“It is a great pleasure to meet you, Agate,” she said. Then, when he said nothing, she glanced back at Quickthorn. “I thought dragons from this Nest were named for trees.”
“We have used all the tree names, so the new generation has gemstones as their mortal use-names. Agate has just been granted his name for this meeting.”
Mortal use-names. “Does that mean you use different names among yourselves?”
Quickthorn huffed. “Of course. Our true names have meanings the human tongue cannot comprehend.”
“That makes sense.” Frederica turned back to Agate. “What would you wish to know of me?”
The larger dragon spoke for him. “We will begin with a brief sharing, you and I, with Agate listening in, so he can sense your mind.”
Her second sharing! “Very well.”
Quickthorn held out her forelegs. Agate scampered close to the larger dragon and leaned against her side.
Frederica grasped her talons, glad that she needed no instructions this time. Quickthorn’s eyes gazed into hers. How beautiful they were, all amber with sea-green flecks! And then the dizzying sensation of another presence in her head began – with a sense of nervous watching at the edge. Was that Agate?
Think of the first time you saw a dragon, Quickthorn commanded.
Eager to please, Frederica drew on her memories of seeing Cerridwen in dragon form for the first time. It was a happy memory, but somehow the timid watcher seemed more anxious. Had she misunderstood? She switched to her first meeting with Cerridwen-the-kestrel, when she had tried to feed her too much plum cake because she wanted to be friends. But the disquiet continued to increase until suddenly it vanished, leaving only Quickthorn in her mind.
She could feel the dragon withdraw, too, and her spirits sank. It was obvious it had not gone well, but what had she done wrong? Was there anything she could do to fix it?
But now that her mind was her own again, she could feel fear in Agate’s aura. Fear of her. She turned to Quickthorn. “What am I doing that is frightening him? That is the last thing I wish to do!”
An annoyed puff of smoke issued from Quickthorn’s nostrils. “It is not you. He has known all his life the price of a companion bond gone wrong. He sees poor Hornbeam every day, with his mind twisted and his magic depleted, stolen by his former companion. It is only natural for him to fear the bond.”
“But…” Frederica said helplessly. Agate was such an amazing creature – and so frightened! She dropped to her knees, to meet his eyes on his own level.. “I would never wish to do anything to harm you. If bonding is so dangerous to you, then it should not happen.” She couldnot, would not risk that beautiful young dragon! Nor could she bear for him to be afraid of her.
“Well spoken,” said Quickthorn. “But his fear is natural. The companion who injured Hornbeam was of your family, and like you, she desired very much to bond.” She snorted. “It was not an ideal match. Hornbeam should have refused.”
Of her family? She could not mean Granny, and there was no other. But she had not known Granny was a dragon companion until recently. Had another Fitzwilliam secretly taken on a dragon bond – and harmed their companion? Or perhaps it had been centuries ago, given how long-lived dragons were. “Who was it? When did this happen?”
“More than three decades ago. Her name was Catherine. Lady Catherine Fitzwilliam, you would have called her.”
Frederica’s mouth went dry. “She who is now called Lady Catherine de Bourgh?” Oh, now it all made sense, terrible, terrifying sense.
“I do not know what you mortals call her now,” Quickthorn snapped. “I curse her name.”
“I will join you in that,” said Frederica fervently. “I never knew she was a dragon companion. She has done terrible things to humans, too. But I am deeply grieved to learn that she also harmed her dragon.” And horrified. Was that how Lady Catherine had gained her unnatural powers? She shivered.
Elizabeth’s voice sounded from behind her. “What was it that she did? Darcy told me only it was very bad.”
“She influenced people’s minds, forcing them to do what she wished,” Frederica said. Even after all these years, nausea still rose in her at the thought. “The King’s madness? That was a result of her meddling.”
Elizabeth’s jaw dropped. “But no one can do that!”
“No human mage has that skill,” Quickthorn retorted, “but it is intrinsic to dragons. Except for Hornbeam, who had that ability ripped from him by his companion.”
Frederica pressed her fingertips against her mouth in horror. Injuring her own dragon companion for her benefit! At least it explained LadyCatherine’s horrible Talent – and why the nestling was terrified of bonding.
Decisively she turned back to the nestling. “No wonder you are afraid! And it does not matter how many times I might tell you I would never do such a thing. The very idea horrifies me. I am grateful to have met you, and would wish to know you better, but you should never, ever bond to someone you fear. That is just wrong.” Tears filled her eyes at giving up the dream of being a dragon companion, but this was the right thing to do. The right thing for Agate, and that was most important.
The nestling came forward and laid his head on Frederica’s arm. “I was willing to risk it because of the benefits it could bring our Nest, but our minds do not mesh. I honor your decision.” And then he waddled back to Quickthorn, leaving Frederica biting her lip to keep back sobs.
“A wise choice,” Quickthorn told her. “You are too strong-willed for a nestling; you would dominate him without meaning to.”
Frederica nodded jerkily. “I am still grateful for this opportunity – and for your honesty.”
