Heart of Shadra

by Susan Faw

  The chasm twisted and curved in a path worn over a millennium of erosion. Obsidian growled with pleasure, enjoying the challenge of navigating the narrow passage. Even more exciting was the strengthening of the link with Shikoba. They were drawing closer to her with each beat of her wings. The chasm ended abruptly, and they shot out of the passage into an amphitheatre of stone. The twisting ribbon of water that had flowed at the base of the chasm dropped away, falling over the side into a seemingly bottomless pit. The depth of the chasm was shocking, considering that the water did not seem to fill the pit. Obsidian flapped above the yawning mouth, unsure what they should do.

  There is a small ledge on the far side, said Sarcee. Do you see it? You can set down there.

  Obsidian twisted her long neck, searching for the place Sarcee had indicated. Against the wall where they had just exited, a flat platform was detectable only due to the veins of pink onyx that ran through the stone, winking in the low light. Obsidian settled on the outcropping in the flurry of beating wings. Sarcee hopped off her back and immediately walked toward a dark opening that showed promise. Obsidian followed. In the shadow of a big overhang, they saw a cave and paused at the opening.

  “It is large enough for me go into, but you will not be able to manoeuvre within the confines of the cave, Obsidian. Perhaps you should stay here. You could become trapped or, worse yet, captured,” he said aloud.

  We cannot be separated. If either of us die, we both die. Obsidian huffed and steam rose from her nostrils as she sniffed at the air, searching for a dangerous scent. The tunnel reeks of humans.

  “I do not sense any dragons, though. Do you?”

  No, but there is something else. A scent I do not recognize.

  “All the more reason for me to check the cavern first, scout it out to see where it leads. I will transform into a rat. No one will suspect me.”

  I do not like it. But you are right. I will scout out the belly of rock here to see if there is another entrance. Be careful, Sarcee.

  Sarcee patted her nose, then, drawing on their combined magic, shrank into the form of a rat. Sarcee twitched his nose then raised a paw in farewell. I will be back soon. Maybe I will get lucky and find Shikoba. The link is certainly stronger. She must feel us near, too. If I get close enough, I will reach out to her with my mind. He turned and ran into the darkness vanishing from sight.

  Obsidian shuffled over to the wall of rock, eyeing the pink rock. It looked delicious. She ran her tongue over the vein, tasting it. It popped and fizzed and sizzled under her saliva and tasted utterly divine. Lips pulled back in a satisfied grin, Obsidian breathed on the rock, heating its surface. The slag melted away around the vein, exposing the delicious blush of onyx. She snapped off the exposed vein, crunching into the sweet core. She moved around the face of the rock, filling her belly. With energy surging along her veins and her hunger curbed, she turned away from the rock to study the abyss that yawned away into the darkness. The trickle of water that had accompanied them into the amphitheatre had grown in size. Obsidian’s head rose as she checked the heavens. It was late afternoon. Soon it would be dark. Her eyes swept around the amphitheatre. It did not appear that the water rose to the height of the ledge. There was a clear line about twenty human paces above the passage. If she was going to discover the depth of the hole below her, it had better be now before the ocean dumped its contents into the hole.

  With a roar and a gout of flame, Obsidian dove off the ledge and plunged into the depths below. She set a course that spiralled her down into the darkness, skimming over the walls as she descended. She kept up a steady stream of flame, illuminating the growing darkness as she descended. The walls were coated in vegetation. Seaweed draped from numerous locations on the wall, but it was not alive. Rather, it acted as a host to a large variety of parasitical plants that fed off the rotting vegetation. Vines twisted around the hanging detritus, their long tendrils curling into the air, reaching toward Obsidian as she swam past. She eyed the strange plant, wondering at its purpose. Curious, she snagged a claw into the next ringlet that stretched her way.

  Pain flashed up her arm as a bolt of energy seared along the nerves of her arm. The plant curled around her claw and snaked its way up her arm with alarming speed, stretching as she tried to back away. Other tendrils, recognizing prey, abandoned their search to focus on the dragon, making a beeline toward Obsidian. She roared with anger then shot a white hot jet of fire at the plant, reducing it to a smoking smear. The vine rope released her and dropped into the abyss. Furious, she moved into the center of the darkness and raked the walls with flame. The vines crackled, popping as the water in their veins boiled and burst.

  Rustling noises filled the silence, starting low then growing in volume until the chamber echoed with the sounds. Obsidian blasted another jet of light into the darkness. The bright flash illuminated a writhing, twisting fury of flailing tendrils, whipping about the cylinder. Obsidian dove straight down, weaving in and out of vines that sizzled with energy. One touched her tail. She roared again at the stinging touch. More reached for her, and she laid down a blast of flame that melted the grasping growth. She spiraled down, casting her fire in a vortex, but every time she paused to gasp for air and stoke the fires of her core, more tendrils touched her scales.

  It wasn’t just that she was bleeding physically, but that the plants were draining energy from her core where she created the combustion that fueled her flame. She could feel her fires dimming with each touch. Conversely, the plants grew faster, the touch swelling their stems and birthing new tendrils on the hardening core. Obsidian knew she couldn’t continue to be touched by the ravenous plants. She would be weakened beyond her ability to fight back. She increased the speed of her plummet into the pit, searching for a place to hide from the carnivorous creepers. Another vine touched her, this time on her head and she roared, blinded by the pain. The bottom of the pit rushed up to meet her. By the time her vision cleared, the collision was inevitable. She crashed into a muddy bottom covered by sea water. Water was flung into the air as she sank below the surface. The plants did not follow, and Obsidian swam below the surface, searching for where the water drained to when the tides receded.

  Shivering with nerves and residual pain, Obsidian felt the brush of Sarcee’s mind, filled with concern. She also felt a pulse from Shikoba, as though she was vaguely aware of her presence. The comforting presence strengthened her resolve. Obsidian shot a jet of hissing fire through the murky depths. She saw a hole in the rock directly ahead in the reflected light, and she shot toward it. It was a dangerous decision, as she could only hold her breath for so long before succumbing to oxygen depravation. Every use of her fire depleted her oxygen stores, shortening the time until she was critically low.

  Obsidian dove into the dark depths of the underwater opening and shot another thin stream of flame ahead over her to light the way. The cave was full of jagged teeth, glowing in the dark as she swam past. The cave elongated and twisted to the right then rose. She reached out and found she could grasp the rocks of the sloping floor easier than trying to swim uphill, something that was inherently difficult for a dragon. Scrabbling with her claws, she climbed up the steepening floor. The cave narrowed at one point, and she had to squeeze by the narrow opening. On the other side, she saw a shimmering surface. With the last of her strength, she forced her head above the water. Obsidian gasped in great quantities of air and crawled out of the water onto a sandy curve of shoreline in the underground cave. Her legs quivered as she sank down onto the sand, laying her head on the ground and panting. The sand swirled away from the puffs coming from her flared nostrils. The numbing touch of the plants had left swollen mounds all over her body. They itched and stung in equal measure. Her eyelids sank with exhaustion. Curling her tail around her body, she closed her eyes and slept.

  ***

  Casper dragged the two teens out from under the ledge and flung them bodily against the rock wall. Their heads collided with the solid surface, and they crumple
d to the ground. Neither stirred as he turned around. Naked anger filled his eyes, his face a blackened thundercloud. He trembled with fury. Lightning licked his fingertips.

  “How did they get down here?” Casper roared to the guards who had come running after hearing the disturbance. Ten guards dashed around the corner, brandishing swords and double-bladed axes. They filled the hallway wall to wall. The lead man halted short of the angry wizard, attempting to maintain a safe distance while still obeying the implied order to investigate the disturbance. “No one is to know of this level of the mine, so I repeat, what are they doing down here? Answer me!”

  “Sir, we did not see them enter. They did not come through the checkpoints. They are manned day and night. There is no way they could pass.” The one who spoke was the captain of the mine guards. Tall and white-haired, he had the gaunt features of one who had spent too much time in the dark. “Forgive me, but they are children. Perhaps they escaped one of the crews? We will question them for you and find out what they know.” He took a hesitant step forward and was halted by the lethal narrowing of Casper’s eyes.

  “You are also where you should not be. That was a mistake, Captain. My exact orders were that no human eyes but mine were to lay eyes on what is in the lower caves. For that and for the presence of these children, you will be punished.” Casper raised his hands and lightning shot from his fingertips, a bolt for each man. The lighting stabbed into their chests. They fell, dead before they hit the ground.

  Casper bent over the bodies of the two children, checking for pulses in their necks. They still breathed. The girl was dressed in cook’s scrubs and had a bruise on her temple but otherwise seemed unharmed. The boy was dirty, his clothing ragged and torn. Dirt crusted under his finger and toenails. His feet were bare. Blood oozed from his nose, which was bent to the side, obviously broken. Casper muttered a spell, and the bodies rose into the air, Then with a twitch of his fingers, they bobbed toward him. Casper stepped over the bodies littering the corridor and made his way down the passageway, the limp children bobbling along behind him like feathers in the wind. They followed him when he took the right fork twisting slightly in the breeze that flushed the tunnel with fresh air.

  Casper took the curving staircase that wound down to the cavern below, normally hidden from prying eyes by the guards above. Someone was curious about their find in the deep recesses of the mine. Perhaps it was an innocent curiosity and perhaps not. He was going to figure it out, though. There was no room for errors, not this late in the game.

  Chapter 23

  The Stairs to Nowhere

  THE ROPE TIGHTENED under Marsai’s arms, eliciting a grunt. The scree on the rock face was hazardous underfoot, and she had lost count of the number of times she would have plummeted to her death had it not been for Chutzpa’s rock-climbing skills. The makeshift harness worked like a charm. With a grateful sigh, she placed her cold feet on the solid ground of the chosen ledge. Chutzpa let out a little slack, and Marsai pulled the harness over her head and secured the line by tying it around a rock at the base, snugging the knots tight with the twists and folds he had taught her. She tugged at the rope then gave him a thumbs-up signal that all was secure.

  They had decided to try the descent in the early morning, when shadow lay against the face of the escarpment, but the early light illuminated enough of the immediate area to find foot and hand holds. Chutzpa had convinced her that she should go first, as he needed to set the lines as they went and she could secure the bottom of the rope while he set the return belays in place. Marsai lifted her hand and shaded her eyes, squinting to see past the gloom. She heard a scraping sound, and the rope tightened. She sat down on the rock as instructed, in case the rope loosened. This way she would feel it slide and be able to grab it before it totally got away. Marsai peeked over the edge of the ledge. It was still a long way down, and a fall from her current height would still be deadly. She dragged her eyes away from the edge, taking a deep breath to steady her fear. She didn’t like heights.

  The rope jerked again, and she heard another pinging sound, as Chutzpa set the next pin. He moved swiftly through the holds, much faster than her descent had been. In short order, he dropped the last foot to the ledge. He pulled his rope off and set it aside waiting for the return trip up the rock, should they need it.

  “That was the worst of it. From here on, we will take the trail to the left.” He coiled the rope, stepping carefully over it to stand beside Marsai. “Do not be concerned. If the animals can navigate the trail safely, so can we.” Marsai frowned at him then studied the small passage that led away from the shelf. It was barely a foot-length wide, which meant they had to travel single file. “Grab on to the scrub brush as you pass. It will steady your footing. But don’t pull on it or use if for leverage in any fashion. It may pull away and then you will be off balance and could fall. But if you grasp it lightly, it will be fine. Here, watch me.” Chutzpa walked ten paces out along the path then turned and walked back, lightly running his finger along the scraggy brush growing in crevices of rock and scree. “Ready to go?”

  Marsai shrugged and got to her feet. “I think I should go first and then you can catch me if I slip.”

  “I was going to suggest that. Ladies first.” He smiled encouragingly, offering his hand to help her up. She placed her hand in his and then preceded him out onto the snaking trail. She moved slowly at first, feeling her way with her feet. When the rock remained solid under her boot, she gained confidence and moved at a quicker pace. Neither of them wanted to be caught on the cliff side when the full light of day flashed onto the face. Chutzpa watched their back trail and occasionally glanced at the sky, checking to see if they had been discovered. All remained silent, other than the occasional rumble of a wagon moving down the switchback. The metal rims of the wheels clanged on the rough paving of the road and the wagons creaked. Sporadic squealing filled the air when the driver applied the brakes.

  An hour later, they reached level ground. Chutzpa wasted no time in leading Marsai out onto the rolling plain. The wagons were little more than dusty smudges in the distance. They had planned their crossing of the plain carefully, noting the schedule of the previous caravans. This small window afforded the best chance to reach the first set of concealing hills before the next lumbering caravan reached the summit.

  “Shamankas, would you please?” Chutzpa paused in the shade of one of the few trees to grow in the sandy soil.

  Marsai held out her hands. Gripped in her right fist was the gourd she favoured. It was oval-shaped with a tapered handle and painted with blue and white waves depicting water. She shook the gourd over Chutzpa and herself, chanting in the sing-song voice of her people. Her feet moved to the spirit dance. As her voice rose, water sprinkled out of fine holes, splashing onto them both. After a few moments, the chanting slowed. When she fell silent, she put the gourd away.

  “We are ready. The sun will complete the illusion.” She stepped out of the shade and into the brilliant sunshine. She shimmered as though standing in a bank of fog. When the sun struck the fog, the fog cleared and Marsai vanished.

  Chutzpa grinned. “I can make out your form, but only because I know where to look for you. That is excellent!” He followed her out into the sunlight and promptly vanished as she had. “We can sneak right up to the mine entrance now.”

  “Remember what I told you. If anyone touches us, the illusion will drop and they will see us for the intruders we are. We must gather disguises before we are discovered.” She took a step toward the distant sea, glistening with reflected sunlight. Chutzpa fell in beside her.

  Thirty minutes of walking brought them to the final hilltop. Below, the land flattened and ran to the shoreline. The tallest vegetation consisted of foot-tall grasses gathered in clumps. Feathery seed heads waved gently in the onshore breeze. To the right, a wooden fence made of tree trunks ran the perimeter of a compound composed of squat wooden structures built in a row. Each contained a door that led into a small building. Chut
zpa counted twenty in total. A wooden dock ran across the front and wagons backed up to it. The wagon they had been following was stopped at the gates, handing paperwork over to a burly guard. The guard handed the papers to a companion then stepped toward the wagon to do an inspection.

  “Come on, the gate is open. This is our chance to slip through.” Chutzpa took her hand, and they ran toward the sharpened spikes of the fence together. Double gates were open wide, and two guards inspected the cargo. Keys rattled and unlocked a small window. The guard on the right stuck his head in to peer around the dim interior. His head came out and slammed the window shut with a grunt of disgust, locked it, then walked around to the back. Chutzpa tugged Marsai to the far right, squeezing in around the gate post, keeping as much room as possible between them and the guard. A quick check right and left showed no one was in their immediate vicinity. They ran for the corner of the first building, dashing up the steps and across the boardwalk, then dropped down into the narrow space between buildings. It was barely wide enough for them to stand side by side, but it afforded the best cover to watch what was in the wagons.