[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Heart s Blood stomped her feet when her name was mentioned and sent tentative
Page 70
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
rainbows into Jakkin s head. She had been slow to greet him that morning as if
shy to intrude.
: I ll work on her scales, Akki said.  You get the bumwort.
 Hey, I m the trainer, said Jakkin.  I make the decisions. You do the scales,
and I ll get the wort. The cloth is over there. He pointed.
Akki grinned at him, one side of her mouth lifting crookedly.  I ve worked
dragons before-remember?
And Heart s Blood and I are old friends, aren t we, my beauty?
 Shhh! hissed Jakkin.
Akki put her hand up over her mouth, but her eyes smiled as the dragon
bombarded them with firebursts.
Jakkin could tell, by the glittering look in Akki s eyes, that she was feeling
some of the dragon s reply, too.
As Akki began working on the dragon s scales with that circular motion that
always brought out the shine, Jakkin left for the food mow. Akki s voice
drifted back to him.
 So many scars, beauty. We both have so many scars.
 Medallions! Jakkin whispered halfheartedly to himself, no longer proud of
his own.
He was partway back with the wort bale when he remembered that Sarkkhan was
due. What if he came on Akki alone and shouted out her name in his great,
booming voice? He could ruin all their plans. Jakkin shouldered the heavy bale
and tried to run the rest of the way.
As he came around the last curve of the hallway, he realized he was too late.
The big man was already bending over the dragon, shaking his finger and giving
Akki instructions.
 Sarkkhan, Jakkin shouted.
The nursery owner looked up, smiling. He called back to Jakkin,  Nice young
lady you have here. Didn t think you had it in you.
Jakkin felt his jaw drop open as he closed the last few steps between them.
Akki stood up and grinned.
 I ve just met your friend, Master Jakkin, she said.  And told him at once
who I was, before he could even ask, so he wouldn t think badly of you. She
put her finger to her lips to keep Jakkin from saying anything.  And he s even
invited me back to the nursery with the two of you. If after last night you ll
have me, that is? She batted her eyelashes in an outrageous imitation of a
baggery girl.
 Have you? Jakkin could say no more.
 Of course he ll have you, girl, Sarkkhan said.  There, and that s settled, I
knew he was a man. He clapped Jakkin on the back.  Now let s get ready for
this fight. We can talk later in the truck going home.
chapter 43
IT WAS NEARER lunch than breakfast when Heart s Blood s name was called. Her
fight this time was with an old veteran of the Majors, a nearly black dragon
named Murderer s Row. He was big, quick, and savage.
 But stupid, added Sarkkhan.  He doesn t listen to his trainer, and the few
times he got into real trouble were when he tried something fancy-or something
incredibly mean. So be ready. And.. He paused.
Jakkin waited.
 And this time I wouldn t mind a quick fight, blood or no blood, if you know
what I mean, Sarkkhan said.
Jakkin passed the information on to the dragon, thinking at her,  So be thou
ready. He will savage thee for the pleasure of it if he has the chance. Do not
play into his claws. Be quick. Guard thyself here. He touched her throat.
 And here. He drew his fingers across her eyes.  And here. He pointed to her
silky, tough wings.
The dragon let the membrane down over her black eyes, shutting out the
Page 71
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
flickering dragon s fire for a moment. Then she flicked them open again, and
Jakkin could see the red glow there. Around her neck the hardened collar of
flesh began to rise.
 She s hackled and ready, he said to Sarkkhan.
 She s always ready, that one, Sarkkhan said, patting her flank. He slipped
the rope off her head and helped Jakkin back her out of the stall.
The dragon went without urging to the dragonlock and flowed up into the Pit.
Jakkin took the stairs two at a time, making his way to the arena edge. He
knew from her sending that she was still alone in the Pit. Leaning over the
railing, he waved to be sure she sighted him. Then he thought at her, Be thou
a mightyfighter. In answer, she roared with flashes of red, the only sound a
mute dragon could make.
But another roar overbore the one in his head. With a terrible scream of
defiance, Murderer s Row came through the second lock. Jakkin was startled.
Though some dragons warmed to a fight with whining screams in their stalls,
Jakkin had never heard of a dragon that roared as it entered the Pit.
His surprise communicated itself at once to Heart s Blood, and she backed up
three small steps, putting herself slightly off balance. The great black
dragon charged straight at her, and Heart s Blood raised her right claw in
defense, the lanceae fully extended, the golden nails gleaming.
Row struck at the claw with his head and teeth, roaring as he came, heedless
of any damage he might inflict on himself. Heart s Blood s nails raked his
nose; yet still he pushed forward, and one of his front
primary teeth ripped away a scale above her right claw. Heart s Blood backed
away another step, and still Row kept coming.
 Up, up! Jakkin cried out, seeing that the black dragon s rush would
inevitably lead to her being pushed against the wall.
She heard him and leaped up, her wings pumping madly, her tail a blood-red
rudder. She swept up and over the black dragon before he realized what was
happening, and his forward movement carried him into a sprawl.
Heart s Blood dropped onto his back and ripped a strip of scales away. Then
she winged back up again, the air under her pumping wings causing the sand in
the Pit to eddy and swirl.
The black turned, going into a hind-foot rise, clawing angrily at the air. He
was bleeding slightly from the nose, and several scales on his back were
partially ripped away, hanging askew like a row of dangling medals. He roared
that terrible roar again and was answered by the crowd in the stands, many of
whom immediately doubled and tripled their bets.
Heart s Blood began to descend to meet Row s challenge.
 Don t be as stupid as he, cautioned Jakkin.  Let him go up to thee. Let him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]