Free In the Time of Dragon Moon by Janet Lee Carey Page B

rarely shared them. A little surprised, I left the garden. In my chamber I unlocked Father’s trunk, thankful I had a key to protect the medicines inside. I still had no door key. Had Jackrun tried to bring it up last night while I was with the queen? I found the corked ointment jar and pulled it out. Kip wouldn’t need the breathing cure I’d used on Melo.
    I locked the trunk, remembering Melo’s soft cheek, still wet with tears as he sucked in breath after breath. Four males and one female had been born to the women who’d used my father’s medicine. Both sexes were needed to ensure our small tribe’s survival. The Adan had planned to treat more women with Kuyawan, hoping they would have girls. Now I used all our precious Kuyawan to help
one
woman—the one woman who’d ordered the army down to hold my people captive.
    It was deeply wrong.
    Kip was in the queen’s lap when I returned. He sniffed a little as he ate sweetmeats from her hand. “He looks much better already, Your Majesty.”
    Queen Adela smiled up at me, her face radiant with joy. I had never seen such a look from her before.
This is what she has been missing,
I thought
. Her son is grown. It’s been years since she had her own child on her lap.
I pulled the stopper from the jar.
    â€œCareful with him now, Uma,” she warned.
    â€œYes, Your Majesty.” She watched like a doting mother as I salved the pinkish swollen spot on Kip’s neck.
    â€œBee!” he said, whimpering.
    Queen Adela wrapped her arm around him. “It is all right, Kip. My physician will help that nasty sting go away. And when you are better, we will play catch again.”
    I joined Tabitha in the shade of a cherry tree. “Thank you for helping Kip,” she said.
    â€œIt was my pleasure.”
The queen is very taken with him,
I thought to say before deciding not to. “Your chain of fire was beautiful last night.”
    She smiled. I was sad to see thick lace wrapped around her neck hiding her dragon scales.
    â€œYou don’t need to wear that,” I said softly. Tabitha fingered it a moment, blushed, and dropped her hand. I wondered how long it would take for Desmond’s caustic remarks to fade, how long she would continue to keep her scales covered.
    â€œHave you seen Jackrun this morning?” I still needed that key.
    â€œHe’s usually out fighting in the practice yard this time of the morning.”
    I nodded, liking the sound of that. “But,” she went on, “he left before dawn with Babak to invite the island fairies to the masked ball we are having in honor of the king’s visit tomorrow night. Do you dance?” she asked, giving a graceful swirl, her lavender skirts flaring out.
    â€œNot your courtly dances,” I admitted.
    â€œBut others? Euit dances? Maybe you can teach me some?” I thought of our men in their impressive clothes and headdresses, of how proud Father looked as Mother helped him into his colorful costume for the ceremonies, the complicated Moon Dance steps our men did in the center of our circle, and the wilder courtship dances where our warriors truly shone.
    â€œThe dances are very . . . bold.”
    â€œGood,” she said. I liked her for that.
    She gave me a smile I didn’t know how to receive. When I was small, I’d tried to play with the other girls. Their mothers tugged them away. Later those same mothers let me in their huts when I trailed behind my father. The women were warmer. Still, I’d wondered if their smiles were genuine or if they only welcomed me to please the Adan.
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    A N HOUR LATER I was peering through the iron grille of my tower window, watching Jackrun and Babak soar high above the earth. I traced the fox mark below my collarbone. Fox is an earth animal, and I am mostly earth, but a person needs to balance all four sacred elements to be whole. I needed more wind, more