At that moment, a faint wind blew past my head and curiosity forced me to look up. The shadow of a person atop a broom flew into the distance and dropped into one of the other blocks. I gaped up at the rider for as long as I could and felt an elbow softly nudge my arm.

  “Interested in it?” Tegan asked me.

  “It would be nice to learn how to use this,” I told him as I held up the broom.

  “See me tomorrow morning about that,” Frae offered as we turned left onto one of the city blocks.

  Single-floor houses lined both sides of the street and showed off a wide array of lawns and gardens. Some featured lush green lawns and others harbored a myriad of weeds that grew nearly to the height of the terracotta-like roofs. Mold was a consistent theme among all the homes and ferns thrived in the wet soil. Vines crept around the latticed windows with their clapboard shutters. I noticed many had a shell-shaped design over their doors and on their doorsteps, and some even had whole stone paths with the symbol leading up to their houses.

  “You guys get a lot of rain?” I guessed.

  Tegan nodded at the mountains that acted as a backdrop for the city. “The hills trap rainclouds and they sit over the town until they disperse or are driven away by the wind.”

  “It makes for a lot of dreary days, I tell you,” Frae mused as he stopped us in front of one of the homes. A single candle burned in one of the front windows. “She has your light burning for you.”

  A soft smile graced Tegan’s lips as he admired the home. “It’s a welcome sight.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  The house had a small green lawn that was surrounded by a thick mess of wildflowers, blooming bushes, and creeping vines. Trees stood around the house shading the roof while a stone path wound its way from the road to the wooden front door. I half-expected to see a fairy zip past us. A small gate occupied the prime spot along a short wooden fence.

  Tegan opened it and a small squeak came from the hinges. His smile widened. “Some things never change.” He turned to me and offered his arm. “Shall we?”

  My heart pounded in my chest as I accepted his hold and he led me up the path. Frae slipped away with a mischievous smile on his face and left us alone to face the door. Tegan paused in front of the entrance and I felt how stiff he was from his arm.

  He cleared his throat and rapped hard on the wood. Not a sound came from the other side and for one awkward moment I thought we wouldn’t find anyone at home. The next moment, footsteps sounded on rugs and bare boards, and the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman.

  She was on the better side of fifty and about my height with a smile that was familiar to me. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back and a few becoming strands framed her face. The woman wore a plain dress made from a smooth, high-quality fabric that shimmered in the candlelight behind her. A lace shawl covered her shoulders and soft slippers wrapped around her feet.

  Her eyes widened as she beheld my companion. “Tegan!”

  Her son grinned. “Good evening, Mother. You don’t happen to have a spare room, do you?”

  Her face brightened and a twinkle slipped into her eyes. “I was thinking about renting one out. Do you have any credentials on you?”

  Tegan feigned shock. “Rent out my room? To some vagabond?”

  She shook her head. “Of course not. He would have to be a man of means to rent out one of my rooms.”

  A crooked smile slipped onto Tegan’s lips and his mother reflected his amusement. “It’s good to hear you joke, Mother.”

  “And it’s good to see you home,” she replied as her attention fell on me. “And you’ve brought a lovely friend with you.”

  “Mother, this is Miss Kate Harrow,” Tegan introduced me. “Kate, this is Fia Arsa.”

  Fia offered me a hand and a warm smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “The pleasure’s all mine,” I returned as I shook her hand.

  “Will you both be staying for a while?” Fia wondered, and I couldn’t help but detect a faint plea within her words.

  Tegan grinned. “As long as you’ll have us.”

  His mother’s eyes crinkled up with her broad smile. “Then why don’t you come in out of the cold? I have just put a soup over the fire.”

  She stepped aside and we entered the comfortable abode that was the House of Arsa. A great room stretched out in front of us with a fireplace to our left. Three doors stood in the wall opposite the front door. One stood ajar and revealed a small bedroom. I assumed at least one of the other doors led into another room.

  “Now let’s make you comfortable,” Mrs. Arsa offered us as she led our small group over to the fireplace. A warm fire crackled in the hearth and a small pot hung over the flames. She gestured to a pair of rockers. “Have a seat and I’ll see how the soup is going on.”

  “Kate can have a seat,” Tegan insisted as he grasped the back of one of the rockers. “I’ll fetch some bowls. Are they still in the cupboard above the cutting board?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Of course.”

  I gladly dropped into the chair after the long hike and set my broom on the floor. Mrs. Arsa noticed my luggage and looked up at me as she stirred the soup. “Do you have a talent for riding, Miss Harrow?”

  “Please call me Kate,” I requested as I popped my shoes off and crossed one leg over the other. I massaged my worn soles and reveled in the soft warmth of the fireplace. “And I’ve only tried once.”

  “Did you not enjoy it?” she wondered.

  I snorted. “The flying was fun, but the landing was a little hard on my nose.”

  “You can fly as much as you like outside the town gates,” she suggested as Tegan returned with three earthen soup bowls. “The plains are gentle on even the softest of noses.”

  “And Frae offered to teach her,” Tegan chimed in as he knelt beside his mother.

  “That was very kind of him,” Mrs. Arsa mused as she took one bowl and began to ladle out the soup. “I’m sorry for such few bites of vegetables. The crops haven’t been as good this year.”

  “A cold spring?” Tegan inquired as he handed me the first bowl.

  She pursed her lips as she shook her head. “No, it was quite nice, only the ground doesn’t seem to be giving as well these past few years.”

  “Frae told us the peddlers weren’t as plentiful, either,” Tegan commented as he accepted his bowl.

  Mrs. Arsa sighed as she ladled out her food. “I’m afraid not. The scima have been overrunning the road through the valley.”

  “Nobody’s tried to stop them?” I spoke up as I scooped out some of the delicious-smelling soup.

  She shook her head. “We’re not under the protection of either the empire or the kingdom, and such matters were always left up to us to manage.” There was a twinge of sorrow in her last few words. Tegan’s face fell and he set a hand on her arm. She shook herself from her sad reverie and smiled up at him. “But we get along. A few peddlers know the old routes and get through to sell us the supplies we need.”

  “Does anyone know where the scima are hiding?” Tegan asked her.

  Mrs. Arsa’s face went pale and she whipped her face up to him. “You can’t intend to take them on by yourself.”

  Tegan laughed and shook his head. “No, but it would be a good start to getting a group together to do just that.”

  She didn’t look comforted. To be honest, neither was I. “I would rather talk about something else, like when I can expect some grandchildren.”

  Tegan and my faces turned a fiery red and he coughed into his hand. “We. . .hadn’t really discussed any of that.”

  “We’re just dating,” I chimed in.

  Mrs. Arsa’s keen eyes told me she knew better than that. “I see. Well, eat your soup. The bedroom is always ready for visitors and I’m sure Kate will be very comfortable in there.”

  I smiled and nodded. “I’m sure I will, Mrs. Arsa.”

  “Fia, if you would,” she requested as she scooped out some food from her bowl.

  “So I might call you Fia, too?” Tegan teased.

  His mother’s eyes twinkled. “Only if I might call you Little Bael again.”

  He winced. “Mother will do just fine.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  My stomach was full to bursting by the time we finished dinner. A weariness invaded my thoughts and I was glad when Tegan guided me to the far right of the doors at the rear. It was his old bedroom his mother had threatened to rent out, and what a comfortable room it was. A long bed stood against the far wall beneath a wide window and a thick rug covered the floorboards. A dresser and wardrobe finished off the decor.

  “What do you think?” Tegan asked me as I looked around.

  I grinned up at him. “I think your mother should rent it out. It’s a nice room.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t encourage her.”

  “So what were those scheme things you and Frae mentioned?” I wondered as I plopped myself down on the edge of the bed.

  Tegan stared blankly at me before understanding dawned on him. “The word is scima. The literal translation means ‘gloom,’ but to those who inhabit the valley and Glistnia it refers to the marauders who haunt the roads looking for the legendary horde or preying on those who do.”

  “So a bunch of highwaymen,” I guessed. I received another blank look from my otherworldly lover. “People who rob travelers along the road in my world.”

  He nodded. “They would certainly fall under that category, as well. The scima have always been a problem for the area, sometimes less so than at other times.”

  “So right now must not be too good if your mom isn’t getting some supplies,” I guessed.

  Tegan turned his face toward the window and pursed his lips. “Unfortunately, no.”

  I scooted down the bed closer to him and slipped my hand into his. He looked down at me with tired eyes. “You okay?”

  He shook himself and smiled down at me, but there wasn’t any warmth in the expression. “I will be tomorrow. Get some rest.”

  He slipped out of my hold and over to the door. “Wait a minute!” I called to him and he paused in the doorway. “Where are you sleeping?”

  “In front of the fire,” he told me as he grasped the door handle. “I know that bed well and there isn’t room enough for the two of us. Goodnight.”

  Tegan stepped out and shut the door behind himself, leaving me alone with a flickering candle and moonlight. I fell back onto the bed and closed my eyes. My weary bones didn’t let my thoughts disturb my slumber and I soon slipped into sleep.

  I woke up curled into a tight ball with the sheets wrapped tightly around me. The disturbance of my slumber was a knock on the door.

  “Kate?” Tegan called from the other side. “You awake?” I groaned. He opened the door and grinned at me with a disgustingly fresh face. “I’ll take that as a confirmation.”

  “Take it and get out. . .” I grumbled as I tried to bury myself deeper into my cocoon.

  H chuckled as I heard his footsteps pad across the floor and stop beside the bed. “My mother is preparing breakfast.”

  “Good for her.”

  “She makes a wonderful pancake.”

  That piqued my interest and I peeked out from my cocoon. “Light and fluffy?”

  He nodded. “You almost need to catch them before they float to the ceiling.”

  “With syrup?”

  “The creamiest kind.”

  I sighed and unwrapped myself, or tried to. The blankets weren’t impressed by the idea of pancakes and kept a tight grip on my body. I ended up thrashing about with Tegan grinning down at me. After a few moments of failure, he leaned down and grabbed an exposed corner. He gave a hard tug that sent me spinning before I rolled out onto the mattress where I landed on my back staring up into the bemused face of my dragon lover.

  “Good morning,” he greeted me.

  I sighed and draped my arms out on either side of me. “I swear this altitude will be the death of me.”

  “Only if you don’t mind your steps around the Gleam,” he warned me.

  I blinked up at him. “The what?”

  “You’ll have to get up and find out,” he teased as he moved toward the door. I sat up and glanced down at my rumpled attire. “And don’t worry about how you look,” Tegan called from the door. “Mother won’t mind.” And with that, he slipped out, closing the door behind him.

  “Mother won’t mind, but I might. . .” I mumbled as I fumbled through my traveling bag and brought out some fresh clothes.

  Renewed with clean linen and a quick wash in a basin of cold water on a small table near the door, I ventured into the great room. The fire crackled brightly and the house smelled of the sweet scents of pancakes and syrup. Tegan himself was doing the cooking while his mother dolled out the batter onto the hot plate placed near the fire. A bed of hot coals provided consistent heat beneath the flat cooktop.

  I followed my nose over to the fire and looked between them. “You guys need any help?”

  Fia smiled up at me as she used her spoon to point to a stack of pancakes. “We’ll need all the help we can get to eat these.”

  I rubbed my hands together. “I think I can do that.”

  Soon we all sat down to eat and stuffed ourselves. I felt like a new person, filled and de-frumpled. The shimmering sun outside also helped my chipper mood and when we had finished washing the dishes, I grabbed Tegan’s hand and gave it a tug toward the front door.

  “You have to show me all the sights around here,” I pleaded as I opened the door. “And whatever that Gleam was about.”

  He grinned. “Do you want to see it all in a day?”

  I paused on the threshold and lifted an eyebrow. “Could we?”

  “Only if you don’t venture into the Seven Canyons,” Fia spoke up as she joined us at the door. “Those have been greatly expanded by Gy since you’ve been away.”

  “We’ll be sure to visit those tomorrow,” Tegan assured her as I dragged him outside.

  The wonderful scent of Fia’s flowers danced around us and I paused to take in the fresh air. A half dozen shadows zoomed overhead, speeding their way toward the entrance to the city.

  “It looks like we’re in time for a lesson,” Tegan commented as he, too, watched the flyers zip over us.

  My eyes widened. “One sec!”

  I dashed back inside and into the bedroom where I snatched my broom. Fia knelt in front of the fire as I swooped out of the bedroom. She had a smile on her face. “Good luck.”

  I paused in the open doorway and gave a two-fingered salute to her. “Thanks! I’ll need all I can get!”

  I hurried outside and rejoined Tegan at the gate. He held it open and I scooted out with him just behind me.

  “You’re going to be late for my lesson!” a jovial voice called out and Frae strolled toward us. His broom was slung over one shoulder and a broad grin stretched from ear to ear.

  “You’ll be late, too, if you don’t hurry,” Tegan teased.

  Frae shook his head as he strolled along down the street with us. “The teacher can never be late. That was the one thing I learned in school.”

  I tried to look as stoic as possible. “Not reading and writing?”

  “Never had much use for the first and I can write my name, so that’s enough for me,” he countered.

  We reached the dragon gate and discovered a dozen flyers huddled together in the field in front of the town. The average age of the gatherers was fifteen with a few younger and older exceptions. Most clasped their brooms in their hands and boasted of their recent exploits in the air.

  One of the lads puffed out his chest. “I caught a spirit just yesterday.”

  “Let us see it,” one of the others challenged him.

  He shook his head. “Can’t do that. My dad took it down to the depot this morning.”

  “You mean he took an empty sack,” another jeered.

  The boaster glared at his companion. “I did, too! You can just ask him!”

  “Maybe he caught his own fart,” one of the older boys suggested. The crowd laughed at the joke.

  The insulted boy held up his broom like a bat. “You take that back!”

  “Now that’s enough there, boys!” Frae shouted as we joined the group. “Everybody cool your heads and get lined up.”

  The flyers scurried to obey. That is, all except one. That was the oldest of the group, a man who appeared to be on the wrong side of the age of a mountain range. His long white hair was neatly tied back behind his head and his clean beard ended in a sharp point. He wore a clean blouse shirt and thick simple pants with soft-soled shoes. A necklace hung about his neck and from which hung a medallion in the shape of a dragon. In essence, he was the opposite of Gy. He was also a little slow to join the others, but he had such a warm smile that nobody scolded him for holding up the group.

  Frae tapped my shoulder and nodded at the line. “Go on. Get in there.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  My eyes widened. “Oh, right!” I hurried over and took my place beside the older gentleman. More than one of the other lads stared curiously at me.

  The old man looked me up and down with twinkling eyes. “Well met, young lady. What’s your name?”

  I smiled back at him. “Kate. What’s yours?”

  “Smolt.”

  “No talking!” Frae scolded us as he marched up and down the line. “Now today the wind is calm so we’ll be practicing some high flying. If you were listening to me the other day then you checked your broom for loose splinters that might throw off your balance.”

  My face drooped and I looked over my vehicle. Smolt, too, inspected my broom. “It’s a fine broom, lass. You won’t go astray with that one.”

  “Smolt, no talking!” Frae insisted.

  Smolt’s smile never faltered as he bowed his head. “Just giving the young lass here some advice, Mr. Brunger. I’ll be good now.”

  A few snickers came from the younger lads and the corners of Frae’s lips twitched upward. “Mind that you do, Smolt. Now then, who wants to be the first to give it a try?” None of the lads raised their hands. Frae continued his pacing in front of us. “Come on. Somebody has to have a pair of balls.”

 

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