The Draykon Series (1-3)

Orlind: Chapter Seventeen

A short time later, Llandry sat in her father's workshop, watching Aysun from an out-of-the-way corner. Papa was looking strained, like he was only just holding himself together. That was highly unlike him, but with a fearsome mechanical menace threatening the realm, everyone was looking to the engineers to provide a solution. Aysun was widely accepted as the best of them, but that didn't make him a match for Lokant technology. How could he be expected to solve this problem?

The worst part was that he expected himself to be able to combat the draykon-things. Frustration was etched in every line of his face, and when he spoke his words emerged in a growl. His wife's home was burning around him and he couldn't fix it.

Many of the war machines he'd been building had been deployed, but they were designed with living draykoni in mind and it was obvious very quickly that they would have little effect against the fire-breathing constructs. Bullets, missiles and harpoons alike were bouncing harmlessly off their strange black hide.

Llan and her friends had been forbidden from participating in the fight - even now, when the threat to Glinnery was greater than ever. Frustrated, she'd gone to her father to beg a useful task from him, but he had nothing to give her either. So she waited, curled up with Sigwide in her lap. They were both shivering. Siggy wouldn't speak to her at all, except to repeat the word "bad" every time some new sound of battle raging reached his sensitive ears. Llan's corner was near the door, so she had a clear view when a young engineer came running into the workshop, panting out a breathless report to her father.

'They're targeting our machines, sir. Five are reported destroyed and the crews with them. It won't take them long for them to get the others down. The Commander's calling for more to be taken out.'

Aysun shook his head. 'Pointless. We'll only lose them all. What I need you to do, Ven, is fob off the Commander for as long as you can.'

'Ah, sir... he's not exactly easy to-'

'Go, Ven! I don't care what you tell him, just keep him off my back.'

Ven left at a run.

'Come on, Llan,' Aysun said. 'We're going to find your mother.'

They found Ynara preparing for a journey. She and Devary looked as though they'd packed in a hurry.

'Hello, loves,' said Mamma, bestowing kisses on her husband and daughter. 'We were about to come in search of you.'

'Where to?' Aysun asked.

'Nimdre,' Ynara replied, rapidly buttoning her coat. 'And at once.'

'My people may be able to help,' Devary put in. That earned him a sceptical lift of the eyebrow from Aysun, not undeservedly. Llan couldn't help wondering what exactly Nimdre was supposed to be able to do. This was more likely an attempt on Devary's part to get Mamma out of harm's way.

'Not Nimdre,' Aysun said. 'Irbel.'

Ynara looked at him for a moment. 'Will they?'

'Unsure. There are some things they've been working on for a long time, secrets. We're going to need them. If anybody can talk them into it, it will be you.'

'They would probably agree more readily if you asked, Aysun.'

'Can't leave the city. They'll accept you as my representative. And I'll send Rufin with you.'

Ynara nodded. 'Irbel then. Who am I to speak to?'

Aysun gave her a few names, none of which Llandry had heard before. Then he drew her to one side, and the next part of their conversation was held in undertones. Llan didn't try to eavesdrop. She looked instead at Devary, who had borne the upset of his plans in silence.