Furthermore, I saw no signs of houses nor any type of abode. I even looked at the sides of the hills to see if there were cave-style houses like the people of Frokontas used, but there was nothing. In front of us, Nenno and Fox looked to be faring not much better.
“We are too high up!” I shouted to Ash. “Go lower!”
No sooner had I spoken than he dropped into a swoop again, this time not leveling out until his feet grazed the fast-flowing water of the river.
Ash flapped his giant wings and skimmed the river beneath us as I kept an eye out for houses on the banks at either side. After ten minutes of this, Nenno swooped down to meet us. Ash veered right and landed on the river bank beside him.
He roared something to which Ash nodded in reply. When Nenno took off, Ash followed behind. Fox soon joined us as we headed back to the mountains and our group. Without knowing what Nenno had said, I could only hold on and wait until we were back with the others. Everyone had managed to cross over the top of the ridge and were now making their way back down the other side. When the three dragons landed, I hopped down from Ash’s back and joined the group, waiting as they turned back into their human forms.
“Did you see the village?” asked Spear. Behind him, my father arched a brow, silently asking the same question.
“I didn’t see anything, but I think Nenno did,” I answered truthfully.
Two minutes later, the boys appeared fully dressed.
“What did you see?” my father demanded brusquely.
Nenno ignored his rudeness. “I saw the village in the valley,” he said, pointing toward the horizon. “But it’s too far to walk in one day, and even if we could walk that fast, the terrain is too difficult to walk over. We are going to have to turn back.”
Chapter Five
I could already feel tempers flaring before anyone spoke. It had been a difficult journey up the mountain. We couldn’t turn back now. The three groups were hardly the best of friends, but at least they were talking to each other. Once we were back down the mountain, I had a feeling that our new found truce would crumble after our fruitless adventure.
“So we don’t walk!” I said before my father had a chance to speak.
“Are you suggesting we fly?” asked Spear, casting an eye over the large group. “It’s going to take a long time to transport everyone down there one by one. It’s going to be tiring, too. There’s a lot of people and only a third are dragons.”
“Not strong enough to carry two people on your back, then?” my father said condescendingly.
Spear bit back. “You wanna try carrying two people on your back and walking down the mountain?” argued Spear.
I got between the pair of them. “Actually, if we go my way, no one will have to carry anyone on their backs. Look down there.”
I pointed down to the beginning of the valley. The waterfall had created a large pool filled with clear water which overflowed into the river that wound toward the horizon. At the edge of the pool was an old boat. I’d spotted it earlier when we flew above it, but it was only at this angle I could see exactly what it was. It wasn’t the biggest boat, but if we squeezed in, and the dragons flew ahead, we’d probably manage to fit the Slayers and Wolvren on board.
“The river can carry us.” I gave the two men a satisfied smile and started down the steep path into the valley. I felt someone take my hand and turned to see Ash walking beside me.
“If it wasn’t for you, those two would have killed each other long ago. They are worse than children.”
I nodded. “Neither of them is used to letting other people be in charge. Once we sort this out, I’m hoping they become more civil to each other. I can’t be there, stopping them fighting forever.” I sighed at the thought of it. Maybe I’d been too optimistic when I thought that all the tribes could get on together.
I cleared my mind of the past and looked out over the beautiful valley. Despite the bickering and the pain wracking my body, the view was enough to make me feel happy.
“If I could build a house right up here and live in it for the rest of my life, looking out at that view, I’d die happy,” I said, a smile on my face. The sun beat down, warming my face. Even the weather was better at this side of the mountain.
“If I lived in it with you, I’d die happy, too,” responded Ash. We needed no other words as we traveled down the dusty path. The pair of us was content to hold hands and enjoy the reprieve from the fighting. Even Spear and my father had quieted down.
It took us over two hours to get down to the lake, but we managed it without incident. The noise of the waterfall thundered in my ears as we hiked around to get to the boat. It was smaller than I imagined, but it was sturdy. The dragons waited as the others got in. When it was full, those left over had to ride on the dragons’ backs. I helped push the wooden boat out and watched as it drifted lazily in the current. The dragons changed into their dragon forms while the rest of us waited. I hopped up on Ash’s back, and the others—a mixture of Wolvren and Slayers—mounted the others. Nenno took the lead and we followed, flying in formation over the river.
Ash kept low, skimming his feet through the flowing water. My own legs were too short to reach, but the water looked so tempting I made a note to come back here one day and swim. I almost envied those who had gotten a spot in the boat. We swept past them as they lazily drifted downriver, letting the current pull them along.
Up ahead, Nenno flew higher as the river meandered through a canyon. This was the part of the journey he’d mentioned, the part that would have been impossible to climb. It occurred to me then that once we passed through, those on the boat wouldn’t be able to get back. Even with the pair of oars I noticed, the river was flowing way too quickly to row against it.
I tried shouting to Ash to turn back to warn them, but it was too late. We were already flying through the canyon. Behind us, the boat followed. We’d either have to somehow attach the boat to the dragons so they could pull it back upstream or we’d have to find another way back.
The canyon’s steep walls rose vertically up from the water’s edge, towering magnificently on either side. Ash banked quickly to the left as the river curved, and below us, the boat picked up speed through the shallows as the river became much more rapid. Another steep curve and the river straightened out. The banks became lower and lower until they formed beaches which turned into green meadows full of poppies and bluebells and other wildflowers. A group of wild deer, chewing on the grass to our right, ignored us as we passed, and up ahead, I finally saw the village that Nenno had seen. Nenno and Fox were already there, circling the small group of houses. Even from a distance, I could see how pretty the village was. Tiny white houses with red-tiled roofs dotted the riverbank. The main part of the village was to the right, with approximately twenty cute little houses, and to the left four or five more. A small, black metal bridge connected both sides of the picturesque village.
Great fields, separated by small wooden fences, surrounded the village on both sides, sweeping up into the nearby hills. As the village was so small, much smaller even than Dronias, I guessed that farming was the way the people here survived. Ash landed softly in what looked to be the village square, joining Nenno and Fox and the other dragons. I hopped down to join the Slayers and the Wolvren while the dragons changed back into their human forms.
“Someone should go to the riverbank to let the others know where we are,” I said, noticing that the view of the river was blocked by a number of houses.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” replied Morganna. “Your father isn’t going to be happy when he sees this place. It might be better to let them carry on drifting.”
I furrowed my brows, not quite understanding. “Why? What does this village have to do with my father?”
“Look around you.” Morganna waved her hand toward the surrounding houses.
They were beautiful, so much prettier than anything in my own village. Vibrant flowers grew in boxes at almost every window, although
many were overgrown with weeds threatening to take over. Why would they grow flowers and not bother to weed the flower boxes? It was then that I realized what Morganna meant. The village was deserted. Now that I’d realized it, it was hard to believe I’d not noticed straight away. It was eerily quiet and none of the chimneys were smoking. One of the nearby house’s front doors was hanging open. Inside, the room was bare.
I closed my eyes, wondering how my father was going to react. I didn’t have to wait long. As Spear and the other dragons emerged from one direction, now changed and fully dressed, the people from the boat came from the other.
“Where are the swords, then?” my father asked jovially, his loud voice cutting through the terrified silence.
Xander was the first to speak. As my father’s oldest friend, perhaps he was the only one that dared tell him. “The village is deserted.”
My father regarded Xander as though he was joking and when he saw that he wasn’t, cast his eyes around the small square.
“What?” asked Spear. “You are kidding, right?”
Xander shook his head. We all watched as my father went to the nearest house and kicked the door in. I wasn’t sure whether to be glad there was no one living there or upset by his rudeness. The inevitable roar came soon after.
My father barreled back out of the house, his face set in a menacing stare. “That’s it. I’ve had enough of this. You...” He pointed at Spear. “This is your fault.”
“Don’t take that tone with me. I didn’t make you come up the mountain.”
My father stormed across the square to Spear. “I was promised we would find swords. I was also promised we’d find a way to deal with them so my daughter wouldn’t have to mutilate herself to save your people.”
Spear puffed up his chest and raised his fists. My father took a similar stance. As he pulled back his right arm to take a swing, Alpha jumped between them, teeth bared.
“Why don’t we look to see if there were any swords left behind before we start punching the living daylights out of each other?” It was the most vocal he’d been on the whole trip.
When both men agreed and Alpha went back to Morganna’s side, I thanked him quietly.
“No problem,” Alpha sniffed. “I don’t want to be here any more than your father does, but I also don’t want to end up carrying bodies out of this place because they’ve beaten each other to a pulp. No wonder your people and the dragons fought a lot if they were all like those two.”
I had to bite my lip from laughing at his words.
“OK, everyone,” I shouted, “let’s split up. There are approximately twenty houses here. Less than one each. Dragons take the houses on the north side of this square, Wolvren, the houses to the south. The Slayers can check the houses over the river. We’ll all meet back here in half an hour.”
I hated separating us into groups, but it was the only way I could ensure no one started fighting while I was checking houses. Plus it meant I could keep an eye on my hot-headed father. He stomped across the bridge, sending reverberations back down to me at the back of the group. I hoped it held out long enough for us to check the houses and get back.
My father took the nearest house, and once again, bashed down the door. I hoped the entire village hadn’t just decided to go on a group vacation because they’d be coming back to trashed houses if they did. Jasper, Morganna, and Xander each took a house, which left me with the largest house and the one farthest away from the river.
Unlike my father, I knocked on the door and when it didn’t open I cautiously opened it. The front room was completely empty. No furniture, no belongings. If they had gone on vacation, they’d packed everything. Going from room to room, I found the same. All were bare. The only thing still there was an old bed frame with a broken leg, and even that didn’t have a mattress.
Whoever lived in this village left a long time ago, and it seemed that they took their swords with them. We’d not only wasted our journey, we’d added yet another problem we’d have to figure out. A problem that I’d have to figure out because if I didn’t, there was a real possibility the dragons’ souls would be trapped forever.
Chapter Six
I heard him before I saw him.
My father was cursing away, more than likely to himself. He’d found his house just as empty as mine. I couldn’t blame him. I was mad, too, and tired. Tired of it all. Tired of going from place to place and not finding what we were looking for. Tired of being lied to and manipulated. This whole quest had been a mission to nothing. All we’d done was waste time while the dragons’ bodies withered. I couldn’t even claim it a success on the building bridges front. The dragons and the Slayers hated each other more than ever. The Wolvren weren’t much better. Okay, they weren’t exactly argumentative, but they didn’t want to be involved and were only there because Alpha told them to. Alpha was only there because he was in love with Morganna.
Not only was I sick of going from place to place and not actually getting anywhere, I was also physically tired. My bones hurt from all the walking, the sleepless nights, and the weather.
After a final look around the desolate house, I opened the front door and headed out into the sunshine. As I had thought, my father was complaining to Jasper, who, in turn, was nodding his head. They both looked my way as I walked toward them.
“Don’t!” I held my hand up as I strode past them. I wasn’t in the mood. If they wanted to be angry, so be it. They could keep it to themselves. I was angry enough myself.
Neither my father nor Jasper spoke. Instead, they followed me back across the bridge. I was getting better at this being forceful thing.
As I walked into the town square, the others were already starting to appear from their allotted houses. It was apparent by the looks on their faces that they had been no luckier than us. Spear stood on the other side of the square, his face as dark as thunder, having a shouting match with one of the Wolvren who was waving his hands about. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I could guess. Everyone was tired. Tempers were flaring.
Sighing, I made my way across to them. So much for the wolves not getting involved. At least it wasn’t Alpha, who I could see just emerging from one of the houses empty handed.
“What’s going on?” I asked Spear, although it was plain to anyone what the problem was.
“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” shouted my father from behind me, almost knocking me out of the way on his beeline to Spear. “There’s nothing here,” he shouted at Spear, butting the Wolvren out of the way. “No swords. Nothing. I’m willing to bet that this was all a ploy to get me away from my village. With me all the way out here, your people will be able to sweep in and do what you want. You’ve wanted to destroy Dronias for a long time but you couldn’t, could you? So instead of fighting fairly, you got one of your pretty boys to seduce my daughter so she’d lead us on this wild goose chase halfway around the kingdom.”
A familiar figure shot past me before I had a chance to speak, and punched my father square in the face.
“Ash!” I shouted. He’d done no more damage than a split lip, but my father, who was twice his size, looked ready to punch back. I ran toward them but was too late. A couple of the other dragons had gotten there before me and were holding my father back. All around me, I heard shouts and threats as more and more people entered the fight. One of the dragons had accidentally hit one of the Wolvren and so now they had entered the fray, too. The tiny semblance of peace between the three groups had finally dissolved, and now all I could see was chaos.
“Stop!” I shouted, but my voice was lost in the ruckus. No one could hear me above the noise they were all making, and no one was interested in what I had to say, only too happy to finally let out their frustrations. I had half a mind to let them fight it out, but many of them were strong, and who knew what damage they could do to each other. I didn’t have it in me to organize getting thirty injured people out of here.
Morganna appeared at my side. Unlike me, she se
emed completely composed.
“What should I do?” I asked her, my nerves apparent.
She sighed. “This has been coming for days. I had hoped to get through this without any bloodshed, especially from our own, but years of tension are coming to a head.”
“Yeah, but they are going to kill each other.” I stepped forward, planning to go into the throng to try to stop it, but Morganna caught me on the shoulder.
“They are bigger than you and they are angry. I hate to say it, but there is nothing you can do without getting hurt yourself. We will have to leave them to it until they realize they are hurting no one but themselves.”
I agreed with Morganna in part. I wasn’t a match for any of them physically, but I wasn’t about to let them kill each other, not when we’d come so far. Scrabbling around in my bag, I found a box of matches for lighting cooking fires when Ash didn’t feel like turning into his dragon form. I struck the first and held it to the straw roof of the nearest house. Then I held the second match to another spot on the same roof, not stopping until the entire box of matches was spent and the roof was ablaze. I had no remorse for setting someone’s house on fire. No one had lived in this village for a long time and I couldn’t see them coming back any time soon.
I hopped up onto the wall of the village well in front of the burning house and shouted again, this time as loudly as I could. Whether it was my voice or the wall of flames behind me, I didn’t know, but within seconds, every single one of them had stopped what they were doing and were looking my way.
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