The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume II

door. Rollett took one step away from Nimbulan, as if to follow them. When Nimbulan didn’t immediately run from the pub, Rollett resumed his protective stance.
    Why not run? Moncriith will recognize you, he asked telepathically.
    Nimbulan didn’t answer immediately. His senses reeled with this second blow. Moncriith. The Bloodmage who had stalked Coronnan from one end to the other preaching against demons. He saw Myrilandel as the source of all demonic evil in Coronnan.
    Our drinking companions look wary but not alarmed, he replied finally. Then out loud he asked, “I heard Moncriith died a year ago. Struck down by King Quinnault’s magicians in battle.”
    “Take more than a dragon to kill that one. Better hide your magic deep, stranger,” the teenager advised.
    Nimbulan raised one eyebrow in question.
    “The dragon bitch has her knickers in a twist about foreign magicians. She gave Moncriith permission to sponsor his own mercenary camp if he’d root out a foreign magician with a blue aura,” the young man continued.
    Dragon bitch? Myrilandel carried dragon blood in her veins.
    “New law announced three or four weeks ago, right after the Rovers delivered the heir to the Kaalipha. Seems some foreign magician was holding the woman hostage with magic. Most crimes, the Kaalipha gives a man a trial before she lops off his head. For the crime of being an unidentified magician with blue in his aura, it’s immediate death and a huge reward to the accuser. That’s when we became mercenaries instead of Battlemages for hire.”
    “But there’s no blue in your auras,” Nimbulan protested.
    “Why take the chance?” Scarface replied. “Moncriith can’t be trusted. He sees auras, the Kaalipha doesn’t. He could accuse anyone and she’d be happy to execute the man just to see the blood spill. We’re safe as long as we don’t work magic in Hanassa. You, on the other hand, radiate blue in all directions.”

Chapter 22
     
    T elevarn tapped his foot impatiently. Wiggles raced around his toes in sympathy. Kalen had sent him a message by way of her familiar to meet her in this narrow corridor near the palace kitchens. She was late.
    Why was it that in the outer world women jumped to his command and took no action without his permission? But here, in Hanassa, he did nothing but wait for women to make up their minds?
    It was all Yaassima’s fault. She’d pay dearly for giving women ideas of power and independence.
    Soon. He was almost ready to depose the Kaalipha and yank her dragon throne right out from under her skinny bottom.
    He smiled slightly. Yaassima had done him a favor without knowing it. She had placed Kalen in a position of trust within her household.
    He had to watch Kalen closely. He’d spent several moons corrupting her before he’d kidnapped Myrilandel into Hanassa. Why the girl had chosen to betray Myri, the only adult who had not used Kalen and her talent for their own ends, he had no idea.
    Televarn had promised Kalen power in the new regime. That promise had granted him cooperation—not trust or loyalty.
    The girl owed loyalty only to herself and could betray him at the least offense. When she did, Yaassima’s retribution would be terrible and swift.
    When she betrayed him. Why hadn’t he thought “If she betrayed him?”
    He expected betrayal, just as Kalen did. Better the snake he knew than the viper he didn’t.
    Wiggles stopped playing with Televarn’s foot. The creature ceased all motion in mid-ripple. His back fur stood up. Then he darted along the corridor to the next bend. He seemed to flow around the imperfections in the tunnel like liquid fur.
    Televarn held his breath. Why had the ferret deserted him? His hand shifted to his belt knife without conscious thought. The fine blade he had stashed at the entrance to the pit rather than risk the searches at the palace gate.
    Piedro guarded the growing stash of weapons in the pit. He also sought the secrets of the monstrous machines Yaassima seemed to cherish.
    Two heartbeats later, Kalen appeared. She bent to gather the ferret into her arms. A smile lit Kalen’s eyes as she nuzzled her familiar.
    Wiggles joyfully slithered up to her shoulder and draped himself around her neck like a lover. His needle-sharp teeth chattered perilously close to the great artery in her neck.
    A lump of apprehension formed in Televarn’s throat. What if the animal had turned rabid? He kept his hand on his knife wondering if he could move fast enough