Chapter Five

Detlif was just sitting down to dinner with his son when there was a knock at the door. He got up to answer it, hoping it wasn't more bad news. Earlier that day, one of the dragons in his fighting wing had been hurt badly in practice and would not be able to fly for at least a week. He opened the door to find a youngster waiting, hopping from foot to foot in his excitement.

"The red dragon has returned," he squeaked. This boy was one of Petr's playmates. "Master Loran sent me to run ahead and tell you. The dragon is coming here on foot, and she's got a little girl with her."

Detlif walked out the door to join the boy in the courtyard, intrigued. He thought he'd seen the last of the red dragon once they'd sent her on her way to Valdis Maj with the next group headed there. As far as he'd heard, she'd made it safely to her people who were on their way back to her land within a week of her arrival in the capital. Frankly, he'd never expected to see her again, though he had no objection to her. She'd seemed like a very nice young dragon.

The courtyard was lit by a few lanterns so that anybody moving about after dark could find their way, but it wasn't bright. Still, he made out the form of the red dragon in the dark as she walked into the courtyard in front of his family home.

Delif strode forward to meet the slow-moving dragon, curious as to why Leasharra was back, why she was moving so slowly, and who was with her. First things first. He greeted the dragon politely, aware that the messenger had stayed by the door. Good. The child would be out of the way should things turn strange.

"Hello, Lady Leasharra. What brings you back to our enclave?" He frowned, trying to make out the small figure on the dragon's back as she moved closer.

"Greetings, Captain. I bring news, and someone for you to meet, but I'm afraid she needs some help getting free of the straps. Somehow, she got all tangled up as we flew, and though she's been trying to get free since we landed, she's not having much luck. Can you help her?"

Det moved closer, seeing the small body struggling against a multitude of leather straps that had been secured around the dragon's body to form a crude net of sorts to hold the child on the dragon's back. Whoever had devised the contraption either had little knowledge of how such things should be made or was working with what they had on hand, and in haste. He'd bet on the latter.

"Certainly, I can help," Det said, moving closer. "Will you stand near the lantern, Lady Leasharra?"

Leasharra halted by the lantern hanging off the corner of the house near the entrance, lowering herself to the flagstones so that Det could reach up to help the child. He was perplexed by the situation, but he didn't sense any danger, so he resolved to wait for the dragon to explain herself, and her little charge.

Det approached slowly, so as not to scare the child. She was looking down, wrestling with the straps that defied her small fingers.

"Hello there, little one. Will you allow me to help you out of that tangle?" He kept his voice calm and kind. He had experience with children of this age. The little girl looked no older than his own son, Petr.

She looked up then, her clear blue gaze meeting his. Her eyes were wide and worried. Her face one he recognized.

"Hello, Father. I'm Penny," she said in a small, scared voice.

Sweet Mother of All.

*

Det got the child untangled from the leather rig and lifted her off the dragon's back. He gave in to impulse and held her close for a moment, hugging her tight. His throat was clogged with emotion, so he just held her, swaying with her in his arms for a long moment.

"I never thought I'd see this day," he whispered to her. "I never thought I'd get to meet you, and I am gladdened that you came here," he said, drawing away and looking into her eyes. "But what brings you here? Besides, Lady Leasharra, that is?" He smiled wryly and was glad to see the girl respond. She looked a little less scared as she spoke this time.

"Lea and Mama came up with a plan to break the tie the bad man had with me so I could hide with you and my brother." She looked uncertain again. "If that's okay."

Det was at a loss and hoped the dragon could explain it a bit more fully. He turned his mind to Leasharra, speaking to her silently.

"Milady, what does she mean?"

"I will be glad to tell you the entire story, but it has been a hard evening for the child. Perhaps you could see her settled inside, and then, we can hash out all that has happened. I believe she will sleep deeply after the adventure of her rescue."

"Rescue?" Det was alarmed by the term but felt he would get nothing useful out of the dragon until his daughter—Sweet Mother of All, his daughter—was brought inside and given a place to sleep.

"I promise to tell all, but I, too, need a moment to catch my breath. She needs Petr right now and to know that she is welcome. I'm going to settle here for a while. When she is comfortable, come talk to me," Leasharra advised, and Det saw the wisdom in her words.

He turned to carry Penny to the door of the house, only to find Petr standing nearby. The rest of the family was near the doorway, watching with varying degrees of interest. Det took a deep breath and lowered Penny to the ground.

"Penny, this is—" He didn't get a chance to finish as Penny and Petr ran toward each other, arms outstretched.

"Petr!" the little girl cried, hugging her twin tight. "I thought I'd dreamed you."

"I did too," Petr admitted. "At least until the mages figured out that we are joined on the magical plane."

She drew back to look at the boy who was only a little taller than she was.

"We are?" Penny was wide-eyed at the thought.

Petr nodded as he let go of his twin sister but retained hold of her hand. He tugged her toward the doorway, speaking as they went.

"We are, but it's okay. You needed the power. I didn't mind."

"I'm sorry, Petr. I didn't know," Penny whispered just loud enough for Det to hear as he followed them.

The small group stopped before reaching the door. Almost his whole family was there, as was the little messenger boy. Det sent him off home with a pointed look then addressed his extended family.

"Everyone, this is my daughter, Penny," he said evenly. "She'll be staying with us now." No way was he going to let her go again. Now that she was here, he would take care of her and protect her. "Penny, honey, you can meet everybody later. Lady Leasharra told me you are very tired after the ordeal you've been through today. You can rest first, and tomorrow, we'll do the introductions, all right?"

"All right, Papa." She was still holding Petr's hand.

"Petr, show Penny where everything is. Belinda, if you would be so kind as to help get Penny settled?" His gaze beseeched his very efficient and kind housekeeper to help, and not ask any questions.

"Do you have anything with you, child?" Belinda asked Penny gently. "Is there a pack somewhere or a bag with your clothing?"

Tears filled Penny's wide eyes as she looked wildly from Petr to Detlif to Belinda.

"No, ma'am," Penny whispered finally, looking ashamed. "I couldn't take anything with me, and I didn't have much to begin with. When the bad man moved me to the latest place, he made me leave most of the things the last lady had given me. He said I wouldn't need them in the new place." She trailed off, and her gaze was a bit haunted. "I didn't like it there."

Detlif resolved to get the whole story from the dragon, if he could. He didn't like the look on his daughter's face. He might have only just met her, but he'd been made aware that she existed a while back and had worried about her ever since. Having her here was like a miracle.

"It's all right, child," Belinda crooned. "I will find something for you to wear. And you must be frozen clear through. I'll draw you a bath so you can warm up, and then, you can sleep peacefully until morning. That'll be soon enough to sort out the rest of everything. Never fear. You are very welcome here."

"Thank you, ma'am," Penny whispered, curtseying as best she could while she shivered. Reaction was setting in as she warmed up inside the house.

"You must call me Belinda. I am the housekeeper. I look after everyone in House Adain," Belinda said kindly to the child.

"I'm Penelope, but Mama calls me Penny."

"You lived with your mother all this time?" Det asked as the child walked slowly beside the housekeeper.

"Oh, no." Penny's face fell. "The bad man kept me on ice for a long time until I was old enough, and then, he put me in different places. They weren't very nice places, and Mama fought with him about it until he moved me to other places. The second to last one was the best, and the lady who looked after me was nice, but the bad man got mad at Mommy because she wouldn't do what he asked, and he moved me to the bad place to try to force her. That's when Leasharra came, and she and Mama made a plan, and then, Mama called the lightning and burned the house to the ground when Leasharra broke the tie between me and the bad man." The little girl paused in her torrent of words to take a breath.

"How did she do that?" Petr asked, sounding impressed.

"By joining us together," Penny said with a shrug. "Mama says the bad man will think I'm dead but it's really Lea hiding me from him. Lea's really great."

"I have a heartmate too," Petr said shyly. "He's a snow dragon, but I think he's a bit younger than your heartmate."

"Heartmate?" Penny seemed to consider the word then smiled. She looked like a little angel when she smiled. "I like that word. It feels right." She took Petr's hand again and looked at him shyly. "I can't wait to meet your dragon friend. I hope he's as nice to you as Lea is to me."

"There's no question of that," Petr answered knowingly. "He's the best. You'll see."

"Now, children, let's get Penny warmed up, and then, I'll set up a cot for her in your room, Petr. You can share for tonight, can't you?"

"Yes, of course, we can. We're twins. We belong together," Petr said right away. He looked at Penny and said simply, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," she replied, bringing tears to the eyes of all those watching.

*

Detlif was grateful that the always level-headed housekeeper took charge of the girl, running her a warm bath and finding her something to wear. Petr volunteered some of his own clothing, and that would do for a stop-gap measure, but Det was going to have to get a wardrobe made that was suitable for the tiny girl. He didn't mind in the least. He couldn't wait to spoil his daughter and shower her with all the things he sensed she had never experienced in her young life. Pretty new clothes made just for her was only the start.

Det went outside to confer with the dragon. She might be tired from her flight, but she was in better shape than Penny and would be able to shed a lot more light on the unexpected image forming in Det's mind. What if he'd had it all wrong all these years? What if Loralie hadn't been quite as unfeeling as he'd always believed? What if she was being forced to do the things she'd done?

That would change everything. But he had to be certain.

Det found Leasharra outside, speaking silently with the other dragons of the household who had come to see her. The others moved off when Det came outside, but his own heartmate remained, as was only proper.

"Lady Leasharra, thank you for bringing my daughter to me. I have not pressed her for details, but she has already said some things that cause me great concern," Det began, trying to be diplomatic, though it was a bit against his nature and temperament.

"I have no doubt that concern will be the least of your reactions when you learn what little Penelope has been put through these past years," Leasharra answered, making Det's heart sink a little more. He hated to think of any child—particularly his child—suffering.

"She said she was put on ice until she was old enough," Det repeated the girl's strange words. "Do you know what she means by that?"

"I cannot say for certain as that was well before I became aware of her existence," Leasharra began, "but I believe she is referring to the kind of magic used in the Citadel to safeguard the wizards as they sleep in their prison of ice. I think perhaps the mage who held her captive didn't want to deal with a child, so he put her into the ice from time to time where she continued to grow and age at a near-normal rate without requiring the sort of care one must give to a human infant or toddler. He took her out every now and then, from what I've been able to glean, to show her mother and use Penny's captivity to force Loralie to do things she would otherwise not have done. Loralie is a very powerful mage, but Gebel has an even more powerful ally and what I can only suppose is forbidden knowledge gleaned from that ally. By keeping Penny hostage, he could force Loralie to do things he could not do himself."

Detlif was stunned. "That is diabolical," he whispered when he could put words together. He had never dreamed such a thing could be possible, and yet, if the dragon believed such, it was likely true. Then, something else the dragon had said penetrated his mind.

"When did you first become aware of Penny's existence?" Det asked.

"Right before I first met you," Leasharra replied. "The story I told you about the magical whirlwind that transported me to this side of the mountains was true. The woman who found me in the woods in the middle of the storm was Loralie, though I did not realize her identity right away. She told me to call her Lora, and at first, I was too injured to really pay much attention to anything. But as I got better, she helped me go outside of her cave each day, and one day, I followed her to where she was meeting with Penny. That's about the time I put it all together and realized who she was, but the stories about her evil acts and the woman who had helped me and risked so much to see her daughter, as well as the way she was living in a crude cave with little but a bedroll and a campfire, didn't make sense to me. I resolved to watch and learn as much as I could. I confronted her after she met with Penny, and she admitted to being the infamous North Witch. It is the mage, Gebel, who was Salomar's court sorcerer, who held Penny in thrall."

"So, she sent you here to see me and learn how Petr lived? Is that why you came here that first time?" Det was having a hard time reconciling the woman he thought he'd known and the story that was now unfolding before him.