The dragon shifted. Faruz struck and pulled his arms back in. This time, the tree was quicker. The branch wrapped around his wrist and held.
Faruz dropped the sword. Pain exploded from his weak leg as the straps broke loose. A heartbeat later, he hung by his arms above the clearing. Pain seared his shoulders. The trees lowered him slowly to the ground.
“You must be faster.” The words vibrated through the branches binding his arms. “Your enemies are more than human. You must work until you can strike them down without endangering my loved ones.”
His feet touched the ground, and the branches released him. “Now, do it again, better this time.”
Gamne landed in the clearing, and Faruz pulled a new strap from his pack. Once he’d remounted the dragon, the exercise began again.
The day’s cold faded with the day’s work, and Faruz concentrated on increasing his speed. He and Gamne made three more passes before the branches caught him again.
“Better, but not good enough,” the wind taunted.
Faruz rubbed his arms when the trees set him down. This time, he’d left the straps a bit looser, so he hadn’t snapped them when the Bokinna caught him. He climbed back onto Gamne and braced himself for another swipe.
On the next pass, he leaned forward, letting the straps alone hold him on the dragon’s back, and snapped the weapon back as soon as it made contact.
“Yes! That’s how you do it!”
The Bokinna’s enthusiastic encouragement spurred him on, and he did the same thing the next three times.
The branches didn’t catch him again.
After an hour, he leaned back and signaled Gamne that he needed a break. The dragon set him down on the pebbled ground beside the river, and Faruz staggered to the swirling eddy at the river’s edge. He cupped his hands in the icy water, drank deeply, and lay back on the cool ground. His whole body hurt. Exhaustion tugged at the edges of his mind, lulling him to sleep under the afternoon sun.
“All right. That’s enough of a break. Do it again.” The Bokinna’s breathy voice broke through the haze of sleep.
The sun had barely moved in the sky. His nap had lasted less than an hour, he’d guess. Faruz sat up, ate a bit of jerky, and climbed back onto his dragon.
He and Gamne made eight more passes, each quicker than the one before. By the time they finished, Faruz’s muscles screamed for a rest and his vision blurred from sweat dripping in his eyes. The Bokinna called an end to the day’s practice, and Faruz slumped over Gamne’s neck and stared down into the forest as the dragon lifted them into the air.
Too numb to think, Faruz just stared at the barren trees in the fading daylight. Below, something orange fluttered in the wind. It didn’t behave the way a leaf or a vine would, and its alien-ness drew Faruz’s attention. He nudged the dragon downward, drawing on the communication techniques he’d learned. They looped around, circling the orange flutter, until they drew close enough that Faruz could make out a man’s shape among the naked limbs of a tall shadow tree.
With a tug on the straps and a nudge of his knees, he signaled Gamne to drop closer to the flapping cloth. They dropped, closer and closer. When they were near enough that Faruz could almost reach out and touch the brilliant orange fabric, Faruz almost fell off the dragon in surprise. There, clinging to a branch in the tallest tree, was Serik. Blood loss had blanched his skin a terrifying white, but he clung to the branch with a desperate strength. Faruz drank a vial of the tincture, certain he would need the seeds’ power to get his friend to safety.
Gamne landed beside the tree, and Faruz scrambled up the branches. As he climbed, he considered how to get the elderly servant down safely. When he reached Serik’s branch, the old man had his head turned away from him.
“Serik? Are you all right? How did you get all the way up here?” Faruz gently prodded Serik’s shoulder.
“I am… not quite well, but better than I was. I don’t recall how I got here, and I have no idea how to get down.”
“Do you think you have the strength to hold onto me? I can carry us both down if you can hold onto my back.”
“I… I don’t know.” Serik sucked in a noisy breath between his teeth. “I guess I can try.”
Faruz shimmied onto Serik’s branch and put his back to the old man. Power pulsed through his arms and legs as the tincture took effect.
“I don’t think I can hold on,” Serik said, his frail voice cracking at the effort.
Faruz focused all his strength on a gentle touch and used one hand to hold Serik’s hands. With the other hand and his Kurim-enhanced legs, he could lower them down the tree.
He thought… He strained for the next branch.
He might just be able to… Rough bark peeled the skin from his hands. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the wintry wind.
He couldn’t hold the branches and Serik. Once he’d struggled almost halfway down the tree, he let go.
Serik’s hoarse scream pierced Faruz’s ears as they fell. The wind rushed past his face, icy on his sweat-soaked skin. Faruz pulled his legs up beneath him and braced for impact.
The tincture strengthened him more than he expected, and Faruz landed softly on the moss-covered ground. He fell to his knees to help soften the blow for Serik. His boots and knees left deep impressions in the soft earth, but he and his passenger were unharmed. Faruz focused on his every movement and swung the old man to the ground. What little color had been in Serik’s cheeks had fled in the descent.
“Are you all right? That was a tough drop.”
“I… I think so.” Serik dropped his watery blue eyes to his hands, examining their wrinkles in the dim light of the forest. “Yes, I think I’m quite fine. Well done.”
Relief slumped Faruz’s shoulders. “Can you climb onto Gamne?”
Serik sat unmoving, staring up at the massive dragon. His mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound came out.
“That’s all right. I’ll help.” Faruz stood and brushed the leaves and debris from his knees. He helped Serik to his feet, but the elderly servant wobbled alarmingly.
Faruz wrapped an arm around Serik’s waist and helped him to the dragon. He paused there, trying to decide on the best way to get Serik onto the animal’s back.
“I help?” Gamne rumbled.
“Of course!” Faruz flushed, embarrassed that he hadn’t considered asking the dragon for assistance.
Gamne stretched his long neck around and grabbed the back of Serik’s shirt between his sharp teeth. He hefted the old man onto his back as if he weighed nothing at all, and Faruz scrambled up after him. Working quickly and silently, Faruz strapped Serik onto the dragon and settled himself behind the old man.
“All right, we’re ready,” he said when he had hold of the straps.
Serik wobbled throughout the short flight home, but Faruz held him tightly. When Gamne descended toward the stream, Faruz nudged him onward.
“Take us to the village. You can land there.” Gamne looked back and rumbled out his concern but followed his partner’s instructions.
At least two dozen people stopped to watch the large, thorned dragon land on the Square, but others continued about their daily business.
The moment his feet hit the wooden walkway, Faruz started shouting for Valasa. The Gadonu came running, saw Serik’s pale form, and hurried to help Faruz get the old man off the dragon.
Together, Faruz and Valasa half carried, half supported Serik to the Gadonu’s house. The housekeeper held open the door and they moved directly to Valasa’s study.
They laid Serik on one of the narrow tables lining the windowed wall, and Faruz backed away. Serik had gone deathly pale. His breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. His eyes were closed, and his face was completely relaxed. Valasa moved over the old man, poking and prodding gently but confidently.
“Is he going to be all right?” Faruz whispered.
Valasa pressed his fingers to the inside of Serik’s limp wrist and paused there. “I think so. I think h
e just needs time and rest now.” He set down the arm. “Let’s get him settled in the hall bedroom where I can keep an eye on him.”
Together, they lifted the frail old man and carried him down the hall. When he was tucked into bed and sleeping peacefully, Faruz turned toward home. He needed some quiet time by the fire with his wife to process everything that had happened.
13
Traveling
At the end of the second night, Aibek struggled to find a safe place to spend the daylight hours. The grassy hills southeast of Xona held few places where he could conceal a single dragon, let alone eighteen of them. Even if they resembled great piles of wood lying on the ground, they’d stand out in a place with no trees. Aibek worried that other travelers might approach to try to take what they thought was firewood.
Aibek and Marah flew ahead of the others, scouting for someplace they could hide. His tired eyes roamed the landscape below, searching for any ravine or depression that could protect them. Tukanli chirped and dove toward the ground, and Gworsad followed at a breakneck pace. They landed beside a tall hill, and Aibek and Marah climbed off their dragons.
“What’s that?” Marah’s voice quivered, and Aibek followed her gaze.
A narrow cave opened beneath the hill, barely visible in the tall grass.
“Let’s check it out. Maybe it’s bigger on the inside.” She held up a lamp and Tukanli breathed a tiny flame onto it.
“Hold on,” Aibek drew his sword. “Let’s make sure it isn’t already occupied. This area used to be known for bandits and thieves. Let me go first.”
“Why, so you can trip in the dark? I’ll go first with the light.”
Marah held the lantern out to the side and stepped into the cave. Aibek followed a step behind, his sword ready.
The ground fell away, sloping steeply down into the hill. When Marah swept the light in a circle, Aibek grinned. The mouth of the cave concealed a network of long, wide caves that could easily conceal their dragons for the day. They listened for long moments and heard nothing but the faint sound of water dripping somewhere in the distance.
“Let’s get the others.” Marah turned back to the cave’s mouth and froze.
Aibek followed her gaze, stepped in front of her, and held his sword up, ready to strike.
At the cave’s entrance, blocking their escape, stood six broad men wielding swords and axes. Each wore several heavy pouches on his belt and Aibek wondered how they had approached without his hearing them.
“Bandits,” Aibek muttered. “Perfect.”
“This is our place,” one man announced. “But if you give me whatever you have in that pack, I might be persuaded to let you leave here alive.”
“Of course, we’ll be keeping her.” Another man pointed to Marah and laughed.
“I don’t think so.” Aibek lowered his sword and watched the shadows moving behind the men. “I think you’re going to leave us in peace.”
“Really? And what would make us do that?” All the bandits laughed and raised their weapons. “That’s enough talk. Give me that pack and get out.”
The leader stepped closer, and Aibek raised his sword to defend. In the valley outside, a dragon rumbled and someone shouted.
“Oh, good.” Aibek grinned. “The others have arrived.” He turned to the men, lowered his sword, and laughed. “I’d say you should probably be going now. This cave is perfect for our needs.”
“Others?” The bandit leader shifted his weight and turned to peer out of the cave. He drew in an audible gasp and slapped at the man beside him. Both dropped their weapons and ran out into the night.
The rest of the bandits, clearly confused by their bosses’ retreat, strolled to the entrance to see what horrors hid in the night. They, too, dropped their weapons and fled.
The last man out of the cave paused and bowed slightly to Aibek. “Sorry to have bothered you, sir. I hope there won’t be no hard feelings.” And he ran away in the direction the others had gone.
Aibek laughed and stepped out of the cave. All twelve dragons had landed in the valley. About half the riders had climbed down, while the other half sat atop their partner dragons and waited for the order to dismount. What a sight they presented to anyone not prepared for them. Aibek imagined the bandits running to a neighboring village and trying to tell someone what they’d seen. No one would believe them. And they’d be arrested on sight if they showed their face in town, so Aibek shrugged. They wouldn’t be back.
“All right.” Aibek raised his voice over the howling wind. “The sun’s coming up. We’ll sleep here today. There’s room inside for all of us.” Snowflakes swirled in the gray light and Aibek led the way back into the cave.
“I don’t think we can risk making a fire,” Aibek said when they’d all settled in. “But perhaps our friends will warm the place up a bit?”
Gworsad rumbled and dipped his head. The men and women backed away and watched, captivated. None of them had gotten used to seeing the dragons breathe fire, though Aibek was thankful for the heat they could provide.
Three men went with Marah to hunt for some fresh food, and the others stretched and paced about the cave. A handful of warriors took lanterns and headed off to explore the deeper tunnels and caverns. Vayna stepped up beside Aibek at the entrance.
“Do you think we should assign a watch?” The large warrior stroked his beard and watched the swirling snow.
Aibek nodded. “It would be a good idea. I don’t think those bandits will come back, but we should be ready just in case. They’re not the only ones in the area.”
Vayna pulled out a bit of parchment and a pen. He’d devised a way to keep track of watches so no one could claim they stood more than others. “I’ll go first, and I’ll give Bartel and Dorrel the later watches.”
He scrambled away to inform the men of their assignments, and Aibek leaned back against the hill’s soft grass. The turbulent air felt almost warm compared to the biting cold wind on the dragon’s back. His stomach snarled, and he leaned his head back and gnawed off a chunk of jerky. The dried venison had little flavor, but it would satisfy him until the hunters returned with fresh meat.
Two more nights passed, with the dragons traveling in the dark hours and hiding in caves during the day.
The third night, the city’s lights shone on the horizon. Aibek angled closer. He longed to catch a glimpse of Xona, but he wouldn’t risk flying directly overhead. Instead, he kept the dragon high in the air and flew as close to the wall as he dared, close enough to see the red Xona City Guard uniforms on the men atop the walls.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” he muttered. “Of course, they wouldn’t have killed all the city’s men.”
They glided past the farms surrounding the city. The air had grown warmer as they traveled north, and Aibek hadn’t needed his mask that night at all. He closed his eyes and reveled in the familiar smells of the plains.
When he opened his eyes again, the mines marked the ground below. “Just a little further,” he shouted to Gworsad. “The northern mines are abandoned. Have been for years. We can hide there.”
They landed a few minutes later at the mouth of a wide cavern. Huts and cabins dotted the valley around the mine’s opening. Mismatched stone walls jutted out of the rocky ground, topped by rusted steel roofs. Some had windows in the side and rear walls, but most had only one lookout opening beside the heavy iron doors. After so many months in the forest, the absence of wood felt foreign. Aibek tugged open the door to the largest building. The hinges screamed out their protest. Aibek cringed. The mines were supposed to be abandoned, but he didn’t want to take unnecessary risks.
He stood frozen, listening for any sign that the noise had alerted someone nearby. Nothing happened. The birds chirped, squirrels tittered, and other small creatures rustled in the tall grass.
“This will do,” he said at last, stepping into the small hut. A small iron table sat against the far wall, covered in a thick coating of dust. No other furniture adorned the bui
lding’s only room.
They explored the five buildings. Sturdy stone walls, rusted roofs with occasional holes, and heavy coats of dust lined each one.
“How will we use these?” Bartel asked, sweeping a stray lock of black hair behind his ear. “There’s not enough room inside to make them into barracks.”
Aibek nodded. “Have the others returned from exploring the mine shaft?”
“Not yet.”
“As long as the shaft is stable, we’ll use most of these for storage. I don’t know how long we’ll be here, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to try to make some extra weapons and stockpile some food.”
“And if it isn’t? Stable, I mean.” Bartel laughed, though it sounded forced to Aibek.
“Then we’ll pitch our tents and take turns sleeping in the buildings. I do want to keep one as a meeting space, though. Probably the biggest one. It’s the easiest to defend.”
“That’s smart enough.” Bartel pulled the comb from his hair and pressed it back into place, something Aibek had seen him do several times during their journey.
“We’ll need to give everyone jobs, too. Some will need to hunt. Others can gather greens and berries. Someone else can go to the stream over there and catch fish. And we’ll keep up Vayna’s watch schedule.”
“I beg your pardon, sir, but won’t you take one of the huts as your personal quarters? Our leader should have his own space, I’d think.”
Aibek shrugged. “I don’t outrank anyone else here. We’re all members of the same division of dragon riders. Nearly all of us are mayors in our own villages. I think we’re pretty equal.”
“I don’t think so.” Bartel laughed again, and this time it sounded natural and cheerful. “You’re the one the Bokinna talks to. You’re the one who organized the dragon riders. You introduced the rest of us to those amazing animals, and you have the biggest, strongest dragon out there.” Aibek started to protest, but Bartel raised a hand. “And if that wasn’t enough, you’re the one who knows this part of the land. None of the rest of us have ever left the forest. No, sir, you are definitely the leader.”
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 70