Heart of Shadra

by Susan Faw

  “It’s not a good idea to fly back up there, Shikoba.” Sarcee shifted back into his bird form, perching on Obsidian’s neck bone in front of her.

  “We cannot hide forever. We must fly to get around. Unless you have a better idea, Sarcee, I think we need to get moving.” Shikoba waited for a space of a few seconds. When Sarcee did not offer any suggestions, Shikoba nodded. “Let’s go, Obsidian.”

  Obsidian, with a running start, launched into the air and a few powerful strokes later, glided back to the cleared landing of rock tower.

  Once back on the ground, Shikoba gathered up the errant knuckle bone, placing it back with the other objects, then folded the parchment, tucking it between the soles of the moccasins. She carefully re-wrapped the items, tying the string to secure the parcel’s contents. She shoved it back in the saddle bag then set about rebuilding the pyre, stick by stick, as she had been taught since childhood. Sweeping away the last of the ash from the previous night’s fire, she erased all evidence that they had been there.

  The sun had climbed to its zenith and began its slide back to the horizon, as they lifted in to the air. Obsidian was careful to keep low to the ground so as to cast as small of a shadow as possible.

  ***

  As the distant horizon swallowed Obsidian, a second dragon lifted off from the craggy shade of the tower and rose into the sky. A man sat on the back of the dragon, dressed in a form-fitting leather vest which bared thick upper arms, adorned with golden bands. Black leather leggings encased bulging thighs that gripped the saddled dragon, creaking slightly with the powerful thrusts of its wings. Draped across his broad shoulders was a royal purple cape that fluttered in the air.

  The dragon’s wings flashed in the rays of the sun, her black skin stretched between flight bones sparkling with tiny flecks of gold. A brilliant stripe ran down either side of her face, and her eyes were burnished flame. She roared, spitting fire that raced to the ground.

  “Easy, Mica, we will catch up to them.” The dragon swooped forward and raced after the trio, eager to keep them in sight.

  Chapter 3

  Foot Race

  “DID YOU SEE THE SKY LAST NIGHT? Just before dawn. I thought a falling star had tumbled from the sky. It was so bright I was blinded by it. Good thing I know the way back from the privy with my eyes closed.” The woman laughed, her voice betraying her youth.

  “The privy? I doubt it. I saw your man returning around the same time. If your mother finds out you are meeting…”

  “Shush! Do you want everyone to know? I told you to keep it a secret! Listen, we have plans. We are going to…” The voices faded away as Tesha swept the last of the dirt out the front door, holding it open for the two teenagers to pass her. They cast glares in her direction as though it were her fault that they didn’t know how to keep their voices down. The woman’s scowl promised retribution, warning Tesha with a glance not to repeat what she had heard. Tesha scowled then stuck her tongue out at the young woman’s back. She did not care who Csandi met in the woods. She was a silly twit who had not earned the right to a single braid yet.

  Tesha let the door swing shut behind her and leaned against the railing, watching a russet red chicken with teal wing feathers peck at the ground. A clutch of five chicks followed her, mimicking the hen’s movements, foraging for whatever they could find on the frozen ground. They were only let out of the hen house for an hour or two when it was cold. She would have to shut them away soon.

  For the fifteenth time, she checked the position of the watery sun. Deshi should be here soon, she thought. Then we can go see the dragon again! The dragon had filled her thoughts the entire day. A dragon! It sung to her mind and spirit. She could hear its croon even now. When the dragon had lifted its head and stared at her, she could have sworn it had tried to speak. But she had never heard of dragons talking. None of the stories said anything, other than they were fire breathers capable of burning down an entire village. But I swear she was trying to communicate with me.

  Tesha was startled out of her reverie when Deshi bolted around the corner of the teacher’s long house, running full tilt toward her. Spying her standing on the porch, he didn’t slow.

  “Tesha! Hurry. Come on!” he said and kept running.

  Tesha released her grip on her broom. It clattered down onto the wooden boards as she bolted after Deshi. Her hair streamed behind her as she flew down the path as fast as her feet would carry her, trying in vain to catch up with him.

  “Deshi! Wait!” she called to no avail. The shuddering shrubbery tossed snow onto the ground, marking his path. She followed, leaping over fallen logs and slipping on the snow-covered rock. His trail led out of the village and arced back toward the prayer rock where they had seen the dragon and her riders half a day earlier. “Deshi!” His head disappeared over a slight rise. Groaning, she pushed herself to run faster. She climbed the slippery hill and with a surprised “Oh!” skidded into Deshi, who had come to an abrupt stop, his hand held up to stop her. His eyes were fixed on the sky, where not one but two dragons flew. “Oh,” Tesha breathed, the words escaping her lips in a sigh of amazement.

  “I saw Casper’s dragon fly overhead, and all I could think of was how Shikoba was in danger. I had hoped we could reach her in time, to warn her.”

  “Do you think they saw the emperor’s dragon?”

  Deshi shook his head. “No. If they had, would they be flying now? Casper isn’t trying to get any closer. I think he is stalking them.”

  Tesha stared at the dragons. “We have to help them. They are flying into a trap.”

  “What trap is that?”

  She turned to Deshi, hands on hips. “You know very well what lies that direction. The salt mines.”

  Deshi groaned. “Don’t tell me you believe those rumours, too? Tales of land whales? Armoured monsters? Are you afraid of wingless birds that can fly? Oh and then there is my favorite, the screaming flame beetles?” He snorted a laugh. “How about the walking corpses?”

  Tesha shot him a murderous frown. “Just because you are too scared to actually go into the salt mines, you laugh at all who manage to escape and return? The traders were there, Deshi. What reason would they have to lie?”

  “They got lost underground, and the fumes addled their brains. I’m sure they believe every word they said. It doesn’t change the fact that they are barking mad.” Deshi refocused on the diminishing shapes in the sky. “Besides, who says I am too scared to go. Do you have your pack stashed like I told you?”

  Tesha smirked and walked over to the tree overhanging a portion of the path behind them. She reached up with her arms and grabbed a low limb then swung herself up onto the branch. She stood up and reached into the hollow crook at the trunk and pulled out a leather drawstring pack, then dropped it to the ground. “What, this pack?” She grinned down at him.

  “Excellent. Let’s go.” Deshi said briskly. He slid down a slight embankment then reached around behind a large boulder. He pushed aside a pile of branches and pulled out his own stashed pack. He swung it over one shoulder, then climbed back up to the trail. Both dragons had disappeared by the time he returned to the path. “We can travel until it gets too dark to see. That should give us a good start. Our parents won’t miss us until after midday. They will assume we are camping out again, practicing for our trials.”

  Tesha fell into step beside her brother, settling into the easy, ground-eating lope they had perfected. Their strides were even and strong. They could keep this pace up until dark and still carry a conversation.

  “Do you think they will stop for nightfall to rest? I mean, if it was me, I’d keep going and hide during the day.”

  “I sure hope so. A lot will probably depend on whether or not they know they are being followed. Casper has the advantage right now. I just hope we can reach them in time, to warn them.”

  “What if we are too late?” Tesha bit her lip with worry, casting a sidelong glance at Deshi. “Do you think they will believe me? About the monsters,
I mean. You don’t believe me.” Tesha watched his profile, waiting for the familiar smirk she knew would curve his lips. She was not disappointed.

  “Let’s leave the monsters out of it for now. The mines are scary enough. If they need further convincing, we can introduce your monsters.”

  “And Casper? What do we do about him?” She chewed her lip faster. “He’s a wizard. What can we do to help them if they are captured by a wizard?” This worried her more than she would admit to Deshi. She suppressed the shiver that slid down her spine.

  Deshi shrugged. “Who says he is trying to capture Shikoba? Maybe he just wants to talk to her. Besides, weren’t Shikoba and Casper best friends? That is what the elders say. Maybe he just wants to help her. I mean, how do we really know if the emperor is evil? Just because Mom and Dad say so, how can we be sure? The emperor has never even come to Shadra. He leaves us alone. Casper is only enforcing the laws set down by the Citadel. Does following orders make him one of your monsters?”

  “They are not my monsters.” Tesha let out a frustrated sigh. It was an old argument, one they had tossed back and forth many times. “We will see who quivers with fear when we catch up to them. I have no doubt we will find monsters when we get there. The only question is, what kind?” They ran in silence for a few moments then Tesha added, “The dragon, Obsidian, she tried to talk to me.”

  Deshi’s head whipped in her direction. “She did what?”

  “She tried to talk to me, to my mind. I’m sure of it.”

  “Do you have a death wish?” he asked, facing forward once again.

  Tesha smiled, a small private smile. It irked Deshi when she mentioned magic, and she loved getting under his skin. “Are you in training to be a warrior or not? For me, the sooner I can face my monster, the better. I will prove that I am capable of wearing an elder’s robe, just like Shikoba.”

  “Shikoba never wore the robe. She was stolen away before her trials were finished. Only Casper finished that year,” said Deshi.

  “So? She would have won. Casper wouldn’t have survived the first night. I do not believe he slayed the sabretooth. I think he lied.”

  Deshi snorted. “It was a werecat, not a sabretooth,” he corrected. “You think a woman can slay a sabretooth?” He laughed.

  It was Tesha’s turn to scowl. “Any time you want to take me on, just say the word. Brains will win over brawn every time.”

  “The time approaches. We will face the trials together. But first, we need to catch up to those dragons.” Deshi tossed a grin at Tesha, and then he sped up. Tesha lengthened her stride to keep pace.

  Chapter 4

  Obedience and Loyalty

  CASPER SCOWLED AT THE LAND undulating below him. The tundra was still locked in the grip of winter, a winter that had lasted a lot longer than expected. By the angle of the sun, the first signs of spring should have been evident, but no life stirred in the soil. He hated the tundra. He hated his home province of Shadra.

  Casper had returned from his training in the Citadel a changed man. Gone was the flabby, soft child he had been. Hardened by the intensity of the simulations and his mind widened by his experiences in other provinces, he was the emperor’s man, through and through. Now, having returned to Shadra at the command of the emperor, he saw his kin as children. Weak and simple, they did not understand the grand purpose of the Citadel or its commanding presence on the world stage. His tribesmen saw only the immediate concerns of Shadra and were consumed by them. They quarreled with the Citadel and with each other on how to save the land, but what they didn’t understand was that Shadra wasn’t worth saving. Frozen half the year and a mosquito-infested quagmire the other half, Shadra was a good place to be from, a good place to leave behind.

  Shadra had but one redeeming quality, something that was of crucial importance to the Citadel and to the emperor. The salt mines of Pangolin. For the last few years, he’d been building the work force needed to operate the mine. Originally a location of religious significance to the Shadrian, travelling to the mine had been a rite of passage for many warriors. It was considered a quest of the greatest significance, to hunt the sea dragons that were said to patrol the salty waters. But it was only Casper who had realized its true significance. He’d shared his knowledge of the salt swamps and mines with the emperor, and Madrid had immediately seized on its importance. As a Citadel-trained wizard, Casper had access to knowledge that would be lost on his countrymen. Salt was as close to a pure element as any to be found and was the base of many a spell and potion. Of course, Emperor Madrid had known of the mines but not all the kinds of salt that could be found there. Sharing the information had resulted in Casper being elevated above the other heart bearers in status. He’d become the emperor’s right-hand man at the moment. But the emperor’s favour was a fickle thing. Madrid believed that by keeping his wizards vying for his attentions they would be kept eager and striving to secure a permanent place at his side.

  Established as part of the peace accord after the Great Purge, each province was to freely give of their wealth to the Citadel, and the Citadel promised in turn to maintain the peace between warring neighbours. Until now, it was left to the provinces to choose what to send to the Citadel. The tribute of salt had been established as part of Shadra’s annual gift. But the tributes had been in steady decline for years and none more obvious than in Shadra.

  Shadra had never sent their most precious salt. Inky black, the Shadrian called it Pele salt, after the sea monster Pele Pogo. The traditional story said that Pele salt was formed in the breath of Pele Pogo.

  To curb the decline, quotas had been expanded by imperial decree. Emperor Madrid’s heralds descended on every major town in every province to read the directives to the people gathered in the main square. Once read, the missives were posted inside of weatherproof cases for all to see. The quota of salt required from Shadra had quadrupled. Many of the towns had rebelled, citing dwindling ponds and an aging population that could no longer work the long hours required to chip the salt from the mines. Instead, they had sent half of the tribute. Furious, Madrid had recalled Casper from his duties in Tunise and sent him home to bring the Shadrian people under control. Not long after Casper’s arrival in Shadra, he heard the rumours circulating. He heard one whispered rumour of a plan to cut the tribute completely. How they thought this would help Shadra, he couldn’t fathom. It would bring disaster to a province already dying and make his former people homeless in a desolate and desperate land.

  The Shamankas lies in this direction. Do you think they seek your mother? Mica spoke through the bond, interrupting Casper’s muddled thoughts.

  Yes, that could be their destination. Shikoba would remember her. But my mother is dead. She was destroyed long ago, thought Casper.

  Are you sure? If she’s alive, can she be of aid to them? She may still be a threat. I know you still have feelings for this woman. Let us confirm if she is still alive. I will dispose of her if you wish. Emotions washed through the bond from Casper to Mica. Anger, confusion, and buried beneath it all, a tender spot that felt like love.

  Casper squashed his feelings and steeled his mind. A blast of cold skittered across their combined consciousness. I will do what needs to be done, Mica. If she still lives and for some reason I cannot do what needs to be done, you can have the honour of destroying the emperor’s sworn enemy. But not until I have determined that it is time. Understand? You will not harm her except on my command. That goes for those we chase, too.

  I understand. So, what is your plan?

  Casper stared blindly off into the distance, considering their options. Can you get us to the Shamankas residence before them? Assuming they stop to hide in the daylight, could we get ahead of them? We could lay a trap for Shikoba and her dragon.

  I don’t think we could arrive far enough ahead to be of use. And if they spot us, they might abandon their destination. I think we would be best to follow them as we are. I can sense the dragon. I will be able to find her if she changes c
ourse, said Mica.

  Can she sense you, too?

  Yes, I would think so. But unless she is used to tracking dragons, she will only sense that one is nearby. She will not be able to pinpoint our location. Most dragons track by sight. Because I have seen her, I can interpret my senses to know where to find her. She has not seen me, yet, which is why I counsel against moving ahead of them.

  Casper weighed the options in his mind. If we cannot set a trap in advance, then we will surprise them once they are on the ground at their destination. Their focus will be on the Shamankas, and they will not be expecting pursuit so soon. We could shock them into panicking. We can end this incursion immediately. The emperor will be pleased. He may even make me one of his favourites. He has been searching for a new adept to train to rule at his side. Madrid is a great wizard. It would be an honour to permanently serve beside him, said Casper.

  Mica did not respond. The silence stretched between them like warm taffy, sticky and sickeningly sweet. Finally, Casper broke the mental silence. You do not like the emperor?

  The emperor is my master. We must obey.

  But you do not believe he is destined to rule Gaia? You do not believe in his mission of peace? To erase war from the world? I sense that you are displeased. Be careful what you think, Mica. It is treason to harbour evil thoughts of the emperor, warned Casper.

  The emperor is my master and I obey, she repeated. My desires are secondary to his command. All other considerations are irrelevant. I will do as he decrees, as will my Dragonmerger, Damas, said Mica, her thoughts an echoing rumble in her throat.