A smile broke over her face that enchanted him. “That is so sweet,” she said softly. “Thank you.” And then she reached up, using his shoulder for balance, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Not a peck on the cheek this time, but a full-on lip lock that both surprised and pleased him immensely.

She might be a novice at kissing, but she wasn’t shy.

He wasn’t sure how long they stayed that way. Truth to tell, Robert was enjoying himself too much to pay attention to something as mundane as time, but Growloranth finally broke them apart. He spoke into both their minds.

“I hate to interrupt, but my lady and her knight return. They bring news.”

Isabelle drew back from his lips slowly, a slightly self-conscious smile curving her lips that made him grin in return. Bear walked into the small clearing behind Isabelle’s house and his expression was grim. Tildeth stopped inside the perimeter of the trees where she twined her long, sinuous neck with Growloranth’s in greeting.

“The news is not good,” Bear said without preamble. He was removing his leather gloves as he walked. His riding armor were made of the lightest possible shade of leather, then stained slightly with the blue of special berries to match Tilly’s hide as much as possible. “There is a sizeable force massing on the other side of the border. It looks like enough men to occupy this village and hold it, making it the foothold Skithdron needs to be able to launch further attacks. And worse, there are many skiths being herded toward the pass. They will be here within the next day. Two, at most.”

“Skiths?” Isabelle sounded appropriately shocked.

“We must get word to the Lair immediately,” Robert said, already moving toward the barn. “Isabelle, pack what you want to save, and get ready to fly. We’re taking you to the Lair for safety. You can return here after the battle—if there’s anything left—but you cannot stay here right now.”

“Good. Because I’m not stupid enough to try to hold my own against a herd of skiths!” She ran for the house. “But we have to take my chickens,” she shouted back over her shoulder, making Robert pause to smile just a little. He should have realized she wouldn’t leave her new flock to suffer the degradations sure to come if a herd of skiths arrived en masse.

“It’ll be dark enough soon for Growloranth and I to do some more reconnaissance,” Robert said to Bear as they entered the barn and began to gather their gear. “You take Isabelle to the Lair while Growly and I do our work here tonight, then join you in the morning.”

“If they don’t send Tilly and me back out again before you get in,” Bear added.

“I won’t be surprised if they do. You’re just about the only pair at the Lair right now that can fly across the border undetected by day. I’m sure they’ll get some of the other dark dragons to fly tonight after you make your report, so we’ll watch the village and see what we can learn about this Cleef Mantell.”

“Good plan,” Bear agreed, finishing his packing and turning toward the door. Robert followed, his own pack in his hands. He would set Growloranth up to fly at a moment’s notice, leaving no trace of their presence—except perhaps the repairs to the barn, the pile of cut firewood, and the new chicken coop.

Trying not to panic, Isabelle packed as many of her mother’s treasures as she could. She hated to leave the house they had worked so hard to fix up and maintain, but it had to be done. This flimsy place of wood and straw would never stand up against the massive size and strength of a skith. Snakelike and armed with massive jaws that could snap a person in two, skiths also had the charming ability to spit highly corrosive venom up to twenty feet away, or so it was said.

Isabelle had seen a skith from afar once, and that once was enough to cure her of ever wanting to see another. That one had been a stray that had come over the border all on its own. Word had been sent to the Border Lair and dragon patrols had been stepped up. For the next two days, Isabelle had seen several pairs of dragons and their knights crisscrossing the skies over where the skith had been seen until finally, they found their prey.

Flames had erupted in the night, just over the horizon. Word had come with the next sunrise that the stray skith had been eliminated.

Dragons were the most effective method of killing skiths, though groups of men had been known to fight them if there was no other alternative. Heavy casualties were to be expected if mere humans took on a skith. The highly corrosive venom could kill outright if left untreated long enough. Usually men who took on skiths and lived to tell the tale bore horrific scars from the acid burns as testament to their bravery.

Isabelle paused by the door of her home with her two big bags of her possessions, one in each hand. She looked back at the place that had once been a happy home shared with her beloved mother. Now it was a place of memory—cold and of only small comfort to a heart that yearned for warmth, care and love.

“I’m sorry, Mama,” she said to the empty room, feeling her mother’s presence there for perhaps the last time. She had never wanted to leave this way, but there was no alternative. To stay was to die. Her mother would not want that for her. Isabelle looked around the lonely home and thought she felt the benevolent understanding her mother had always given her. It was like her mother was acknowledging the rightness of her decision to leave. “I love you, mama. Always.” Tears filled her eyes as she exited the house.

But Bear was there, waiting for her. He took her bags from her numb hands and looked searchingly behind her, concern on his dear face.

“Is this all you have? We can take more, if you like. Tilly is very strong.”

Humbled again by the fact that she owned so little, Isabelle shook her head.

“I left the food you brought in the cupboards. I hope that’s okay. I just packed a snack in case the journey was long.”

Bear stopped and the expression on his face was one of compassion. “You did exactly right, milady. We can always replace the supplies. What we cannot ever replace is you.”

Touched by his gruff words, she followed him over to where Tilly waited just behind the house. She watched mutely, worry making her shake as Bear attached her bags to the harness that wrapped discretely around Tildeth’s chest and back. It was made of pale leather that had been dyed to match the dragoness’s coloring, much like Bear’s gear, which is probably why she hadn’t noticed it before.

Looking back at her house and newly repaired barn, she saw the pile of wood Robert and Growloranth had created for her only a few hours ago. She had been looking forward to a comfortable winter with no need to ration herself on firewood, and now, just a short time later, she was worrying about whether or not her home would still be standing on the morrow.

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