Dragon School_Initiate Read online

He sighed. “Look, aren’t you supposed to be watching over Leng? Go do that.”

  “So, you won’t help me?” I felt worry tighten my belly. I wasn’t sure I could do this alone.

  “Look, I’m not saying you’re crazy ... just get some rest.”

  I turned and started to hobble away when his panicked cry startled me. I spun around and saw Rais pinned to the ground, his dragon’s teeth pinning him in place. He didn’t look hurt, only startled.

  Nenebeph agrees with us.

  My eyebrows rose. Sometimes Dragon Riders seemed to forget that dragons were sentient creatures with reasoning of their own. I wondered if dragons ever did something like this once they were bonded and trained.

  She understands this is important.

  “Come on, Rais,” I said. “We have a fire to light.”

  His eyes went large with disbelief but Nenebeph relaxed his jaws enough for him to squirm out of his grip.

  “He’s never done that before.” He dusted himself off, looking warily at his dragon. “Nenebeph? Are you sick?”

  “I think he wants you to come with me.”

  “No, that’s not it.”

  Nenebeph hissed, sulfurous fumes filling the air. Rais took a step back, hands held up.

  “Okay, sure. We’ll build a fire.”

  He still looked both shaken and irritated as we left the picket line and headed up the forested hill. It didn’t take long for him to leave me well behind him, but he hardly seemed to notice. He must have been very preoccupied with Nenebeph’s behavior. If things hadn’t been so serious, I would have found it embarrassing to be so easily forgotten.

  Chapter Twenty

  I stumbled through the woods up the rocky hill. I was still able to climb, but it was getting trickier as I had to weave between great redwood trees and boulders larger than a man. It was the perfect country for dragons and not at all perfect for girls dragging a dead leg.

  I’d lost sight of Rais ten minutes ago. All I could do now is hope that he was still working his way east towards the cliff face where he could light a warning fire for Grandis Leman. Would the Grandis see it? Would he understand that we were in trouble? He had to.

  I was getting close to the top of the hill, at least by my reckoning, when I saw a plume of smoke in the sky ahead. Rais had started the fire. I stopped beside a large boulder, leaning on it as I tried to catch my breath. I was going to get a lot fitter now that I was a Dragon Rider initiate, that was for sure! I rubbed the sore point in my hip, rolled my shoulder to ease the ache from the crutch and tried to steady my breathing. It was maybe another ten minutes before I managed to ease the pain enough to continue on.

  It was in that moment, as I sat so quietly regathering my strength, that I heard the voices from a distance and coming closer. They were both female. I recognized Starie’s immediately and after a moment, Corrigan’s as well.

  “We’ll take you to your family’s Castel. You were right when you said you were meant for better things. You were meant for this. The revolution.”

  “I’m not sure what good I’ll be to you. It’s Savette Leedris they chose to marry the Lord of Baojang, not me.”

  Marriage! And to our terrifying neighbors. No wonder Savette had seemed so desperate.

  “It was supposed to be you. You’re who we all thought they would choose for a tribute bride! If it was you, then the Dominion could be taken over by Baojang and there would be an end to this constant restriction of magic. Do you know what it’s like to have access to complete power – to be above those around you – and to be forced to act like you are smaller than they are?”

  “Of course, I do! Why do you think I hate this life my parents chose for me?”

  Their voices were so close now. I could almost swear that they were on the other side of the boulder. I could hear the crunch of dry grass and the rustle of leaves as they carried on up the hill.

  “It’s not too late for that Starie Atrelan. The only thing standing between you and that future is this Savette girl. And girls are easy enough to dispose of. We just need to get there – and fast, before any vows are taken.”

  “Then why are we climbing a hill?”

  “I swear, I saw Rais climbing this way...” She sounded distracted as she faded off, but then she shouted, “Look!”

  “A fire!”

  “Quick, we need to stop him. He’ll alert Grandis Leman to what we’re doing.”

  There was the sound of scrambling and I grabbed my crutch, fitted it under my arm and scrambled after them. It was rough going. I tripped in my haste, fell, and skinned my forearm. It took me precious moments to find my crutch and start out again, only to fall a second time. This time the crutch snapped in half. Half-sobbing, I scrambled up the hill on my hands and knee, dragging my bad leg behind me.

  “Rais!” I called as I climbed. “Run!”

  There were two of them and only one of him. Starie couldn’t really hurt him, but what could a Magika apprentice like Corrigan do? We Dragon School Initiates learned to fly almost immediately. Was it the same for students of magic?

  I crested the hill to see Rais standing on the edge of the cliff, the fire between him and me, burning with bright intensity. Starie stood on one side of him and Corrigan on the other, slowly walking forward as he backed up. Soon, there would be nowhere for him to go but over the edge of the cliff. Maybe, If I could get behind Corrigan, I could push her to the ground or do something else to keep her from using magic on Rais. I crept forward towards her. She was right on the edge of the cliff as she stalked toward him.

  Rais lifted his hands. “I’m not sure why you are both upset. It’s only a fire.”

  “Douse it,” Starie said.

  “With what? Do you see water here? Maybe if Grandis Leman returns he’ll have water with him.”

  “What would lead you to build a fire like this, Dragon Boy?” Corrigan asked, hands held outwards. I saw Rais’ gaze catch on me, but I put a finger to my lips and he quickly focused on Corrigan instead.

  Just a little further and I’d be right behind her. Then – together - Rais and I could stop this madness.

  “I-” he began, but before the words were uttered, a fire ball – as long as a man’s arm, round, and blazing – appeared between Corrigan’s raised hands. She flung it at Rais and he screamed, stumbling backward and then bursting into flame as the fireball hit him in the chest. He flew backward through the air and over the edge of the cliff. I couldn’t even see his face in the cloud of fire.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I gasped, my hand covering my mouth as the horror of his fall filled me. Rais! I’d sent him here. This was my fault. Raolcan! Raolcan!

  I’m here. What happened?

  The Magika apprentice shot fire at Rais and he fell off the cliff! Could Raolcan think of a solution to this problem?

  Hold on!

  I scurried backward but Corrigan took two long strides and grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, hauling me to my feet. My belly swam with fear, but I kept my eyes on hers. I didn’t want to betray my feelings. I had the feeling that Corrigan liked watching people squirm. She flung me to the ground and put her foot on my neck. I grabbed her foot with both hands, fighting it as I choked and gasped. How was she so strong?

  She ripped the whistle from the chain around my neck and put it to her lips - producing a single note that pierced the air - before turning to me with a wicked smile. “And now we wait for the Master and see what he says. Come and help me watch her, Starie.”

  Starie’s face swam into my blurring vision. She was chewing her lip nervously. Revolution felt different when it meant abusing people you knew, didn’t it Starie?

  I clenched my jaw and twisted as Corrigan increased the pressure on my neck. How long would it take for Magika Hectorus to arrive? At least twenty minutes, right? Could I keep from passing out that long? My head swam but Corrigan eased up on the pressure a bit. She spat beside my face and I was just glad it wasn’t on my face.

  “Don’t pass o
ut on me, Blighted. We’re going to dig out what you know. Douse that fire, Starie.”

  “With what?” Starie sounded both whiny and obstinate.

  Corrigan rolled her eyes. “With dirt, Starie. Find some dirt and throw it over the fire.”

  Starie disappeared and as the minutes ticked by into what felt like hours, I found my mind racing. Were these my last minutes? Would I have done something different? What would my life be like if I had stayed home? Was Leng safe? And Raolcan? I felt more worried about them than about myself. They were both under the power of the Magikas. Was there any way to get out?

  I was mid-thought when the Magika arrived. “What do you have cornered here, girls? You are delaying our work with the dragons.”

  “We dealt with Rais and his fire, but then this one crept up. I thought you might want to question her.”

  “Pull her up.”

  Corrigan took her foot off my neck, reached for the front of my tunic and yanked me up.

  “Bring her here.” He walked to the edge of the cliff. “And now, Blighted, you tell us what you know and who you told it to.”

  “Nothing,” I croaked.

  “Wrong answer,” he said, pushing me suddenly, while still holding the front of my tunic so that I didn’t fall over. He dragged me to the cliff edge and held me over it, leg’s dangling. How was he so powerful?

  Raolcan! Please, if you can hear my thoughts right now, please think of something!

  Hold on!

  There was nothing to hold on to – except for maybe hope. I hoped as hard as I could.

  “Did you know about our plans before we left Dragon School?”

  “No,” I gasped.

  “True,” Corrigan said, her voice far away as if she were focused on something a long distance away.

  “Did you tell anyone what you heard us talk about?”

  “No,” I said.

  “False,” Corrigan again.

  “Who did you tell?” The Magika’s face was hard. “Don’t think I won’t drop you.”

  “Raolcan,” I gasped, not sure if I was answering or calling for help.

  “True,” Corrigan said. Did she have a way to discern truth from falsehood? She seemed uncannily accurate at this. They didn’t teach us about anything like that at Dragon School.

  “Who?”

  His confusion was genuine. He was going to kidnap the dragons and he didn’t even know their names?

  “Her dragon,” Starie said from beside Corrigan. Her voice was tight like she was finding this stressful.

  “Dragons do not count,” the Magika said. And that was the problem, wasn’t it? Because Dragons did count and anyone who thought otherwise was deeply flawed and completely untrustworthy. That was the problem with the whole Dominion, thinking that some people didn’t count as much as others – especially when those people were dragons.

  “Does anyone else know?” Magika Hectorus’ eyes studied my face like I might betray an important truth in a flicker of an expression.

  Perhaps, this was simply the way Magikas were. Maybe we were naïve for thinking that they held to codes of honor and loyalty like we did.

  “Did you harm Leng?” It was clear he was going to kill me no matter what I said. After all, they hadn’t given Rais a chance out of this. I wanted to die knowing Leng was going to live.

  “What’s that to you, cripple? Answer my question. Or is that the answer? Does Leng know the threat we pose to you and your people?”

  “No,” I said, hoping it was true.

  “False.” Corrigan said.

  “We could just leave her here,” Starie said. “We don’t need to kill her. She won’t get very far. I think her crutch is even broken.”

  Was it compassion or cruelty that motivated that speech?

  “We are above that,” Magika Hectorus said. “We are people of compassion.”

  Starie looked relieved, but ice filled my veins. What did compassion look like to a man like Hectorus? His hand shoved me at the same time that he let go of my tunic and I fell backward over the cliff, a scream breaking from my lips.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I screamed as I fell, shutting my eyes tightly. No, no, no, no, no-

  Open your eyes.

  I forced them open at the same time that my back hit resistance. I flung my arms outward. It took me a heartbeat to realize where I was. Beside me, Leng hunched feverishly in Raolcan’s saddle. His eyes were narrow slits, his hands limp on the reins. Apparently, he’d had the forethought to tighten all his straps. Even if he passed out, he’d remain in the saddle. I had fallen into the pannier he’d ridden in on the way here.

  Raolcan! Leng was riding Raolcan.

  I told you to hold on. There was relief in the tone of Raolcan’s mind.

  You saved me - again - thank you!

  You’re mine, spider.

  “Leng?” I asked.

  He grunted. How was he riding Raolcan? I thought dragons didn’t let other riders direct them except for their own.

  They don’t. I decided that to save your life, it was worth the compromise.

  Why wasn’t he on Ahlskibi?

  She isn’t here yet. As soon as his mind was in range I told him what was happening, and she told Leng. He stumbled over to the tethering area and released my tether and saddled me. Just in time, too.

  I pulled myself up to a sitting position. We were swooping down toward the field where Leng’s tent was.

  We need to get his medicine. He was insistent about that.

  “Leng?” I shook his leg. He had collapsed over Raolcan’s back so slowly that I thought he was simply falling asleep, but his mouth hung open like he was unconscious. “Hang in there.”

  I missed my freedom! This feels right!

  As soon as we got to camp I’d have to grab his stuff and we’d need to leave again. We couldn’t afford to be caught by the Magikas.

  We won’t be.

  We sailed in toward the field and Raolcan held his feet forward, cupping his wings as he prepared to land. Tred stepped out from the tent, his teeth gritted and his arms stretched above his head just like Corrigan’s had been before she threw the fire at Rais. Watch out, Raolcan!

  The ball of fire flew through the air as Raolcan tried to dodge and abort his landing all at once. We corkscrewed through the air. I held on to the pannier with all my might. A powerful hit almost dislodged me, and then the tumbling slowed and I was able to get my bearings. Raolcan was lying belly-down on the ground, holding one wing a little awkwardly. Leng had woken up, but his blinking eyes and slow movements were either from being stunned at the rough landing or fever-induced.

  Tred strode towards us, hands above his head again and I scrambled into the saddle behind Leng’s seat. I couldn’t walk. I had no weapons, but I could at least block Leng from the brunt of the blow.

  I braced myself for the fire that was sure to come.

  Golden flames flared out, but not from Tred. They streaked past us, hitting him full in the chest and lifting him up from the ground at the same time that he flared up in flames like a freshly-lit torch. I gaped as he went from man to ash in the work of a moment and spun to see Ahlskibi and Grandis Leman on Leepsain. It was their flames that had incinerated Tred.

  Was Raolcan hurt?

  A little. I can still fly.

  Leepsain pulled up beside us and Grandis Leman shouted. “What’s going on?”

  “We need to grab Leng’s draughts and run before the Magikas come back!”

  “What?” He looked as confused as Rais had when I told him. A terrible feeling of déjà vu crept over me. “Tred didn’t do this on his own?”

  There were saplings lying on the ground nearby – the ones that had been used as tent poles by the Reds and Greens the night before. I dismounted and hopped over to one using it as a makeshift crutch so that I could hobble to Leng’s tent, talking as I went.

  “They killed Rais. Tried to kill me and Leng. They want to take the dragons and go to Starie’s Castel.”
r />   “Why would they do that?” Grandis Leman’s eyes scanned the landscape as if there would be clues there.

  “We learned that they plan to start a revolt against the Dominion.” I ducked into Leng’s tent, grabbed his medicine, water and rolled up his bedroll, tying it hastily before emerging with my arm full of his things. “Rais lit the fire to warn you.”

  “Starie?” he asked. “Where is she?”

  “With the Magikas.” I hobbled back to Raolcan, stuffing Leng’s things into the wide leather pocket beside the saddle. Some of my things were there – anything that been attached to the saddle - some were not. I’d just have to abandon whatever was missing. I hoped there was at least a change of clothes. The ones I was in were filthy.

  “None of this makes any sense. Perhaps you have fallen ill, as well?”

  “Can you untether the other dragons?” I asked. “Leng untethered Raolcan.”

  “Any full Dragon Rider can do that,” Grandis Leman said, “But are you suggesting that we take Starie and Rais’ dragons and flee?”

  I looked him in the eye. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. We need to go. Now.”

  I mounted Raolcan, harnessing myself into the saddle, and tried to adjust Leng into a more comfortable position. The pannier he’d ridden in hung too loose on the straps and I realized that one was broken and the other loose. I’d have to unbuckle it and leave it here. When it broke my fall, it must have done too much damage. I set to work as Grandis Leman protested in the background. A moment later, the pannier was free.

  “Come on,” I said.

  Leepsain moved closer to me and Grandis Leman spoke kindly. “This has been a lot for anyone to deal with, Amel. But what you say can’t possibly be true. Tred must have acted on his own – for who knows what reason. Perhaps you – and maybe even he! - have the same fever as Leng. Let’s go and find Rais and Starie and the Magikas and sort this out.”

  His smile was kind but I felt my heart sink. He didn’t believe me. How could I convince him? A gout of earth sprang up behind him, sending Leepsain into a frenzy. The dragon leapt up and Grandis Leman’s eyes went wide as a second gout of earth erupted underneath him.