Jahrra sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She had spent the last few months with Jaax running for her life. During those many weeks she hardly had any time to really contemplate what they were running towards. She only hoped that they would stay in Lidien long enough for her to catch her breath. But right now she was going to enjoy looking upon a city that might very well be the grandest thing she had ever seen.
“It will get better, Jahrra,” Jaax murmured beside her. “Your pain and confusion.”
Jahrra nearly jumped, forgetting she had moved so close to him. Had Jaax somehow read her thoughts? No, she reminded herself a bit churlishly, he’s just become so good at reading me.
She swallowed, her words sounding hoarser than she had wanted.
“How do you know that it will get better?”
Jaax didn’t answer for a while and all Jahrra could do was sit and listen to the sounds of a bayside city, waking up at the break of dawn, and contemplate the smell of salt and sea life on the air.
“Experience, Jahrra,” he spoke on a sigh. “Experience.”
Jahrra contemplated that for a while but soon allowed herself to become distracted with the activity on board. She yawned once and curled up atop the tarps, intending to close her eyes just for a moment.
“Jahrra,” Jaax whispered harshly.
Jahrra started, blinking as if she were lost. She turned to look at her guardian, still tucked away beneath the storage room of their boat, and glanced in the direction he indicated. Jahrra spotted a carriage, covered with the curtains drawn, and groaned. The last thing she wanted to do was climb out of the bobbing vessel and into another that would be moving just as much. She was eager to stretch her legs or at least ride Phrym. Why did they need a carriage?
“Jahrra, it would be best if we got moving before the city is fully awake. Discretion is key at the moment at least until I can alert the Coalition to your presence.”
Mumbling, Jahrra stood from her small nest and stretched her arms.
“Coalition?” she managed to say around a yawn.
Jaax nodded as he carefully removed himself from the barge. Jahrra had to grab a nearby rope to keep from falling overboard. For some reason she hadn’t slept well at all the night before. That coupled with the excitement of arriving in Lidien had made it hard for her to keep her mind clear.
“The Coalition for Ethoes,” Jaax continued as Jahrra joined him on the dock.
“I should have told you before but I was too focused on getting us here that there never really was time to go into the details. Besides, the details regarding the Coalition are known only inside the borders of Lidien. The risk of anyone at all learning more than the basic knowledge of our group was not something I wished to test on our journey here.”
The Tanaan dragon released a massive sigh, as if he were about to divulge a great deal of information. Jahrra gratefully took Phrym’s reins from one of the crew as Jaax elaborated.
“You must know that Hroombra and I weren’t the only ones aware of your presence nor the only ones who had any concern for the future of our world.”
He glanced at Jahrra and when he noticed he had her full attention, he continued, “Over the past few centuries, those of us who wished for the eradication of the Crimson King have banded together and formed a faction. We call ourselves the Coalition for Ethoes, as I said. Not a very impressive title, I know, but our name isn’t what matters. The Coalition is made up of thousands of members, scattered all throughout the seven provinces, but our headquarters is located here, in Lidien.”
Jaax stopped talking yet Jahrra knew he had more to say.
“They know about you, Jahrra,” he finally said. “Hroombra insisted I tell them but I waited as long as I could. They found out about you only a few years ago.”
They had been walking towards the awaiting carriage but Jahrra stopped short. “Why did you wait so long?”
Jaax gave a dragonish shrug. “Fear. I knew some of our members weren’t as loyal as Hroombra believed and even now there are a few I don’t entirely trust. But in the end those who are loyal deserved to know.”
Jahrra nodded, waiting for him to continue.
When he didn’t, she asked, “So, every group needs a leader. Who heads this Coalition?”
It was a few moments before Jaax answered.
“Hroombra did, before . . .”
He didn’t have to finish. Jahrra took a breath and said, “So who is their leader now?”
This time Jahrra swore an entire minute passed before Jaax finally said, “I am.”
Of course. Jahrra wasn’t all that surprised. In fact, she was more surprised to realize that her guardian had been reluctant to admit such a thing. Funny, she had always thought him so arrogant and smug but in retrospect perhaps it had been her, in her blind youth, who had been so sure of things, so stubborn that she hadn’t taken the time to step beyond herself and take another look.
No, Jaax wasn’t really all that arrogant, just confidant and determined. She blinked back her weariness and a sudden revelation announced itself. It was no wonder he’d been gone all throughout her childhood. Hroombra obviously couldn’t be in Lidien so Jaax was acting as a representative for him.
“Shall we?” Jaax pressed, indicating the carriage.
Jahrra yawned and nodded. All around them the docks were busy with life. The waterfront was different here than it was in the coastal towns of Oescienne. Many of the buildings and streets ran right up to the water as if those who built them were determined to use every scrap of land possible.
Phrym shuffled his feet and blew out a gust of air, nibbling cheerfully at Jahrra’s sleeve. She smiled and pulled him along the heavy wood planks until they reached the coach that waited patiently for them.
With the help of some of the crewmen from their boat, Jaax managed to get their belongings, including Phrym’s tack, onto the top of the carriage while Jahrra and the footman secured Phrym to the back. Jaax directed her to the open carriage door then turned to murmur a few words to the driver. Once everything was settled, the driver called out to the horses and gave their reins a nice flick before the vehicle lurched forward.
Jahrra waved goodbye to their travel companions as the wooden wheels of the carriage tumbled over the uneven paving, a pang of sadness touching her heart. She would miss them. They had been wonderful traveling companions, teaching her card games and telling her about the nature of the river.
Sighing, Jahrra leaned against a soft cushion and turned her head to gaze out the window. She should sleep now that she was comfortable but there was no way she was going to miss the chance to see the city on their way to wherever it was they were going.
Jahrra assumed Jaax either flew ahead or followed them on foot but she was too weary to care much. He would keep them in sight and he had already told her that Lidien was the safest place on Ethoes for them to live. She wasn’t going to worry. Instead, she sat up straighter in the coach to keep herself from drifting off and gazed at the magnificent city that passed by.
The marine district wasn’t overly impressive, considering it was so close to the waterfront and housed the sailors, fishermen and what Jahrra could only assume was the lower class of this wondrous place. She frowned. For some reason she expected Lidien to be free of such hardships but she shrugged, guessing that every place on Ethoes, whether it be in Ghorium or here in Felldreim, had its share of citizens who had less or more than others.