The Dragon of Despair Read Online Free PDF Page B

for mourning garb.”
    Derian nodded. “I won’t say anything that would cause alarm, Sire.”
    “I know you won’t,” King Tedric said, a touch testily. “If you were a jabbermouth, I wouldn’t have given you my ring. You’ve become even closer with your confidences since, if I’m any judge—and I am. Doubtless your activities last winter didn’t hurt your training in discretion. Tell me about them while we wait for the others. I’ve had formal reports from all sides, but another personal report doesn’t ever hurt.”
    Derian did as requested, summarizing the events that had led himself, Firekeeper, and several others to suspect Lady Melina Shield of plotting treachery, so that they had followed her across the border into New Kelvin.
    He’d told the tale repeatedly by now, editing where appropriate for each audience, so that he had become quite glib. For the king, Derian minimized the details of the journey itself, emphasizing the political aspects. King Tedric nodded, asked an occasional question, but mostly listened.
    At first Derian expected the others that the king had mentioned to arrive at any moment, but after a while he realized that the king must have allowed for a private interview in advance. Doubtless this tale—requested so casually, as if to fill an idle moment—was the reason. Derian found part of his mind wondering why, but after he stumbled in his account several times, he forced this distraction from him.
    King Tedric waved Derian to a halt as Derian segued from their adventures in New Kelvin to what had happened after they had returned to Hawk Haven.
    “I’ve heard those stories,” he said with a sigh, “over and over, set to song, even acted out in a play—if you can believe it. Everyone in Eagle’s Nest seems determined to flatter my heirs by praising their heroism.”
    “I wonder if it’s gone to their heads?” Derian thought, then clapped his hand over his lips as he realized he’d spoken aloud.
    King Tedric chortled at Derian’s expression.
    “Sapphire might be tempted that way,” the king said, “but two things keep her steady. Three, actually, for her young husband is no fool.”
    The king looked suddenly sad.
    “No. Shad is not a fool,” he said, “but it looks as if Sapphire’s sister, young Citrine, might have become one. Citrine’s mind was weakened by what she endured when she was taken to the Smuggler’s Light. Her mother’s abandonment threw the scales of reason completely off balance and Citrine has grown worse, not better, since her release.
    “Initially, Jet Shield had Citrine’s custody—he’s the oldest of the family. He has inherited since I declared Melina outlawed—but Citrine worsened under his care. Sapphire requested that she be permitted to bring Citrine here to the castle, saying that she could not easily forget her youngest sister, though by law they are now no longer anything but cousins.”
    Derian nodded. He tried to think how he would feel if for some unknown reason he was adopted out of his birth family and knew that there would be no way that he would feel that Damita and Brock were any less his siblings.
    Nor, he thought, would my parents seem any less my parents, not even if the king himself made me his son.
    Derian felt uncomfortable at this last thought, then soothed himself by remembering that Sapphire had grown to hate Melina long before the reputed sorceress had connived at theft and treason for her own mysterious ends. Surely the crown princess didn’t think fondly of Melina—especially after what Melina had allowed to be done to Citrine.
    At least he hoped she didn’t.
    The focus of Derian’s musings entered the king’s sitting room shortly thereafter. Crown Princess Sapphire—formerly Sapphire Shield—was a buxom young woman in her mid-twenties. Her pointed chin robbed her of classic beauty, but most were willing to overlook that defect in light of her lustrous blue-black hair, clear blue eyes, and graceful bearing.