Fate of Dragons

Chapter Fifteen - Part I

"What do I say?"

Tesa stared at the letter before her. She hadn't exactly left Fenn on good terms. She felt that she should say something about that, apologize. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to apologize. Maybe explain, at least. Was it the time for that? Surely, with everything that had happened, now was not the time for her personal grief with Fenn. They had more important information to pass back and forth. Tesa glanced at the people around the table, all watching her expectantly.

Suddenly, faced with the necessity to think of what to write, the full measure of the day hit her. She felt exhausted. A yawn took over her before she could even attempt to stifle it.

"Maybe we can wait until morning," Malía said. She put a hand on Tesa's shoulder. "There's much to impart, and we must take care how we do it." She turned to Emric, who had been standing quietly, watching the party's excitement about the letter. "May we rest, and resume this in the morning?"

Emric twitched slightly, as if Malía's question had shaken him out of some reverie. "Of course, of course. I think we'll all need rest. There are some important decisions to be made." He touched his hand briefly to his chest, and not a moment later the door opened and servants appeared to remove the food from the table.

"You'll find your beds ready for you when you go down," Emric said, then abruptly left the room.

Before anyone else could take it, Tesa folded up the letter and slipped it into its leather case. She felt Glenna's eyes on her, but she didn't meet them. Malía watched as the letter disappeared into its case, too, but Tesa ignored it. Fenn had given the letter to her, and she wouldn't let them have it.

With few words, they sunk down the stairs and drifted to their rooms, each to fall asleep with the news that their country may be gone to them forever. Tesa changed into her bedclothes and climbed under the covers. Despite the warm climate, the nights were chilled.

A soft knock on her door pulled Tesa out of sleep. She glanced at the window. It was still dark. She rubbed her eyes and sat up to slip her feet into the woven slippers, then shuffled to the door. She opened it a crack.

It was Malía and Glenna. Behind them, the faintest gray light lit the sky above the roof of the temple. So it was barely dawn.

"May we come in?"

Tesa rubbed her eyes and held the door open for them. Malía pushed into the room and her presence took command of it. Glenna looked apologetically to Tesa and perched on the chair in front of the small desk by the window. Tesa sank back onto her bed. She still felt groggy.

"We must write to them before we meet with Emric and his council," Malía whispered briskly. Her eyes darted around the room briefly and she pursed her lips in a thin line. Did she think someone was listening? Tesa's lips turned up in a slight smile as the thought reminded her of Eriya and her precautions in the dragon dwell in Areth. Well, she had been right.

Tesa pulled her pack from the corner of the bed and withdrew the leather case that contained the letter. She unfolded it and spread it on her lap.

"It's full," Tesa said, remembering now one of the things keeping her from writing back. How could she say all she had to say in such a small space on the paper?

At her words, though, Glenna's eyes had lit up.

"Oh, give it here," Glenna said, holding out her hands.

Tesa handed the letter over, but Glenna waved her hands some more.

"That, too." She was gesturing at the leather case which had protected the letter. Tesa handed that to Glenna, too.