to walk as much as I do.â
I took Macha by the arm and led her over to the green lizard. âGrandma, I would like you to meet my friend, Councillor Tuan.â Tuan rocked his head back and blew a puff of fire that finished with a perfect smoke ring.
Macha bravely walked right up to him and patted him on the snout like he was a horse. Tuan dropped to one knee and lowered his head as Grandma said, âI am honoured to meet you, Councillor.â
The flight down was the scariest ride I had ever had with a dragon â and that included when Dragon Red tried to kill me. Tuan was so tired from all the upping and downing that he pretty much just dive-bombed off the mountain. I screamed like a little girl all the way down but Grandma didnât make a peep even during the G-force-inducing last second level-out. When Tuan became Tuan again I promised I would punch him for that â immediately after I threw up.
I was expecting Macha to be open-mouthed like everyone else who witnesses Tuanâs transformation for the first time but when I looked at her, she had her eyes closed and her arms outstretched. I heard a snort from Acorn â looking not like the bold stallion that often gives me a hard time but more like a colt approaching his mother. Thatâs when I noticed that all the horses were doing the same thing. They slowly approached Macha with their heads down and then shivered with delight as my grandmother caressed each one of them. It was remarkable to watch. It was like she was part of them but also above them, like a horse god. Macha the Horse Enchantress â the yews had given her the power over horses, and there in front of us was the proof. She hugged each horse in turn. The look on her face was like a mother returning to her children after a long time away.
Mom was awake, sitting with her back against a rock, with a blanket on her lap and drinking willow tea when I found her. She gave me one of those forced smiles that let me know she was OK.
âHey Mom, itâs good to see you with your eyes open. You gave me a scare. How do you feel?â
âGood, considering. Your Graysea is a remarkable healer. Iâm starting to see what you see in her. I donât think she is as witless as she would have us believe.â
âThat depends on which side of her brain she is using.â
âSeriously?â
I nodded and she laughed but stopped right away and held her chest in pain.
âI think you need another session. Iâll see if sheâs up for it.â
I found Graysea and asked her if she could gill-up for Mom again. She said she was on her way to do just that now that she had seen that everyone else was OK. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Gerardâs big fist hand me a glass.
âIs that wine?â
âItâs something a bit stronger,â the big man replied.
âGood,â I said, knocking whatever it was back in one. The whole world wobbled like I was about to do a flashback on a bad sitcom.
When I could risk moving again without falling over, Gerard said, âMore?â
âYes please,â I replied holding out my glass.
âYou wouldnât have any of your wine with you, Gerard?â Macha asked, coming over to the fire. Behind her stood all of the horses, like groupies awaiting the beckon of a prima donna rock star.
âYou know I do.â Gerard poured her a glass and she took a sip with her eyes closed like it was a chalice filled with the elixir of youth.
âOh, it has been so long,â she sighed.
âIt has indeed,â Gerard said. âYou look good for a dead woman.â
Macha smiled at him but he didnât return it. âIâm surprised to find you here, winemaker. Thank you for coming to save me.â
âSpend no thanks on me, my Queen, I came because of Dahy. I would follow that man to the gates of hell if he wished it and I will defend him from all harm.â
âWell then let us both