Broken of Fire (The Cloud Warrior Saga Book 9) Read Online Free Page B

so much else since the Utu Tonah had been defeated, Incendin had changed. No longer did wide swaths of brown and broken rock stretch around below him. Now there were patches of green, as life began to return. How much of that had to do with the changed shaping that burned atop the fire fortress, and how much had to do with the fact that the kingdoms no longer held the barrier in place? It was even possible that the healing of the lisincend had been the greatest change. Regardless of what had caused it, the change made Incendin appear less intimidating.
    These lands have started to heal, Asgar said as if reading his thoughts.
    I see that, but don’t know why.
    Everything you have done has allowed healing. In time, these lands will return to the way the Mother intended.
    Tan sat back, settling into the spikes on Asgar’s back. Incendin healed. Peace, at least as far as Cianna had said. And yet, he chased a new battle.
    Couldn’t he remain in the kingdoms and simply enjoy the peace that would be found there? Why did he feel compelled to find a new battle, and a new threat?
    Then again, had he not, would these draasin have returned?
    The hatchling growled at him, and he patted her on the head. She attempted to nip at his finger, but without the same ferocity as she had attacked Asgar’s spikes.
    When they passed the border between Incendin and Nara, the southernmost of the four ancient realms that had united into what were simply known now as the kingdoms, there was no tingling sense as there once had been, nothing that hinted at the barrier remaining. The realization made him smile.
    They streaked north and passed a caravan of brightly colored wagons. He pointed to them and leaned into Amia. “Would you like me to leave you with them?”
    She shook her head. “The First Mother does not need to be ever present.”
    “When did that change?”
    She shot him a look. “When the People were trying to recover after the attacks, I needed to remain with them, but some families have begun to wander again. The Aeta will heal, as they always have.”
    “I never questioned whether they would,” Tan said.
    “I did.” She sighed. “And eventually, I will need to call a Gathering. I do not think I’ll hold the gathering in the same place as it was before.”
    “I’m sure Roine would allow the Gathering near Ethea.”
    “Probably,” she said softly, “but there is something about hosting a Gathering that requires it not to be so open.”
    They flew on, soaring through Ter. In the distance, Ethea rose up from the plains. Much about the city had changed in the time after he first arrived. The university had been rebuilt. Parts of the palace had changed. And much of the city had been destroyed and then reborn, repaired over time following both a forced draasin attack, and that of Incendin.
    And now he flew to the city on one of the draasin.
    We should enter through the tunnels, he suggested to Asgar.
    Of course, Maelen.
    Tan sensed a hint of frustration from the draasin. They wanted to fly free and not fear the reception the draasin would receive, which was the same thing Tan wanted for them, but there was still the need for them to remain somewhat hidden. The time would come soon enough when the draasin would fly freely, especially if he managed to hatch the remaining eggs in the cavern in Par.
    They reached the tunnels, and Asgar dropped them outside the den. Tan felt a pang of sadness as he saw it. Once, he had come to the den regularly as he visited Asboel. Now it held nothing but memories.
    I don’t intend to stay long, Asgar.
    Then I will not, either.
    Tan reached toward the draasin and touched him gently on his long, sharp snout. You do not have to remain with me if you don’t want to.
    Asgar sniffed a breath of steam. I would not remain if I did not choose to do so.
    Even though he had no bond to Asgar, his presence helped put Tan at ease. Not because he was nearly a fully grown draasin, something that others might find