Page 24 of The Dragon With A Girl Tattoo
I got out slowly, feeling like I had ants crawling all over my skin.I recognized a particular symptom common to artificers, and moved around so that the car was between me and the building, the urge inside me building until I knew I had to do something.
“Becket?”May asked, glancing toward me.
“Sorry.I have to discharge,” I told them, with a deep breath, focused.“I’ll try to do it quietly.Just ignore me for a few minutes.”
“Discharge what?”I heard Ysolde asking as I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing the music that always seemed to be simmering in the back of my head to come forward, my brain randomly picking a song that had sufficient energy to let me discharge the buildup of magic that came from weaving so many glamours in a short amount of time.
The music crashed over me, and I started singing softly to myself, my body moving to a stomping beat that I found most efficient for this purpose.For the next three minutes, the only sound was the distant drone of traffic, my whispered song, and the occasional scuff of my shoes on cobblestones as I danced out my discomfort.I kept my gaze on a tree in the distance, forcing the buildup of magic out of me and back into the world, where it would rebind itself with the life force of living things.
“Is she singing ‘Run the World’?”I heard Aisling ask Ysolde.
“I think so.She’s very good at dancing.I wonder if she knows that ballerina who helped us out with Jim’s parents,” she answered.
“She even sounds like Beyoncé,” May told her dragon.“This is really amazing.I wonder if I should film it for Charity?”
I lifted a hand to shake it at May before finishing up the discharge (and song).Thankfully, she understood and put away the phone she’d pulled out.
The ladies sang the last chorus with me when I shook out the remnants of the magic buildup.
“It’s too bad Becket isn’t a dragon,” Jim said when I turned back, feeling much more like I could cope with life.“If she was, she could join the Mates Union, and you could have a girl band.”
“I already have a band,” I said, giving everyone a rueful smile.“Sorry about that.Singing always helps me focus, and moving my body lets me purge the extra magic that builds up when I create glamours.Is that ...is that what I think it is?”
The dragons, who had all been facing me as I did my little song and dance, turned back toward the Asile.We were parked at the narrow end of the building, one that consisted of a covered entrance, double Gothic-arched doors, and, higher up, narrow windows that looked like they had the original glass still installed.But it was the darkness that oozed around the corner that stopped me cold.I realized after a moment of staring at it that it was a being.
A cowled and faceless being, extremely tall and draped in black flowing garments that seemed to move without any help from a passing breeze, headed toward us.The terror that rolled off it had me fighting to keep from bolting down the winding road.
“Oh lord.Hashmallim,” Aisling said, taking a step closer to Drake.“Er ...do we say hello?”
“Absolutely not,” he said, moving in front of her, obviously blocking the Hashmallim from seeing her.“We have nothing to do with them other than bringing the weyr ambassador here.”
That was my cue, but I really didn’t want to step up to the big scary dark thing.I reminded myself that there was nothing it could do to me (other than possibly scaring me to death) and, steeling my shattered nerves, slowly made my way to the entrance where the Hashmallim lurked.
“I am Becket, the dragon ambassador to the L’au-dela.I wish to see Yrian Shadowsworn, a dragon you have in your custody,” I told it.
Little bits of its gauze robe drifted, reaching out as if to touch me.I stepped back and, channeling my mother at her most arrogant, lifted my chin and tried hard to send a scathing look down the length of my nose.
“You are no dragon,” came a voice from the blackness inside the cowl.It sounded like rocks grating on other rocks, making me want to rub my arms against the goose bumps that blossomed in response.
“I don’t have to be,” I said, repeating the excuse that had been discussed on the flight to France.“I am recognized by the weyr as being their representative, and as such, I have the right to ascertain the welfare of Yrian Shadowsworn.You will take me to him immediately.”
The Hashmallim said nothing for a minute, but its form moved in a way that had me thinking it was considering the dragons, all of whom had formed a semicircle behind me.
“Wait,” was all it said before it drifted to the doors, disappearing inside with an almost silentwhoosh.
I slumped, clutching a bit of wall, feeling like I’d just run a marathon.“I feel like I’m made of pasta.Soggy pasta,” I said, turning back to the others.
“Don’t blame you.The Hashies are masters of intimidation.But if you sing ‘My Humps’ to them for thirty-six hours straight, they’ll cave.Well, most of them.There’s a couple that I don’t think can be broken,” Jim said.
“Do you want to put Jim’s glamour on now?”Aisling asked, casting a nervous glance at the door.“Maybe we should go to the other side of the car, so anyone who’s looking out won’t see.”
“I’m thinking not,” I said slowly, following her when she moved around the car and, with a few words, and a ward drawn on my hand, gave me temporary powers over her demon.
“No talking unless it helps Becket,” Aisling told the demon, giving it a swift pat.“Be as helpful as you can, and yes, that’s an order.”
Jim rolled its eyes, but said nothing.
“I guess we’ll give this a go,” I said, squaring my shoulders.
