Jahrra eyed Neira warily but the woman only shrugged.
“Alright,” Jahrra called back, doing her best to hide the sudden apprehension in her voice. Much to discuss? She didn’t like the sound of that and for a moment her uncertainty drowned out her ire against her guardian.
There was silence again for several moments, but the dragging sound of the great door being pulled open and then latched shut told them that Jaax was gone.
Jahrra pulled her jacket tightly around her and strode to her own door, pulling it open and turning down the hall towards the rooftop terrace.
“You know,” Neira called as she hurried to catch up, “you could go out the front, now that Jaax is gone.”
Jahrra turned and shook her head. “His senses of hearing and smell are too keen. He’ll know I’m following him before I have a chance to get halfway down the drive.”
Pulling open the window without the squeaky hinges, Jahrra stepped out onto the stone patio below and looked around. She hadn’t been out here in a while and she felt a pang of guilt as she spotted her small garden in one corner. She had been neglecting her dear apple trees and the smallest one looked rather morose.
Jahrra took a deep breath and strode forward.
“Thanks for your help, Neira,” she shot over her shoulder. “It would probably be best if you were in bed when we get back.” She swallowed and said mostly to herself, “There may be a fight.”
Neira merely nodded and shut the window with a soft click behind her.
Shaking off her nerves, Jahrra stepped up to her small orchard and reached out a hand, placing it against the thin trunk of the smallest tree. Its branches seemed to quiver at her touch and a vibrating, soundless hum moved just under the thick bark. Jahrra’s bracelet responded and with a flash of light only visible in her mind, Jahrra saw an image of her old home in Oescienne, a hidden memory of this little tree.
Jahrra bit her lip, trying not to get lost in the images of her old life, a life that seemed so forlorn at the time but would be very welcome now. She stayed there for a moment, her left hand pressed against the tree and her head bowed. She knew her presence brought this little one some joy; made its soul feel more connected to its old home.
Taking a deep breath that let in a bit too much of the cool twilight air, Jahrra pulled away from the tree and headed to the edge of the terrace.
She stepped up onto the balustrade and grasped one of the long, gnarled oak limbs that managed to reach the house, then turned her head back to the apple tree.
“When the days grow warmer, I’ll be out here more often,” she promised.
Grasping the oak branch firmly in both hands, Jahrra heaved herself up into its heights and climbed until her feet rested on a sturdy limb. Walking like an acrobat on a balance beam, she moved along the branch and across to another one. She decided it would be best if she stayed in the trees as long as she could so, mimicking a squirrel, she crawled and walked and swung down the steep side of their hill.
At the base of the hill, Jahrra climbed lower and jumped to the ground, landing in a crouch and looking around to make sure no one spotted her. The sky had taken on an inky hue so she wasted no more time in finding the trail she always took to Phrym’s stable. She followed the path for nearly a quarter of a mile before coming to a graveled road.
Jahrra walked briskly, her feet crunching upon the broken gravel. She met no one along the way, something she was both grateful for and wary of. The cackle of ravens above startled her at first, until she realized what they were. They noted her progress with glittering black eyes that seemed to accuse her of some heinous crime. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. The faint sound of horses and the smell of manure told her the stables were just over the rise in the road up ahead.
The old stable hand greeted her as she walked into the great barn.
“Going on a ride this late in the evening, Miss?” he asked as he went about his business lighting the lamps that hung around the horse stalls.
“Meeting tonight,” Jahrra answered.
She didn’t think it pertinent to give away too much information. This way, she told herself, no one would get in trouble with Jaax except herself.
A sharp whinny yanked her attention to the stall about midway down the huge barn. A storm-gray face split by a white blaze gazed back at her and Phrym’s ears pricked forward in interest.
Jahrra smiled widely, leaving the stable hand behind as she moved quickly down the wide isle. Many other horses and semequins eyed her curiously as she passed, some stomping and tossing their heads, begging for a treat.
“Phrym!” Jahrra breathed, stepping up onto a stool and placing her hands on each of his cheeks. He rumbled a low welcome, lipping her sleeves as he searched for apples.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have a snack tonight, but I need you to help me with a mission.”
Phrym regarded her with smoky eyes and Jahrra smiled. She quickly gathered his tack and had him saddled in ten minutes.
“Hopefully, I’ll be back before midnight but I’m not sure how long my meeting will last,” she told the stable hand.
He shrugged and gave a toothy grin. “Not to worry. I’ll just be sleeping in the back if I’m not up. If you need any help with Phrym, just come get me.”
Jahrra nodded and clicked Phrym forward, his marble gray coat blending into the deep twilight.
Once they reached one of the main roads through town Jahrra brought him up to a quicker pace, his hooves clacking sharply against the cobbled street. The lamps were lit and the streets weren’t yet empty, nor were they filled with those who preferred the night life. The night air was chilly and Jahrra clung to her semequin’s warm body as they moved towards the University.
Jahrra directed Phrym right down the center of the school’s main plaza when they arrived, the tall, leafless trees on either side standing stark against the black sky. A mixture of students, professors and others mingled about, chatting in small groups, playing an odd musical instrument or just passing through on their way home. A few people waved as they passed and once they drew closer to Emehriel Hall, Jahrra noticed the large figure of a dragon climbing the steps and disappearing between the columns.
Taking a deep breath, she directed Phrym off to the side, towards the wooden fence she had secured him to many times before. She slid from his back and dusted herself off, trying to smooth wrinkles and making sure her tunic was straight. She stood for a moment with her hands pressed to Phrym’s neck as she tried to rein in her nerves.
She knew she’d told Neira she deserved to be present at this meeting and she believed it herself, but it didn’t take away the fact that it was daunting to think of walking into that great hall in front of the entire Coalition to challenge Jaax.
No, it’s not really a challenge, she told herself, but he will view it as such. Then she allowed herself a small laugh. You have never once addressed the entire Coalition on any issue before, and this is how you decide to start?
Pushing away from Phrym, Jahrra drew in a great gust of air through her nose and stood up tall. She could do this. After all, she was one of the prime reasons why the Coalition existed. If she really wished to she could demand their loyalty and override Jaax’s authority. She never would, but that is what she told herself as she made her way to the steps, taking them with shaky legs, before passing through the massive columns. She paused outside the huge doors, their size and height large enough to accommodate the dragons that frequented the University for one reason or another.
Jahrra reached out and grabbed the metal loop of the much smaller door and closing her eyes, heaved it towards herself. A few of the lamps were lit in the lobby of the building, but they held no interest for her. Her attention was drawn towards the murmur of many voices drifting through the open doors of Essyel Auditorium. The sound of Jaax’s voice rose above them all and Jahrra froze in fright. She swallowed and experienced an overwhelming temptation to run back outside, grab Phrym and ride hard back to the stables before the Tanaan dragon detected her presence.