Page 85 of Dragon Keeper
One of the bees came and brushed across Tyr’s face, and he held out his hand, nuzzling it with his nose. “All is well. We protect the hive.”
The little bee buzzed, her wings vibrating in a little fury, but that was an agreement.
“Someone make sure Rinda is fed and loved on. She and Stella saved us.”
“They were so brave, Mama.” Fredda hiccupped. “I was so scared.”
“My darling, you roared. I heard you.”
“And you gave your strength to mine,” Tor told her. He was pale. Shaking.
Sloan took Tyr inside, and he felt better once they were back in the kitchen, steaming plates of food piled on the table. Bread and honey. Eggs. Sausages made from forest learboks, along with bowls of fruits and grains and nuts. A feast.
“Are you sure you don’t know who they were, Tor?” Tyr asked. The invaders had seemed so sinister, so awful, and he never wanted to have to deal with that again.
“No. I have heard of such dragons kidnapping children and taking them somewhere unspecified, but the rumors are all very amorphous, and honestly, I never expected to see them here.”
“Is there something we need to do about the pieces of them?” That came from Zeke, who stood nearby, arms crossed.
“I think we should burn them,” Sloan said. “Fire cleanses.”
Zeke nodded and jerked his chin at Abe. “I’ll take care of it.”
Riley nodded. “I’ll help you. I’m a fire dragon after all.”
The two of them strode out the door and Aleana helped serve plates up to Tor and Tyr, her hands shaking. “I called to Mari. He’s on his way.”
“Good. Good, as we explain to everyone what happened, it would be better if he was here to hear it and that way he could protect against it in your own village.”
She teared up, her eyes overflowing. “They wanted Fredda. What would I have done without her?”
Sloan shook his head, reaching out to put his hand over Aleana’s. “You’ll never need to know. She’s safe.”
Aleana glanced at Stella, who was leaning on Abe’s chest, singing a little song that sounded like bird language, tracing patterns on her dad’s torso. “You’re amazing, Stella. Thank you so much for helping my daughter.”
“She’s my best friend,” Fredda said. “Mama, I dropped Iris.”
“I’ll go get her.” Sloan pressed a hand to his shoulder. “Eat. I’ll be right back.”
He watched Sloan stride out of the room, and he got the feeling that Sloan needed a moment alone to process his anger. Not that Sloan was mad at them, but he had to be furious that someone had almost been taken on his watch. Tyr had been furious, and that wasn’t like him at all, but he had done what needed to be done.
Cade and Harden sat at the table with them, waiting until they were served, and Aleana as well, before taking a plate for themselves. Tyr smiled faintly at them, and they both grinned.
“Might as well have breakfast,” Cade said, “While we discuss what’s going on. I can’t believe I didn’t know they were here.”
“You were with your family, Cade. It was early. Time for breakfast. No one expects you to be out patrolling yet.”
Cade cut him off. “Now they will, and they should. This can’t happen again. It’s the second time someone has come near the children; the first time was at my home. Do you remember? Arielle pushed the dragon away then.”
“I do remember that, my friend, but I’m sure that Riley and Sloan and Brayden will help you rotate watch.”
“We will too,” Abe said quietly. “I know we’ve always been rather lax about contributing to the patrols, but we’ll make a schedule now.”
“Are we sure they’re the same situation? The same dragons?” Tyr asked, because he’d been there when Arielle and the others had chased the intruding dragon, and it had not been this small, sneaky dragonkind. He’d been quite overt and willing to talk. Cade had told him.
Cade blinked at him. “What do you mean?”
“This was a sneak attack, not ‘I’m going to come talk to the families and see if the children want to come to the city.’ This seems very different.”
