“Food,” Jefric prompted in a quiet voice.
Nerra’s eyebrow rose as she added, “And I’m informed that we could do with something to eat.” She gave Tormic an apologetic shrug. “I’m afraid it’s going to be a long night.”
“That’s all right, my lady,” Tormic replied. “The lads and I were getting rather bored.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that!” Nerra laughed. “As soon as I hear from the Storemaster, I’ll need you to lead a wagon with supplies down to the camp.”
“Blue rider,” Nerra said as she pored over the Hold Records arrayed on the Great Hall’s large table some three hours later, “if I could impose on you again, there are some in my camp who need nourishment and can’t walk on their own.”
“Tazith can carry only a small number,” Xhinna said, still careful to keep her voice low.
“I know,” Nerra said with a weary sigh. “Just do the best you can.” She nodded toward Jefric. “I’ll need you to go with the blue rider, to organize things.”
“My place is at your side, my lady!” he protested.
“I’m sure that Tormic here will fill your position for the moment,” Nerra said, glancing significantly at her guardsman. “And you’re the only one who can manage the camp.”
Jefric lowered his head in reluctant agreement. He raised a hand toward Xhinna. “Blue rider?”
They made their way out of the Great Hall to find Tazith already in the courtyard, eager to be stretching his wings once more.
“She’ll be all right,” Xhinna assured the worried guard as they rose into the air.
“And you would know because you’re from the future?” Jefric guessed.
“That should not become known to many,” Xhinna replied. “My little friend will tell you that it’s dangerous to know too much of the future.”
“And why is that?”
“Because one can make grave errors,” Xhinna said.
“Like leaving my lady behind on her own?”
“In this case, I really do think she is safe,” Xhinna said. Her lips curved upward. “And I notice that you did not protest too much.”
Jefric grunted. “ ’Tis true. I’ve known Tormic for most of his life. He’s an honest lad.”
Xhinna was about to respond when Tazith abruptly descended, landing them gently, if quickly, on the ground beside the camp’s main tent.
“Why didn’t you bring me?” Jirana’s voice broke the silence of the night, and they saw her small shape dart forward from one of the tents. “I was so worried!”
“You were tired and Tazith could only carry so many,” Xhinna said, grabbing Jirana and hauling her into her arms for a comforting hug. Jirana made a face, pushing back and making it clear that she wanted to be let down.
Back on her feet once more, the young trader girl said, “Well, it’s okay. I spent the time well.” She glanced up at Jefric. “Did everything work out?”
“Exactly as you predicted, little one,” Jefric said with a respectful nod.
“I didn’t predict, I—” Jirana slapped a hand over her mouth and glared furiously at the old guard.
“ ‘Timing it,’ ” Jefric said, leaning down so that his words only carried among the three of them. “It did not take us long to understand what that meant.”
“The future isn’t certain,” Jirana said quickly. “You must never rely on it—”
“Even if you come from it?” Jefric asked her with a smile. He shook his head. “Regardless, everything went as you predicted. Crom Hold has its rightful ruler once more.”
“Good, because there are many who are starving here,” Jirana said. Jefric nodded; this was no news to him. “I talked with some of them already.” She glanced up toward Xhinna. “How many can Tazith carry? There are some here who are so starved they can’t walk.”
“That’s what we came back for,” Xhinna told her.
“Good,” Jirana said. She grabbed Xhinna’s hand and pulled her along. “I’ve had the first group collected at our sleeping tent.” She looked up at Jefric. “Can you get some of the fitter folk to help us carry them?”
“Immediately,” Jefric said, giving the young girl a look of respect.
“And when you come back, we’ll need glows,” Jirana said. “Also, if you could bring back warm soup, not too thick—”
“Is that wise?”
“The headwoman here says so,” Jirana said.
“You’ve met the headwoman?” Jefric asked in surprise.
“I have,” Jirana allowed. “But we were busy with those worst off; we didn’t get much chance to talk—”
“Oh, there you are!” an older woman’s voice called out from the darkness. “It’s about time!”
“There was the Hold to recover,” Jefric said defensively.
“And how long did that take?” the woman demanded. “I can hardly think that Lady Nerra spent the last several hours partying.” The woman who left the shadows was much the same age as Jefric; shorter, but not by much. She turned toward Xhinna. “And you, blue rider, what’s your excuse?”
Before Xhinna could draw breath to reply, Jefric waved a hand toward the woman, saying, “May I introduce you to my wife, Elsith?”
“Elsith?” Jirana repeated in surprise. “It sounds like a dragon’s name.”
“It’s a perfectly respectable name,” Elsith retorted. “And I’ve yet to hear of a dragon who’s taken it.” With a snort, she added, “Though I don’t doubt I’d let her, if it came to that. Names can be shared, more’s the honor.”
“Delighted to meet you, Elsith,” Xhinna said, extending a hand.
Elsith’s brows narrowed as she took Xhinna’s hand. “It’s coarse enough, but it’s not a man’s hand.” She moved forward and peered up at Xhinna. “And you’re riding a blue?”
“We’d prefer to keep that among ourselves,” Jefric warned.
“Crom knows how to keep quiet,” Elsith said firmly. “And if we don’t move these people soon, more of them will be silenced forever.”
Jefric quickly organized a group of men to move the most sick to Tazith who, with Xhinna riding and eyeing her charges carefully, flew back to the courtyard.
Javennor and a group of guards were there to take charge as soon as the laden dragon arrived. No sooner had Xhinna lowered the last sick person to the ground than she and Tazith were airborne once more, heading back for another load.
When she returned after the fifth trip, Jefric called to her, “That’s the worst of them. You can rest.”
“I’d better get back to Nerra,” Xhinna said. “Did you want to come?”
“And me!” Jirana piped up from the distance, trudging toward them with more determination than stamina.
“I should stay here,” Jefric said, glancing back to the large tent, as he boosted Jirana up to Tazith’s neck.
Xhinna was too tired to do more than nod. With a weary thought, she urged Tazith skyward once more. Gamely, the blue rose and beat his way back to the Hold’s courtyard.
Javennor rushed forward when the blue landed, only to stop in surprise when he saw that the only riders were Xhinna and Jirana.
“Jefric says that’s the worst of them,” Xhinna told him as she slid down and held up her hands for Jirana.
“And who’s this little one?”
“She’s with me,” Xhinna told him. “She’s been helping Elsith at the camp.”
“How bad is it, at the camp?” Javennor asked even as Tazith reared into the night sky and flew to his perch on the courtyard tower.
“The ones that were brought were the worst,” Xhinna said. “But there are many back there not that much better.”