First Flight

by Sarah K. L. Wilson

  And then something below us twitched.

  The Ifrits were waking up again.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It started small. A movement here, a twitch there, but the moment that the first Ifrit shook himself back to life and rushed forward, my heart leapt into my throat. They weren’t finished. Ending Iskaris’ reign had not been enough to stop them.

  What could we do now?

  I flashed into Savette’s mind so suddenly that I reeled from the shift. She was looking out over the fields, too. I watched through her eyes as the first Ifrit woke enough to launch himself at the soldiers still laying down their arms. Her gaze shot back to Starie, standing above her, a look of triumph in her eyes.

  “See?” Starie said. “Your pet has destroyed my pet, but it is of no concern to us. I have many, many pets.”

  “She’s not my pet,” Savette said through gritted teeth. “But you wouldn’t know that, because you don’t know what the word ‘friend’ means.”

  “It means nothing,” Starie said, her smile gone. “And now I’ll take your last pet.”

  She turned to Rakturan, a calculating look in her eyes, but Rakturan wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at Savette, his eyes full of love and confidence.

  “I knew who you were from the moment I saw you after the fall of Vanika,” he said to her. “Hasa’leen. The bringer of light. I knew that day what your fate would be.”

  “And you married me anyway?” Her voice was full of wonder.

  “Face me!” Starie demanded from the sidelines, but whatever magic she was using to fight them wasn’t enough to break their focus.

  “I love you, Savette Leedris. I love you as a woman and I love you as the Chosen One, the one who will save both our peoples. I’m not here to stop you. I’m here to help you.”

  “You’ve always been here to help me.” Her voice was adoring.

  “And I’ve always known what I would help you to do.”

  Her vision was blurry with tears, but I didn’t think she was sad. She was grateful and so full of love that it was flowing from her tears.

  He began to quote the prophecy that I thought was meant for me, but it was so obvious from his lips that it had always been about Savette. How could it not be?

  “But one shall rise,

  To stand in the place of the other,

  to bear the debt of nations,

  to give up the breath of life to dispel the dust of death.”

  “And that one is me,” Savette said.

  “Face me!” Starie screamed, breaking the tension of the moment, but Savette didn’t face her. Instead, she stood and Rakturan stood with her.

  The light they had been holding in their other hands faded out and they joined both hands stepping toward each other. I could tell he was about to kiss her before he did. I could almost feel her racing heart and the hope surging in her veins as she stood on tiptoe and leaned into his embrace.

  Light surged bright and full and I fell from her mind.

  I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the light where they had been standing only a moment before. It was so bright it burned my eyes. It was so bright that time seemed to stop – not just for me, but for everyone.

  And then, the two of them were rising up in the air, though nothing but magic seemed to propel them upward. As they kissed, power came up and through them and burst outward – so bright that it blinded me, but I refused to shut my eyes.

  Somehow, I could almost make out the pair of them locked in their embrace. And around them, Starie and her Ifrits burst into dust. Dust rained down everywhere and blew in the howling winds whipping up around them.

  When the light finally faded, the sun was coming up.

  I blinked rapidly, my eyes tender and sore from the light.

  There were no more Ifrits, though there was dust in the air everywhere and sweeping across the muddy fields. It had begun to snow while we were all frozen in place and everyone – humans and dragons alike – had an inch of snow on their heads.

  And out in the center of the battlefield where once there had been a garrison, between the two sky cities, a massive white statue rose into the air, twice the height of any dragon.

  I barely choked back a sob as the details of the statue registered. It was as if Savette and Rakturan had frozen in their last embrace, floating forever on the top of a swirling pillar of white stone.

  At the base of the statue, a white, glowing dragon shifted his weight slightly and the snow that had piled up on him fell free.

  Enkenay stood guard over his humans.

  Chapter Seventeen

  And then I did cry. I cried for my friend and her husband and for the hundreds of others who would wake up this morning with loved ones lost forever. And I cried for myself and the future I would never see.

  After what felt like a very long time, I pulled myself together enough to look around me.

  Silver dragons ringed the broken healing arches, their dragoons facing outward on guard for me. And inside the ancient circle stood a solitary man, his own sword drawn, his back to me.

  The gold and pink of the morning lit the edges of his figure, but all the rest was dark - as unknown as his thoughts. A long shadow clung to him, spilling across the platform.

  Leng.

  He hasn’t left you.

  Neither had Raolcan. My great dragon lay with his head nestled on his forepaws. He yawned dramatically as he spoke with his mind.

  Well, you are strapped to my back. I’d have to kill you to get you off and as much as I’d like to find a nice horse to eat, it’s not worth killing you for my appetite.

  Eventually, he’d stop joking about the horses.

  Stop being a fool and get down off my back and go talk to your husband.

  The best thing a girl can do, is listen to her dragon.

  I unbuckled my straps and slid down off his back and hobbled forward.

  All across the ruined valley, people were picking themselves up and helping those around them. Fires – tiny specks of light with plumes of smoke above them – were being lit and tents set up. As people everywhere did, the citizens of the Dominion were gathering themselves, counting their losses, quelling the tides of war.

  They’re your people now. Yours to direct and protect.

  I shivered violently. I was not ready.

  Fortunately, there were no eyes on me yet. I could see movement from the fields – movement in this direction – but everyone else was too far away to see how crushed I was by the burden of this crown. All the Silver dragoons had their backs to me. Their eyes were on potential threats, not on my weakness. Not on my hobbling, ridiculous self. Who would ever mistake me for a Dominar?

  Everyone. Everyone will see you as nothing but the Dominar from this moment on.

  I could throw the crown away – give it away. I could give it to Leng.

  It can’t be given. Not really. Such a thing is no gift.

  Can’t be stolen – you saw that with Iskaris. He made a terrible Dominar, not just because he was an evil man, but because he always knew he was a fraud. Why wasn’t he here leading his armies in the war? Why did he go north chasing after a whisper? He knew he had no right to lead.

  It can’t be thrown away.

  And the way our ancestors set it up, it can’t even be chosen or pursued.

  It can only be accepted. Can you accept it?

  I swallowed.

  And do you realize yet what the consequences will be if you do not?

  More war. More death. More evil.

  Yes.

  I had no choice.

  There’s always a choice, but sometimes there’s only one good choice.

  Then I would just have to find a way to make that choice.

  Leng still hadn’t looked back at me. He must hear me coming. My crutch tapped metallically on the ancient stones.

  I chewed my lip, trying to think of what to say. A thousand fragments came to mind from ‘It’s not my fault’ to ‘I’m sorry’ to ‘Do you hate me
?’ They were all terrible beginnings.

  So, I straightened my spine, and took the last step to stand side by side with him. I didn’t look at his face as I began to speak. I looked instead at the people pouring out of the twin sky cities on ropes and lifts or dragon-back, bringing – no doubt – medical supplies and blankets and food. I looked to them – my people, my life now – to find the courage for my next words.

  “When you thought it would be Shonan, you said you were used to the idea. You said it might even be fun to see him in secret, to sneak into his rooms, to be his eyes in the world beyond his palace.”

  He didn’t reply.

  “I didn’t have a choice, Leng. I could take up the helm, or let you and everyone else die.”

  Still nothing.

  “Don’t you think I’m as devastated by this as you are? Don’t you know that I still want that little farm and those dragons and a life with you?”

  The silence was so deafening that I almost glanced over to be sure it was him at all.

  “Is it impossible for you to accept me like this?”

  On an impulse, I dragged the crown from my head, letting it fall to the side in my free hand. I spun to look at him, my loose hair obscuring my vision as badly as my tears. My lower lip trembled uncontrollably. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to still it.

  A warm hand reached up, and brushed my hair aside, tucking it behind my ear. Leng’s face was suddenly so close that I could feel his warm breath on my cheeks.

  “Is that what you think, heart of my heart? You think it is impossible for me to love you as the Dominar?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “Never. I’ll die before I stop loving you. They’ll rip me to pieces and watch my heart stop beating and still I’ll want my life to be yours.”

  “Then why do you stand with your back to me?”

  A tear slipped from his eye, though the rest of his face was hard as stone. “The Dominar gives up all right to her life before. The Dominar has no family. Trust me! I of all people know that! The Dominar has no friends.” His voice was rock hard. “The Dominar has no husband.”

  I dropped the Dragon Crown, ignoring the clang as it hit the stones and grabbed his hand with mine. I was shaking from the intensity of the moment. My hand was cold as ice.

  “This Dominar does.”

  I stood up on tiptoes and kissed him gently, afraid he would push me away. His kiss was bittersweet, as if he were afraid it would end at any moment.

  “I plan to change a lot of things,” I said, drawing back so I could watch his eyes. “I plan to fix a lot of things. I hope that you’ll help me. I hope that you’ll stick by my side and help me know what to fix and how to fix it. And I hope you’ll do it as my husband. I made promises to you and a spiky hat doesn’t change any of them.”

  I tried to smile, but my lips were trembling so much that it was hard. What if he couldn’t take the burden of what I was thrusting on him? After all, I had wanted to give it away. What if he did, too?

  He looked up, finally and he smiled – a little mischievously. “It might still be fun to sneak a bit and meet in secret ...”

  I laughed and after a moment he joined me, and as we laughed together the tension melted away. His fingers entwined around mine and he leaned in so close that his cheek brushed mine and then his lips dragged gently across my cheek to find my lips and seal the promise.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The dragon throne was as intimidatingly large when seen up close as it had been when I’d seen it in my mind. I had not been able to climb it – not with my bad leg – and Raolcan had been forced to help me up. Perhaps it could be replaced with something practical.

  Don’t you dare. For once there’s a room that fits me and a chair that keeps you too high above the ground to get into trouble. I’m not losing that!

  He was sitting at the base of the throne as the last officials left the room. Seven days after the great battle and I still wasn’t used to being in charge. I still had trouble trusting the generals and administrators and dignitaries who had been happy enough to serve Iskaris just as they had Shonan.

  And with good reason. Traitor once, traitor ever.

  I’d been replacing them as much as possible with Lightbringers as suggested by Hubric, but too many of the Lightbringers had fallen in the war and there was no way to fully replace all the people who made me suspicious.

  We’ll just do the best we can.

  And we were definitely doing that.

  In the wake of the battle, we’d spent the first day establishing my authority and returning rule of law to the twin sky cities. It had taken longer to sort out the wounded, bury the dead, restore transportation and communication between the cities. And all of that had taken meetings. Meetings about food stores and fresh water, meetings about dwindling coffers and weakened fortifications, meetings about sending loyal Castelans back to their own cities to quell rebellions and return order. It would be years before we could restore the Dominion to what she had been.

  Restore? We’ll make her twice the land she ever was. Better than the days of Haz! With your crown and my mind ...

  Raolcan was still wearing those chains wrapped around his eyes. I thought they must be uncomfortable, but he wouldn’t budge on removing them.

  I earned them. I’m wearing them. They make me look terrifying. Did you see how the generals looked at me?

  Like a dog who hadn’t been housebroken.

  Like a dragon so tough he wears chains.

  Either way, my next meeting would be with Ashana. She was going to have to sort out Dragon School. In a perfect world, I would like to do that myself.

  You can only live one life at a time. And it will never be the same again, anyway. We have a new deal now with the Elders.

  A deal that meant only dragons who wanted to be at the school would arrive. And they would be involved in choosing their own riders.

  I could still remember how surprised I was when more Troglodytes crawled from the crack in the earth when the battle had finished on that strange pink and white morning. The first one had approached me on the ruins, his movements so slow that eventually, we met him halfway, and there, in the swirling snow as his brothers retrieved their dead, I returned the Pipe of Wings.

  IT IS DONE, CALLER.

  That’s all they said. And then they were gone, back down into the earth.

  But if they feel like it, they could come back.

  I hoped not. I hoped all would be peace between us now.

  It will be. If you make my mother happy, that is.

  I still felt queasy thinking about that part. Sometime soon I’d have to go back to the Dawn’s Gate and give an account to Haz’drazen and seal the deal between Dominar and Queen of Dragons. But not today.

  Today, I had an old friend to see before my next meeting.

  I’ll help you down.

  I let him lift me down off the ridiculous throne, glad that the dragoons pretended not to notice the indignity of it. Their eyes stayed ever forward, still as statues. I’d put Ralk up as second in command of them – at least I knew he had some morality – but all of them worried me.

  We’ll deal with that in time.

  I hobbled out of the throne room to the balcony beyond. My old friend Hubric was waiting for me there, looking out over the battlefield. The last troops of Baojang were still in sight as they marched away. Raolcan hadn’t been sorry to see them begin packing.

  I really do hate those Sentries. And I never even got to eat one. It seemed ungrateful after they fought with us.

  But I was surprised to realize that I was sorry that they were leaving. I looked to the white statue at the center of the valley. Even from here, it stood out. It seemed to almost glow, as the eyes of the two people immortalized by it had glowed.

  It had been just after the meeting with the Troglodytes that I insisted we go and look at that statue. I’d laid my hands on the base, wanting to feel where Savette had been. I knew she was gone. I knew she’d l
eft for us.

  Now, seven days after her sacrifice, it was even more clear what she’d done. Reports were coming in from around the Dominion. When she and Rakturan gave their lives in that last act of magic, it hadn’t been just these Ifrits that exploded into dust – it had been all Ifrits in the Dominion – maybe even in the whole world.

  The scourge was ended.

  I ordered a plaque to be put up at the base of the statue. Everyone should know the words of the prophecy she had so perfectly fulfilled. I still shivered when I thought of it.

  “Healing comes from the one who pays a steep price.

  In this, victory will begin to grow like the first sprout of a mighty oak

  And our hopes, bright as the dawn will rise over the horizon of our hearts.

  And the people will be free of terror and the nations of uproar,

  when the Chosen One brings truth to the heart of the Dominion,

  when the dominion of darkness comes to an end.”

  I had been standing there under the statue when Jalla flew down on Ahummal. There wasn’t even any point in pretending he was Renn’s dragon anymore. He was hers as much as Baojang was – everything that girl wanted became hers eventually.

  She leapt off the Gold with curt instructions to Renn. “Stay put.”

  Like with everything else that wasn’t currently interesting to her, Jalla ignored the cold. The wind whipped through her dark curls and billowed her fur cloak out behind her, but she didn’t try to draw the warmth of the cloak in, and she didn’t huddle against the frigid blast. She was as straight-backed and confident looking as if artists were about to paint her portrait for the generations to follow. Maybe they were. I’d been told that tiny watercolors and ink drawings of that moment where we met under Savette’s immortalized statue were already being sold on the streets of Dominion City. We both looked grander and more beautiful than we really were in the drawings, and the artists hadn’t included the thick mud climbing up our boots.

  We met under the statue, the wind blowing our hair into our eyes and the gaze of the armies on us. I knew how powerful the image was. Two rulers. Two nations. Meeting under the sign of sacrifice and truth. If peace could be found anywhere, couldn’t it be here?