Part 19 (1/2)

”Got one h.e.l.l of a nose, too.” Zylas held out a hand to a.s.sist his friend, but Vernon chose to remain on the ground for the moment.

Korfius drew himself up proudly. ”Best sniffer in my brigade.”

Collins remembered how Korfius had found them in the flowering tree when the other hounds had not.

He nodded. ”No doubt.”

”A dragon.” Korfius seemed incapable of getting past that word. He turned stiffly to Collins. ”Your Majesty, you keep interesting company.” He bowed. ”And I am at your service.”

Collins glanced at Zylas, who nodded with wary encouragement. ”Korfius, I've already told you the best way to serve me.””I know, Sire-”

”Just Ben,” Collins reminded.

”I know ...” Korfius clearly struggled mightily, but managed to blurt out, ”Ben. But I want to help, to be a part of this.” His wide-eyed gaze fell on the dragon again, though he did not say the word this time.

”A guard superior, a royal, and a ... a dragon.” The reverent tone gained strength with each naming. ”I'm staying with you. Seeing this through. You might need me!”

Once more, Collins glanced at Zylas for support. He wished the other man would say something.

After all, Zylas was more likely to have the necessary knowledge to handle this situation; but Collins also knew that maintaining the illusion of his royalty required him to speak. ”What I don't need is a couple of worried parents sending an entire guard force after me.” It seemed almost moot, as they already tracked him on a murder charge. ”Nor do I need to add a kidnapping rap.”

”Parents?” Korfius laughed. ”Don't worry about my parents. They're extremely lesariat. I'm from a litter of seven ...”

Collins took his cue from Zylas, whose eyes went round as coins and whose lips glided open in clear surprise.

”. . . and as far as they're concerned, they raised me. I'm on my own.”

Though it seemed easier with his parents out of the equation, Collins could not imagine any mother not worrying about her missing child. Put it in animal terms, he reminded himself. Once the puppies. .h.i.t somewhere between six and ten weeks, the parents often don't even recognize them. Cynically, he wondered if whoever was in charge of the city would prove more diligent about his ”best sniffer” then the parents were over their missing septuplet. Zylas' reaction made it clear that multiple births were not the norm, despite the time spent as animals. From the way Korfius stated it, Collins guessed that the ones more anch.o.r.ed in animal form had a higher likelihood of more than one offspring at a time. ”Well, then,”

Collins said, surprised by his own words. ”Perhaps I could use your help.”

Zylas' jaw, already dangling from the litter comment, now positively fell. ”Um . . . Ben. Could I speak to you for a moment?”

Though tempted to say ”no,” which would leave Zylas completely defenseless, Collins excused himself from Korfius, telling the boy to put some clothes on, and then followed his pale companion to the cave mouth.

Zylas barely waited until they got beyond hearing range. ”What the h.e.l.l are you doing?”

Collins wondered if the concept of h.e.l.l as he knew it actually existed in this world, then shrugged off the thought. None of his companions seemed overly religious, and he saw no need to create a possible rift. ”What do you mean?”

Zylas kept his voice at a bare hiss, though he clearly would have preferred to yell. ”I mean, you just invited a kid along.”

”What did you want me to do?” Collins finally realized what his subconscious had much earlier. ”Send him back to whatever that town was that's hunting us knowing all about your precious lady?”

Zylas swallowed hard. ”Well?”

”That,” Zylas said thoughtfully, ”can't happen.” A look of sharp terror took over his features, so intense that Collins felt fear p.r.i.c.kling up his spine as well.

Collins fell silent, uncertain whether he wished to encourage Zylas any longer.

”What are we going to do?”

You're asking me? Collins raised his brows, throwing the question right back to his uncomfortable companion.

”They'll hunt her down and kill her.”

Collins continued to study Zylas. The other option, killing a child to keep her secret, seemed even more heinous. ”Zylas,” he started carefully, not at all certain where he planned to go from there.

”You're right,” Zylas interrupted. ”We have to keep him with us. And quiet.” He stomped a foot.

”d.a.m.n! Why did he have to ...” He trailed off with a noise of frustration.

”I'm sure Vernon did everything he could.”

”Yeah. I trust-” Zylas' nostrils flared. ”We've got to get out of here.” He looked past Collins. ”If onedog could follow our scent, others could.”

Collins was not convinced of that.

”Or, they might just follow his scent.”

That seemed much more likely. ”Can Prinivere travel?”

”She should be able to make it to another of her ...” Zylas ended lamely, ”... places now.” Apparently seized by another thought, he added, ”In fact, she should go now, before she switches.”

About eighteen hours had pa.s.sed since Collins had seen Prinivere in human form. Somehow, he doubted she had to take any drugs to keep her dragon-time longer. Given that she could use all her higher functions as a dragon, plus magic and a vastly extended life-span, he suspected she considered it her more advanced form.

Zylas headed back toward Prinivere. ”My lady,” he said as he moved. ”Forgive the abruptness of our departure, but I think it best if we all go as soon as possible.” He put a subtle emphasis on the word ”all”

which Collins took to mean he wanted her to know that she should take off also.

*He's just a boy,* Prinivere sent, Collins presumed to him and Zylas, at least, and certainly not to Korfius who still stared at her with undisguised awe. *Don't do anything rash. *

”I won't,” Zylas promised. ”Unless it becomes absolutely necessary. But we can't risk ...” He glanced at Korfius, as if to read how much of the one-sided conversation he might fathom, ”. . . you. And I don't know many . . .” he hedged, as if seeking a code word, then brightened. Casually, he removed the rose quartz stone from his pocket and set it on an irregularity in the rocky wall. He switched to broken English, surely aware only Collins and Prinivere could understand him. ”. . . child can't hold secret. Will . .

.”He struggled, then touched the stone. ”... caution.” He removed his fingers and returned to English. ”But if it comes to a decision-your life or his-I have no choice, my lady.”

*I'm old,* she reminded.

”But got at least as many years left as he.” Zylas inclined his head toward Korfius. ”And need-” He struggled again; but, this time, did not resort to the translation stone. ”-other life depend-” He glanced at Collins and fell silent, then scooped up his stone and returned it to his pocket. ”Let's go,” he growled in clear frustration.

Collins remained silent throughout the exchange, quietly putting the details together. Clearly, Korfius'

finding them threw Zylas into a terrible dilemma. He had to keep Korfius quiet about Prinivere, not just for the duration of Collins' time here, but forever. Collins did not envy him that position; he could not kill a regular dog, let alone one who became a boy at intervals. Yet, Zylas had a loyalty to Prinivere that transcended Collins' understanding.

Collins and Zylas packed their gear in a tense hush punctuated only by occasional sighs from the rat/man. Collins did not press, certain his companion would speak in his own time. He did not have the words to comfort, so the best he could do was to listen.

Korfius seemed to share none of Zylas' consternation, chattering at the dragon with an exuberance Collins could not ever remember having. Apparently, the dragon answered him privately and with infinite patience, because Korfius kept bouncing and talking, often not waiting long enough for Prinivere to possibly have addressed the question before zipping off another. Shortly, they had everything, and Zylas signaled for everyone to go.

Korfius obediently bounded from the cave, Zylas and Collins behind him and Ialin hovering anxiously.