Read Online Mouse and Dragon by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Steve Miller, Sharon Lee
Tags: Science-Fiction
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explained earnestly. "It puts the most absurd notions into one's head."
Jon considered them both. "Finally got 'round to telling her, did you?"
"Too late, as you'll make your point, but yes."
"It is not Daav's fault that my brother is—was—an aberration," Aelliana stated firmly.
"That's said fair enough," Jon said. "But you would never have had to endure last evening's adventure, if you'd known your copilot for a Dragon."
Aelliana tipped her head. "Possibly that is true, but it hardly matters now. And, if I had not been the target of Ran Eld's anger one more time, then I would not have had the Healers, and I—I think that having the Healers was a very good thing, indeed."
"There are less risky roads to a Healer, math teacher," Jon said, and threw up his hands. "I bide by your judgment, and not another word from me."
"For now," Daav added, sotto voce.
The elder pilot snorted. "So, the past being past, have you taken thought for the present, or the future?"
"For the present," Aelliana said, "I have accepted Da—Korval's protection."
Jon's eyebrows rose. He looked to Daav. "Protection, is it?"
"Is there a problem, Master Jon?"
"Why ask me?" He looked back to Aelliana. "All right, that's a reasonable course. And the future?"
"The future . . . must still be determined." Her chest was once again tight with conflicting emotions. "I need time to think, Jon. So much has happened since yesterday . . ."
"No need to make excuses for taking thought," he told her. "Just remember your comrades, eh?"
"Of course I shall! You will doubtless grow tired of seeing me, and answering my questions, for you know, Jon, I am still quite desperately ignorant about—so many things!"
"Well, we can't have that," he said comfortably. "Recall that you and I have a meeting with the Scout Commander and a tour of the World Room before us."
"On Trilsday," she said. "I remember. Jon?"
"What's on your mind, math teacher?"
"When is Clonak's next shift? I—I must speak to him."
Jon's gaze slid to one side—to Daav, Aelliana thought, and wondered what information passed from old Scout to younger in that rapid glance.
"Clonak's off these next few days," Jon said, carefully, to Aelliana's ear. "He said he had some business to lay before his father."
"Oh." Aelliana bit her lip. "I had hoped to speak with him—soon."
"As it happens," Daav murmured, "I have Clonak's comm number. I might, if you wish, and after you are settled, call him and ask if he will speak with you—or when you might meet him."
"Thank you," she said, much relieved. "That will answer. I don't wish to leave him in distress . . ."
" 'Course not," Jon said, gruffly. " 'Course not."
* * *
Aelliana had been silent for some time, her head turned slightly away from Daav, paying attention, so he thought, to the spectacle of Solcintra Port. The vehicle they traveled in was smaller than the car loaned for his use in Chonselta, and far more nimble. Had he been driving only himself, he would have made use of several of the smaller ways known to him and so put the port behind him sooner. With his passenger so rapt, he drove along the main thoroughfares, at a mostly decorous speed, and kept his tongue between his teeth.
They had cleared the gate and were into Solcintra proper, when she stirred and looked over to him.
"Is Clonak High House?"
She knew Clonak's surname, which ought to have given her the answer, but Aelliana appeared to have never learned the teaching songs matching Lines to Clan. Or, he thought, she had forgotten them, as less important than mathematics, or, perhaps, survival.
"ter'Meulen belongs to Guayar, certainly," he said gently. "And Guayar holds place among the Fifty."
She nodded as if she had suspected as much, and her face grew more serious.
"In that case, I feel that I must speak with Clonak—very soon, indeed. I do not wish to count myself too high, but the tenor of his message leaves me to fear that these matters he intends to put before
Jon considered them both. "Finally got 'round to telling her, did you?"
"Too late, as you'll make your point, but yes."
"It is not Daav's fault that my brother is—was—an aberration," Aelliana stated firmly.
"That's said fair enough," Jon said. "But you would never have had to endure last evening's adventure, if you'd known your copilot for a Dragon."
Aelliana tipped her head. "Possibly that is true, but it hardly matters now. And, if I had not been the target of Ran Eld's anger one more time, then I would not have had the Healers, and I—I think that having the Healers was a very good thing, indeed."
"There are less risky roads to a Healer, math teacher," Jon said, and threw up his hands. "I bide by your judgment, and not another word from me."
"For now," Daav added, sotto voce.
The elder pilot snorted. "So, the past being past, have you taken thought for the present, or the future?"
"For the present," Aelliana said, "I have accepted Da—Korval's protection."
Jon's eyebrows rose. He looked to Daav. "Protection, is it?"
"Is there a problem, Master Jon?"
"Why ask me?" He looked back to Aelliana. "All right, that's a reasonable course. And the future?"
"The future . . . must still be determined." Her chest was once again tight with conflicting emotions. "I need time to think, Jon. So much has happened since yesterday . . ."
"No need to make excuses for taking thought," he told her. "Just remember your comrades, eh?"
"Of course I shall! You will doubtless grow tired of seeing me, and answering my questions, for you know, Jon, I am still quite desperately ignorant about—so many things!"
"Well, we can't have that," he said comfortably. "Recall that you and I have a meeting with the Scout Commander and a tour of the World Room before us."
"On Trilsday," she said. "I remember. Jon?"
"What's on your mind, math teacher?"
"When is Clonak's next shift? I—I must speak to him."
Jon's gaze slid to one side—to Daav, Aelliana thought, and wondered what information passed from old Scout to younger in that rapid glance.
"Clonak's off these next few days," Jon said, carefully, to Aelliana's ear. "He said he had some business to lay before his father."
"Oh." Aelliana bit her lip. "I had hoped to speak with him—soon."
"As it happens," Daav murmured, "I have Clonak's comm number. I might, if you wish, and after you are settled, call him and ask if he will speak with you—or when you might meet him."
"Thank you," she said, much relieved. "That will answer. I don't wish to leave him in distress . . ."
" 'Course not," Jon said, gruffly. " 'Course not."
* * *
Aelliana had been silent for some time, her head turned slightly away from Daav, paying attention, so he thought, to the spectacle of Solcintra Port. The vehicle they traveled in was smaller than the car loaned for his use in Chonselta, and far more nimble. Had he been driving only himself, he would have made use of several of the smaller ways known to him and so put the port behind him sooner. With his passenger so rapt, he drove along the main thoroughfares, at a mostly decorous speed, and kept his tongue between his teeth.
They had cleared the gate and were into Solcintra proper, when she stirred and looked over to him.
"Is Clonak High House?"
She knew Clonak's surname, which ought to have given her the answer, but Aelliana appeared to have never learned the teaching songs matching Lines to Clan. Or, he thought, she had forgotten them, as less important than mathematics, or, perhaps, survival.
"ter'Meulen belongs to Guayar, certainly," he said gently. "And Guayar holds place among the Fifty."
She nodded as if she had suspected as much, and her face grew more serious.
"In that case, I feel that I must speak with Clonak—very soon, indeed. I do not wish to count myself too high, but the tenor of his message leaves me to fear that these matters he intends to put before
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