Dragonbound: Blue Dragon (20 page)

Rajahansa lowered his head in agreement.
We have long been enemies
. He gazed down at Kanvar.
Now it appears the boy has brought us face to face. His spirit and independence have shown me that I was taught incorrectly about some things. Now I find myself rethinking many other things as well
.

Dharanidhar spread his wings in a show of strength.
I promised Kanvar the life of his brother in exchange for his own
. Tonight I keep that promise.
Take Devaj and go. This is not a good time or place for us to discuss the mistakes of the past and plan for a better future
. Dharanidhar's thoughts flicked to the circle of angry blue dragons perched on the cliffs ready to attack, and Anilon's claw trembling with fear and anger trapped in his own.

Kanvar rubbed the pain in his left arm, caused by Dharanidhar's spread wing. Dharanidhar wouldn't be able to hold it up for long. Amar stared down at Kanvar, but said nothing. His mind was locked away behind a thick shield.

Parmver got Devaj to his feet and helped him shuffle past the blue dragons and down to the golds. Parmver's ancient dragon lifted the two of them up onto his neck and then launched into the air.

Another time then
. Rajahansa half-bowed to Dharanidhar and then lifted off, shooting after Parmver's dragon as he sped away from the valley.

Dharanidhar lowered his wing and released Anilon's claw.
Akshasa's last desire was for peace. Look into my mind and you will see it is true
. Dharanidhar showed Anilon the exchange Kanvar had had with the Great Liberator.

Anilon let out a low rumble.

It may take some time
, Dharanidhar said.
But I think Rajahansa and I will be able to come to terms that will be good for all of us.

Anilon growled, then flew up, and retreated into his lair.

A flight of older blues crossed the valley and took up watch on the far cliffs to be ready in case the gold dragons came back to attack them unawares.

Dharanidhar groaned and stalked back to the fire. He threw some more wood on the flames and then sank down next to them.

Kanvar walked over to join him. "I hope Devaj will be all right now."

He seems to be
. The tip of Dharanidhar's tail twitched back and forth.
Stupid weak princeling, can't handle a little knock on the head
.

"The singing stone didn't help any," Kanvar said in defense of his brother. He shrugged back into his dragonhide jacket and slumped next to the fire. "Or the cold."

You Nagas are far more trouble than you're worth
. Dharanidhar shifted so his foreclaw rested comfortably against Kanvar's back.

Kanvar leaned against Dharanidhar's claw, grateful for the feel of the dragon against his skin and in his mind. "I can be useful. I finished Abhavasimha off, after all."

A lucky shot
.

"Not true. I even killed a Great Green Dragon without your help." Kanvar smiled at the warmth of the fire on his face and the comfortable banter with Dharanidhar.

You killed Mahanth
? Dharanidhar chuckled.
Should have known. We'll have to go back and get his stone for our collection.

What? You collect dragonstones like a dragon hunter?
Kanvar was certain the gold dragons would think that barbaric.

Only the stones of those who challenge us to combat. We avoid killing Great Dragons otherwise.
A lick of blue fire escaped from between Dharanidhar's teeth.
Abhavasimha's and Mahanth's stones will be a great start to your own collection, little dragon hunter
.

But a villager told me I couldn't take Mahanth's dragonstone. It needed to stay there to give life to the jungle.
Kanvar remembered how adamant Tana had been that he leave the stone with Mahanth's corpse.

Dharanidhar growled.
That's nonsense. The native villagers are far too superstitious, but they've been in this jungle longer than we have. They've always treated dragons with respect, so we leave them alone. But they have no right to stop you from taking a dragonstone you rightfully won in combat. We'll get it. Don't worry. The villagers won't stop us, and nothing bad will happen to the jungle despite what they believe.

I get to keep the stones then? They're mine to do with as I please?
Kanvar couldn't suppress his excitement.

Yes, of course.

Good, then I know exactly what we're going to do as soon as your wing heals.

Chapter Sixteen

Kanvar limped out of
the shadow of the trees into the sunlit field. He paused for a moment at the old stump where he'd first practiced with his crossbow not that long ago. Half-consciously, his hand went to the empty bolt loops on his harness. He'd lost every one of his bolts even after telling Chandran he hated to lose them, because they cost too much to replace.

His hand dropped to the full money pouch tied to his belt. Dharanidhar had often wondered what the use was of the little round metal pieces he so often found on human soldiers. After Kanvar's explanation of money, Dharanidhar had laughed and offered Kanvar his whole stash so he could buy more crossbow bolts.

Kanvar shook his head at the pathetic little target and started walking again toward the main colony gates. The heavy satchel he had hung over his shoulder bumped against his side. The coins in his pouch were worth scant little compared to the treasure in his satchel.

It was morning and the gate was open. Dharanidhar had flown Kanvar as close to the colony as he could during the night without being seen. Kanvar had to walk the rest of the way. It wasn't a great distance, but still a bit taxing for Kanvar. He felt hot and sweaty in his patched dragonhide armor. "Better that than cold," he muttered to himself.

He waved to the soldiers who guarded the gate as if he was returning from emptying Chandran's chamber pot out to fertilize the fields. Something he'd done every morning for so many years.

The soldiers waved back, then Kanvar felt their minds dive into a flurry of disbelief. The watchers in the tower had reported Kanvar being carried away by the Great Blue dragon almost a week before. Everyone figured Kanvar was dead. Before they could straighten their minds out and say anything, Kanvar had limped past them into the colony.

He went straight to the weapons shop where he'd purchased his crossbow.

Inside, the shop smelled of hot steel and dragon scales. Kanvar meant to just pick up a few more crossbow bolts, but stopped in front of a new set of shiny blue dragonhide armor that hung on the wall.

"Great Blue dragon hide. The best defense against blue dragon fire. Sewn in a way to maintain full mobility," the shop owner said as he walked over to Kanvar and admired the armor with him. "Not that you'd ever be able to afford it, Kanvar."

Kanvar stared down at his own mismatched armor. His hand pressed up against the bulging pouch. Yes, he could afford it, but his greatest prizes needed to go for something else. He shrugged and moved on. "I need five more crossbow bolts."

"Lost the others already?" the shop owner went to the case where he kept the bolts and pawed through a box of them looking for the size to fit Kanvar's bow. "Wait a minute." He popped his head back up and stared at Kanvar in surprise. "You . . . you're dead. The dragon hauled you off along with the Naga's corpse. You shouldn't have been messing about with that one's sword. I always figured you'd come to a bad end."

Kanvar wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "Make it ten bolts," he said. "And another strap to hold the extra five."

"Ten bolts? Kanvar, you're alive. But how?" He fumbled through the bolts in a rush. "Dare I ask how you're going to pay for these?"

"I raided the blue dragon's hoard." Kanvar grinned. It was the truth minus the fact that Dharanidhar had offered it to him.

"You did not."

"Did." Kanvar opened his coin pouch and counted out the necessary money while the shop owner slid the five extra bolts into slots on a second leather strap and hooked it onto his harness.

"The watchers said you blinded him. I suppose that's how you managed it. Though how you got out of there and all the way back here alive, I can't imagine."

"It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I had to kill a lesser green serpent, escape a Great Black serpent, and kill a Great Green dragon." Kanvar enjoyed himself bragging like any great dragon hunter would.

"That's a load of camdor droppings," the shop owner said. "The dragon probably just dropped you in the trees a mile from here and you stumbled across some dead colonist's remains. Stole the money and came back."

Heat rose into Kanvar's face. He opened his mouth to contradict the shop owner and then changed his mind. He had nothing to prove to this man. "Don't sell that suit of armor. Next time I come back into town, I'll bring enough money to buy it."

"Sure you will." The shop owner was still laughing when Kanvar went out the door.

Kanvar's next stop was the general store where he picked up a tin cup, a hunting knife, a frying pan, and a very warm blanket. Basic necessaries to make himself at home in Dharanidhar's lair. He kept his interactions with the store owner minimal, not wanting a repeat of the exchange at the weapons shop.

When he stepped out in the street, he was surprised to see a crowd of soldiers and colonists waiting for him.

"There he is," a woman exclaimed, pointing at Kanvar. "It is him. He's alive."

The street erupted in a flurry of surprised shouts and disbelieving guffaws. Worse was the sudden rush of thoughts that inundated him. So many minds, tumbling all over his with questions and theories about his disappearance and return. Kanvar gritted his teeth and built a shield to protect his own thoughts.

Chandran appeared, pushing his way through the crowd to get to Kanvar. "You wretched boy," he said, grabbing Kanvar's good arm. "I should have you whipped for disobeying me. I told you to stay at the barracks. But no. You had to go mess around with that Naga." Chandran's face was red, and he sputtered in indignation. But his thoughts screamed past Kanvar's shield. Chandran had been devastated when the dragon carried Kanvar away. It was a heart-wrenching loss that had nearly put the old soldier into his grave.

Kanvar was glad Chandran didn't know the truth the Kanvar had not only gone into the jungle but also that he was a Naga and had bonded with the Maranies' worst enemy. Kanvar felt a bit guilty about that, like he'd betrayed Chandran, but Kanvar couldn't bring himself to regret his actions. He'd done what he had to do to save his brother.

"Thanks, Master Chandran. I missed you too," Kanvar said. "Let's go somewhere a little quieter to talk." He eased out of Chandran's grip and tried to limp up the street, but the crowd closed in around him. Chandran stayed right beside him and ordered some of the younger soldiers to keep the crowd at bay. Despite that, Kanvar could tell he'd never get anywhere without giving an explanation to the colonists.

"I fought a Great Blue dragon and won," Kanvar shouted.

The crowd fell stone silent. They did not believe him.

He turned to Chandran. "I also killed a Great Green dragon." He slipped his hand into his satchel. "Chandran, I thank you for arranging my apprenticeship to the camdor keeper. I suspect you spent your entire retirement savings to do it. But the truth is, I could never be happy as a camdor handler. I'm a dragon hunter at heart and always will be. I'd like to buy my way out of the apprenticeship."

Chandran's face wrinkled in disappointment. He'd been so relieved to see Kanvar return alive, though he didn't believe Kanvar's story any more than anyone else. He put a hand on Kanvar's shoulder. "Please, Kanvar. You'll never have enough money to pay me back. A camdor handler is a noble profession."

Kanvar's hand closed around the green dragonstone, and he pulled it from the satchel, lifting it so the facets caught the light.

The crowd gasped.

"I think this might be enough for you to retire on in plenty of comfort," Kanvar said, holding the stone out to Chandran.

General Samdrasen and his officers pushed through the crowd as Chandran accepted the stone from Kanvar. Chandran's disbelief in Kanvar's story fell away to wonder and astonishment.

"What is going on here?" General Samdrasen shouted. Raahi appeared out of the crowd, following Samdrasen. A black and green bruise marred his right cheek, and he had lash marks on his arms. Kanvar sensed that Samdrasen had not been happy that the Naga had escaped burning.

Kanvar limped over to confront Samdrasen.

"He says he killed the Great Blue dragon," Someone in the crowd yelled.

"Liar." Samdrasen pulled his sword from the sheath and set the tip against Kanvar's chest. "You freed the Naga and turned it over to the Great Blue. You are a traitor and a Naga lover, and for that you will burn in his place."

The officers rushed forward to grab Kanvar. Before they got hold of his arms, Kanvar lifted the giant blue dragonstone out of his satchel. "I did kill a Great Blue dragon, and this proves it. I simply used the Naga as bait." Not the exact truth, but the closest Kanvar could get without letting on he was a Naga too.