DragonFire

  She stood and handed her untouched dinner to her father. “I have to talk to Paladin.”

  Sir Kemry nodded.

  She trudged toward the clump of trees where she had seen him last. He still talked to Bardon. Did she want Bardon to hear what she had done?

  She’d have to. She walked across the camp site. Paladin might be needed someplace else and be gone before she had a chance to ask him if certain things were her fault. If she were guilty.

  She felt guilty.

  Bardon put his arm around her as she came up beside him. The stiff muscles felt odd across her shoulders.

  Kale managed a curtsy while encumbered by her husband’s embrace. It made all three smile.

  Paladin looked hale and hearty with the grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye.

  Kale blinked back tears and made her voice sound cheerful. “I’m glad you are well, sir.”

  “When you mindspoke to the dragons and it carried on to the citizens of Amara, they shook off the stupor that had blinded them to their true desire. Our people knew they wanted to follow Wulder more than they wanted to avoid conflict. With the renewed life in their hearts, I grew stronger. Strong enough to lead the army.”

  Kale swallowed. “I’m sure everyone was happy to see you.”

  “I didn’t lead them all. Small factions rose up and defeated the enemy forces in their own regions. But the rightly focused commitment expressed by individual members of our society strengthened the whole.” Paladin tilted his head as he looked down at her. “What’s wrong, Kale?”

  “Dar told me about the battles that raged after I spoke to the dragons in the valley. So many were killed.”

  The solemn expression on Paladin’s face did not change. Bardon’s arm curled inward a bit to embrace her as best he could.

  “If I had not given that speech, there would not be tears and grief in more than half the homes of our people.”

  Paladin still didn’t speak.

  Bardon shifted beside her. “Kale, if the people had not defended their homes, the scourge of Pretender would still have a stronghold in their lives.”

  Kale shook her head, and tears flowed down her cheeks. “If I hadn’t drained all my energy, Ardeo, Alton, and Benrey would have lived.”

  “Kale—”

  “No, Bardon. Ardeo and Alton died trying to get me to safety when I couldn’t fight to help protect us. Benrey died in the fight against Crim Cropper because I had no energy to pull together a wizard’s defense.”

  She leaned against Bardon, and he brought his other arm up to encircle her. He placed his forehead on her temple and whispered. “In a battle, we do what we can. We aren’t always in the correct position to do the most good.”

  Paladin touched Kale’s arm. “She understands that, Bardon. She also knows she did what she did in obedience to Wulder, so the resulting consequences are His responsibility, not hers. She had to expend her energy without her father’s aid so he would have the resources to fight Crim Cropper or Pretender, whichever one showed up to do battle.”

  Kale’s eyes came up to look at Paladin’s face.

  “Tell me, Kale. There’s something else. What distresses you? Why do you feel such guilt?”

  “Pretender’s orb. I took Pretender’s orb. I knew I shouldn’t. I knew if I held it, I would not be able to put it down. I gave in just a little, but I knew this moment of weakness would mean that Pretender had gained power over me. Once I allowed him to manipulate me, the next time it would be easier for him to tempt me and for me to give in.”

  “And still you took his gift?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did you do with the orb?”

  “You know, don’t you? You know it all.”

  “Yes, but you need to tell me.”

  “I held it, and it made the pain go away. But I knew holding it was wrong. In the caves, I didn’t want to be with the people there. I didn’t want to be with my own dragons. I felt worthless and as if my presence would damage those around me.”

  “But you broke the orb. Why?”

  “Because I needed the energy within it to help my father.”

  Paladin gently squeezed her arm. “Your love for your father was stronger than the hold Pretender had on you.”

  Kale wanted Paladin and Bardon to understand. They couldn’t possibly know how wretched she’d been. They had to fully comprehend to forgive her. “I took the orb because of the pain.”

  “Wulder would have provided another remedy, had you been able to hold on.”

  Kale studied Paladin’s expression.

  He nodded so slightly she almost didn’t see it. “I believe,” he said, “that Gilda had a potion with her to help ease the pain.”

  Bardon rubbed his face against Kale’s head. His stubble caught at the fine hair. To Kale, the scratchiness felt wonderful.

  “I thank Wulder,” said her husband, “for bringing you through all that. When I stepped out of the gateway and into Paladin’s palace, I had no idea if you were still alive. The last I saw of Cropper, he was determined to annihilate the world, starting with you.”

  Kale’s mouth twisted into a frown. “I don’t understand that. It was father’s dragon who bit off his wife’s head.”

  “Maybe he didn’t have the facts straight.”

  Paladin chuckled. “That sounds like a possibility. Not having the facts straight can cause all sorts of havoc.”

  “I have one more question, sir,” said Kale.

  “Yes?”

  “Why was I able to use something created by Pretender for evil to do good? I didn’t think through what the consequences might be. I just threw it down to break it open.”

  “The orb?” guessed Bardon.

  She nodded.

  Paladin put his hand up to his chin and rubbed as he thought. “Pretender did not make the energy. He contained it in the glass sphere. Energy is no more bad than water is. You could use water to refresh a thirsty man or drown him.”

  He put both hands on his hips and stared up into the sky. “Now that the threat of evil is at bay, we will have the rebuilding of Amara ahead of us. And we must be sure at the foundation, our citizens are choosing to share what water they have and not drown their neighbors.”

  “What will you have us do?” asked Bardon.

  Paladin clapped a hand on his knight’s shoulder. “Just what is right in front of you.”

  GLOSSARY

  Amara (ä´-mä-rä)

  Continent surrounded by ocean on three sides.

  armagot (är´-muh-got)

  National tree, purple blue leaves in the fall.

  armagotnut (är´-muh-got-nut)

  Nut from the armagot tree.

  ba

  Ropma baby.

  batman

  Soldier assigned as personal servant to an officer.

  bentleaf tree

  Deciduous tree having long, slender, drooping branches and narrow leaves.

  bingham trees

  Flowering trees found at high altitudes.

  bisonbecks (b´-sen-beks)

  Most intelligent of the seven low races. They comprise most of Risto’s army.

  blimmets (blim´-mets)

  One of the seven low races, burrowing creatures that swarm out of the ground for periodic feeding frenzies.

  Bogs, The

  Made up of four swamplands with indistinct borders. Located in southwest Amara.

  borling tree (bôr´-ling)

  Tree with dark brown wood and a deeply furrowed nut enclosed in a globose, aromatic husk.

  cygnot tree (s-not)

  A tropical tree growing in extremely wet ground or shallow water. The branches come out of the trunk like spokes from a wheel hub and often interlace with neighboring trees.

  da

  Father.

  daggarts (dag´-garts)

  A baked treat, a small crunch cake.

  doneels (dō´-neelz)

  One of the seven high races. These people are furry with bulging eyes,
thin black lips, and ears at the top and front of their skulls. A flap of skin covers the ears and twitches, responding to the doneel’s mood. They are small in stature, rarely over three feet tall. Generally are musical and given to wearing flamboyant clothing.

  Dormanscz Range (dôr-manz´)

  Volcanic mountain range in Bange southeast Amara.

  druddums (drud´-dumz)

  Weasel-like animals that live deep in mountains. These creatures are thieves and will steal anything to horde. Of course, they like to get food, but they are also attracted to bright things and things that have an unusual texture.

  emerlindians (´-mer-lin´-dee-inz)

  One of the seven high races, emerlindians are born pale with white hair and pale gray eyes. As they age, they darken. One group of emerlindians is slight in stature, the tallest being five feet. Another distinct group are between six and six and a half feet tall.

  feather-petaled bonnie

  A flower with a large crown of densely placed delicate petals. The blossoms come in a wide variety of colors.

  fire dragon

  Emerged from the volcanoes in ancient days. These dragons breathe fire and are most likely to serve evil forces.

  forms

  A regimented set of exercises.

  gordon tree

  Named after the marione who cultivated them, the gordon trees are tall, thin, and shed their bark. The bark makes a superior paper and can be harvested each spring.

  grand emerlindian

  Grands are male or female, close to a thousand years old, and black.

  granny emerlindian

  Grannies are male or female, said to be five hundred years old or older, and have darkened to a brown complexion with dark brown hair and eyes.

  grawligs (graw´-ligz)

  One of seven low races, mountain ogres.

  greater dragon

  Largest of the dragons, able to carry many men or cargo.

  guard

  A fighting unit made up of a captain and four loes.

  icebears

  Carnivorous bears living at the northern and southern extremes of the planet.

  kimens (km´-enz)

  The smallest of the seven high races. Kimens are elusive, tiny, and fast. Under two feet tall.

  leecent

  Lowest-ranking officer in military service.

  lehman

  Lowest rank in military service.

  lightrocks

  Any of the quartzlike rocks giving off a glow.

  lo

  Rank between leecent and lehman.

  longfish

  An extremely long and slender fish that is easily smoked and cured.

  ma

  Mother.

  major dragon

  Elephant-sized dragon most often used for personal transportation.

  mariones (mer´--ownz)

  One of the seven high races. Mariones are excellent farmers and warriors. They are short and broad, usually muscle-bound rather than corpulent.

  meech dragon

  The most intelligent of the dragons, capable of speech.

  minnekens

  A small, mysterious race living in isolation on the Isle of Kye.

  minor dragon

  Smallest of the dragons, the size of a young kitten. The different types of minor dragons have different abilities.

  moonbeam cloth

  Cloth made from the moonbeam plant.

  moonbeam plant

  A three-to four-foot plant having large shiny leaves and round flowers resembling a full moon. The stems are fibrous and used for making invisible cloth.

  Morchain Range

  Mountains running north and south through the middle of Amara.

  mordakleeps

  One of the low races, shadowy creatures with long tails.

  mullins (ml´-lnz)

  Fried doughnut sticks.

  nordy rolls

  Whole-grain, sweet, nutty bread.

  o’rants

  One of the high races. Five to six feet tall.

  ordend (or´-den)

  A basic unit of Amaran currency. Twenty ordends equals one grood.

  owlwing fern

  A plant that grows in the shade and has broad, feathery fronds.

  parnot (pâr´-nt)

  Green fruit like a pear.

  piggledy pin

  The clublike target that stands on end in a children’s ball game called piggledy.

  poor man’s pudding

  A mound of custard with carmelized syrup or ale poured over the top, so it looks like a white island sitting in a brown lake.

  portucads (por´-tuh-cadz)

  A porcine creature whose fangs grow too long to be useful in a fight. The animal provides excellent meat.

  quiss (kwuh´-iss)

  One of the seven low races. These creatures have an enormous appetite. Every three years they develop the capacity to breathe air for six weeks and forage along the seacoast, creating havoc. They are extremely slippery.

  ring beetles

  Beetles with a target-ring pattern on their backs.

  ropmas (rōp´-muhz)

  One of the seven low races. These half men–half animals are useful in herding and caring for beasts.

  schoergs (skôrgz)

  One of seven low races, much like grawligs, shorter, less playful.

  Sniffer

  Official at court responsible for enforcing hygiene.

  stakes

  A disease that leaves the victim stiff for weeks after the fever has passed and can recur when the patient becomes overtired. For children, the symptoms pass. In an adult, the side effects can last ten to twenty years.

  tumanhofers (too´-mun-hoff-erz)

  One of the seven high races. Short, squat, powerful fighters, though for the most part they prefer to use their great intellect.

  urohms (ū-rōmz´)

  Largest of the seven high races. Gentle giants, well proportioned and very intelligent.

  Vendela (vin-del´-luh)

  Capital city of the province of Wynd.

  Wittoom (wit-toom´)

  Region populated by doneels in northwest Amara.

  wizards’ conclave

  A cloistered gathering of a chosen group. The agenda is kept secret and the discussion within is undisclosed.

  writher snake (r-ther)

  A water snake, long and slender. The snake wraps its body around a victim, drags it under the water, and eats the body as it decomposes.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DONITA K. PAUL enjoys writing, but she enjoys her readers more. Her Web site, www.dragonkeeper.us is a place where she can interact with readers, old and young.

  Mrs. Paul is a retired teacher and still spends a great deal of time with young people. Although she lives in the shadow of Pikes Peak, she does no mountain climbing, preferring more sedate hobbies such as knitting and stamping. And she likes to make things she can give away.

  Praise for

  DragonFire

  “DragonFire is a soaring adventure. But I wouldn’t expect anything less from Donita K. Paul, as she always gives us a delightful read: intriguing, challenging, and full of blessing.”

  —KATHRYN MACKEL, author of Vanished and Outriders

  “A rich, fantastical treat—DragonFire lights the imagination with every turn of the page!”

  —ROBERT ELMER, fantasy/sci-fi author

  “DragonFire is not only a book for the young of age, but also for the young at heart. Donita K. Paul possesses a unique talent for instilling deep wisdom and spiritual truth in a story that is engrossing and satisfying for adults and children alike. She is one of my favorite authors.”

  —HANNAH ALEXANDER, author of the Hideaway series

  “In DragonFire, Donita K. Paul has outdone herself! Though all of her dragon tales enchant, entertain, and inspire, this latest entry reveals even more profound depths in her characters—and in her magical winged creatures. This story will touch your emotions—and your soul.”
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  —JIM DENNEY, author of the Timebenders series and Answers to Satisfy the Soul

  “DragonFire is ‘predictable’—in the very best sense of the word! Breakneck pacing. Plot twists aplenty. Spiritual truths that inspire. And a powerful ending that—here we go again—leaves you wanting more.”

  —TAMARA LEIGH, best-selling author of Perfecting Kate

  “DragonFire is a worthy continuation of the endearing series begun by Donita K. Paul. Lovable, admirable characters, entertaining adventures and misadventures, and breath-stealing plot twists—all deftly woven with sustaining strands of spiritual truth. Youth and adults alike will find these books impossible to put down until the last page is read.”

  —JANELLE CLARE SCHNEIDER, author

  “Another enchanting fantasy starring the Dragon Keeper, Kale. Even when she thinks she’s failed those she loves and who trust her, obedience and Wulder’s love guide Kale. Inspiring.”

  —LYN COTE, author of Blessed Assurance

  “Donita K. Paul has created another delightful tale featuring Kale, Bardon, and their enchanting friends. DragonFire takes the reader inside a wonderful world of fun and fantasy, with spiritual truths lighting each pathway. I loved it!”

  —PEGGY DARTY, author of When the Sandpiper Calls and When Bobbie Sang the Blues

  DRAGONFIRE

  PUBLISHED BY WATERBROOK PRESS

  12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200

  Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921

  A division of Random House Inc.

  The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2007 by Donita K. Paul

  Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, www.alivecommunications.com.