‘I asked her already,’ Thymara admitted. ‘I suspected she had something to do with it. From something I heard Harrikin say. Is his dragon changing him, too?’
‘Yes. And Sintara is changing you.’
A silence. Then Thymara admitted. ‘No. She said she wasn’t, and Mercor said that if she didn’t take charge of my changes, he would.’
‘What?’
What was in that incredulous question from Sylve? A touch of jealousy? Disbelief?
Thymara seemed to hear it, too. Her reply was glum. ‘Don’t worry. He won’t. Sintara said she would never allow anyone to take over her keeper. I’m doomed to belong to her, even if she doesn’t want me. And doomed to change however I change, for better or worse.’ She took a deep breath. ‘We’d better get moving. I can’t even see the other boats now.’
‘You want me to paddle for awhile?’ Sedric offered.
‘No. Thank you.’ Quietly she added, ‘I think I just want to work for a while.’
Sedric cleared his throat, forced the difficult words out. ‘I’m changing, too.’
A silence. Then Sylve said delicately, ‘Yes, we noticed.’
He phrased his next statement a dozen ways before he found one that avoided the issue of blood and how he had tasted it. ‘Sometimes I’m afraid that Relpda doesn’t know how to control the change.’
‘I think we’re all a bit afraid of that,’ Sylve commiserated. And he could think of no response.
Thymara’s paddle dug in, pushing them out into the river. They moved on, battling the slow current.
Day the 9th of the Gold Moon
Year the 6th of the Independent Alliance of Traders
From Erek, Keeper of the Birds, Bingtown
to Detozi, Keeper of the Birds, Trehaug
Contents: a legally registered notice from Hest Finbok, to the merchants, inns and suppliers of Trehaug and Cassarick, to be duplicated and distributed freely. Please be advised that as of the first day of the Gold Moon, Hest Finbok will not be responsible for any debts incurred by either Sedric Meldar or Alise Kincarron.
Detozi,
The swift pigeons arrived a full day and a half before the regular carriers. As the weather was both rainy with the wind against them, I am even more impressed with their speed. Clearly, the breeding program is working, and working well, I shall sit down and try to work out a system of bands for the birds that we can use to establish which of them are fastest, so that we may breed more accurately for this trait,
Erek
Day the 10th of the Gold Moon
Year the 6th of the Independent Alliance of Traders
From Erek, Keeper of the Birds, Bingtown
to Detozi, Keeper of the Birds, Trehaug
Enclosed, a notice from Trader family Meldar and Trader family Kincarron, offering a substantial reward for any information as to the location and wellbeing of Sedric Meldar and Alise Kincarron Finbok. To be duplicated and distributed freely, and a copy sent on swiftly to the Keeper of the Birds, Cassarick, all fees having been paid in advance for such service.
Detozi,
You are not alone in wishing that you could make a journey between our cities as swiftly as our pigeons do. I have puzzled for several hours over the markings I could use to designate swiftness of flight on the birds I wish to band. Somehow I am sure that if we could but spend an afternoon together, we could devise such a marking system. I have been curious as to how you manage your coops and flocks in such a dangerous place as the Rain Wilds. I think it would be in the best interests of all the Bird Keepers if I could take time to come for a visit to study your flock management, As soon as Reyall is able to return to handle my duties in my absence, I intend to apply for such a leave, if a visit from me would not be too great an inconvenience to you.
Erek
Day the 12th of the Gold Moon
Year the 6th of the Independent Alliance of Traders
From Erek, Keeper of the Birds, Bingtown
to Detozi, Keeper of the Birds, Trehaug
From Sophie Meldar Roxon, in the enclosed message, a letter of credit for the use of Sedric Meldar or Alise Kincarron, as they may have need. To be held for them at the Traders’ Concourse in Trehaug, with a notice of it sent on to the Traders’ Concourse in Cassarick.
Detozi,
I am very worried that perhaps I sounded too forward in my fast small note to you. I only meant that I know we share a great interest in our birds, and that a conference between us might greatly benefit both our flocks. Such a meeting would only occur, of course, at your convenience and if you are so inclined.
Erek
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Reeds
As evening closed in, the river still had no discernible banks. Leftrin stood on the bow of the barge, looking out over the wide spread of water before him. To the left and to the right, tall reeds and unnaturally thick cat-tails bounded the open channel that remained. The shallow channel itself was only about three times as wide as the barge itself. The dragons trudged slowly before them in a disconsolate bunch. Nothing even approaching solid land was in sight. Likely it would be their second night of standing in water all night. Dark was coming on. A single bright star already showed in the deepening blue of the sky. Soon the hunters and keepers would be bringing their boats back to the barge to reboard for the night. It felt strange to be on such flat water, on the deck of Tarman, and to have such a wide open sky overhead. The forested horizons were a distant circle surrounding his boat. A wide margin of vegetation-choked shallow water walled him off from them. Overhead, flocks of waterfowl and small birds were wheeling and coming down to settle for the night. The waterfowl coasted in to land in sprays of water. The small birds found perches in the tassels and seed heads of the water plants. Small fish, frogs and something that looked like swimming lizards were plentiful in the shallows. The dragons did not enjoy the effort of feeding on such small life forms, but at least they were not going hungry. Yesterday, they had encountered an immense flock of long-legged wading birds. They were at least as tall as a man, and heavy-bodied. Their plumage had been stunningly brilliant, in every shade of blue. He’d only had a short time to marvel at them before the dragons charged them. Most of the birds fled, almost running on top of the water in their haste to take flight. The rest had become dragon fodder. He’d had Davvie pluck a few of the floating feathers from the water for Alise to record and collect. Life here was plentiful on this river, and in varieties that Leftrin had never seen or imagined.
‘At least this is fresh water, with no acid.’ Alise spoke as she approached him. ‘There’s that small mercy to be grateful for. Still, the dragons aren’t going to be happy about standing in water all night.’ She came to stand beside him and he watched her place her hands lightly on the bow railing. How long had she been doing that, he wondered, but did not ask her. Tarman accepted her touch, even acknowledged her. She smoothed her hand along the railing the same way she stroked Grigsby when the ship’s cat honoured her by leaping into her lap. It was a fingertip stroke, an awareness that he belonged to himself, and she was allowed to touch him but never own him.
Yes. That described Tarman for as long as Leftrin had known him, and even more since his modification. There was a stubborn streak to the ship that was familiar but more intense since they had entered the freshwater tributary. He sensed a certainty in his ship that neither the keepers nor the dragons shared. It pervaded his dreams at night; it was the only thing that let him rise and face each day with optimism.