“It is a sign of our deep alarm that we have done this. It is one of our core beliefs that dragons may choose Silence. To visit a Silent Nest uninvited is a violation.” The rest of her answer came as a sending so powerful it almost knocked him off his feet.
A giant cavern, as decorated as this one, but with signs of conflagration everywhere – scorch marks marring the artwork, ash, and melted glass. Empty. And an arch, which he somehow knew was the entrance to the breeding grounds in Faerie, demolished. Aloud, the Eldest said, “That is the one in Austria.”
The visions were certainly not what anyone would expect from dragons voluntarily fighting for Napoleon. How had the Eldest received those images in the first place? More incomprehensible dragon magic, no doubt. “And in Spain?” His mouth was dry.
“One Nest abandoned and burned, and the other with only three young nestlings, their minds so knotted with bindings they could tell us nothing.” Sadness, deepest sadness.
So bindings could be dangerous, as he had suspected. At least in some circumstances. “Where do you think the dragons went?”
The Eldest bowed her head. “How much humans have forgotten! Dragons cannot survive without their Nest. Only those young dragons with companions can leave it for more than a day or two. The dragons in Spainand Austria are gone. Three Nests, lost forever! All that knowledge, all the lore, all those lives. That we should live to see such a day!”
Her sorrow was overwhelming, making the very air seem thick and unwieldy. Somehow Darcy made himself say, “Your grief is mine as well. My apologies for my ignorance.”
The dragon raised her enormous head. “A grief shared is halved. This is why we must learn everything we can. We must discover how a mortal has learned to make dragons turn to killing.”
“I will do everything in my power to stop it.” Including risking his own life to help kill said mortal, but the dragon would not want to hear that.
“The Wicked King has the ability to force dragons to do his will. He created a mechanism for it when he made the first dragons to be his most fearsome warriors, and it is our greatest weakness. That a mortal can do this is an untold disaster.”
No wonder the dragons were suddenly ready to work with humans. Darcy said, “A tragedy indeed, one which must be stopped.” Then he deliberately placed his hands on the dragon’s rough talons.
The reading was less of a shock this time, apart from gazing into eyes that were the size of his head. As instructed, Darcy brought his knowledge to the forefront of his memory, as if he were preparing to speak about these things. She seemed most interested in the reports of the wounded from Salamanca, although it clearly pained her.
Finally she withdrew from his mind. “I am grieved that mortals have suffered so at the hands of dragons. We must put an end to this.”
And he could tell that she meant it with every part of her being. “If I receive any further information, would you like me to send word?”
“I would be grateful for that. You have sources which we lack. If you tell Cerridwen, she will pass it along to me,” said the Eldest.
Then Elizabeth stepped forward to stand at his side, just as it should be. With great determination, she said, “There is one more thing. I wish to take my final vows as soon as possible. It is overdue, and this is a time when the Nest may benefit from its companions.”
“We can do it at this moment, if you wish it,” said the dragon.
Her lips parted. “Yes, I do wish it. I want to be a full partner to Cerridwen.”
“Then let it be done. It will be a cause for celebration during this bleak time. We cannot gather the entire Nest, as many of us are busy shoring up our defenses and planning new ones, but those who have met you will be glad to take a break for this auspicious event.”
Darcy drew in a sharp breath. “Defenses? Against Napoleon and his dragons?”
“Eventually, perhaps, but also from uninvited mortals. Since Companion Amelia has decided to expose us all, we must prepare for the worst. We trust you as an individual, but not your leaders.”
“I understand. Will your defenses harm the local people?”
“Not unless they decide to be foolish. We use no weapons, but if I create a wall of fire between the two of us, and you choose to run through it and are burned to death, that is on your conscience, not mine. We may create a rockslide to stop anyone from reaching the Nest, or employ illusion, glamour, or confusion spells. There are many ways to defend ourselves while hurting no one.”
Lady Amelia had spoken of the dragon defenses in Wales. With the power of their magic and Artifacts, the dragons could make things very difficult for an invading army – if they so chose. If the government treated them as allies instead of enemies.
And now he, too, was unexpectedly in a position to be an ambassador of sorts, at least while he remained alive. “That shows great wisdom.”
“We do what we must.” The Eldest paused, then asked with seeming reluctance, “Have you any word from Companion Amelia?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Only a brief note from a lady traveling with her to say that the journey was going well. I expect she is in London now.”
“A terribly risky business. Companion Amelia has always been headstrong, but to decide on her own to break the Great Covenant of Concealment is beyond that. I cannot understand why her dragon agreed to such a step without consulting the Nest. This will impact all of us.” Anger throbbed in her aura.
Darcy would not want that wrath directed at him. He could understand it, though, having seen this Nest. It now seemed outrageous that Lady Amelia had chosen to expose the dragons against their wishes.
At the time, though, he had only been grateful that she was putting England’s needs first. Just as he had originally done, and only now he saw his error. There were so many aspects to this.
