The Realms of the Gods Read Free

belly was half exposed, and quieted again.
    A boy stuck his head in the open door. “’Scuze me, m’lord Numair, Lady, um—um—sir.” His confusion over the proper title for a basilisk was brief. “His Majesty needs you now, up on the coast wall, the northwest drum tower. If you’ll follow me?”
    Now what? was in the looks Daine and Numair exchanged, before the girl remembered the dragon. “Kitten—”
    â€œI will remain with Skysong,” Tkaa assured her.
    Daine stood on tiptoe to pat the immortal’s cheek. “You’re fair wonderful, Tkaa.” She and Numair followed the runner at a brisk walk.
    A man, a commoner by his sweat-soaked clothes, knelt at the king’s feet, drinking greedily from a tankard. Beside him was a tray with a pitcher and a plate of sliced bread, meat, and cheese. The king, in tunic and breeches of his favorite blue and a plain white shirt, leaned against the tower wall, reading a grimy sheet of parchment. In direct sunlight, Daine could see that Jonathan had also acquired some white threads in his black hair since the arrival of spring.
    â€œThis is Ulmer of Greenhall, a village southeast of here,” the king said when he saw them. “He has ridden hard to reach us, and his news is—unsettling.”
    Watching the man eat, Daine realized he didn’t kneel just from reverence to his monarch—gray with exhaustion, he was too weak to stand. It seemed that all he could manage was to chew his food.
    â€œâ€˜Unsettling’? I don’t like the sound of that,” Numair remarked.
    â€œThe village headman writes that five things came out of the Coastal Hills near Greenhall the day before yesterday. They kill what they touch—”
    â€œSkin ’em, with magic,” Ulmer interrupted. “Can’t shoot ’em.” He refilled his tankard with trembling hands. “I mean, y’ can, but it does them no hurt. Swords, axes—” He shook his head. Realizing that he’d interrupted the king, he ducked his head. “Beggin’ your pardon, Sire.”
    â€œIt’s all right, Ulmer.” To Numair and Daine, Jonathan added, “Sir Hallec of Fief Nenan went to fight them at sunset yesterday. They killed him.” He grimly rolled up the parchment. “Fortunately, the Skinners don’t move after dark, and are slow to start in the morning—they seem to need to warm up. The people ofGreenhall have fled, but . . . there are rich fields in this part of the realm, as you know. We will need those crops this winter.” He looked at Numair, then at Daine. “I’m sorry. I know you’re exhausted, but—”
    â€œYou need your other mages to deal with the enemy fleet, and the siege,” Numair said. “This is why you’ve kept me in reserve, Your Majesty.”
    â€œThe wyverns—” the runner who had brought them said. He blushed when the others looked at him.
    Daine understood his worry. The giant, winged, legless dragons breathed a yellow fog that gave humans a dry, long-lasting cough and made the eyes burn and blur. The crew of one of the great catapults, breathless and half blind, had dumped a boulder among their own soldiers. Legann’s only insurance against another wyvern attack was Kitten. Wyverns might resist, but they had to obey an order from one of their dragon cousins.
    â€œKit stays,” the girl said firmly, looking at the king. “Tkaa knows more about helping her than I do, anyway.”
    â€œShe won’t protest?” Jonathan asked. He knew the young dragon well.
    Daine shook her head. “She doesn’t like us being apart for long, but she’s gotten used to it since the war began. Sometimes we’re more useful when we’re apart.”
    â€œI’ll guide you to—home.” Ulmer tried to get up, and failed.
    â€œThere’s no need,” said Numair gently. “If you