" Ryu looked at me." Ryu looked at me. "How long have you been studying?" "Three years." "Can you fly?" "A... A little," I admitted. "I need practice." "Then your first lesson will be about sleeping," Desa said. "Ryu, you know where to lodge him." "Indeed I do," Ryuchia said. "There are six rings to my home, counting the floor, and you will sleep on the second." I breathed a sigh of relief; the second ring did not seem so far away. Ryu smiled, showing his teeth, a sight which I admit frightened me somewhat. "We Dragons are of the air, and we do not measure our homes the way you do." I realized his meaning and my gaze moved up to look at the two rings all the way at the top of the dome. Ryu followed my gaze and nodded. "Exactly." "I... I can't make it all the way up there." "Of course you can," Desa said. "Even I can see that. Ryu, I leave you with your apprentice and his devices. Darynn, take care. I will see to you in two days. In the meantime, take your learning from Ryu." Ryu spread his winds and kicked into the air, circling around his home until he reached the second ring. "Come on, Darynn. Join me." I swallowed hard, closed my eyes, and remembered what Thomorr had taught me about flying. I leaned my head back and opened my eyes. My destination grew closer, and I began to feel the great drag of the ground as I moved further and further away from it. The ground is jealous of the bodies that rise from its dust, Aimee', and is not so giving when I wanted to leave it. But as the railing grew closer the lift grew easier. I reached out for the brass rail that was apparently a fixture of each level. On beautiful metal supports it hung away from the wall, just above the level of the floor, giving Dragons something to hold. I climbed over the railing and sat down on the stone of the ring before realizing that I had not removed my pack. |