his way back to the doors. Hain watched him for a moment, wondering if the man was right, then he shook himself. It didn’t matter if the huntsman was right or not; he had orders to carry out. He bent to the task of separating out the cables on the grass, trying to put to one side the ridiculousness of the idea - even though it was partly of his devising.
‘Let’s hope the beastmasters are right about dragons being similar enough to wyverns,’ he muttered, ‘otherwise looking stupid’s going to be the least of our problems.’
He peered up at the sky, which was lightening with every passing minute, though dawn was still a way off. The beastmasters had said there was no way of predicting when the dragon would be active and away from its lair, but darkness would prove no barrier to its eyesight. Hain’s best bet was to work alone and quietly, as soon as it was light enough for him to be able to see the dragon approaching.
So get a bloody move on, he ordered himself, and started to cut the turf. Whether it works is someone else’s problem.
A knock came at the door of the orphans’ chamber. The Duchess of Byora looked up from her breakfast and watched blearily as Sergeant Kayel crossed over to the door and opened it a fraction. Mornings had always been precious to Natai. Whether or not her husband, Ganas, had risen with her, she had cherished these precious few hours before official duties took over. It was a fair indulgence, she thought; no matter the problems the day might bring, she was always better prepared, both in temper and perspective, having spent some time with her young wards first.
Natai looked around. The orphans’ chamber was conspicuously lacking in one detail: orphans. Only Ruhen was present, together with his painfully thin nurse, Eliane, who was sitting in the furthest corner of the room. The rest were absent, as were the nurses who tended to them, and Natai felt a flicker of anger - until her gaze returned to Ruhen, sitting happily at her side. This morning he was playing with an old quill, drawing elegant spirals on a battered piece of parchment. She tilted her head to look at the page; the shapes looked almost like writing from a far-distant place.
‘Ruhen, dear, would you draw something for me?’ she asked on a whim.
‘Yes, Mother,’ the boy replied solemnly, looking up at her through his long lashes. The ache in her head softened as he smiled, and the shadows wove patterns in his eyes.
So beautiful, she thought dreamily, so beautiful, and so clever.
She moved her hand to stroke the line of his jaw and tuck an errant lock of long brown hair behind his ear to stop it falling over his face. Ruhen’s cheek dimpled a fraction and Natai felt a flutter of pleasure in her belly.
How foolish I was to think him so young when he first came to me- No, he has been here for years, of course. I am his mother, I gave birth to him. I remember the pain, the first clench of labour as Ganas and I went on our Prayerday trip . . .
Her thoughts tailed away into nothing. Remembering was hard, so hard, and so painful. She was Ruhen’s mother, and that was all that mattered. He gave her joy by his mere presence, and in time she would be proud to watch him grow into a prince, to rule all of the Circle City.
‘Your Grace?’ A deep voice interrupted her reverie, making her flinch. She looked around vaguely until she realised it was Sergeant Kayel who was talking.
‘Yes? Yes, what is it?’ She frowned. ‘Did someone bring a message?’
‘They did, your Grace,’ Kayel replied. He heaved his large frame into a chair and dropped his elbows heavily on the table.
Natai pursed her lips. Her bodyguard should not eat with his mistress, should he? She wished for a moment she could remember ... She watched him drop a handful of letters on the table and pick up several hardboiled eggs in his scarred hands.
‘Strangely enough,’ Kayel continued after filling his mouth with one egg, ‘the letters ain’t for you, your Grace. One is for me.’
‘Who would write to you? Who are the others for?’ She caught sight of Ruhen, holding out his hand for the one of the eggs Kayel had.
‘You want one?’ Kayel offered an egg to the little boy, but not close enough