"I'll bite their heads off myself!" spat Jahet, preparing to take flight toward the drill field.

Khisanth reached out a claw to stop her. "Think, Jahet. If we show up late and strike at our own dragons, we'll look like the traitors."

Jahet scowled. "I hadn't thought of that."

Khisanth put in quickly, "I have another idea that will remove them from the fight without engaging them for the whole wing to witness."

Jahet leaned in eagerly. "Tell me, quickly!"

Khisanth grimaced. "I don't think I want to tell you the details," she said uneasily. Before Jahet could voice her protest, Khisanth cut in with, "Let me explain. Someone has to restore order to our ranks, or the knights will burn the tower to the ground without Khoal and the others having to lift a wing against us." She regarded the disorganized masses of soldiers still scrambling aimlessly in the tower below.

"Maldeev must surely be wondering where you are. You must go to him, tell him what we know of the dragons. Together you need to fly against the knights-eliminate their archers. The troops will rally behind you at once. There's one problem, though."

Khisanth paused, snaring her lower lip between razor-sharp teeth as she considered the three dragons, who were gathered on the southwest corner of the drill field. "It's essential that the other dragons think we're still trapped, at least until I can implement my plan for sending them away. Can you manage to stay hidden for that long?"

Jahet winced, realizing that the entrapment in her lair had caused her to break her vow to never keep Maldeev waiting.

She glanced at the knights, still launching flaming arrows and charging the walls. "I must join the highlord immedi shy;ately, but I could try teleporting directly into the great hall, then send someone into the courtyard to find him."

She winced slightly again. "I'm a little rusty at teleporting, though-haven't used much magic since my union-Mal-deev doesn't trust it around him. If I make it to the hall and find Maldeev, it'll take us a few moments to formulate a solid plan to reorganize the troops."

'That'll have to do," said Khisanth.

The lead dragon closed her eyes promptly, preparing to cast the dimly remembered spell, then opened them again to ask, "I could-I should-order you to tell me your plan."

Khisanth shook her head and gently nudged the other dragon with her snout. "You're better off not knowing. High-lord Maldeev's dragon must be above such skulduggery. If I succeed, their threat will be eliminated without tarnishing either of our names.

"If I fail," Khisanth shrugged philosophically, "I'll be beyond such mortal concerns. You'll be safe, too, because they won't even suspect you know their true colors, until if s too late for them."

"I'm trusting you to not fail, Khisanth." Jahet squeezed her large eyes shut tightly and was gone, leaving only a wispy trail of jet-black smoke drifting in the golden glow of dawn.

The ranking dragon had no way of knowing that Khisanth was about to break a vow of her own, made over the dead body of her lover one cold winter day.

* * * * *

The tall, raven-haired young woman purposefully pushed her way through the teeming throng of harried soldiers who were trying to assemble on the drill field to stop the flow from the courtyard. Her tawny gold eyes were focused on her intended destination.

Like many of the mercenaries around her, including the dead one she'd looted, the woman's torso was covered to the

top of her hips by a hardened leather cuirass. Leather tassets suspended from the cuirass protected her thighs. Wool pants were stuffed into the tops of her soft leather boots. Though her clothing was ordinary enough, her exotic good looks would never have allowed her to blend into the crowd. Nei shy;ther would the fact that she was the only female soldier within the ranks. Fortunately for Onyx, the men and ogres around her were too busy fearing for their own survival to give her more than a curious glance.

Knowing that success depended almost solely on her abil shy;ity to project confidence, Onyx marched straight toward the dragons at the southeastern corner of the drill field, then stopped at a distance to observe. She knew in an instant how they had remained grounded. She could hear their riders, including second-in-command Wakar, trying in vain to get them airborne.

"We are forbidden to attack unless the ranking dragon or her highlord gives us the order to do so," Khoal was saying stubbornly. Wakar and the others threw up their hands and marched off to join the fray in the courtyard.

Onyx watched them depart, then looked over her shoul shy;ders for eavesdroppers. No humans but riders would will shy;ingly get within earshot of three dragons, which is why they were so surprised to see the young woman below them.

"I come from Lamesh."

At first they seemed not to hear her. Khoal fixed his hot-orange eyes on her suspiciously. "Human, you're either very foolish or very brave to get so close to dragons for curiosity's sake."

"I am no curious onlooker," said Onyx fearlessly. Looking about again, she lowered her voice. "I am a messenger from the Knights of Solamnia."

All three dragons dropped their jaws and afforded her glances ranging from disbelief to distrust.

"Then you are both brave and foolish," Khoal said cau shy;tiously, "walking into the enemy camp and announcing your position. What makes you think we won't slay you on the spot?"

"Because we all know that we are on the same side in this battle," said Onyx evenly. "My commander sent me to reward you for your services. Keeping Maldeev ignorant of our num shy;bers and impending attack has been most helpful." Onyx kept her words deliberately vague, since she was only guessing about the alliance between the knights and the dragons.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Khoal quickly, his voice low and threatening. "I think I will kill you now." Onyx could see him summoning the acid from his stomach.

"My commander will surely interpret an unprovoked attack as a sign of bad faith," she cut in. "You don't want to risk losing the reward for which you've worked so hard."

"I certainly don't," said Neetra quickly. "I didn't fly all those long reconnaissance missions to keep Jahet and Khi-santh from the north for nothing! If I can get out of this with shy;out risking my hide, I say all the better."

Onyx felt her blood boil at the mention of her dragon name. She was forming a response when Dnestr, the smarter of the two intermediate dragons, frowned and said, "It seems odd that the knights would send you in the midst of the battle to give us our land."

Onyx took note of the last remark. She thought quickly, while Khoal watched her closely. "My commander thinks your uninvolved presence here adds to the general confu shy;sion-you know, dragons on the field frightening his knights. Besides, the battle is nearly finished, thanks to your entrap shy;ment of the other two dragons in their lairs. What's more," Onyx continued, managing an almost embarrassed look, "it would be best for the image of the Knights of Solamnia if they could avoid open confirmation of an alliance, however brief, with black dragons. You understand."

Neetra and Dnestr had only confirmed the alliance, and were obviously convinced by Onyx's explanation. Khoal, however, still looked skeptical. He said nothing as yet, nei shy;ther denying nor confirming his involvement, watching the interaction between the human and the younger dragons. "How do we get our land?" Neetra demanded greedily.

Onyx's eyes widened against her will. "Obviously, no one can lead you there this moment. My commander has ordered me to direct you to fly into the Khalkists, near Ak-Baral-do you know where that is?" Dnestr and Neetra nodded eagerly. "Wait there. Another agent will find you after we have won the battle, as we inevitably will, and lead you to the reward you so richly deserve."