Melanie Rawn - Skybowl (Dragon Star, Book 3)

Skybowl

Book 3 of the Dragon Star series

Melanie Rawn

Contents

She appeared without warning, balanced exquisitely on a carpet of sunlight, crowned in stars. When she smiled at him, all the sweetness and serenity that ever were shone from her face. Beautiful, of coursethough he could not have defined the color of her eyes, or her hair, or her skin. She was all he had ever dreamed, many things he had never dared imagine, and she was here, with him, smiling. He reached out a reverent hand, hoping he would be allowed to touch her.

No, she murmured, her voice softly throaty, not yet, my dear. All things in time.

Her starry crown brightened, pulsing in rhythm with his quick heartbeats, dazzling his eyes. He drew back slightly, frightened of power for the first time in his life. But he could not look away, for from that arc of brilliant light shot clear, fiery sparks, each expanding to a crystalline sphere. She juggled them easily, almost whimsically, all twelve in turn caught and then tossed high by elegant fingers.

Within each was a castle. Stronghold, Radzyn, Tiglath, Skybowl, Remagev, Swalekeep, Castle Crag, Balarat, Tuath, Goddess Keephe knew those well, but two were strange to his eyes. He tried to follow their movements, tried to discern the patterns of wall and tower and court.

Too fast? she asked. Suddenly the spheres were suspended in midair, the two unfamiliar castles resting delicately on her fingertips. She held one iridescent globe out to him.

The Feruche that was, before it was taken by Fire.

Yes, he recognized it now, from drawings. Not half so beautiful as the Feruche Sorin had created, and very much older.

She extended her right hand, and he saw a strong, soaring tower, surrounded by a trim village of wooden houses glowing with stained-glass windows, unprotected by walls.

This was mine, before the building of the place you now hold.

And when he saw the crystal dome that was oratory and calendar and mathematical triumph, he knew that he looked upon the ancient Sunrunner keep on Dorval.

More. He looked upon the Goddess.

She was toying with the castle-spheres again. They rose and fell at the flick of her fingers. All at once she gestured, and they hovered in a straight line before her.

Stronghold fell and shattered.

And Tuath.

Feruche.

Remagev.

The castle on Dorval that no one living had ever seen.

Wait! he cried. Not Radzyn! Please!

No. You have already paid for your home. But one other will fall.

Which one? Swalekeepwhere Ostvel was, making Alasen a widow? Tiglathto further break Sionells heart? Castle Crag? Skybowl? Balarat?

Goddess Keep?

I cant choose!

Have I asked you to? Her laughter was sunlight on diamonds. She began to juggle the remaining castles once more, swifter than his eyes could follow.

Then why?

Because they are still in danger.

You said I paid for Radzyn. How? He thought of Brenlis.

The lovely features drew into an expression of shock. Not with pain. I am not so cruel as all that. You paid with belief.

Of course. What other coin would Deity accept?

Is it possible to do the same for

Which one?

As unable as he had been to choose a castle to destroy, neither could he choose one to save.

She was smiling again. Her eyes were green and then blue, black and then hazel and then gray. Her hair was spun sunlightno, fiery redno, soft brownblackpure silver. She was his mother and Sioned and Andrade and Hollis and Brenlis and even Alasen.

You see how difficult power can be. One more will fall. But which?

She flung all the spheres up into the air. He watched helplessly holding his breath, heart stopped in his chest. Higher, Higher, seven glowing globes, shrinking to pinpoints of light that circled into a crown of stars...

Andry? My Lord, wake up. The voice was urgent, familiar. Andry!

He opened his eyes. Evarin; only him. Where is she? he muttered thickly.

The Master Physician sagged with relief. About time you came out of it. Dont worry about Princess Alasen. Shes on her way to Feruche. She should get there tomorrow sometime. I had a look earlier, while you were sleeping. Then this fever came over you like a summer squall, and it was all I could do to get a cure down your throat. How do you feel now?

Cold. Drenched in sweat, Andry huddled into a sopping blanket.

Evarin produced a dry one that reeked of horse. Andry found the smell comforting. He stripped off wet clothes and wrapped himself in the wool. Then he drank whatever Evarin gave him and lay back weakly.

A little Fire glimmered nearby, warming the darkness of a small stone shelter. Where are we?

One of Lord Garics way stations. Before you ask, we got here on horseback. Undignified, but there werent any artists around to note the pose for a commemorative portrait, so

Stop babbling and tell me what happened. Then, looking more closely at Evarins face, he said gently, Youve got a fever, yourself. Hows the leg?

The young man shrugged. Itll do.

Whered the horse come from?

Your horse, actually. He wandered back. You dont remember?

No.

Well, you got a pretty nasty crack on the head today.

Your memory may play tricks for a while. Anyway, we heard hoofbeats, and you tried some whistle or other, and your stallion came trotting upwell, limping, actually. You took the stone from his hoof, andyou really dont remember?

None of it. But Im glad you didnt have to do all the work yourself. I presume we got on the horse and started riding?

I doubt youd call it that. He grinned tiredly. Your fatherd be appalledor laugh himself senseless, one of the two, seeing us. And Im babbling again, so I think Ill let you take the watch for a while.

Yes, get some rest. Is there anything to eat?

Water and what was in your saddlebags. Evarin reached out and dragged the leather satchels over. Dry clothes, too.

Good. You lie down and sleep. Ill tend the Fire.

One moment Evarins little blaze faded, and the next Andry called Fire to the same spot. The exchange was made smoothly; at least the injury to his head hadnt played foul with his gifts. The physician curled himself into another blanket and was asleep between one breath and the next.

Andry changed clothes, keeping the blanket like a shawl over his shoulders. It was bitterly cold, but his need for warmth had more to do with his guts than his skin.

One will fall...

But which? Oh, Goddess, which one?

He took hard bread and cheese from his saddlebags and went to the shelter doorway. He had no sense of time; it might have been anywhere from just after dusk to just before dawn. There must have been a clear sky earlier, or Evarin wouldnt have been able to go looking for Alasen, but now only faint, milky luminescence showed where the moons lurked behind the clouds. The unusable light mocked him.

Which would fall?

Not Radzyn. She said he had bought it with his belief. He remembered his dreams of death and destruction. She had shown him what might happen, and he had believed.

Tiglath, then? Evarin, on their long ride before the disaster of today, had told him all he knew of events. The Vellantim had sailed to Tiglath, attacked, been repulsed, and departed. Tallain had died defending his castle, but the castle still stood. They had tried to take it once. They had failed. There was no reason to think they might attempt it again.

Not so with Goddess Keep. Seven ships were in Brochwell Bay even now. But Torien and the other devrim Knew how to protect themselves. Prince Elsen of Grib was nding south with troops in answer to Toriens call for aid. The princes sister Norian was on her way from Dragons Rest with her husband, Edrel of River Ussh. They would provide more traditional defense than the spells used by the devrim. With sudden wryness, he reminded himself that Jayachin was there, tooand nothing would prevent her from doing everything she could to uphold her own safety and her new position as unofficial athri of the refugees out-Mde the walls.