Silver bit back a laugh. “And have you become a warrior yet?”
“Not yet, unfortunately. We only got here a couple of days ago. Still living off the oh-so-delicious rations of dried fish and grain biscuits. They’re tough enough to break your teeth”— Ferdi grimaced—“but specially formulated for optimal nutrition, or so my father constantly tells me when I complain. Now that we’re settled, though, there will be fishing ex—”
Ferdi’s eyes sparkled as he took in Silver’s impatient expression. “I’m rambling.”
“I’m on a mission.”
“Just you two? Where are the trackers?” Ferdi looked over Silver’s head and past his warriors, as though expecting more faces.
Silver turned around, too, surveying the figures half-hidden in the trees until the words from that hasty note dawned on her. I’ve sent help … stay put. Now, Silver understood why the mercenaries were confused when she kept assuming they were chasing her down on Queen Imea’s orders. Because that wasn’t who’d hired them. Spinning back, she pointed at Ferdi. “You sent the trackers after us! Why were you having us followed by those buffoons?”
“If by buffoons you mean one of the best tracking teams in the world, specifically instructed to get you to me safely before anyone else could get their hands on you, then … yes. I sent them. I couldn’t keep waiting for my father to decide whether or not he was going to offer you safety at the Island Nations, so I took matters into my own hands.”
“I thought they were mercenaries sent by Queen Imea. They never told us differently!”
“Sorry about that.” Ferdi looked sheepish. “I sent word to the trackers through an emissary, instructed them to keep all details shrouded. For safety! Yours and theirs. The less they knew, the less trouble they’d run into. I guess I didn’t account for your kind of trouble.”
Silver scratched the back of her neck guiltily. “They should be somewhere at the base of the mountain right now. Hopefully in not too terrible shape?”
Ferdi laughed.
“But why did you only send for us? They left Mele and Luap behind, and they almost did the same for Nebekker. Brajon said—there was one called Brajon,” Silver clarified so Ferdi wouldn’t think of her cousin, “that I was the only one they wanted.”
“I never told them to do that!” Ferdi glared left to right at the warriors as though searching for a specific one. His eyes narrowed as they landed on a particular shadow. “I should have gone to the trackers myself.”
Silver thought back to the argument between Omelda and Horrible Brajon. “I think some secrecy and greed were involved on their part, too.”
“That little…” Ferdi shook his head, then flashed her an expression of unmasked admiration. Silver’s neck went warm. “But they were no match for you. So what brings you here?”
The elation of seeing an old friend disappeared as Silver’s fury came back. “We’re chasing Sagittaria Wonder. She stole something of mine.”
“Chasing her here?” Ferdi repeated. Ferdi’s confusion was palpable—his training island was truly remote—but Silver had little time to explain.
“We were at the Watchers’ Keep. I had my dragon heartstone—”
“A heartstone?” Ferdi breathed. “How did—?”
Silver waved off his attempt to detour the conversation. “Sagittaria stole it. We caught up with her at one point, but she got away again.”
“And you’re sure she came this way?”
“We know she came to the coast. When I saw the buildings, we came down. She’s somewhere in these north seas, and it’s likely she came ashore here to hide and rest.”
Ferdi tipped his face to the sky, raised his arms, and made several complicated signs with his hands and fingers. Silver looked up to just catch a glimpse of another warrior, still in the trees, face to the north and making another series of hand signals.
“One moment,” Ferdi said. They stood silently, gazing up, for the span of ten heartbeats. Silver kept trying to glimpse the person in the tree, but they were well hidden. Almost as good as camouin. Ferdi obviously knew how to look, though, because he spoke up again. “Ah, they saw a blue dragon and a girl arrive, a pod of Padahu swim past, some seabirds—I don’t need a report on seabirds!” Ferdi shouted that last bit at the person in the tree before facing Silver once more. “No Sagittaria, and no Dwakka.”
“Impressive communication system,” Silver said. “I assume they’re positioned across the entire island?”
“Yes. They should have seen anything come ashore, but just in case…”
With a flick of Ferdi’s fingers, several warriors slunk even farther into the trees, off on a mission. “If she’s here, they’ll find her. We know every inch of this place. We swept the island first thing on arrival and then again every morning. It wouldn’t be the first time a water dragon colony has overwintered and tried to claim the buildings, then got angry when Islanders landed ashore. There was one year that…” Ferdi shivered. “We don’t need to talk about what happened to those warriors.”
Silver winced. Considering her run-ins with Screw-Claws, she could imagine what those ill-fated islanders had to face. “I’m sure your sentries would have seen her or her Dwakka if she were here. It must mean she’s still in the caves. I need to get back to the mainland shores or I’ll miss her.”
Ferdi didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go get her.”
Silver’s jaw dropped. “Don’t you have royal duties?”
“I know these seas better than anyone. Well, better than you, at least. And Hoonazoor is with me. We can scour the ocean and shore while you search from the sky. The two of us will find her in no time. And it’ll be much easier for two to apprehend her than one.”
“Can you leave your warriors?”
“My second is capable,” Ferdi said. He lowered his voice, ducking his face close to Silver’s with a wink. “I can’t say no to an adventure, same as you.”
Silver nibbled her lip, worried. “You can’t risk coming with me, Ferdi. You have other responsibilities.”
Silver turned and began walking back to the shore, where Hiyyan would have enough room to take to the skies again.
Ferdi chased after her. “I’m coming with you, whether you agree or not. You can’t tell me where I can or can’t go. This is my island.” Ferdi caught up and, without warning, took Silver’s hands in his. “My islanders are good and capable and just as loyal to me as Hiyyan is to you. They’re sweeping the island again as we speak and will hold any captive until my return. Nothing Sagittaria Wonder could say to them would turn them from me or my father.”
Silver sighed. “Fine, come along, then.” There was no time to argue, and she had the feeling Ferdi would be helpful in ways she couldn’t yet imagine.
She watched as he shouted out more orders, his suddenly masterly voice surprising Silver. This was a new side to the maverick Ferdi she knew. Once Ferdi was satisfied, they marched back to the beach, where Hiyyan ran ahead to greet Hoonazoor, whose iridescent head was peeking above the water, looking out for them. The water dragons sang a song of greeting, a sweetly melodic tune, and then Ferdi waded into the polar water to meet Hoonazoor.
Silver shivered just watching him in the sea. “I think I prefer the warmer oceans near Calidia,” she called out.
“I do, too.” Ferdi laughed between his chattering teeth. “But this is part of the toughening up. Nearly frozen water will turn me into a real man, according to my father.” Ferdi rolled his eyes. “Whatever that means. I think I’d be happy remaining a boy.”
Ferdi resolutely mounted Hoonazoor and took up her reins. He pointed. “We’ll work up the coast from the south, starting about a mile down.”
Silver nodded. “We’ll head north. I’ll fly inland a bit to see if she’s still coming east along the river.” Silver patted Hiyyan’s flank, then dug her fists into his mane. “Hiyyan will send Hoonazoor a song if we see her.”
“Bring home the trophy.” Ferdi flashed her a grin.
Silver
pressed her lips together as she watched Hoonazoor dip under the surface of the sea so that only Ferdi was exposed to the frigid air. She knew Glitherns, Hoonazoor’s breed of water dragon, were the only ones that could spend their entire lives underwater—their big, strong gills supporting their breathing—and that preferred swimming completely underwater, too.
Let’s go, Silver said to Hiyyan. She clamped her leg muscles as Hiyyan ran, then took to flight, lowering his head so that they could cut through the air dynamically, gaining a level of speed Hiyyan hadn’t dared attempt when they were searching the mountain valleys for Sagittaria.
As they returned to land, Silver did a quick rundown of their health, sending her thoughts to her toes all the way up to her head. As she did so, she was also scanning Hiyyan, tip of his tail to his elongated nose. She was elated to discover no lingering effects of the Screw-Claw poison.
They reached the coastline, and Silver pointed at a dark fleck below. “There!”
She pulled Hiyyan to the left to turn him around. He spun so sharply that Silver had to tense her whole body to keep from sliding off into the mountains far below. When he righted again and flew closer, Silver leaned in and saw the dark fleck become bigger, take on a familiar form.
It was Sagittaria Wonder emerging from the mouth of the river on the back of her Dwakka, the dragon heartstone dangling from her fist.
TWENTY
Sagittaria looked up and spotted Silver the same moment Silver saw her.
“Send a song, Hiyyan!” Silver cried.
Hiyyan opened his huge jaw wide and bellowed a tune to the sky.
One of the Dwakka’s heads looked up at Hiyyan, while the other head peered down the coastline and hissed. Sagittaria yelled something that was lost on the wind, and both heads snapped forward again. The Dwakka sped up, churning white froth as it left fresh water and entered the salty north seas.
“Fall in behind her until Ferdi gets here.” Silver tightened her grip on Hiyyan’s mane and pressed low against his scales. Her furs flew behind her as they turned and picked up speed.
“Gggeerrrrgh,” Hiyyan growled, his snout pointed at the Dwakka, the air moving aside as he smoothly cut through it. Silver glanced to the south and squinted.
They’re almost here.
Ferdi’s blue riding suit wasn’t easy to spot against the lapis sea and sapphire sky. Hoonazoor raised her head, the sun glittering off her scales, and sent a song to Hiyyan. Silver’s Aquinder responded, and the air was filled with a strange melody. Hoonazoor banked away from the shoreline. Silver realized they were communicating their strategy through song.
She couldn’t keep a triumphant smile off her face. “We have her n—”
But when she looked down again at Sagittaria Wonder, the breath was stolen from her lungs. The champion water dragon racer was gone.
“No.” Silver leaned left to right, her heart as frantic as a wild bird in a cage. “Where did she go?”
Hiyyan let loose a howl of frustration and turned in a wide circle, searching the waves below them.
Under, Hiyyan bond-said.
Silver nodded. “They must be. Dove down, hoping we would lose sight of them. Hoonazoor won’t miss, though, once she gets here. Keep circling. Sagittaria, at least, can hold her breath for only so long.”
But after a few more minutes of circling, the Dwakka still hadn’t emerged.
“Where is she?” Ferdi yelled to Silver when they’d caught up.
She shook her head, feeling as if she had herd dung for brains for losing her target. “She disappeared.”
“It’s not your fault. These karsts offer all sorts of places to hide. But if she gets out to open ocean, she’s in for a shock. That’s my dominion,” Ferdi said with a determined look.
“I will follow her wherever she goes,” Silver said. “The open seas, your Island Nations, even back to Calidia.”
“Wouldn’t they love that,” Ferdi said. “Sagittaria leading you right into Queen Imea’s hands.”
Silver set her jaw determinedly. “She has something that belongs to me. And me? I have a duty. To Hiyyan. To…” She thought for a moment about what the four water dragons on the council had said: She didn’t fully understand heartstones … Her gift was rich, but challenging … She had to prove her loyalty to Hiyyan and also to …
“A duty to all water dragons.”
Ferdi raised his eyebrows. “That sounds intense.”
“Maybe it is. I’m not sure. I need the heartstone to help me figure it all out.”
Land, please, Silver said to Hiyyan.
The Aquinder pulled his majestic wings forward to slow their pace, swooped low, and landed on the surface of the sea with hardly a splash. As Ferdi fought back a shiver, Silver was glad Hiyyan was tall enough that she could keep fully out of the water.
They both turned toward the open seas and urged their water dragons forward. As they searched, every jumping fish, loping whale, and bobbing seabird made Silver’s breath catch in her throat and her hands urge Hiyyan to sprint ahead.
It was exhausting.
They were so far into the open sea, now, that they couldn’t see the coastline behind them or the island chain where Ferdi’s warriors waited in the distance. There was only an endless blue, a shade darker than the horizon itself, dotted with a series of dark triangular shapes in the distance.
“Flying desert dust! I can’t believe she got so far ahead of us.” Silver slammed her fist into her palm, anger just barely keeping her tears at bay. “I can’t believe I let her get away in the first place.”
“Stop that,” Ferdi scolded. “We’ll find her, and we’ll get your dragon heartstone back.” Ferdi pointed to the triangular shapes. “There’s an island ring not too far from here. Her Dwakka will need a rest after all this swimming, and that’s the only possible place.”
Ferdi trailed off, not voicing the condition they were both thinking: if she went this way. Silver frowned and shifted in her seat. Sagittaria Wonder could be halfway to Calidia by now, if she’d chosen a different direction. Silver shaded her face from the winter sun, which glared at her.
Steady, cold waves rolled on in their various shades of blue and silver as far as she could see. The enormousness of the seas thrilled her and reminded her of the expansiveness of the desert, but it was also unfamiliar to her. This was Ferdi’s home, and he understood the dangers of the waters: the creatures it contained, the way it could wear a person or a water dragon down until they found themselves stranded with no relief in sight.
Focus, Hiyyan bond-said.
Silver nodded. “Let’s go.”
Ferdi pointed Hoonazoor in the direction of the island ring. Hiyyan took to the skies once more. The morning sun skirted the eastern horizon low until early afternoon. Distances in the ocean were deceptive. What Silver thought would have taken only an hour or less took closer to three.
Finally, they reached the first island and circled it, searching for signs of life beyond sun-napping seals and raucous bird colonies. Skirting around the tip of an isthmus, Silver’s eyes narrowed and urged Hiyyan forward.
They reached a huge lagoon, ringed by more of the black-tipped islands, where Sagittaria Wonder floated, studiously looking from a piece of parchment to the island chain and back.
“Sagittaria Wonder!” Silver felt a rush of energy from her toes to her scalp as she yelled. “The dragon heartstone is mine!”
Sagittaria turned her Dwakka to face them, smirking. “You don’t deserve it.”
“It was entrusted to me. You don’t get to decide what to do with it.” Silver nudged Hiyyan forward again. Slowly. Carefully. We don’t know what tricks she’s hiding.
Sagittaria waited for Silver to approach. “Do you know how long I had to track Nebekker to find her stone? Years and years. And you lost your stone after one day. So careless.” Sagittaria opened her palm and tossed the heartstone lightly in the air, catching it again. “But I could have taught you to be responsible. In different circumstances, Silve
r Batal, you would have been a fantastic squire. Your single-minded drive to race water dragons sets you apart. Properly honed, you would have been a champion to rival, well, even me. It takes a certain temperament to care about nothing more than the race.”
“I care about more than racing,” Silver said.
“Do you?” Sagittaria raised an eyebrow. “Then you won’t care if I destroy the heartstone. You won’t understand or believe me, but it’s for the good of all water dragons.”
Confusion rippled through Silver like a gentle wave. The dragon heartstones helped water dragons. Nebekker’s helped heal Kirja. Silver’s allowed her and Hiyyan to communicate seamlessly. That meant humans and water dragons were one step closer to bridging the gap between their species.
How could something that could do such wonderful things be bad?
“We’ll never let you destroy it,” Ferdi said. To Silver, he said, “She can never take away all the things you’ve worked so hard for. She knows you will outclass her someday. She fears it. Wants to keep you from achieving the greatness you were meant for.”
Silver felt a delicate fluttering in her rib cage at Ferdi’s words. Sagittaria Wonder curled her lip.
“There are so many things children like you cannot understand,” she said. “But you should know this: Water dragons forever and always come first with me.”
“You always put yourself first,” Ferdi said. “In and out of the races.”
Sagittaria wrapped her fingers around the heartstone, while her other hand tucked the parchment away. She shrugged. “Believe what you want. I’m not in the business of changing your mind, little prince. I have bigger problems to solve. Four dragons’ worth.” With a whip of the Dwakka’s tail and a magnificent splash, Sagittaria and her water dragon disappeared under the surface once again.
“No!” Silver clutched Hiyyan. “After her!”
Just as smoothly as Sagittaria had, Hiyyan dove into the water. Silver held her breath as they sped toward a strange orange glow deep in the blackness of the volcanic island system. Bubbles raced for the surface as they zoomed to the bottom. Within seconds, Ferdi was beside her, Hoonazoor cutting through the water even more smoothly than Hiyyan.
Race for the Dragon Heartstone Page 17