Dragons Rising ✔️

Ch 49: Ferentis

After a long two hours of flying with frequent breaks, we finally approached the Lykela-Ferentis border. The Lykelan guard tower was in ruins at the place we crossed over, and we landed at the base of the Ferentisian guard tower without meeting any opposition.

"Get off your dragons," the talme-cinem man, who I'd gathered was the leader of this group, ordered as soon as we landed.

We complied without argument.

"Take the elent up first," he told one of the dalteks.

Both dalteks led Clarisa into the guard tower, which looked big enough from the outside to have several rooms. She seemed on the verge of showing real fear but managed to hold herself together as she was led inside.

"So, what were you doing so far from the border?" I asked, breaking my vow of silence.

He smiled, which was surprisingly charming. "We had planned on striking the mine ourselves, but our scout said your fire brought the whole town down. They won't be mining there for a long time."

I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of how many people would have been hurt or even killed in the blaze, but I made an effort to hide my discomfort. Tawny, on the other hand, wasn't quite so subtle. She shot me an alarmed look that made the talme-cinem raise an eyebrow.

"You all are the ones who set it on fire, aren't you?" he asked.

"We are." I shrugged like it was no big deal. "But we didn't mean to set it all on fire, just the stable. That's why Tawny is so surprised."

He turned to Tawny and held out his hand. "Tawny, eh? A lovely name for a lovely lady."

Tawny seemed to be forcing herself not to run for the hills. She took his hand gingerly, and he kissed it. This was apparently too much, and she yanked it back, retreating to my side.

If the paltor was offended by this, he didn't show it. "If the mental probes show that you really are traitors to Lykela, you will be allowed to stay. In that case, you will need to grow accustomed to people of mixed ancestry."

Tawny gulped audibly and grabbed my arm. "I didn't know there were so many of them," she whispered.

"We'll just have to get used to that," I whispered back. Then I stepped towards the talme-cinem with my hand outstretched. "My name's Ella."

He took my hand and kissed it. "Ella, an equally beautiful name. Mine is Garavues. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise, I'm sure." I could practically feel Tawny's incredulous stare.

"I see that at least one Lykelan has good manners." He closed his mouth, and his voice sounded in my mind. [Though I suppose that is partly due to your heritage, is it not?]

[I guess so,] I thought, trying to direct it at him like I did when I thoughtspoke with Leera.

[I can sense that you are not a pure-blood, but the particulars evade me. You are part talme, part...?]

[Fire elent.] Admitting it to anyone, especially someone I hardly knew, felt very wrong, even though I knew he wouldn't hurt me for it. [How did you know what I was?]

[I have lived among other paltors my entire life. I know how their minds feel when I brush up against them.] After nodding in Tawny's direction, he said, [it is obvious she does not know what you are. Do the other two?]

[Clarisa, the other girl, does. Kuertis doesn't.]

He raised an eyebrow. [Then I assume you know that this Clarisa...] He trailed off, no doubt unwilling to reveal her secrets if I don't already know them.