Born of Dragons

Devin tried to take it all in. “Why would anyone spread the fragments of a sword like this?”

“Because it is a weapon of power,” the sorcerer replied. “One too dangerous to be left in the hands of men in times of peace.”

“Have there been any times of peace recently?” Sir Twell the Planner asked from across the room. Sir Halfin the Swift stood beside him, the two knights of the Spur wearing half plate and chain, covered by cloaks, their shields plain rather than showing the insignia that would mark them out. Sir Twell had a bandaged wound from the battle, but still seemed to be moving well. Sir Halfin kept shifting his weight, as if eager to just move.

“The wars of men are not what I’m worried about,” Master Grey said.

“Then what are you worried about?” Devin asked. Not that he expected an answer. He didn’t get one.

“It is vital that you collect the fragments of the sword,” Master Grey said. “Many are hidden in plain sight, some in more… dangerous places. You proved with the blade you made for the wedding that you can forge star metal.”

“Wonderful,” Sir Halfin said. “Traveling together to collect that stuff. It will be just like our trip to Clearwater Deep.”

“Except that this time, Rodry won’t be with us,” Sir Twell said, in a somber tone. “You say that all this is needed, wizard?”

Master Grey nodded. “If you had seen the things that I have seen, you would not have to ask.”

“But I do have to ask,” Sir Twell said. “Because you want to take two knights away in the middle of a war.”

“I would take more,” Master Grey said. “But there are those who would follow, if they knew what was happening. The two of you plus Devin is more discreet.”

The knight sighed at that, because it clearly hadn’t been what he meant. “And you’ve prepared for this properly?”

Master Grey gave him an odd look. “For longer than even you could understand, Planner. But if you mean in the more immediate sense… horses, supplies, weapons, and gold will be waiting for you below. All that even you could require.”

That seemed to make the knight, if not happy, then at least content.

Sir Halfin turned to Devin. “And what about you? Do you think that this is a good idea? Do you trust the king’s sorcerer?”

Devin wasn’t sure how to answer either of those questions. Master Grey was not a man who inspired trust, or gave answers, or even acted in any way that wasn’t down to his own unfathomable prophecies. He certainly didn’t think that this would be safe, or easy. Yet he’d seen things himself that he shouldn’t have been able to, he’d read part of Master Grey’s thoughts about a child born on the dragon moon being vital. If he was, didn’t he have a duty to act?

“I think that we have to do this,” Devin said. He held out his hand toward the others. “If this can help the kingdom, then we have to at least try. Will you help?”

Sir Halfin was the first to reach out, placing his hand over Devin’s. “I will. If we are not for this, what are Knights of the Spur for?”

Sir Twell took a moment longer, but then joined his hand with theirs. “Very well,” he said. “I swear it. I still have one question though: how will we find these fragments?”

“Devin will feel the star metal when he is close,” Master Grey said. “But further off…” He took out what looked like a map, laying it flat. It showed the kingdom, showed the fragments that he had pointed out, yet there was something else… at least one of them was moving.

“Magic,” Devin said, in awe. Even having seen all that Master Grey could do, such a thing still seemed filled with wonder.

“The map will track the fragments,” the magus said. “With it, you should be able to get close. I would guess that the one that is moving is one that is currently possessed by a merchant, who thinks of it as a trinket to sell.”

“Then we’ll get it back,” Devin promised. “And all the others.”

“Leave quickly,” Master Grey said. He put a hand on Devin’s shoulder. “There might not be much time left, for any of us.”

“I will,” Devin said, but then thought for a moment. “There’s just one thing I need to do first.”

***

When Devin approached Lenore’s rooms, his heart was in his mouth. He wasn’t sure if he would even be allowed to see her, let alone to speak with her, or… or what? Express everything he felt? Say it all even though she was a married woman now?

Devin didn’t know. Didn’t know what to say, or how far to go. He only knew that he had to do something. So he’d come to her rooms, and that was strange in itself. Shouldn’t she be in Finnal’s chambers now that she was his wife?

He was even more surprised when a completely different princess opened the door, a spear in her hand as if she might stab him.

“Who are you?” Princess Erin demanded. “What do you want?”

“It’s all right, Erin,” Lenore’s voice called from behind her. “It’s Devin, Rodry’s friend. Let him in.”

Princess Erin gave him another look as though expecting Devin to suddenly draw out a knife and attack, but she stepped back.

“I guess if you’re a friend of Rodry’s, it’s okay.”

Devin had never seen the interior of the rooms beyond, and for a moment the sight took him aback. Blue silk billowed at the windows of a sitting room area, while on one of the couches, Lenore sat reading, and a figure in a monk’s robes stood a little way away, apparently focusing on nothing. To Devin’s eyes Lenore was more beautiful than ever, the fine-boned fragility of her features filled with a new kind of determination after her kidnapping, her nearly black hair tied back now in a simple style that somehow suited her even more than all the efforts her maids had produced before, and her eyes… Devin felt as though he could stare at those eyes forever.

“Devin,” she said, holding out a hand to him. She drew him to sit beside her. “It’s good to see you. I didn’t think you’d come here.”

“Is it all right to come here?” Devin asked, with a frown. “I… wouldn’t want to cause trouble for you.”

He knew it wasn’t usual, a lowborn young man like him visiting a princess in her rooms. He didn’t want to do anything that would bring disapproval for Lenore.

“No, I’m glad you came,” Lenore said, and Devin’s heart leapt. “I… was hoping that you would, but I thought with everything you have to do for Master Grey, that you might not have time. That you’d forgotten about me.”

“I could never forget about you,” Devin said, and then realized what he’d said. “That is… I’ve just been very busy.”

“It must be strange, working for a sorcerer,” Lenore said. “The sword you forged was beautiful, by the way. I’m sure Rodry would have…”

She choked back the last word, and Devin nodded, because even though Rodry hadn’t been his brother, he still understood the pain of losing him. “Thank you,” he said, because if there was one person he wanted to appreciate something he’d made, it was Lenore. “Actually, that’s kind of why I’ve come. I… Master Grey is sending me off to do another job for him. I can’t say what, but I’ll have to be away at least for a while.”

Was that disappointment Devin saw in her eyes, or was he just imagining that she felt all that he did at the thought of not being able to see one another?

“That’s… a pity,” Lenore said. “It’s good having you around. I… I like having you here.”

“I like being here,” Devin said. “But I think I have to do this, and before I left, I wanted, well, to give you something.” He realized how that would sound. “I mean, because the wedding present I made ended up being more of a wedding present for your husband.”

“My husband, yes,” Lenore said, as if for a moment, she’d almost forgotten about Finnal.

Devin took his chance and took out a small fragment of star metal that had been left over from the forging. He’d worked on it, trying to build his skills with it, shaping it into a series of cage-like spheres that fit around one another, each moving freely inside the next. At its heart, he’d set a piece of colored glass, so that every movement of the spheres of star metal around it changed the way the light hit it.

“It isn’t much,” Devin said. “Certainly not compared to a sword, but—”

“It’s beautiful,” Lenore said, holding it in the palm of her hand. “I love it.”

And I love you, Devin wanted to say, but didn’t, couldn’t. Not to a princess; a married princess no less.

“I will keep it close as a reminder while you’re gone,” Lenore said. “I’ll treasure it.”