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grawligs, quiss, and whatever. You never once gave a thought as to where I would be.
Now that s not true. You ll be with your father
And would you rather be with your father than with me?
And that s not fair.
Children, children, her mother s voice interrupted the argument.
Her father s voice chimed in. Are you saying you don t want to go on this quest with me?
Of course, she wants to go, said her mother, but with her husband, not with her father.
That doesn t make sense, said her father at the same time Bardon s thoughts clamored, I m not a
Dragon Keeper. I m a knight.
Her father harrumphed. I m a knight.
Of course, Lyll s soothing tone came through as another interrupting thought. Bardon meant he is
just a knight.
Another harrumph. No such thing as just a knight.
Lyll answered, I didn t mean it that way. Kale imagined her mother patting her father s arm. I
meant he is only a knight as opposed to being both a knight and a Dragon Keeper.
Both men mindspoke at the same time. Kale covered her ears and straight away realized how futile that
was when all the parties of the conversation were not speaking aloud and weren t even where they could
see her gesture. She heard her husband, father, and little comments by her mother as she turned a corner
and raced down the hall.
Regidor, with Gilda on his arm, approached from the other direction. Kale took her hands from her ears
and waved aside her friends concern as she sped past. She opened the door to the suite and saw her
mother was, indeed, patting her father s arm.
Kale glared at Bardon. You want to go fight.
Of course I do. His voice held a note of umbrage. That s what I was trained to do. Defend and
protect.
She took a few more steps into the room, vaguely aware that Gilda and Regidor followed. I was trained
to fight too. A woman belongs beside her husband. Doesn t anyone understand that?
Lyll moved away from Sir Kemry. Well, I certainly do.
And I, said Gilda.
Kale felt a wave of relief at being supported by the two other women.
But, added Lyll.
Kale s heart sank. No question about it. Her mother enthusiastically glowed with youth and vigor. A sure
sign Lyll was going to be right in whatever she decided to say, and right now, right was not what Kale
wanted to hear.
Lyll s chin went up, and her eyes seemed to focus on an exquisite scene beyond their ken. There are
times when we are required to put our personal preferences aside in order to achieve a greater good.
Hear! Hear! said Sir Kemry.
Bah! said Gilda.
Regidor clapped, a sardonic look twisting his handsome features.
Kale burst into tears.
15
PREPARATIONS
Granny Noon s hands stilled as she stopped midstitch in her knitting. Are you expecting a little one?
Kale sat up straighter on the short footstool by the rocker. No, I m not.
Are you sure? The emerlindian s eyes wandered around the nursery. She sighed. I do cherish these
sprouts.
A marione toddler chose that moment to spit up his milk. A ropma nursemaid rushed to clean up the tyke
and the floor.
Granny Noon giggled. Although having them around is not always convenient& or clean.
Kale tried to smile as the emerlindian turned an experienced eye back to her, a confused o rant sitting at
a wise woman s feet. She hoped Granny Noon would give her comfort as she faced this difficult
separation from Bardon.
Kale, sometimes young women get a bit teary-eyed when they re carrying a child.
I am not! I know for sure. And I m not crying.
Not now, but your eyes are red and puffy. Granny picked up her stitch, and her needles clicked at a
steady beat again. You cry because you didn t get your way. Because Paladin didn t agree with you.
And Bardon didn t stand up for you and change everyone s mind so you could do what you want.
That s not why I ve been crying. That s childish, and I m not childish. Her lower lip had somehow
managed to stick out in a pout. She pulled it in.
Granny Noon rocked and knitted, her eyes fixed on the stitches gliding from one needle to the other.
Kale glanced around the room at crawling babies and small children tottering with ungainly steps.
The swoosh-creak, swoosh-creak of the rocking chair provided a counter beat to the rapid clicking of
Granny Noon s needles. You know, all aspects of life are like those infants learning to move. They pull
themselves up to the starting position, struggle to stay balanced, and fight to toddle in the right direction.
We tackle each challenge in life in much the same way.
Kale looked up at her mentor. And this applies to me?
Yes, in that you are entering a new relationship and a new task. Don t expect to immediately be able to
work side by side with your father. You ll stumble around a bit before you find a rapport. This new quest
is under different circumstances, as is every quest. You have old knowledge to blend with new. You will
grow and mature. Kale, although it will seem uncomfortable, in the end, you will be blessed.
Kale turned her face away and scrunched up her nose. I really do know all this, Granny Noon. I ve
heard it before.
The emerlindian s chuckle eased the tension in Kale s shoulders. I know you do, my dear. But I don t
see evidence that you re applying the knowledge.
Kale sighed and turned her sour expression to the granny so she could see. Granny Noon laughed out
loud.
Kale allowed her face to relax and giggled. What should I do, Granny Noon?
You already know. I think Paladin himself once told you.
Contentment filled Kale at the memory of Paladin s tender words and encouragement. Just what is right
ahead of me.
That s correct. Granny put her knitting in a basket and stood. Let s go down to the herb room and
replenish your supply. You never know what you might need in your hollows when out seeking lost
dragon eggs.
They went down winding stone steps to the lower level of the palace where the cool rooms stored
perishable produce. Herbs in glass and ceramic jars on shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling.
Lightrocks were embedded in the wooden beams above their heads. A preparation table stood in the
middle of the light, dry room. In each corner stood a porous rock column that absorbed moisture. Lady
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