The Dragon's Son (39 page)

Ven hauled the boat into the water and waded out with it, guiding the boat
with his hand. When he reached the point in the river where the current would
take the boat from him, Ven looked down at the still, ashen face. He took hold
of the chill hand.

“Let your soul rest easy, Bellona,” he said, repeating the old ritual of his
birthday. “My name is Vengeance and I will be true to my name.”

His blue eyes looked away from her, looked back toward Dragonkeep. “On your
blood and my mother’s tears, I swear it.”

He gave the boat a shove that sent it out into the swirling current, for the
river to catch Bellona and bear her away to the vast and endless sea.

Ven did not stay to watch it. He had been gone too long as it was. He waded
back to shore. Back to reality.

Back to illusion.

I would like to thank Robert Krammes for his design work on King Edward’s
dragon-killing cannon. Most especially, I would like to thank him and his wife,
Mary, for their friendship and support over many years. Thanks also to my
editor, Brian Thomsen, for help, suggestions, inspiration, and being there.