Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series Read Free Page A

Farn.
    She looked down at
Seboth, a few steps below her, and sent a tiny thread of power
towards his mind. He faltered on the stair, putting a hand to the
wall to steady himself. Tika grinned to herself. Unaware he might
be, but old Valsheban blood still ran in his veins and the power
was close to the surface. A little instruction and he would be able
to reach it.
    Farn and Brin had
settled in an enclosed courtyard garden within Seboth’s manor and
were watching for Tika’s appearance. As she was about to go to
greet them she heard Lallia’s gasp behind her. Turning, she saw
that Lallia’s eyes were wide: no trace of fear, only amazed awe.
Tika reached for her hand, pulling Lallia with her. Farn’s head
lowered to Lallia’s level and his eyes whirred many shades of
blue.
    ‘Another girl,’ he
exclaimed happily.
    Olam departed that
evening to reach the circle by the next day, taking extra koninas
for the new arrivals. Seboth tried to appear nonchalant but failed
dismally to hide his delight when it was suggested he go with
Maressa on Brin’s back to the circle outside Tagria. Farn would
carry his two girls.
    They had not waited
long when the air trembled and two men stood upon the circle. One
was older, short of stature and portly of build. The other was a
slender, younger man with silver eyes and chestnut brown pupils.
Lashek embraced Elyssa and Maressa, hesitating barely a moment
before hugging Tika as well. He introduced his companion as Ren
Salar, an Offering from Drogoya.
    The young man bowed
politely and eyed the Dragons with caution. His relief at being
offered a konina to ride back to Far was so plain that even Farn
and Brin were amused.
    ‘Have you flown on the
back of a Great Dragon before?’ Brin asked the stranger.
    ‘I have not,’ Ren
replied. ‘I have ridden upon a Plavat, a giant bird with unpleasant
manners, and I did not greatly enjoy that experience.’
    ‘I would take great
care of you, should you wish to fly with me,’ Brin said, his eyes
sparkling with mischief.
    Ren saw Tika’s grin and
bowed again to the massive crimson Dragon.
    ‘Truly, I am greatly
honoured by your generous offer, but I do prefer to be nearer the
ground.’
    Brin and Farn thought
this remark extraordinarily amusing, and repeated it to each other
all the way back to Far.
     
     
     

Chapter
Two
     
    In the settlement of
Arak there was an air of bustling activity. Although a shelter had
been provided to give the severely injured midnight blue Dragon
Kadi some respite from the weather, Observer Chakar, Lorak and the
ancient black Dragon Fenj were increasingly concerned. Kadi needed
to be in a place secure from winds still bitterly cold. One of the
Delvers’ large growing areas was directly below where Kadi lay. The
Snow Dragons using fire, and Delvers using hammers and hands, had
enlarged the ventilation opening to a size enough to grant Kadi
entrance.
    What worried Chakar and
Fenj most of all was the fact that Kadi remained silent although
some of her wounds were beginning to heal. Her mind was closed and
not even Fenj could reach her. Lorak had come up with the idea of
moving Kadi and worked hard on the fulfilment of that
plan.
    Long lengths of rope
were woven into a huge net, then heavily padded with whatever
material the Delvers could lay hands on. Three Snow Dragons
practised the manoeuvring they would need to do, over and over,
until Fenj was satisfied. Now, in the early morning light, work
began to ease the great net beneath Kadi’s inert form. It took far
longer than Chakar and Lorak had envisaged and they agreed to halt
for a while to give everyone a much needed rest.
    Mim and Ashta were to
be the guides for the Snow Dragons and Fenj, and now Mim checked
and rechecked the four harnesses. Lorak would ride Fenj, Chakar one
of the Snow Dragons and Delver healers would be on the remaining
Snow Dragons. Finally, Mim secured the last ropes to Fenj and
stepped back.
    ‘Stars guide our path
now, old one,’ he