Page 70 of Kingdom of Feathers

“What magic did you sense, then?” Basil asked, frowning. “Was it just the artifact around her neck?”

Dannsair wove her head from side to side in a slow denial. “No, it wasn’t just that. We sensed it, of course, and its enchantment is strong, of its kind. But there was other magic that…lingered.”

“What do you mean by lingered?” Basil demanded.

Dannsair gave a draconic shrug, the ripple passing over her scales from her shoulders to the tip of her tail.

“I don’t know how else to explain it that will make sense to you.”

“But what kind of magic is it?” Basil pressed. “What makes you so sure she isn’t under a curse?”

“The magic is too faint for that,” Rekavidur explained. “Faint enough that I doubt a human enchanter would even detect it.”

Dannsair nodded sagely. “Especially when masked by the powerful enchantment on that artifact. Besides, it’s not just that it’s too faint to be a curse on her. It’s not molded to her form at all.”

Rekavidur gave a grunt of agreement. “It’s not targeted at her, like a curse on her would be. It makes no attempt to wrap around her. It is connected to her only faintly, and the wonder is that it lingers so persistently around her at all.”

“But it is connected,” Dannsair interjected. “Like one end of a line, connecting her to…something. Its purpose is not clear.”

Basil deflated, disappointed. He could make no sense of any of that, and it brought him no closer to figuring out the mystery of Wren’s silence. Having kicked his heels so long in expectation of the dragons’ arrival, he couldn’t help but feel a definite sense of anticlimax.

“Well, thank you for sharing your discoveries, anyway,” he said, figuring he’d better observe the niceties.

The dragons both dipped their heads in gracious acknowledgment of his thanks.

“Did you find enough information to satisfy you on your own…inquiries?” he asked curiously.

Rekavidur gave a snort that actually emitted a tiny spurt of flame. “Satisfy? We gave the situation a preliminary examination. We will discuss what we have observed, consider its ramifications, and pursue further inquiries when we have determined the best avenue to do so.”

So, in about twenty years?Basil thought sarcastically. But he didn’t speak the words aloud—even he knew not to be too forthright with dragons. He thought they would take off at once, but Dannsair spoke again.

“We came here directly from Tola.”

“You did?” Basil looked quickly up at her, a prickle of alarm shooting through him. It had been several days since his last letter from home. “Was all well with my mother and sisters?”

“We saw only Zinnia,” said Dannsair. “But she appeared to be in good health.” Her thin lips curved in a slightly unnerving smile. “At least, so I infer from her excess of energy when she was prompting us to pay our visit here.”

Basil let out a soft groan. He would really have to speak to Zinnia about the proper respect to show dragons. She was going to get herself flamed one of these days. “Please allow me to apologize for my—”

“I don’t think I will allow it,” interrupted Dannsair, a touch haughtily. “The level of friendship between your sister and I far exceeds that between us, and therefore I would consider it an impertinence for you to speak to me on her behalf.”

Basil froze with his mouth still open, completely nonplussed. He’d gathered that Zinnia was friendly with these dragons, but clearly it went much further than he’d imagined.

“I apologize,” he said at last, bending in a bow.

“Accepted,” Dannsair said, with a return of her good humor. “I only brought up the matter of our route because I thought you might be interested to know what we observed when we flew over the site where you humans are waging your foolish little battle.”

“The front lines?” Basil asked sharply. “What did you observe?”

“Magic.” Rekavidur jumped in with the simple word. “Radiating up from the location.”

Basil stared at them. “Magic? But…are you sure?” He regretted the foolish words as soon as they were out, but to his relief the dragons just laughed rather than getting offended again. “What type of magic was it?” he pressed.

The did a synchronized rippling shrug. “We didn’t stop to investigate,” said Dannsair, with the hint of another smile. “Zinnia had given us to believe our errand here was of great urgency. We agreed that we would inform her if we found you in danger of any kind. Since you seem to be well, it appears we are free to return to our colony.” She dipped her head slightly. “Well met, King Basil. Until our paths next cross.”

And with an abruptness that always perplexed Basil in the otherwise unhurried creatures, the two dragons shot into the air, sending such a ferocious wind whipping around the grassy knoll that Basil was almost knocked flat.

“Don’t feel like you need to, you know, return me to where you found me or anything,” he muttered futilely to the two shapes receding rapidly into dots in the sky. He let out a sigh and looked around him. He’d have to walk halfway around the city wall to reach the main gate, and then he’d have to trek through the city to reach the castle again. It would probably take him the better part of an hour.

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