The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume I: Volume I

Tambootie. Shayla did, too, but the dragon smelled good. One-eye smelled evil.
    There, on the wind, he caught again the elusive sent of Shayla. He savored it and proceeded forward, ahead of Jaylor and Brevelan. He’d go back soon and let them know the trail was safe.
    He felt a need to stretch up again on his hind legs. This time he would linger against Jaylor’s chest, make sure the man petted his ears instead of Brevelan’s hand. Maybe he’d walk between them for a while, basking in their affection for him. He wasn’t sure he approved of their affection for each other.
    But first he would hunt.

Chapter 12
     
    J aylor’s fingers suddenly felt empty and cold as Brevelan yanked her own hand free of his friendly grasp. She reached for her throat, her skin deathly pale.
    “Aiyeeee!”
    The shrill scream of a small animal broke the peace of a quiet mountain meadow. Delicate wildflowers swayed restlessly amidst the grass.
    Jaylor looked to the source of the scream on their left. Wolf pounced and tore at the throat of a squirrel—his latest meal. He shrugged at the natural event. At least he would not have to worry about feeding the beast on the journey.
    “No,” Brevelan whispered through tight lips. She held her stomach and throat as if in deep pain, bent nearly double. Her face was drained of all color. She had pulled her hand free of his an instant before the scream.
    “Brevelan!” Jaylor jumped to help her. “What ails you?” Tenderly, he cradled her against his side. He gave her what strength he could as he guided her to a rock where she could sit. His hands slipped against her cold, almost clammy skin. A shot of fear pierced his heart.
    “Easy now. Rest a moment while I fetch some water.”
    “I must leave this place.” She started to look over her shoulder toward the spot where Darville noisily ate his kill. Then she hastily averted her eyes.
    “You’re in no condition to move anywhere.”
    “It is the place that ails me.”
    “The animal Darville just killed.” The truth dawned on him. “You felt it die, just as you felt an ewe’s troubled labor when you were a tot.” A chill knot formed in his stomach. “No wonder you couldn’t stay with your own people. A village full of meat eaters would destroy you at every meal.”
    She nodded.
    He was amazed she’d managed as long as she had.
    “I soon learned to be elsewhere on slaughter days. It helps if I’ve never communicated with the animal, or if I’m not too close. Back home I couldn’t separate myself from the herds. They needed me too often.”
    Jaylor helped her to stand. She leaned against him heavily as they walked away from the scene of the recent death. At the streambed he helped her onto the mossy bank.
    “Drink. Then we’ll be on our way. Wolf will catch up when he’s ready.” He looked back toward the animal just as the wolf looked up and grinned. “You don’t have to enjoy it quite so much!” he called.
    That grin. So like the young prince when he escaped his tutors and sought freedom among the apprentice magicians. Roy had enjoyed his pranks then, too, without a thought to the torment his guardians received at the king’s hand for losing their prince.
    Mica scampered back to the wolf. With an imperious paw she batted the wolf’s muzzle away and grabbed her share of the meal.
    “Not you, too, Mica. Don’t you know you’re hurting Brevelan?” Jaylor admonished the animals.
    “Please, Jaylor. Let’s just move on a little.” Brevelan tugged at his sleeve. Her eyes were huge in her pale face. They were dark blue now, the color of the bay at sunset, almost black. He caught a fragment of her pain.
    “Yes, of course.” He eased her back onto the path. For a moment she leaned against him, gathering strength. His arms tightened around her slender body. She felt so good, nestled there against his shoulder. Tenderness filled him. He didn’t want to move. But he had to.
    “It is part of the nature of things for them to eat meat. I cannot begrudge them that. I can only ask them to keep their kill away from me.” She took one slow step. Then another.
    “Lean on me.” He urged her forward. “We’ll get you farther along before we have some fruit and another drink.” He continued to hold her as they moved. She didn’t pull away.

    “How did Old Thorm break through our armor?” Brevelan’s question disturbed Jaylor.
    “I don’t know.” He rose from his crouched position before the campfire. Wolf had found