The Draykon Series (1-3)

Lokant: Chapter Thirty-Four

Aysun dropped his voice-box back onto the desk with a grunt of irritation. Three days he had been trying to reach her, and his wife hadn't accepted the call.

She had forgotten to carry it around with her, he supposed. It lay somewhere in the house, out of hearing so she never knew when he was trying to get through. Or the box was broken. That was a possibility.

Or perhaps she had actively decided not to answer. She was avoiding him for some reason. His irritation grew greater at the mere thought.

All of these conclusions he drew and steadfastly clung to in favour of the notion that something had gone wrong. He was of a protective nature, and frequently over the years he'd been gripped with fear when his wife had been late or absent and he'd become convinced that some catastrophe had befallen her.

She'd laughed at him for it. Every time.

He gave the call one last try, listening sadly as it beeped on without Ynara's beloved voice cutting in. At last he set the voice box aside and left the room, sore at heart.

Through the window he could see Orillin in the garden with Graaf. The orboe had never left, sticking to the tousle-headed boy with endearing stubbornness. If you could call it endearing. The creature was as enormous as ever and looked just as unfriendly to Aysun's eye. He still had to restrain himself from rushing to the boy's aid when his slight form disappeared under Graaf's huge, shaggy body. But always the maddening boy emerged unscathed, laughing his irrepressible laugh, tumbling on with the orboe as if he hadn't a care in the world.

He would lose that carefree nature as he grew older. When he had a daughter out in the worlds somewhere alone, and a wife who refused to answer his calls, he would know about cares.

Aysun grouched his way back to the main room of Rheas's house. He collected a mug of beer for himself, refusing to acknowledge the grey-haired man in the rocking chair. But when he turned to leave, he only made it halfway across the room before Rheas spoke.

'No answer again, I take it.'

'What do you know of it?' He glowered heavily at his abominable parent, fiercely glad to have a target for his irritation.

'Were you planning to do something about it, or will you settle for stamping about my house all day?'

'Like what?' Aysun demanded. 'I'm stuck here for the present, playing nurse-maid to that child out there.'

Rheas smirked. 'I could do that without your help.'

'Ynara asked it of me.'

Rheas shook his head. 'You're a pushover.'

Aysun's fists clenched. 'Shut up, old man. You forfeited your right to criticise my doings long ago.'

Rheas shrugged. 'I was going to suggest a solution, but if that's the way you feel about it I'll stay out of it.'

'Oh, for the love of...' Aysun massaged his temples. Never was anybody cursed with such an irritating, reprehensible, aggravating excuse for a sire. 'Fine, make your suggestion.'

Rheas's eyes glinted. 'It means accessing those summoner abilities you've been busy denying, my boy. Still interested?'

Aysun took a long breath. 'All right. Yes.'

'Good. You haven't forgotten Prink, I'm sure.'

Prink? Aysun didn't recognise the name, but he did recognise the colourful bundle of fur and wings that zipped past his nose.

'Odd name.'

'Your daughter's choice, not mine. Prink will take you as a passenger for a short time, if you're good and don't snap at him.'