Dragonmage of Mystara

perhaps I should say the Dragonking, will act as quickly as he can to get the rogue dragons back in line.'

'But how can we find him?' the dwarf asked.

'He's away on business of his own right now,' Solveig explained, 'but he should be coming back here soon. All we have to do is to wait.'

Alessa arrived by carriage a few minutes later, and Captain Geirstaan came on horseback with Taeryn soon after that. The situation was explained to them, at least as much as anyone knew. Geirstaan promised do what he could to prepare the defenses of the Highlands against yet another invasion by dragons. To help coordinate the efforts, Alessa was to have the Fire Wizards use their power to communicate with all the members of their order throughout the realm. There was still no certainty that the dragons would attack the Highlands, especially if Thelvyn could intervene in time. But it seemed best to everyone to be prepared for the worst.

'I think I will follow Solveig's advice in this matter,' Darius said. 'I'll wait here a few days, as long as I can, for Thelvyn to

return.'

Alessa had been standing off by herself, clutching her wizard's robe close to her. 'Are you so certain that the Dragonlord will protect us?'

Solveig glanced at her, surprised. 'What do you mean by

that?'

'I was just wondering about his true motives in wanting the Collar of the Dragons,' she explained. 'As I understand it, it Hives him the power to control the dragons. Is it to stop them from making war upon the world, or to lead them against us?'

'I, for one, trust him implicitly. Why don't we just wait and see,' Darius told her, a stern note of disapproval in his voice.

'Isn't that the point?' Alessa insisted. 'We have to decide before he asks for our help whether or not we can trust him once he has the collar.'

'He's never done anything to earn our distrust,' Darius insisted. 'And I don't see that we have any choice but to take the chance. If he won't defend us, there's not much that you or I can do to protect ourselves from dragons.'

Solveig shrugged. 'I know I must sound as if I've been living among the Flaem too long to even think such a thing, but I have to wonder if the Alphatians might be behind these attacks in some way. They tried to fight the dragons last year and failed utterly. I'm sure that they don't much like dragons, and of course they never did like any of us. It seems that no one ever got a good look at these dragons. Every description I heard simply mentioned dark shapes against the night sky. I have to wonder if those shapes might have been Alphatian illusions.'

Darius grunted in agreement. 'They are air wizards, after all. They could well be able to put together something that looks like a dragon and make it fly.'

Alessa had no more time to discnss the matter, since she had to return to the Academy at once to have the wizards convey the warning of the attacks and have the Highlands made ready for a possible attack. The senior wizards of the Academy would have no complaints about being turned out of their beds or away from their studies to comply, and the power of the Radiance was very effective at relaying communications between crystals attuned to its power. But a wizard had to be awake and near his crystal to know that he was being called, and it seemed that most of the rural wizards went to bed at an early hour.

At least the network of communication worked both ways. If there were an attack somewhere else in the realm during the night, the wizards at Braejr would learn of it almost at once.

Alessa's brief debate with her companions had left her feeling frustrated and angry. As Solveig had said, people would be quick to forget how deeply they had distrusted the Dragonlord now that they needed his protection, and she had little hope that she could rekindle that distrust. The voice had convinced her that the destiny of the Flaem should be in their own hands, and she was filled with quiet rage to see foreigners like Thelvyn and Solveig deciding things while she was little more than their servant, sent about her assigned tasks. She was outraged even more to see that Thelvyn was playing the part of the hero once again, while his fellow dragons created the very crisis that allowed him to presume power and authority over other nations.

Perhaps the voice of the crystal could help her to find a way to remind everyone that the Dragonlord was not a hero but a dragon and a traitor, not to be trusted. Perhaps there was some way to prevent Thelvyn from finding the Collar of the Dragons. As long as he did not have possession of the collar, he lacked the authority to command the dragons.

Once word of the dragon attacks had been relayed to the outlying wizards and things at the Academy setded down a bit, Alessa retired to her own chamber and prepared for bed, setting aside the spellbook that she had left open beside her chair. Privately, she was amazed at herself for such carelessness; usually a wizard had a fierce instinct to protect her spellbook and would never leave it lying about. That served to show just how much she was letting the problems of the dragons and the Dragonlord unsettle her. She prepared for bed, locking her door and making certain that her windows were secure. Soon she slept, and shortly afterward she began to dream.

Do you sleep? the same, familiar voice asked of her. In her dreams, she saw only the blackness of night and the vague image of the long, narrow face of a dragon.

Dream on, my sorceress, and in your dreams tell me all that you

have heard this night.

Alessa reflected upon her meeting at Solveig's house with Korinn Bear Slayer and the young captain from Thyatis. There was no one in that group she could hope to claim as an ally. Solveig and Korinn had been among the original companions of Thelvyn Fox-Eyes in the quest that eventually culminated in his becoming the Dragonlord. They would never abandon their trust in their old friend. Nor would Darius Glantri, who had always thought highly of the Dragonlord. Fear of dragons seemed likely to engender new trust in the Dragonlord with everyone. People had no choice but to place their trust in Thelvyn, just as the King of the Dwarves had already, knowing that they could not hope to defend themselves against the dragons. No one had any doubts that the dragons were behind the attacks.

That was just as well, the voice reassured her. Even Thelvyn himself would not be able to deny the possibility that rogue dragons were behind the attacks. As long as he was not in possession of the Collar of the Dragons, he could not even begin to confront the dragons and learn that rogue dragons had not broken the truce. Even he could not guess his true enemy. Only the Great One could tell him that, and soon it would be too late. If everyone was blaming and fearing the dragons, then they would not be ready to confront their true enemy. Not even Thelvyn. His authority as the Dragonlord remained shattered. His authority as the Dragonking did not yet exist.

Dream, then, and in your dreams tell me of what you know of the quest of Thelvyn Fox-Eyes to find the Collar of the Dragons.

Alessa reflected upon that, but she found that she had nothing new to say. Thelvyn was seeking the renegade dragon who had stolen the collar, but that would do him no good. Alessa had told him to seek the black dragbn with the gold earring, as the voice had directed her. Thelvyn might not find the dragon with the gold earring for some time, but even if he did, the renegade would not be able to give him the collar or tell him what he needed to know.

All is well, said the voice of her dreams. The black dragon Murodhir is himself my servant. If the Dragonlord does find him, Murodhir would do and say only what is expected of him. But I know Murodhir is a coward and a fool. If he is pressed into saying more than he should, then he will die. It would be a simple matter to break his mind in a moment, driving him mad with fear. Then he would do anything to escape, or to kill his captors, forcing them to slay him in turn.

Everything is progressing well, perhaps better than anyone could have expected. If the Dragonking is the only enemy of any potential threat, then perhaps it would be best to remove Thelvyn Fox-Eyes from the game before he can become the Dragonking. The Collar of the Dragons is the perfect bait. If Thelvyn returns to Braejr seeking more clues about where he should seek the collar, then perhaps it is time to tell him what he wants to know. Thelvyn always seems to want to know things that are not good for him.

Alessa was confused, wondering just what she should tell the Dragonlord.

He must not be told everything, the voice explained, only enough to send him flying into the trap that awaits him. He seeks to learn the location of the secret stronghold of the traitor