Page 51 of The Dragon Queen

But it could.

The Duke of Harlston was a threat to dragons and humans, and I think that was the message Tanis was trying to send. Only by working together could we hold Nevermere, and that’s what weneeded to do. Right now, I’d steal this moment for just me, just Ged, as I closed my eyes and saw only him, not the horrors of the past.

We landed outside Cheapside,not far from the place Cloudy waited last time we visited this part of the city. Glimmer flew down from the big red dragon’s spine and settled on the ground beside him, making clear what she intended to do.

The sun is warm here,she said,and that place stinks. I do not wish to get any closer to it.

I couldn’t dispute that. The rank stench of Cheapside burned my nose, getting worse as we walked through the crowds and over to Ged’s father’s workshop.

“Back again, son?” Roland said, looking up from the leather skin he was working. “Usually you go months before dropping in to see your old da.” His eyes twinkled as he took me in. The creases around his eyes made clear he was the elder, but I could see his son in his mischievous gaze. “That got something to do with yon girl you keep bringing around here?” His focus slid to my stomach. “Not got any news you want to share?”

“Some.” Ged nodded to me. “Her Highness is the queen-in-waiting until such time as the king has a moment to marry her.”

After I signed divorce papers, after I agreed to a life of pretending that Draven was the only one that owned my heart. I didn’t say a word of that, watching Roland’s mouth fall open.

“Her…” Roland yanked his cap off and then dropped his head. “Apologies, Your Highness.”

Chapter 25

“There’s no need to stand on ceremony, Master Roland,” I said, rushing forward to take his hands. Roland jerked them back, holding them up to show me the mess on his palms. I shrank back instinctively, then found myself smiling. “Though perhaps we could dispense with handshakes?”

“Of course, High?—”

“Just Pippin will do,” I assured him.

The man’s eyes flicked around as if looking for palace guards. When he was assured no one would enforce the use of my title, he let out a breath.

“So, how may I be of service?” He nodded to the skin he was working on. “I’m working about as fast as I can, tanning leather to make boots for the king’s army.”

“You might have a more important contract to fulfil,” Ged replied. “You remember that compass you made me?”

“For the price of a couple of coppers rather than the whole pieces of gold they charge up the hill.” Roland nodded vaguely in the direction of the more well-heeled part of town. “I remember just fine.”

“Well, the king wants about as many as you can make, Da,” Ged said.

“Compasses?”

“Gimbals, actually.” He pulled out the example he’d shown the lot of us from his satchel and then held it out. “You saw that explosive the king dropped yesterday?”

“Did I?” Roland frowned as he looked at the compass. “The whole damn city saw that, or heard word of it. That explosion gave me a start, thinking the boiler had exploded.”

“Well, if we’re to use similar explosives against Harlston, we need a means to transport the pots without blowing us up first. Stuff is terribly volatile.”

“And you need a mechanism to carry it without rocking back and forth in response to the movements of the dragons.”

Roland seemed to come to life then, his focus narrowing down on the compass and the gimbal. “Bit like when they transport blasting powder.” His eyes met Ged’s. “Can’t transport the stuff strung from ropes between two dragons, like they do when carting blasting powder via donkey?”

“Dragons ain’t no donkeys, Da,” Ged replied.

“No, I figured they’d be smarter than that, though perhaps that’s the problem.” Roland frowned as he crossed his arms. “So how exactly did you see a gimbal being useful?”

“From what I saw…” I paused. “Read, the queen’s riders used to use gimbals as a buffer between a bar that the dragons could grip and the explosive. The bar and the gimbal swayed, but not the pot.”

“Saw, hmm…?” Roland’s keen ears missed nothing. “Then perhaps you could draw me this mechanism you’re describing, though…” He glanced back at the near empty tannery as if remembering it existed. “I’m not sure how I’ll be of any help. Most of my lads have run off to become soldiers, fired up by the king’s display. What the hell they think they’re gonna wear on their feet, I don’t know.”

“Is a lack of workers your only obstacle?” I asked.

“Fit ones, strong ones,” Roland told me. “And ones with nimble fingers if we’re gonna do fine work like the gyroscope inside thegimbal.” He shook his head. “That kind of work would’ve been beyond my lads anyway.” He shot a sidelong look at his son. “Reckon you can requisition some of those snooty ‘artisans’ from the gold workers’ district?” I noted Roland’s square teeth as he began to smile. “Job might be a bit beneath them, but they know their way around something delicate.”

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