Dragon Legends (Return of the Darkening Book 2)

by Ava Richardson

  I slapped his arm. “I’m awake now.” We headed to the stream and I washed my face and hands. For the first time in what seemed a year, I felt refreshed, like I was finally getting back to my normal self again. We had some dried meat and very dry bread in the saddle bags and we had that for breakfast. Kalax snorted at that and thought to me that she would hunt after we left this place.

  Then Seb and I made plans.

  Today, I’d carry the Armor Stone with me. Kalax would fly a short distance away—far enough that she felt safe but close enough that Seb could call her back when we were ready to go. Kalax didn’t like the idea of us staying here while she flew to safety, but Seb convinced her that the Armor Stone would look after us. She took off, and I watched until she was a small, red dot in the sky. Then we headed into the Dragon Rider camp again.

  If we had thought that what we’d seen last night was bad, this morning—in bright sunlight—was even worse. It made me grit my teeth. I was angry at the riders, and even more angry at what was being done to them.

  The dragons weren’t really ill, or they didn’t seem to be, but they were lethargic, opening an eye or hissing at the air weakly, before collapsing back against the warming sands. They didn’t even bother to feed from the buckets of scraps left out for them.

  Not bad fish, Kalax whispered to me.

  Beside me, Seb flashed a brief smile at me.

  I had been worried that perhaps he’d be jealous of Kalax sharing her thoughts with me and not just with him, but he seemed to be pleased about it, like it made us even more of a team. But I was still worried about Seb. He was so close to the dragons, how could this sickness not affect him, too?

  Don’t need to be a dragon friend to see what is happening, Kalax thought at me.

  I frowned and moved closer to Seb, so the Armor Stone might help him, too. Seb glanced at me, his eyebrows lifted. He hadn’t heard Kalax that last time—so she really could choose who to talk to and who to argue with.

  “Just look at these dragons.” I sighed and waved at the huge bulk of lazing dragons. Kalax was right—anyone could see they were suffering from something much more insidious and treacherous than just sickness, and it wasn’t due to bad fish.

  “I think it’s getting worse,” Seb said.

  In the camp, riders were stumbling out of their tents, some half-dressed and some barely able to walk.

  I pulled back and wanted to turn and walk away.

  All Dragon Riders lived to fly. We all trained hard, both in the air and on the ground. We were taught to rise before dawn, to keep watch, to eat sparingly, and train hard. We were feared and respected—you had to be more than good when there were only two of you piloting a battle dragon. You couldn’t afford to be lazy. Everything piece of clothing and equipment had to be in the best condition, because one strap could be the difference between life and death when you were up in the clouds. That was why cadets were hammered on before they could become riders.

  But these didn’t even look as good as the rawest of recruits.

  Some riders stumbled around, eyes barely opened. Others sat down by unlit fires, staring at the ashes. They didn’t even seem interested in food, either. Uniforms looked dirty, and many hadn’t bothered to put away their harnesses, but had left saddles and leathers out in the open where the weather could ruin them or creature could chew on them.

  Tugging on Seb’s sleeve, I told him, “Maybe we should just set out on our own.”

  He gave a slow nod, but then I heard Ryan’s voice and saw him walking from campfire to unlit campfire.

  “Riders, get up. Fall in!” Ryan was shouting. Hegarty was with him, looking as if he’d slept in his riding leathers.

  “The prince…no, the king orders everyone attend. No, that’s not right at all. What was it? Oh, the coronation. Riders, gather!” Ryan lifted a horn and blew a low mournful sound.

  Slowly the riders began to stand and stumble toward the command tents, following Hegarty and Ryan. All of it would have been funny, were it not for the danger we faced—and fear pulsed under my skin that perhaps there was no way to cure either riders or dragons.

  Next to me, Seb kicked at a pebble with his boot. “The king wants his coronation. At least that’s a start.”

  We headed to the circle of command tents, to find servants and a few riders were wearily dragging camp chairs out to a cleared area/an area they were clearing.

  Commander Hegarty stood off to one side. Seb nudged me and then headed to the commander’s side.

  “Commander?” I said and hoped he’d remember us—that he wasn’t as bad as yesterday.

  He did seem better. He at least nodded and flashed a small smile. “Should be a nice coronation, I hope. A new start for us.” His voice started to trail off, but picked again. “We’ll get the king back to Torvald, don’t you worry.”

  “Torvald has fallen,” I told him again.

  He blinked and his mouth pulled down. “Yes, yes, I remember now. But we’ll take it back.”

  A surge of hope flashed through me. This sounded more like the Hegarty I knew. I glanced at Seb, then asked the commander, “Sir, do you have the Healing Stone? Will it help with this…this sickness?”

  Hegarty shook his head. “I don’t know. I put it someplace safe. It’s safe…I think.”

  Seb leaned closer to the commander and said, his voice quiet, “Sir, we met with your brother.”

  “My brother?” Hegarty frowned, his forehead tightened with deep lines. “What do you mean?”

  I shook my head, but Seb pressed on. “You asked us to watch the cabin, you wanted us to learn about—”

  “What?” Hegarty’s face suddenly paled. He grabbed Seb’s arm and dragged him behind the command tent. I followed. Glancing from Seb to me and back again, Hegarty shook his head. “What are you speaking of?” His eyes narrowed. “Do you think to use him against me? Against us all?”

  Seb swapped a worried look with me. I didn’t know if I wanted to shout or cry at the pain of seeing the commander like this.

  Hegarty still had hold of Seb’s arm and was looking around us. “No one must know. Not even me. If Memory Stone is used on me, I’ll tell him. I’ll tell him everything. He’ll pull it from my mind.”

  I think that dragon might have already flown, Commander.

  Shivering, I wondered if Commander Hegarty even had the Healing Stone still—what if he’d lost it? Or suppose Lord Vincent has taken it? I put a hand on the commander’s arm “Sir, the secret is safe with us. But—”

  “No buts.” A blank look passed over his face. He shook off my hand and scrubbed his fingers over the stubble on his cheeks. “A house…no, a cabin. You were set to watch. You have your orders. Cripple Creek it is. And now there’s the king. We must go.”

  Frowning, I watched Hegarty head back to the circle of command tents. I glanced at Seb. “Wasn’t that cabin in Tabbit’s Hollow?”

  Seb nodded very slowly. The corner of his mouth crooked. “I think the commander just gave us a new clue, which means the real Commander Hegarty is still with us. There’s still hope”

  We started to skirt the crowd so we could leave, but the new king saw me and waved me closer. A small platform had been created—just rocks piled up, really. Justin stood there, a royal-red cloak over his flying leathers. At least he looked clean and shaven, even if all the other riders looked scruffier than any of Seb’s old neighbors.

  Reynalt stood beside the king, holding the silver circlet of the prince. It was going to have to make do as a crown fit for a king.

  Seb started to try and slip away again, but when I tried to follow, Ryan scowled at me and grabbed my arm, making me stay put.

  Waving a hand, the king said, “Well, get on with it!”

  Everyone could hear him. I winced, but Ryan turned to the assembled riders. At least, Ryan and Reynalt had put on dress uniforms—their leathers gleamed and the armor glinted bright in the sunlight. I felt both underdressed and embarrassed at my battle-worn uniform, but I wasn’t
half-dressed like most of the riders.

  From the look of panic on Ryan’s face, however, something which I hadn’t seen very often, he’d never planned to crown a king.

  “Riders,” Ryan called out. Everyone turned to him and the quiet mutterings from the back stilled. “We ask you to gather and stand witnesses to a great event.”

  Come on, Ryan, you can do this.

  “And to this union of—?” He broke off and bit his lower lip. I frowned—was he thinking about a wedding? Ryan cleared his throat. “Of man and realm!”

  I let out a breath.

  Ryan stepped back and held a hand to indicate the new king. “Here before you is Justin, son of Durance, heir to the throne of the Middle Kingdom. Do you recognize him as your new king?”

  A few scattered cheers sounded but Ryan suddenly frowned and glanced at the king. “Oh no—that bit comes later, doesn’t it?”

  “By the First!” Justin sighed and lifted a weary hand. “Does anyone know how the ceremony goes? Anyone?”

  “Uh, invocation of right,” Reynalt said, sounding unsure. “And then…uh, vows?”

  “Vows and then invocation of right,” Hegarty called out, stamping his foot as though he was certain. It made sense he would know—he was the only one of us here old enough to recall King Durance’s crowning.

  “Isn’t there something about witnesses?” Reynalt asked. “To act as legal counsel and what-have-you?”

  “I thought the audience had been called as witnesses?” Ryan said.

  Hegarty shrugged, and I was ready to tell them all to just get on with it. Rolling my eyes, I grit my teeth as Ryan went on.

  “With great sadness we mourn the passing of King Durance, but celebrate the coming of King Justin!” Ryan said.

  “Long live the king,” the crowd chanted with less than great enthusiasm. I looked around the faces and thought they all looked as if they were about to fall over.

  “King Justin, do you swear by the First Dragon and by your blood to…” Frowning, Ryan glanced at Reynalt, and he hissed back, “To protect the people of the Middle Kingdom?”

  “I swear,” Justin called out.

  “Do you—what else does he have to do? Oh, right—swear to uphold the ancient kinship between dragon and human, as was honored by your father?”

  Justin muffled a yawn and straightened. “I swear,” he mumbled, and I started to wonder if he was going to stay awake. I edged closer to him, hoping the Armor Stone might help him.

  “Do you claim your throne?” Ryan said, his voice stronger now.

  I wasn’t sure the crowning was supposed to end like that, but everyone was nodding and Reynalt placed the crown on Justin’s head.

  Voice strong now, Ryan said, “I pronounce you King Justin, Defender of Torvald, Protector of the Middle Kingdom and the Near Islands, Warden of the Leviathan Mountains. Long may you reign!”

  The riders cheered. Justin lifted his hands so he could make a speech. I glanced at Seb and told him, “I really can’t stand any more of this.”

  He gave a nod. With all eyes on King Justin, I was able to step back. Ryan and Reynalt didn’t seem to see me slip away—they looked exhausted, their faces lined and pale, their shoulders slumping. King Justin was going on and on, saying there were great deeds yet to be done.

  Falling into step with Seb, we made for the outskirts of the camp. Seb glanced back over his shoulder. “Do you think Hegarty gave the Healing Stone to his brother?”

  I nodded, then shrugged. “It would make sense. If Jodreth knows how to slip away from a dragon, well…he’s not an ordinary person, is he. One way or another, we need help.”

  Seb nodded and looked up into the sky. “Then let’s go find Cripple Creek.”

  *

  Chapter 19:

  Jodreth

  Thea and I waited for Kalax on the edge of the Dragon Rider camp. Once Kalax returned for us, she couldn’t get away from the rider camp fast enough. It was as if she wanted to wash her whole body with the clean air. I could sense the tiny sliver of fear she kept trying to bury at what she had seen and felt down there.

  From my seat behind her neck, I told her, that won’t happen to you. Ever. And we’ll find a way to help the others.

  Kalax remained stubbornly silent. She focused on flying faster, heading toward the line of tall mountains that split the Middle Kingdom almost in two and which bounded the fiercer, wild lands to the north. Kalax had seen in my mind the name Cripple Creek on the maps I had once studied in the now-destroyed map room. It was the name of a narrow, winding creek that ran through the mountains. It was spring-fed and year-round water, so it was a good place to water a dragon. I remembered Merik telling me that and the memory made me wonder how he was doing. Was he with the others from Torvald? Was he okay? Was he with Varla and…

  I cut off the thoughts. If I kept thinking about those I missed, those I worried about, I’d only worry more.

  It took us almost to midday to get to the thin mountain stream that cut deeply through the foothills.

  Kalax landed. We dismounted and stared at the splashing creek.

  “No house,” Thea said. She put her hands on her hips and swept her stare up and down the length of the visible creek. “The commander got it wrong—or did we get it wrong?”

  It was my worst fear—that whatever magic had been laid upon the commander had mixed up his memories about his brother and the Healing Stone. Despair hovered over me, dark, and starting to drag at me.

  Tucking one hand into my belt, I turned and stared at Kalax. She stared back at me. Thea nudged me in the side. “What is it?”

  “Kalax,” I said.

  Stepping in front of me, Thea put her hands on my shoulders. “I need words. Stop thinking at her and talk to me.”

  I waved a hand at our dragon. “Kalax took us to Jodreth. She liked him. Maybe she’d be able to smell his scent.”

  Dropping her hands, Thea gave me a sideways look.

  “It’s true. Kalax could even smell the spices of the Southern Realm. And dragons seem to have a connection to…to more.”

  Thea waved a hand. “It sounds like we’re clutching at straws, but if that’s the best option that we have, let’s try it.”

  I reached out to Kalax. Can you find the commander’s brother—the one we met in the cabin we watched?

  Salted fish! Kalax purred happily at the memory. Dragons never forget who has fed them.

  That set me wondering. Were dragons connected to everyone they liked, no matter the distance? That opened up new possibilities.

  I held my breath and sensed Kalax reaching out with her own mind. A distant pressure built inside my head and chest. It was as if somewhere in the depths of Kalax’s mind and soul a fine harp string had been plucked and was vibrating. I followed that thread, but Kalax pushed me—a gentle nudge—and the sensation vanished.

  Humans aren’t ready for that. Back to your own body.

  Kalax nudged me again, closing our connection.

  Frustrated, with nothing better to do, I mounted the saddle again. Thea did as well. Kalax remained on the ground.

  “Has she got it? Has she got the scent of him?” Thea asked.

  The answer was Kalax launching us into the air again.

  *

  Dragons!

  Kalax’s warning sounded in my mind just as I sensed the other dragons too.

  We were flying low over the tall pines. Kalax shifted and landed just under an overhang in cliffs above the trees. It was late in the day and we had been flying long enough for my legs and back to be tired. Kalax’s enthusiasm, however, was unmistakable. She kept thinking about salted fish and it was making me hungry.

  “What is it?” Thea asked, leaning forward to scan the skies.

  I glanced around. “Kalax sensed other dragons, but she wouldn’t hide unless…there!” I pointed to where, far to the south of us, a dozen dragons flew. They were not like the wild, black dragons, but seemed to be a sandy-orange color with long tails and very wide wi
ngs. “Southern dragons?” I was guessing I knew, but the description matched some of what I’d read in the books at the academy. “What are they doing up here?”

  “Do you think they’ve come to the aid of King Justin?” Thea asked hopefully. It was good to see her looking on the bright side of things again.

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so—you saw how the king and the others were. How could they have sent word all the way to the Southern Realm, and even if they had, why wouldn’t the dragons be flying to him? But…the commander had maps in his study. I think he was searching for southern dragons. It could be that Lord Vincent took advantage of what he knew?”

  Thea shook her head and pushed up her flying goggles so they sat on her helmet. “It feels too much like a slice of good luck for dragons to suddenly appear out of the south at just the time that our own have been scattered.”

  I agreed, and we watched the orange dragons disappear across the horizon. A longing lifted in my chest to fly off with them—to ask them were they were going and go with them. I was so focused on the orange dragons that I didn’t notice the wild, black dragons overhead until the air filled with their screaming and shrill cries.

  “Watch out!” Thea called out.

  A flight of the smaller, wild dragons—barely half the size of Kalax—screamed off in the same direction as the southern dragons. Another, much larger wild black, bigger than Kalax, with a mane of spines all around her neck and a multiple-barbed tail, followed.

  “A brood mother,” I breathed.

  I could feel Kalax’s nervous jitters. She was eager to be away from so many dragons, and so was I, but I willed her to be still. Let them pass. Let them pass. I breathed at her, but it was no good.

  The brood dragon shrieked, jerking her head to stare at where we were hidden. I was afraid she’d caught me talking to Kalax.

  There was no time to think. Kalax let go of the cliff overhang. She dropped down low, skimming the treetops. With three, powerful bursts of her wings, she soared upwards toward clouds that were gathering around the mountain top.