The Boon of Alon

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

Fortunately, it's not a long flight, and it's a little warmer down off the mountain. We land in a clearing in an old, old forest in the foothills in Ecour, where instead of snow there's just a light drizzle that the massive trees keep off us, once we get under them. Arnet can't get far out of the clearing, as the trees get denser, but we don't need to go far to stay dry.

"Iamon should be here any second," Chama tells me, and indeed, he swoops down to join Arnet shortly. He's a little smaller than Arnet, I'm surprised to find—by human standards he's ancient, but I think, by dragon standards, he's actually quite young.

Either way, he snakes through the trees until he's close enough to reach me, if he stretches out his neck, though he doesn't yet. He snorts a greeting instead, sending a plume of steam from his breath rising into the branches high above.

"You know," says Chama, "I would've had a better excuse to take you out here if Iamon had bonded you this morning. Lucky everyone already knows you're in a weird spot, I guess, but I'm gonna be fielding a lot of questions." She sighs.

Now Iamon nudges me in the arm. "We could have done it this morning," he agrees, "but I thought you would be more comfortable without an audience."

He is completely right. "Yeah—thanks. Wait, does that mean we're doing it now?" Somehow I thought it'd happen—I don't know. After? But he did say we'd do it before that theoretical month's deadline.

"Yes," says Iamon.

"But I'm not..." Ready. I'm not ready. And I am extremely aware of Chama and Arnet just feet away, watching us.

"If you wish to help the rebellion before they fall to corruption, then it must be soon," Iamon says. "And if you wish your mentor to be present, it must be now."

My blood runs cold. "Is something going to happen to her?"

"She will be busy. She will survive."

That's something, I guess. Still, I hesitate, and he rumbles softly.

"You may not be ready," he says, "but you will learn what you need to know. I would not lead you into unnecessary danger—you know this."

But it'll still be dangerous. "Waiting would be safer, but...worse."

"Safer for you, worse for a great many others."

I sigh. "Is this really the only way?"

He nuzzles against my arm. "There are always many ways, but this is the best one."

I could say no, I think, and he would try to find the next best option. But this isn't about me—this is about the people I can help.

And he isn't saying it outright, but it sure sounds like we aren't going to be hiding out here as long as planned.

"Okay." We're going to do it anyway—it might as well be now. Even if it scares me. Besides, it'll be a while before I can take the oath, and I won't be a full rider until then. I still have time.

I turn and look at Chama, partly because I want her reassurance and partly to delay, and she grins at me.

"I take it you're bonding now? Congrats, kid," she says. Then she draws her sword. "Come to think of it, there's a benefit to doing it this way—we need evidence, and you need to bleed anyway."

I eye the sword. I'm sure she's not actually going to stab me, but I don't like the implication. But she only takes one step towards me before Iamon snarls at her.

"Um?" I look at him. Surely he can see that she's not actually going to kill me. Or is she? I put a hand on his snout, well away from his bared teeth, and he stops snarling immediately.