Taniel (The Taverner's Daughter I)

85: Dax

Dax found his mother in the Blue Hall.

Draped along a couch, a book in her lap, Mother appeared to be asleep but when he moved into her sight, she swung her feet down and patted the dark leather beside her. Sitting at the far end, Dax studied the fire pit, willing himself to ask Mother why she denied sending Rufus to the Morrdakes. He wanted to understand why she refused to let his brother have the chance to use the paternity spell.

"Dax, why is Jarryd sulking over on the mainland?" Ritter said.

Startled, Dax swept his gaze to the bank of windows, finding his mother's wizard stooped over the eyepiece sticking out the side of the spyglass bolted to the floor.

"Do you know where he's been?" his stepfather demanded.

"No," Dax said, feeling his eyes scrunch. "Don't you?"

Without answering, Ritter straightened. He stared across the short stretch of sea to the dragonhold.

Mother put a hand on Dax's arm as he rose. He helped her up and she followed him to the spyglass. Through the eyepiece, Dax saw Jarryd sitting on the beach, arms around his knees, with his back against a rock. Though his brother's face was hidden, his rigid body spoke of distress.

Dax tilted the metal tube. Above, Driscoll sprawled on the edge of the cliff, his wings spread, munching on bullock. The now gleaming firedrake lifted his head and peered at his charge, briefly, before returning to his meal. Dax's innards clenched. Would Jarryd refuse Driscoll's demand to return?

None of this should be happening, he thought, glaring at his mother and stepfather, in turn, on his way back to the fire. The intense heat soaked into him, feeding his growing rage.

Ritter fetched his pipe from the mantel.

Dax moved away. Too riled to sit, he leaned over the back of the couch, exchanging daggered looks with his unusually belligerent stepfather.

Mother, oblivious, watched Jarryd.

Ritter grinned at him and Dax dug his fingers into the blue leather, suppressing his need to strike the smugness from Ritter's face. Why fight it, he thought, slowly standing upright and letting his hands slide free. As he stepped towards him, Ritter decided the view over the bay needed his attention.

Dax let him go, content to sneer at him moving to the furthest window to take up a stance with his back to the room.

"Dax?" Mother said. "Where is Rufus?"

"What?" It came out harsher than he had intended. He did not care. He was sick of her selfishness: sick of being sucked into her schemes.

"Mother?" He mollified his tone.

"Rufus," she said, sneaking a quick glance at her husband's back. "I saw you speaking to Jarryd, earlier. He must have told you why he is with Driscoll."

Ritter turned around, interested.

"Well?" Mother's green eyes widened and her lips pursed.

"We did not speak of dragons, Mother." His mind wailed in frustration. Had she really forgotten his earlier plea to release Jarryd's dragon from his Morrdake prison?

No, that was not what was happening here. She never forgot anything.

Mother and Ritter were playing some game using him as piggy-in-the-middle.

"Rufus has probably gone hunting," Dax said. "You know he loves to hunt."

"That must be it," she agreed, looking at him, eyes calculating. "Jarryd was with his dragon, was he not, when they..." She waved her hands, picking her words with care. "What you mentioned, this morning?"