Free Dragon Lord by Avril Sabine Page B

will be pointed at him,” Bertrisa said.
    “Impossible. He’s sworn a blood oath not to steal anything from anyone.” Fen didn’t also say ‘unless I give him permission’ as he had during the oath. It had been easier to add that rather than keep arguing with Mouse about the wording.
    “That’s good. Makes things a lot easier. Why a blood oath? A bit unusual wouldn’t you say?”
    “I have to make unusual decisions. Grey dragons can’t be blood tracked.”
    Bertrisa nodded. “That’s something I didn’t think about. I’ll mention those two bits of information in a few ears. You shouldn’t have any trouble with your choice of stableboy.”
    Fen nodded slightly in answer. Bertrisa stared at Fen a moment longer before she gave him a deeper nod and left. A wave of reassurance swept over Fen and he looked at River. Fen moved forward so he could lean up against the dragon who was now much taller than him.
    “It’ll be fine,” he assured him.
    River sent him a picture of a stone fireplace.
    Fen smiled. “We’ll have to see what Bertrisa has to say.”
    Wooden floorboards were added in front of the fireplace.
    Fen laughed. “I think that might be pushing things. You know how funny people are about dragons and materials that burn easy.”
    Mouse came in, a wooden bucket three quarters filled with water. “Don’t see why I have to lug all this water.”
    “If you filled the bucket up the job would be quicker.”
    “And have my new clothes soaked by the water splashing over?” Mouse sounded horrified.
    “Water won’t hurt them.”
    Mouse snorted. “That’s what you think.”
    “I’ll leave you to it. I’ve got things to do this morning.”
    “Not mornin’ yet.”
    Fen ignored Mouse and made his way to the horse stables where his old nag was kept. He was soon on his way to meet Edana for their early morning ride.
    “We need to get you a better horse,” Edana said in greeting.
    “I like this one.”
    Edana grinned. “Not the right look for someone as important as a Dragon Lord.”
    Fen patted his horse’s neck. “Don’t listen to her.”
    “Dragon Lords will keep inviting you to their gatherings. You can believe me when I say people will talk if you arrive on an old nag. Servants are the worst. Far more snobbish than their masters.”
    Fen sighed. “There are too many rules in your world.”
    “I thought it was your world too.”
    “Only because I’ve pushed my way in.”
    “How’s your new stableboy working out?”
    Fen laughed. “If you skip the word working, he’s doing fine. He doesn’t mind the night errands, it’s the early mornings he curses.”
    Edana leaned forward and handed Fen a folded piece of parchment and a bag of coins.
    “Now what?” Fen took them.
    “Directions of where to get your new horse. I’ve written down the names of the ones I thought suitable. Showy looking but suitable enough for the most incompetent rider. There’s enough money there to pay for your choice as long as you do some haggling. If they charge you more, they’re trying to rip you off.”
    “Incompetent rider?”
    “You’re not really,” Edana said with a grin. “But they are good horses. They shouldn’t balk at being around a dragon.”
    “Any other orders for the day?”
    Edana laughed. “Well…”
    “I should have known.”
    “No. This is important. I overheard my father talking to his lawyer last night.”
    “Overheard?” Fen raised an eyebrow.
    “I might have been somewhere suitable to hear what was happening when a servant announced the arrival of my father’s lawyer.”
    “And what has his lawyer got to do with me?”
    “My father’s trying to take your dragon.”
    “What? How can he? I have paperwork proving he’s mine.” Fen’s hand went to his waist where a cloth was wrapped around him to hide his paperwork.
    “You’re not an adult yet. If you weren’t considered an orphan, you wouldn’t be allowed to own River.”
    “Then how can they get him since I am