Sara shook her head. Going back to sleep was obviously out. She untied the tent flaps and stepped outside.
Cobalt sat blocking her exit, his bulk crowded in the space between the tents. His wings were tucked tightly around his body, and his tail was wrapped around the side of her shelter. His head was turned away from her so he could watch the squires and Massard standing near Massard's tent. An angry growl was building in his throat.
None of the people seemed to notice the dragon's ire or Sara's arrival. They were too busy shouting at one another.
Sara edged her way around Cobalt and put her hand on the dragon's foreleg.
Startled and angry, he slashed his head around to drive off the intruder. Then he recognized her and he yanked his muzzle back just in time. His teeth clashed on empty air.
"Sara!" he squealed in delight.
The arguing group stopped in midvoice and stared at her for a full minute before they closed in around her, everyone trying to yell at the same time.
Cobalt had enough. He rose to his full height and roared in their faces. The people fell flat on the ground. Alarms rang over the tent camps. Guards came running, their swords drawn.
"Now you've done it," Sara remarked casually.
The others raised their heads, brushed themselves off, and climbed to their feet as the guards charged in.
"It's all right," Sara said loudly. "He was just trying to protect me."
Knight Officer Massard bullied his way past Derrick and Jacson and shouted at Sara, "Get that dragon out of here! He is a nuisance and a-"
"No." Sara's refusal cut through his words and rang over the voices of the others. The knights and squires suddenly became very quiet. No knight ever disobeyed a direct order without very good reason.
Massard's eyes narrowed. He had a great deal he wanted to say to this woman, but he knew this was not the time or place. Instead, he fell back on his rank as a superior officer to get back some control of a situation he felt was rapidly falling apart. "Remove that dragon, or I will have the other dragons do it for you."
Sara moved out in front of Cobalt, crossed her arms, and repeated "No" in a cold voice of adamant.
"Do you refuse to obey a direct order?" Massard snarled. A flash of anticipation gleamed through his muddy eyes like the flick of a fish's tail. There was more than one way to solve a problem.
Sara saw that gleam in his eye and understood then he had not yet exposed her secret. He was still looking for a way to turn things to his advantage. She had to strike now to silence him before he tried again to stop her. There were certainly enough witnesses for her purpose.
"I refuse to obey an order from an officer I believe to be incompetent and incapable of making decisions for the good of this talon. Therefore I challenge you to a duel for the right of your rank."
Massard's mouth dropped open. Never did he expect anything like this from this woman.
Derrick, Marika, Kelena, Saunder, and Jacson stared at her, appalled.
The other onlookers, the guards and knights, nodded in approval. A challenge for ranking was often the way inferior officers were weeded out.
"A duel," cut in the general's voice. "Are you sure you want to do that, Conby?" The crowd parted, and Mirielle Abrena strode through with Morham Targonne at her side. She ran an eye over Massard, then turned her sharp scrutiny to Sara. "Morham has told me an interesting story, Knight Warrior Conby. So I come here to see how you fare, and I find you challenging your officer to a duel. Is there more you wish to tell me?"
Sara's gray eyes were glacial when she faced Massard. "No, General. There is nothing more. Is there, Knight officer?" Her words were as sharp and pointed as a dagger.
He caught her meaning instantly. For a heartbeat, Sara thought he might risk the extent of her knowledge and try to bluff his way clear, but then she saw him study her from head to toe and make up his mind. She could guess what he was thinking-here was an older woman, lighter, smaller, and poorly trained. She would be an easy kill… .
Massard visibly relaxed. "No, General," he added. "I accept her challenge."
Mirielle lifted her golden eyebrows in amusement. "Very well. Knight Warrior Conby, since you are the challenger, I will give you three days to recover from the concussion I hear you suffered. Knight Warrior Massard, you may choose the weapons. Do you wish to fight dragonback?"
"No," Massard answered quickly.
"Then we will meet at noon of the fourth day in the Arena of Death. Good hunting. Targonne, tell the officer of the watch that Knight Warrior Conby is excused from guard duty tonight. She does not look like she could guard a mouse." The general turned on her heel and left as abruptly as she appeared.
Morham Targonne bowed slightly to Sara. "I noticed the other night that your sword was missing. I will have another sent to your tent tomorrow." Ignoring Massard, he strode after the general.
His snub of Massard, a ranking officer, was so obvious that even the knight officer recognized it. He scowled at the young man's back.
After that, the crowd quickly dispersed. The guards returned to their posts, and the knights and squires fro other talons drifted back to their own quarters. Soon only the Sixth Talon, its officers, and Cobalt remained.
Derrick and the other squires held back and waited while Sara and Massard faced each other.
The knight forgot all else but his own anger and selfrighteousness. He slammed his hands into Sara's shoulders. "You piece of trash," he hissed. "What did you think you were doing following me?"
The force of his blow knocked Sara off-balance. She stepped back on the ankle the horax damaged and sucked in her breath as pain shot through her leg. She staggered and would have fallen if Cobalt hadn't put his foreleg out to catch her.
The dragon hissed in rage; his yellow eyes burned like twin suns.
"Cobalt, wait," Sara said softly. She rose to her full height and met Massard glare for glare. "We are even now. You hold the secret of my past. I hold the secret on your present."
His thick brows lowered. "Which is… ?" he rumbled.
"You are stealing and selling artifacts from the temple for your own profit. The Knights of the Skull-to which, I believe, General Abrena belongs-will not look favorably upon such activities."
His face twisted into a mask of hatred, and he raised his fist as if to hit her again. Only Cobalt's growl brought his hands back to his sides. "You can't prove it," he said sullenly.
Sara shrugged her shoulders. "I won't have to. If you turn me over to the knights, I will give the adjudicator names and places and descriptions of items, even witnesses, and let him find the evidence against you. And he will, you know." She leaned closer and added fiercely, "You should never have dumped me in the temple ruins. After horarxes, nothing you do can frighten me."
Massard actually blanched. "The ruins? I didn't know that. Red Erik just told me his men had found you and disposed of you."
Sara clicked her tongue and said, "Another name. Really, Massard. Forget secrets. They are too costly to pursue. A duel is the best choice for both of us."
The knight jerked his head in agreement. "Three days then, Sara Dunstan. They will be your last." He turned his back on them all and marched out of the camp.
Off to the nearest bar, Sara hoped.
The moment his black tunic disappeared, the five squires crowded around Sara, smiling and talking, their relief obvious on their faces.
"What was that all about?" Derrick asked.
"What happened to you?" Marika and Kelena said at the same time. "We've been so worried."
"What happened since I fainted last night?" Sara countered.
They all laughed.
"Last night! Sara, you've been sleeping a day and a half," Derrick informed her.
"The night watch brought you back from the city yesterday morning," Jacson said. "That Targonne fellow said some gully dwarf came running up to the gate jabbering about a woman who was pushed into the temple hole. They didn't believe him at first, until he described you. Then Targonne took some men and came to the rescue. He said they fished you out barely alive and told us to keep Massard away from you."