The Temptation of Dragons (Penny White Book 1)

by Chrys Cymri

  A swoop of grey and yellow drew my gaze. Taryn flew just over the heads of the mourners, and I bit my lip as her long tail nearly touched one man’s head. Then she rose into the air. Morey was perched in one of the oaks, and he moved over to allow her to perch on the same branch.

  I was too far away to hear what Taryn said to him. Morey’s feathers fluffed, then smoothed, and he looked down at me. He said something in return. His gaze was still fixed on me, so he didn’t see Taryn quickly running a beak over a few wayward wingfeathers. She was trying to look her best for him, I realised. But Morey was oblivious to her interest, lost as he was in his renewed grief for Seren. Maybe, I found myself musing, when some time has passed, the four of us could go on a double date.

  I scowled at myself. One of these evenings, Peter would lean into me for a kiss. And I wasn’t sure how I’d respond. Or how to explain. How could I explain Raven to anyone? I couldn’t even explain him to myself.

  I went back into the church and changed out of my robes. The heating was off, and the building was already cooling down. I pulled on fleece and coat, bundled my cassock and surplice over my arm, and left the verger to turn off the lights.

  Morey flew down to my shoulder as I walked through the churchyard. A number of the mourners were having a quick cigarette before going into the pub, so Morey didn’t say anything until we were in my car. ‘Peter sent Taryn over. They thought you should know. Miranda and James haven’t been seen for three days.’

  I started the car and headed home. ‘A short break?’

  ‘Peter says that James was due to go back to Lloegyr. And he thinks Miranda decided to go with him.’

  ‘Maybe she’ll find herself another dragon.’ My eyes were suddenly watery. ‘And then James will come home.’

  ‘Have you tried to talk to him?’

  ‘I’ve left several messages on his mobile phone.’ I took a deep breath. ‘Is there anyone who can keep an eye on him over there?’

  ‘There’s a rat king who owes me a favour. I’ll send a message to him.’

  ‘Thanks, Morey.’

  The gryphon snorted. ‘He may be an eyas, but he’s your eyas. So I’ll do what I can.’

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  My iPhone buzzed and the Doctor Who theme emerged from my pocket to fill the small living room. The baptism family grinned indulgently as I apologised and let the call go to messages. But then I had accepted without comment the name they had given their son, Friday Storm (‘He was conceived on a Friday during a storm’) and that they had chosen eight people to be the godparents. Including an atheist who was still happy, they said, to make the promises and the profession of faith. I was just glad that Morey wasn’t with me to make any unhelpful comments.

  They agreed to attend three Sunday services before the date of the Christening, and gave me a polite smile when I handed them a small booklet which included the Gospel of Luke. They even nodded when I mentioned that an Alpha course would be run in the spring.

  ‘And how much does this all cost?’ asked the father, who was holding the three month old baby in his lap. ‘We’ve budgeted a hundred for the cake and five for the party. How much does the church cost?’

  I grinned. ‘Nothing. We make no charge for baptisms. The sacrament is free.’

  ‘There,’ said his wife, turning to him triumphantly. ‘I told you it’s covered by the NHS!’

  I opened my mouth to discuss new birth in Christ, baptism as entry into the Christian faith, and the fact that no part of the church was paid for by the National Health Service. Then I simply gave them a weak smile. ‘Not really, but if you want to make a donation, then that’s always welcome.’

  Night had fallen during my meeting. I found my car, huddled under the streetlight, and slid in. Then I pulled out my phone and listened to Peter’s message. ‘Hi, Penny, can you phone me as soon as you’re free? It’s about James.’

  My stomach clenched and my fingers felt large as I called up Peter’s contact details. At least he answered immediately. ‘Can you come to my house?’

  ‘What’s happened? Is James okay?’

  ‘Taryn caught a rat flying near the house. The rat has a message for Morey, about Miranda, but she’s a bit peeved that Taryn brought her inside. She’s threatened to go back to Lloegyr. If you can get Morey here, I think she’ll open up.’

  My mind raced with terrible possibilities. So it was only once I was halfway to Rugby that I’d remembered that I’d left Morey at home. I pulled over and rang my number. The answering machine message tingled in my ear, and then I spoke after the tone. ‘Morey, it’s me, Penny. Peter’s asked us to meet him at his house in Rugby. There’s a rat with news about Miranda. I’m sorry, I’m nearly there. Can you fly over?’

  There were a couple of cars on Peter’s drive, so I found a space further along the road. I grabbed my coat as I exited my car. The moment I had shrugged it over the shoulders, claws were digging into the material as Morey plunged down to my shoulder. His breathing was heavy, his eyes wide. ‘Got your message.’

  ‘You must have broken the sound barrier,’ I said as I walked us up to the house.

  ‘Not exactly, but close.’

  Peter opened the door before I could ring the bell. ‘Taryn has the rat cornered in the kitchen,’ he explained. ‘She keeps trying to escape, so we need to go in quickly.’

  I followed so close at his heels that I nearly stepped on them. There was a grey blur by the kitchen cabinets as Peter was shutting the door. Two gryphons launched into the air, blocking the rat’s escape. She landed on the counter, spitting and cursing, fur gleaming under the bright lights.

  ‘Noble rat, we crave your indulgence.’ For a moment I wondered if Peter were joking, but his tone was serious. ‘In your grace and kindness, we entreat you to repeat the message entrusted to you by your king.’

  The leathery wings were still extended either side of the lithe body. The rat’s yellow eyes were narrowed, and I could sense the anger trembling along the long whiskers. She settled back on her haunches, then spoke.‘Let me go, you craven cur, else my king will take your fur.’

  ‘That rhymes,’ I noted.

  ‘Rats are poetic by nature,’ Morey said. ‘Some of Lloegyr’s greatest bards have been rats. My lady.’ He executed a bow to the rat. ‘I am Morey, known in Lloegyr as Trahaearneifion. I believe you have a message for me?’

  The rat spat out a curse in Welsh. Obviously some goodwill had been lost from trapping her in the kitchen. So I gave her a bow of my own. ‘Kind lady rat, I have a brother, and he is now in Lloegyr with another. Give your message to us, please. I would ask it of you on my knees.’

  The wings rustled, then folded along the grey back. ‘You have made a kind appeal,’ the rat replied. ‘It does not behove you to kneel.’

  ‘And the message?’ Morey prompted.

  ‘Danger for the dragon lover. She seeks dark secrets to uncover. From Llanbedr she must now flee, with the one who answered her plea.’

  I swallowed hard, wondering exactly what trouble Miranda was creating for herself and James. ‘“The one who answered her plea.” Do you mean James?’

  But the rat was addressing Morey again. ‘My king’s debt to you is spent. No more messages will now be sent.’

  ‘My thanks, my lady, to you and to your king,’ he replied graciously. ‘May I escort you to the thin place?’

  As soon as they had left the kitchen, I pulled out a chair from the nearby table and took a seat. Peter joined me. ‘So,’ I said bitterly, ‘Miranda is stirring things up, and pulling my brother into it.’

  ‘He’s the one who’s been travelling to Lloegyr,’ Peter reminded me. ‘She must have asked him to take her along.’

  ‘She used him.’ My growl made Taryn jump. ‘The bitch. She used him.’

  ‘We don’t know that for certain.’

  Morey had flown back into the kitchen during the last exchange. ‘I’m certain she did,’ he said as he landed on the table. ‘The question is, whether they’re still
at large, or whether someone has taken them.’

  My stomach twisted inside me. ‘Like who? Do you mean Cadw ar Wahân?’

  ‘They could still be staying in an inn somewhere,’ Peter said reassuringly. ‘The rat didn’t say they were being held. I’ll send a message through to the heddlu to find them and send them home.’

  ‘What good will that do?’ I demanded. ‘We need to find James. We can’t just sit and wait.’

  ‘I know you’re worried about your brother.’ Peter’s tone was soothing, and set my teeth on edge. ‘But leave this in the hands of the experts, okay?’

  ‘Certainly,’ Morey said before I could speak. ‘Come on, Black, let’s go home. It’s getting late, and Clyde needs feeding.’

  The snail shark had been fed before I left for my meeting, but there was a warning gleam in Morey’s eyes, so I held out my arm for him. We both politely declined the dinner invitation issued by Peter and Taryn.

  When we were safely locked inside the car, I turned to Morey and asked, ‘We’re not going to sit and wait, are we?’

  ‘Hell, no.’ He looked up at me, claws dug deep into the material of the passenger seat. ‘We know what could happen to James and Miranda over there. But we need some way to find them.’

  My hands were shaking. I forced myself to take deep breaths and calm down. Then an idea came to me. ‘A search dragon. They can find anything, can’t they?’

  ‘So they say. But how can we get ahold of one?’

  ‘I know where they live. And I think I can get us there.’

  ‘Really?’ Morey cocked his head. ‘Explain.’

  ‘Later. But to get there, I need a dragon.’

  ‘The tacsi dragon.’ At my groan, Morey added, ‘It could actually help if he weren’t sober. He’s more likely to agree to go through a thin place if he’s drunk.’

  ‘Okay, the tacsi dragon. Can you get him to come to the house?’

  ‘I’ll offer enough gold to make it worth his while.’

  ‘So I’ll take you to Duston. The thin place there--’

  ‘--isn’t big enough for dragon to come through,’ Morey said. ‘I’ll go through from here. And I’ll bring him over in the Ashtrew church.’

  ‘But...’ I swallowed. ‘You’d have to come back from the graveyard.’

  ‘Seren isn’t there anymore,’ he reminded me.

  ‘And the church will be locked for the night.’

  ‘Wooden doors are no match for a dragon.’

  I winced, and made a mental note to give an anonymous donation to cover the cost of repairs. Then I rolled down my window, and leaned back while Morey flew out. ‘See you back home!’ he called out, then zipped away.

  As I drove home I tried to convince myself that my scheme wasn’t insane. That I should do as Peter had suggested and leave everything in the hands of the police. But if James and Miranda were just in an inn somewhere, then we weren’t putting ourselves into any danger. And if they weren’t safe... I can’t lose you, too, I found myself telling James. Alan was enough. I can’t lose you too.

  I abandoned my car in the drive and hurried into the house. Clyde was asleep in his tank, curled into his shell. I called out his name, and one tentacle slowly crept out. ‘I need your help, Clyde.’

  ‘Morey?’

  ‘No, not Morey.’ I bit down on my impatience. ‘It’s James. I need your help so I can find James.’

  ‘James.’ The snail did not sound impressed.

  ‘Morey is helping me. Both of us would be very grateful if you’d come with us.’

  ‘Beer?’

  What had Morey been feeding the pup behind my back? ‘You help us,’ I promised, ‘and you can have a whole bowl of beer when we get back.’

  ‘Beer.’ And with that Clyde emerged from his shell. I opened the tank and he flowed onto my hand. He now took up my entire palm, and I wondered how long it would be before I’d have to find a larger carrying case for him.

  A thump into the back garden drew our attention. The office lights picked up the form of a dragon, a saddle where back spines were supposed to be. Morey was clinging to the cantle. I lifted Clyde to eye level. ‘Listen carefully to me,’ I told him. His eyespots obediently twisted towards my face. ‘I need you to find the thin place that is above our house. It’s in the air, not on the ground. Can you do that?’

  ‘Can find,’ he assured me.

  I paused in the kitchen to open several cans of beer, which I poured into a bucket. Clyde looked far too interested, and I had to encourage him to go into his case. The beer sloshed as I hurried outside.

  ‘Sigrid says it’s colder here than at home,’ Morey said, his voice loudly enthusiastic. ‘He hopes you won’t need him for long.’

  The dragon’s feet were shifting nervously on the overgrown grass, and his wings were only half folded. I brought the bucket to his head. ‘Thank you for coming, Sigrid. I’ve brought you some refreshment.’

  The bucket was small compared to his snout, but the dragon simply grabbed the plastic side and tipped the contents into his mouth. Beer splashed across his chest and onto my trousers. I forced myself to keep smiling.

  Sigrid finished, dropped the bucket, and belched loudly. ‘Where do you want to go?’

  ‘Through a thin place above this house,’ I replied. At his shudder, I added, ‘The air thin places are much easier to go through.’

  ‘But where are we going?’

  I couldn’t decide whether he were challenging me, or simply trying to work out his fare. ‘We’ll need to fly about twenty minutes once we’re on the other side. We won’t need you after that.’

  I could see Morey’s ears perk in surprise, but he kept quiet as the tacsi dragon considered. ‘Forty galleons.’

  ‘Done,’ I said, although I had no idea how much that was worth. I climbed up his side and settled into the saddle before he could change his mind.

  ‘How do I find the thin place?’ the dragon finally thought to ask.

  ‘We have a guide.’ I opened the bag, and Clyde crawled onto the saddle. ‘Just follow the directions you hear.’

  A low grumble shuddered against my legs, but the dragon sank onto his hindquarters, then kicked us up into the night air. I suddenly thought of all the things I should have brought with me, like water, a coat, my Swiss Army knife. Too late now.

  ‘Left,’ Clyde called out. Sigrid dipped a wing, bringing us back over the roof. ‘Up. Right. No, more right. Left!’

  We were scudding over the neighbourhood, the dragon trying and failing to follow the snail’s directions. ‘I can’t hear you,’ he called back. ‘Speak louder!’

  Before I could stop him, Clyde zoomed over the saddle and across Sigrid’s neck. In the dim light from the moon I could just pick him out, clinging to the dragon’s head in the flat space between the two horns. ‘Up, right!’

  Wings beat loudly on either side of me. We rose in the air and swirled over the back garden. The dragon belched, and we lost altitude. Clyde shouted out new instructions, and we weaved upwards again. I was beginning to wonder if I had been wise to give Sigrid the beer. His flying was more erratic than ever.

  Then we passed through the thin place. And we were in daylight, albeit the angle of the sun told me it was late afternoon. ‘Over the volcano!’ I shouted towards Sigrid’s ears. ‘You’ll see the black walls. Set us down there!’

  Again a slight protest rumbled against my legs, but the dragon obeyed, although carrying my weight seemed to be more of an effort for him than it had been for Raven. We lifted over the crater and dropped down the other side. At the black wall, the tacsi dragon tried to make a running landing. His claws caught in the lava and I clung to the saddle as Sigrid stumbled. Clyde dug teeth into a horn to keep himself from sliding off.

  Tyra leapt through the gap, lips drawn back from sharp teeth and ears pricked forward in challenge. ‘And what exactly are you?’

  I suddenly realised how we looked. A priest, still dressed in black, sitting on the back of a drunken dragon with a
carnivorous snail clinging to a horn and a small gryphon perched on the saddle. ‘We’ve met before,’ I reminded her, trying to bring some dignity to the situation. ‘Penny White. Greetings.’

  Sigrid opened his mouth, but only to release a loud belch into Tyra’s nostrils.

  ‘I need to speak to Raven,’ I said quickly. Then a thought struck me. ‘Is he here?’

  ‘He is.’ Tyra stepped back. ‘But no tacsi dragon puts a claw into our settlement.’

  ‘We’ll wait here,’ I assured her. ‘If someone can let him know I’m here?’

  Tyra dipped her head, then slipped back through the gap. Sigrid turned his head to look at me. ‘Search dragons,’ he hissed. ‘You brought me to search dragons. I should double the fee. Why do you know search dragons?’

  ‘Yes, Black,’ said Morey from behind me. ‘That’s something I’d also like to know.’

  ‘Later,’ I told him. Clyde had released his grip on the dragon, and was sliding back across the neck to the saddle. I saw with some concern that his slime was drying quickly in the heat. He plunged into the shade of his carry bag with a sigh of relief.

  Raven limped from the settlement a few minutes later. ‘The resplendent Penelope. I see that you have been flying with another dragon. This is a very unwelcome sight.’

  I felt Morey stiffen behind me. ‘I’m here to ask for your help,’ I said quickly. Sigrid lowered himself gingerly onto the lava, and I climbed down from his back. Morey landed onto my shoulder a moment later. ‘I need you to help me find James.’

  ‘Her brother,’ Morey added. ‘I’m sure you’ve met him.’

  ‘My attentions have been focussed on Penny.’ I bit my lip, wishing desperately that Raven had chosen a different word. Or another sentence. Or not even spoken at all.

  ‘And what sort of attentions have those been?’ Morey demanded.

  ‘You saw us at the monastery,’ I reminded him. ‘Raven, James is somewhere in Lloegyr. You said search dragons can find anything. Please help me to find James.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Raven cocked his head. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Yes?’ My knees were suddenly weak with relief.