Dragon and Phoenix by Joanne Bertin

here I’ll look to see if Boreal is in the stables; if he’s not, then I can guess where she went.” The next irked him no end to admit to before that smug grin. “I—Maurynna seems to be unusually aware of me,” Linden began.
    “So I remember,” Otter said, a faraway look on his face. “Even before you two were joined she knew that something was wrong with you back in Casna.”
    “Just so. For her it’s as if she looks through a spyglass; for me, it’s as if she’s hidden in a fog. Nothing is clear and sharp. I don’t understand why it’s like this. But … Damn it all, I’m feeling … nervous? Apprehensive? I think something’s worrying her but I don’t know , blast it.”
    A satisfied light came into Raven’s eyes, and Linden knew the boy had some scathing comment ready. And if the young pain in the ass came out with it, Linden also knew this time he’d pin the boy’s ears back for him and make him eat those words. Maybe Maurynna was right. He took a deep breath, ready to cast restraint to the winds.
    And found himself suffocating. He clutched at his chest.
    *Thee must come at once!*
    The words exploded in Linden’s mind. He staggered under their force; only instinct made him put a hand out, catch himself on a wall before he fell. The world went grey before his eyes and he knew he was about to black out. Then suddenly he could breathe once more. He gasped for air, grateful for the sweet feel of it in his lungs.
    “Gods help us! Linden, what’s wrong?” Otter cried as he ran to support Linden. Even Raven, eyes wide and frightened now, came to help.
    Linden shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s—” Unable to continue, he tapped his forehead with the two middle fingers of one hand.
    “Ah. I see. Not now, Raven.” The bard waved his great-nephew to sputtering silence.
    Who? What? Linden said to the presence he still felt in his mind.
    *Morlen the Seer,* the voice said. *Thy soultwin is ill, perhaps dying; we do not know what is wrong with her. Come quickly ! * The fear in the truedragon’s mindvoice was sharper than an eagle’s talons.
    Linden thought his heart would turn to ice. Where are you? he made himself ask with a calmness he didn’t feel.
    *A mountain meadow. It is shaped like a bowl and filled with wild flowers.*
    He knew at once where Maurynna was. Now to get to her as fast as possible. He staggered for the door, only to fetch up against the wall once more, his legs shaking. He cursed. Dear gods, it would take too long to get to the landing site on the cliffs—especially like this. Then he remembered where in Dragonskeep Otter’s chambers were located.
    A deep breath and the worst of the weakness passed. Linden pushed off from the wall, knocking both truehumans aside. “Something’s wrong with Maurynna,” he said, desperately recalling the layout of Otter’s rooms. A moment later he ran for the sleeping chamber Raven had come from.
    Fear beat at Linden as he raced through the small room. He threw the mullioned window open and jumped onto the wide ledge.
    The cliff here dropped straight down as if it had been sliced with a knife. The wind whipped his hair into his eyes; he shook it free. Far, far below his sharp eyes caught the glitter of a stream like a thread.
    Behind him he heard Otter yell, “No, Linden, you can’t! You’ve said yourself that’s too dangerous!”
    Gathering himself, Linden gave a mighty leap straight out. His only chance was to get far enough away from the cliff so that the wind wouldn’t blow him into the sheer rock wall.
    He fell like a stone through the crisp mountain air.

Eight
    Xiane’s special treat was yet another troupe of entertainers. At least this time she was spared the female wrestlers, though these might be worse, she thought; they were entertainers from the northern lands, hideous to look upon with their pale, fish-belly skins, and hair ranging in color from yellow to brown like animal pelts. When the trained pony finished his