Dragon School: Troubled War Read online

  I hoped we wouldn’t do something so foolish. If I were ever Dominar, I would do everything in my power to prevent war.

  By now you should realize that being too cautious can lead to as a much trouble as being too aggressive. Wisdom is not simply following a set rule or principle – it’s knowing how to apply the right rule or principle to the present situation.

  Fortunately, I would never be the Dominar. Shonan would be the one weighing those things.

  “But we will be here to protect the dragons and carry on our side of the bargain and they will help us to that goal,” Shonan said, bringing a pot and waterskin to the fire. “As long as we don’t break the terms. That’s why I’m here. I must fulfill our side of the agreement.”

  I pulled out a few vegetables that Leng and I had scavenged from the Castel at Leedris and a small bag of barley. A soup would be nice on a day like this. The Pipe fell out of my bag and onto the grass. Quickly, I snatched it back up, replacing it in the bag, but when the noise around the campfire suddenly quieted, I looked up.

  Shonan stared at me, his face ghost-white and his eyes wide.

  “What is that?” There was danger in his voice.

  Chapter Seven

  “It’s the Pipe of Wings,” I said, tension building inside me as I held my bag close. What if he asked for it? I couldn’t give it to him. I’d already given it to Roalcan. But could I say no to the true Dominar?

  “I saw a picture of it in a book,” Shonan said. His words were slow and deliberate, like he was trying to be very clear. “Under the drawing, it was stated that this was the Pipe of Wings, an ancient artifact of Baojang, gifted to them by the Troglodytes long ago but lost to their use.”

  “That’s true,” I said, my mouth feeling drier than it should. “I acquired it in Baojang.”

  His eyes met mine and his anxious expression was plain. His face was taut and small lines appeared around his eyes and between his eyebrows.

  “And can it be used to force dragons to do you will, Amel? Is that how you have come here with a dragon army?”

  “It’s not like that,” I began, but the look of horror filling his face cut me off.

  “Can be used for the control of dragons?” His voice was higher than usual. “Answer me plainly.”

  “What are you afraid of?” I glanced around the fire.

  Everyone was frozen in place. Leng’s stick still poked the fire, but the tip of it was ablaze and he didn’t even notice. Hubric tilted his head to the side like he could hear what we weren’t saying.

  “Amel, there was a list of things in our treaty that, if broken, nullified the treaty. One of them was use of any magic device to influence or control a dragon, including the whips Magikas – and Dragon Riders training new dragons - use.” He cleared his throat. “Your pipe was on the list. It must not be used.”

  “I gave it to Raolcan. I can’t give it to you,” I said, feeling a bead of sweat on my forehead.

  Shonan ran a hand over his face. “I can’t believe it. After all that. After the promises I made. After everything that happened. It’s all been for nothing.”

  “But it hasn’t,” I protested.

  “If Amel just found out and if she stops using it, then we haven’t broken the treaty,” Leng said, throwing his burning stick into the fire like he was waking up from a trance. His stance was stiff and his eyes took on a new intensity as he quickly tried to solve the problem. “Raolcan keeps the Pipe. I’m sure that’s fine since he is a dragon. Amel doesn’t use it again. You kill Iskaris. And there we have it, our bargain is kept.”

  “I doubt they will see it that way,” Shonan said. He looked sick. His face was practically green as he slumped to sit on the ground, head in his hands.

  But it was the Troglodyte’s who gave me the gift that gifted me the Pipe. They had been watching me all along – and occasionally commenting. They’d known when they were making the treaty with Shonan that I had the Pipe, so they must be fine with it.

  “Are you certain that they meant using this Pipe?” I asked him. “Maybe it’s a misunderstanding?”

  He pulled himself to his feet, but he wouldn’t look at me. “It’s a disaster.”

  “What happens if we break our side of the treaty?” I asked. Leng and Hubric turned from me to look at Shonan. Everything was hanging on his words.

  “Then we forfeit our right to take dragons for training and riding. The other portions of the treaty remain – we will defend the dragons and they us – but no more Dragon Riders. Without them, the strength of the Dominion is gone.”

  “And the dragons we work with now?” Hubric asked. “What about them?”

  “They remain. But for how long? Our nation is doomed by this folly.”

  But they knew! They made the treaty with him knowing that I had the Pipe. They knew I had used it and would keep on using it!

  They’d tricked him.

  They’d tricked me.

  I had always thought that the Troglodytes were good. After all, they rescued me. They opposed the Ifrits. They gave me a gift. But they’d purposely deceived Shonan. I felt like the bottom was dropping out of my world.

  Just like with Rakturan, things are more complicated than that.

  With Rakturan they weren’t complicated. He just made them that way. He claimed to be loyal to Savette but he didn’t love the Dominion. The Troglodytes pretended they were here to help us, but they manipulated us into betraying our nation.

  “And you don’t need to keep your side of the bargain to retake the Dominar’s mask, do you?” Leng asked Shonan. “Since that was a part of it.”

  “I still need to do that.” His voice was quiet. “Or the rest of the treaty is gone, too, and every dragon becomes our enemy.”

  And so, we were caught. We must fulfill what was left of the bargain but lose the reward of it.

  They didn’t negotiate for you, Amel. That’s the difference. They negotiated on behalf of the dragons.

  And did Raolcan think they did the right thing? Did he think it was fair that they trapped me into betraying my people?

  I think they are looking out for their own. That doesn’t make them bad. It makes them ... shrewd.

  No one could even look at me. Hubric stared into the fire, his face so intense that he could have lit it with his expression. Leng stood halfway between Shonan and me, looking back and forth like he was torn.

  I pulled myself to my feet, leaned into my crutch and limped away. I was so angry. I felt like a pawn who’d been played by giant hands into a position I hadn’t asked for and didn’t want. It wasn’t me who wanted that Pipe. Wasn’t me who thought it needed to be played. In fact, I’d given it to Raolcan! And they’d known all along that they were setting me up to ruin everything. Everything.

  I wanted to bite through something and chew. I wanted to bite one of those Troglodytes with their creepy translucent skin and shake them until their glowing insides faded to dark.

  Violent much?

  I was too angry to answer. I didn’t want to hear from Raolcan if he didn’t take my side. He could just go congratulate the Troglodytes on their shrewdness while I sat here and thought about my predicament.

  Maybe my rage was too strong. Or maybe I just deserved a lot better than this. Maybe, for once in my life, I should demand to be treated better.

  Chapter Eight

  “Shonan has calmed down,” Leng said, joining me in the dark. My back was to the fire and I had hobbled out of hearing range. I didn’t want to see or hear anyone right now. Not even Raolcan. “I explained that you couldn’t possibly have known. We agreed on a plan of attack, and we’ll set it up in the morning. Ahlskibi tells me that Raolcan is asking the dragons to help. We can’t demand anything, but they can still choose to help us.”

  Well, good for them. Nice to know they had everything sorted out and that everyone was feeling calm and hopeful.

  “He’s not mad at you, Amel. When Hubric told us how you got the Pipe – well, it’s obvious that you were maneuv
ered into this. You couldn’t have stopped it. No one blames you.”

  That made it so much worse. I was humiliated by that – by being maneuvered and tricked and pushed into place like a fool. I hated myself for being a fool. They didn’t blame me?

  “You’re going to need to say something, eventually. We need you for your part of the ambush. And I know you, Amel. You aren’t so angry that you’ll want this to fail.”

  They needed me to be a pawn, too. No. I was no one’s pawn. I was no one’s tool. I was done with being blown from place to place for purpose after purpose. I wasn’t the one wearing a mask or even wearing the final uniform of a Dragon Rider.

  “Listen, it’s natural for the pressure to get to you at this point – to feel overwhelmed and like you don’t have what it takes to keep going. We’re all feeling it. It’s been months of pushing and fighting and desperation.”

  I was just a girl with a crutch who was really angry that everyone seemed to be seeing the world differently than her – and in their version, she was just a piece to be slotted in the correct part of the puzzle. I gritted my teeth. Enough.

  The Troglodytes thought they could manipulate me and use me a piece on their game board, did they? Well, they had better look out because I wouldn’t be played.

  DESTROY OUR ENEMIES, CALLER.

  I flinched at their voices in my head.

  But it seemed to me that I was the one up here risking everything – my life, my Dominion, my friends – while they were tucked safely underground making demands and ridiculous contracts. They wanted me to destroy their enemies while they undermined what I loved. Nope. If they wanted me to destroy their enemies, then they would keep this contract with Shonan intact. They would not break it because they maneuvered me to get the Pipe.

  DESTROY OUR ENEMIES.

  Only if you keep the contract.

  RETURN THE PIPE.

  I always meant to return it. They knew that. They just pushed me here because they thought it was a way to gain the upper hand. I would only agree if they agreed to my terms, too.

  ALL WILL BE FORGIVEN, THE CONTRACT KEPT INTACT.

  I froze. Did they mean that? They would honor the contract if I destroyed the Ifrits and returned the pipe?

  They seem to be saying that.

  Oh, Raolcan was willing to weigh in now that things were looking up?

  I was giving you space. You seemed to need it.

  Hmmph. I’d have to decide if I was going to forgive him.

  Of course, you’ll forgive me. You love me. Besides, it’s not in your nature to hold a grudge. I’m a little surprised you lost your temper, but I suppose even the sweetest honey has a fly or two in it from time to time.

  My eyes widened. I should make him eat feet for saying that! He was treating my reaction like it was trivial!

  There’s the spirit.

  Agreed, I said silently to the Troglodytes. I hadn’t forgiven them for this. But I would have to work with them.

  AGREED.

  I gritted my teeth to turn to Leng. He was still beside me, refusing to walk away despite everything.

  “Don’t hold this against me, Amel. Don’t push me away. It’s not me who put you in this position.”

  “Thank you for standing up for me,” I said. My voice was tighter than I would have liked. I was still smarting under the humiliation of being forced and maneuvered like I had been. “Thank you for explaining that I never meant to cause this.”

  “I know it’s true,” he said. He sighed. “Don’t crack under the pressure, Amel. Stay with me. We can do this together, but we need to stay focus. We can’t let it break us.”

  “I have a way to fix it. The whole thing with the deal and the Trogs and everything.”

  “Let’s go back to the fire, Amel.” Was he afraid I was lying to myself, that I would crack if I tried to fix it? “We all need some rest. I’m exhausted. These last months ... Whatever the Dominion becomes, you’ll be one of the brightest parts left in it, Amel. It will all have been worth it, knowing you’re still shining here somewhere. And Shonan – we can be friends again even after he is Dominar once more. I’m getting used to the idea. I think I could keep it a secret between us, find ways to communicate or slip through the guards to visit him. I’m almost looking forward to it.”

  I laughed lightly, feeling the anger and frustration melting away.

  “In fact, I hope you’ll help me sneak around Dominion City,” he smiled roguishly.

  “I’m not much good at sneaking,” I said, brandishing my crutch.

  “Then I guess we’ll be caught because I won’t do it without you.” He kissed the top of my head and wrapped an arm around me.

  Of course, things were tough. Of course, there were forces and people trying to force me into the path they’d set. It would always be like that, but I would always have Leng.

  And me.

  Leng. He was faithful and on my side.

  Oh, the burn of it! You have no faith.

  You weren’t on my side. Don’t even try to lie about that.

  I just ... see a bigger picture than you do.

  Are you suggesting that I am not as smart as you? That I’m blind somehow?

  Only that you are human. And that means we’ll never be exactly the same. And that’s okay.

  That sounded a bit like an insult.

  It’s an apology.

  Raolcan? Apologizing?

  I know. I even surprised myself.

  Chapter Nine

  My sleep was troubled. I didn’t know if I was dreaming or seeing visions. Savette flashed through my mind, kneeling in the mud, rain pouring over her. Was she crying or was that me? I dreamed of a room I’d never been in – a long marble room gleaming and white. Carved dragons ringed the bases of the pillars. Dragons were carved in snarling poses around the base of a dais and a tall white throne carved of marble sat astride the backs of a tangle of dragons. There were no steps up to the throne. One would have to climb up on the snouts or shoulders of the dragons to reach the towering seat.

  I woke with a gasp. Something had felt strangely familiar about that place.

  I felt that, too. But why would the throne room of the Dominion feel familiar to you?

  Perhaps, one day, I would deliver messages there. Perhaps I would kneel before Shonan in his masked crown and bring messages of peace and prosperity from around the Dominion. I would like that.

  We have a long way to go before we get there. We have a war to win first. It’s easy to lose heart after so many battles, but I know you. You have a huge heart.

  I drank my caf that morning with a feeling of peace. I was ready for the next stage. I would find a way to help win this war – one piece at a time – starting here with this ambush. We’d keep the enemy pinned here while Baojang traveled to support us. Then, we’d sweep south and join Savette in her fight and when it was all done, I would return the Pipe to the Troglodytes and all this would be over. We would be at peace again. I just needed to be strong and steady and not give in to worry.

  I felt a hand slip into mine and Leng smiled down at me.

  I smiled back. “Thank you for helping me find my way again.”

  “Of course,” he said. “Are you ready?”

  I nodded, taking one last deep breath. We all had our roles here. This morning, Shonan would stage on the hillside here with the dragons under his command. They would wait to quell any Ifrits or dragons who made the leap over the bridge after the army was forced to stop. Leng and a group of dragons, who Raolcan assured us had volunteered for the role, were set to spend the morning blocking the bridge with piled rocks and then to defend it. We’d debated destroying the bridge – still my own preference – but in the end Shonan argued that it would make it difficult to clear later when Baojang wanted to cross. We needed their army to reinforce Savette.

  Hubric had already flown off on his own journey – he was to scout for the oncoming army and try to stay hidden. It was hard to plan an ambush without knowing when your ene
my would arrive.

  I wasn’t excited about my role. Raolcan and I were going to fly rings around the bridge and hills, high up in the sky. From there, Raolcan could direct dragons and – if utterly necessary – I could use the Pipe to affect them.

  “Remember, only use the Pipe as a last resort,” Shonan said from beside the fire, as if he was reading my mind. “I don’t really believe that you can change the Troglodytes minds, but any further infractions can only set them further against the treaty.”

  He ran a hand over his face.

  “We’ll succeed, brother.” Leng let go of my hand to clap his brother on the shoulder.

  Shonan nodded, but his face was screwed up in thought. “The main thing, for all of us, is to keep the Dominar and his army from reaching Dominion City. Whatever sacrifice that requires is worth making. Even if that brings displeasure from our allies. I woke with a deep feeling that this battle today or tomorrow – whenever they arrive – will change everything. It bears great significance for me.”

  “It’s just that mask,” Leng said. “The heaviness of it weighs on you even now. If we defeat Iskaris today, you will have to don it again.”

  “I’m not afraid. I won’t shrink back,” Shonan said, his eyes on the landscape beyond the bridge, but his voice was pitched low and almost intimate as he spoke to us. “I’m willing to bear the burden of it for my people and this time I won’t do it alone, right brother?”

  His eyes, when they finally met Leng’s, were full of hope mixed with anxiety.

  “It will be different,” Leng assured him. They were two sides of a coin standing side by side with shoulders back and eyes looking unflinchingly into the distance. “We’ll change tradition. I won’t abandon you. The fate of a nation shouldn’t be borne by one man alone with no support. It should never have been that way.”

  “There’s a reason they place the throne so high above the people,” Shonan said, his voice still laced with worry. “And it’s not because a ruler looks good up there. It’s to emphasize how separate he is. Separation from the rest of humanity is a terrible punishment.”