The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume I: Volume I

Rumbelly advanced toward her, shaking a bony finger in her face. “We haven’t had a decent war to bring in ready cash in many years. Prince Darville needs this alliance,” Uncle Rumbelly boasted. “Coronnan is on the brink of civil war and our old enemy SeLenicca is massing for invasion to their west. This is a grand opportunity to strike a major blow at SeLenicca and reestablish our country as an empire.”
    “I won’t do it, Uncle.” Rosie stood straight and defiant, just as she was told she used to.
    “You will or I’ll have you burned as a witch. You and that spawn of Simurgh governess of yours. How about if your mother joins you on the pyre as well?”
     
    War wasn’t hell. It was piles and piles of detail work! Prince Darville suppressed a groan. Sir Holmes stood in the doorway clutching a bundle of rolled parchments larger than the ones carried by the last three clerks.
    Moonlight glimmered through the diamond panes of the mullioned windows of the prince’s tower room. Crenellated battlements neatly divided the silver orb in two. Almost time for Baamin to initiate a summons to Brevelan.
    “Don’t seem right to me.” Fred lounged in the window-seat, cleaning his fingernails with a knifepoint. “Council’s acting like a bunch of spoiled bullies. You slip through their guard once and they pass a law forbidding any contact between you and the University in general, Lord Baamin specifically,” the new bodyguard grumbled.
    Darville yanked the brown velvet restraint from his queue. Grateful for the release, he flipped his head back and forth, an indulgence he rarely allowed himself in the presence of others. Fred’s fear of Darville’s wolf persona nagged at the prince. And yet the young guard continued his faithful loyalty, in spite of his fears.
    “The Council believes they are protecting His Grace,” Sir Holmes corrected Fred. He knew his prince too well and didn’t retreat from the feral mannerisms.
    Sometimes Darville believed his enemies on the Council fostered the superstitious fear of his magic infection so they wouldn’t have to relinquish any of the power they had gained. A healthy prince might demand to be crowned king.
    “I’ve got to get back to the University tonight!” Darville pounded his desk with a clenched fist. A hand’s breadth now lay between the bottom of the fat moon and the highest castle wall. Some things didn’t wait for any man, prince or no.
    “Do something with those reports, Holmes. Watch my back, Fred. I’m going to try slipping past the ogre across the hall.” Darville reached for the sleeping cat who occupied the corner of his desk. His long fingers scratched her brown and gold head.
    Mica twitched an ear, half opened one eye, and surveyed the prince. The eye appeared round at first, then shifted to the natural vertical slit of her species. She obviously thought her time would be better spent asleep. She allowed her heavy lid to close. Darville scratched the cat’s ear again to encourage her to come completely awake. Mica returned her head to the nest of her paws and ignored him.
    “That might not be wise tonight, sir.” Holmes assumed a rigid pose between Darville and the doorway. “These documents are from the front. Lord Wendray’s messenger must return before dawn. I fear SeLenicca is massing troops for another battle.”
    “Twenty minutes. All I need is twenty minutes with Master Baamin.” The guard across the hall, who stood a head taller than Darville, wouldn’t accept the excuse of the privy again so soon. Less than an hour had lapsed since the last time.
    One of the sentries on the battlements stood beneath the glowing moon. His head and shoulders were outlined in silver. Darville could delay no longer.
    “I’m sorry, Your Grace. The Council of Provinces insists they review your reply before it is sent.” Holmes shifted his feet slightly. He now completely blocked Darville’s exit.
    Stargods! The Council was growing bolder. There had been a time when the Twelve consulted him on every move instead of troubling his ailing father. He had to reestablish that relationship and prove that the magic infection had left him completely before they would crown him king—the first among equals on the Council. Managing the mountains of detail work was only a part of his plan to appease the Council and prove his worth.
    “How long will it take me to read those blasted reports.” Nine of them in the bundle. An hour for each. Then another hour