Dragon and Phoenix by Joanne Bertin Read Free Book Online Page A

“Come, little phoenix, today is a day of celebration,” she crooned to him.
    As they left the nursery, Shei-Luin wondered if she could talk Xiane into letting her visit Xahnu. By custom, the concubine-mother of an heir was not allowed to visit, and thus influence, the future emperor.
    Xiane’s own mother had been allowed to raise him, but only because she’d been a favorite of the old emperor, and because Xiane had had two older brothers; no one had ever thought he’d become emperor.
    As Shei-Luin carried the precious weight of her son through the halls, she vowed to see that custom changed.
     
    “May the gods help us all,” Linden said, realizing what the arrival of the five truedragons might mean.
    Otter said slowly, “It could be true?”
    “It would seem the truedragons think so,” Maurynna answered. “Else, from all I’ve heard of them since coming here, I see no reason they would leave their mountain holds otherwise.”
    “One of them is old Morlen the Seer,” Lleld said, her voice barely audible.
    “What!” Linden exclaimed. “Morlen? But why is he—why are any of them here?” If it hadn’t been for the shock in Lleld’s eyes, he would have suspected her of having him on.
    “I don’t know,” Maurynna said. “We just saw them come back with Kelder.”
    “Kelder?” Linden asked, confused now. When had Kelder gone to fetch truedragons?
    Maurynna frowned. “Didn’t you see him—oh, of course not. He was out of sight by the time you came out on the balcony this morning. And then I forgot because—” She stopped.
    Linden hoped his face was not as red as his soultwin’s.
    Otter coughed and hid a smile behind his hand. Raven’s lips thinned to an angry line. The stunned look left Lleld’s face; a knowing grin replaced it.
    “You were … distracted?” she sniggered.
    “Lleld!” Linden said in warning. It didn’t stop her snickering. He ignored her in the hope that she would stop. If the gods were kind it might even work.
    And rivers would flow uphill.
    Perhaps —“I owe you an apology, Raven. I’m sorry. If you’re willing, I’d like to hear the full story, as much as you know about the captive truedragon,” Linden said to the young Yerrin.
    That did the trick. If there was one thing Lleld prized above all else, it was news; she turned greedy eyes on Raven. “The captive truedragon—you know about it?”
    Linden held up a warning hand. “Lleld, not so fast. We’ve still no proof—”
    Lleld ignored him, reached up and caught Raven’s elbow. “Have you broken your fast yet, lad? No? I’m Lleld Kemberaene. Here, come and tell m—tell us everything as you eat.”
    Surprise banished the smoldering anger in the boy’s face. “As you wish, Dragonlord,” he said politely to Lleld as she propelled him to a table.
    It was a while before they were all settled and food was brought to them. Then Jekkanadar arrived and they had to find a place for him as well, Lleld excitedly telling him about the truedragons. At last they were ready. To Lleld’s obvious frustration, Raven began eating. At Linden’s nod, Otter took pity on Lleld and acquainted her, Maurynna, and Jekkanadar with what he and Linden already knew.
    At one point while his great-uncle spoke, Raven picked up a slice of bread from the serving platter and looked around; without a word and hardly taking her eyes from Otter, Maurynna pushed one of the three little clay jars on the table to the young Yerrin. The blue-glazed one, not the green jar with rose-hip jam or the brown with elderberry in it. Raven accepted the jar without examining the contents and dribbled honey onto his bread. It was plain that that was what he’d expected.
    It filled Linden with unreasoning jealousy that Maurynna would know Raven’s wants, that she would be so aware of him, that Raven would accept it with no surprise. Don’t be stupid, he told himself. Of course she knows what he likes on his bread, just as he no doubt knows what she likes with