Dragon Chameleon: Episodes 5-8

by Wilson, Sarah K. L.

  “Of course, I’m alive. I don’t die easy,” Hubric said gruffly. “I can hardly believe you are, though. You couldn’t have made a worse mess of things, boy.”

  I threw my hands up defensively. “Hey, I wasn’t supposed to have to do this on my own and I wasn’t supposed to be hunted by Magikas. Where was your contact?”

  “Looking for you! Did you see a man in blue searching throughout Ziu for you?”

  The man in blue! I had noticed him, but I had thought he was one of Shabren’s men.

  “How was I supposed to know that was my contact?”

  “He would have told you if he ever caught up to you! But no, all I hear about is leaps from the heights of the mountains, tangling with the Midnight Artificers, and getting Zin and Zyla Cloudbender in so much trouble that they almost died! On top of that, you first get marked hero, then King, then – worst of all! – the legendary Ko’roi. Do you know what that means?”

  I gave him my most charming grin. “That you’re here to save me from all that?”

  He rolled his eyes and shoved the leather sack at me. “Here. At least take your knives. How much of my gold did you lay out for these?”

  “Enough.”

  “At least you know good knives when you see them. There’s an axe in there, too. Maybe next time you can cut cables a little quicker than sawing them with a knife!”

  I gasped. “You were awake for that?!”

  Hubric frowned, but he looked a little guilty.

  “Kyrowat told me about it afterward.” He cleared his throat. “Apparently I owe you thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it,” I said awkwardly as I slipped my blades in their holsters – including the tricky one between my shoulder blades.

  “I won’t,” Hubric said with a frown but I could see a warmth under it. “Besides, there’s a lot more to do and not enough time to do it in. We need to fly – tonight.

  “Tonight?”

  “Apeq A’kona’s army marches south. The Magika camp you saw before has swollen to ten times the size and the testing they are doing in that camp – explosions, flames, earth-shaking magic – well, they’re planning war. There’s no other way to see it.”

  I swallowed. My mouth felt dry already, despite the water.

  “So, nothing we did mattered.”

  “Ha!” Hubric’s laugh was grim. “Nothing mattered? Don’t sell yourself short. Zyla has a list of the traitors south of the border. Who they are. What they plan. We have just enough time to stop their aid before the Dominion armies march north and the war begins – just enough time to stop a war, but we need you. With Saboraak’s shapeshifting ability, you can infiltrate any Dominion Sky City or Castel. And with Zyla’s information, we know which ones to infiltrate. I need to send you south. I would have sent you days ago if I could have.”

  “Well, I would have woken right up if I knew you were sending me on holiday.”

  Hubric snorted. “Sure.”

  I’m ready!

  My dragon was always eager to throw herself into trouble. Good thing I was the sane one in this partnership.

  I’m not at all sure that’s true.

  “But before we can do any of that, you’ll need to convince these Kav’ai to let you leave.” Hubric looked grim. “Things have been ... tense ... these last few days. They seem determined to keep you here. I guess finally getting their chosen one makes them a bit ... devoted.” He looked embarrassed, like he knew how they felt. But he’d never treated me like that, so who had he been embarrassingly devoted to? “You kept that book I gave you, right boy? Zin told me it was in your pockets after the fire. She tucked it into Saboraak’s saddlebags. Have you read it?”

  It was my turn to look guilty.

  “Read it!” the old man demanded. “But later. Right now, there are things that can’t be kept waiting much longer. Follow me. And tuck those daggers away where they aren’t flashing in the sun like fishing lures!”

  Chapter Four

  THE CAVE HAD LED ME to believe that Kav’ai was a primitive place, but as Hubric led me down the dusty path around the side of the bluffs, my breath was stolen away.

  The path was steep, a narrow trail that was challenging for a human and would have been impossible for a dragon if it weren’t for their flapping wings to help them keep their balance. Hubric, Zyla and I led the way, flanked by Kyrowat and Saboraak. The mimic was probably around somewhere, too, but unlike me, the laws of this world didn’t seem to affect him.

  “Because I’m only in your mind,” he whispered, “a product of your insanity.”

  I wanted to growl at him to go away, but that would only add to people’s suspicions about me. Instead, I kept a smooth smile on my face and followed Hubric’s sure footsteps as we rounded the edge of the steep hill to where it fell into rocky bluffs – still yellow and dusty – and then dropped into a wide green river basin, where the snaking river was rimmed with trees, grass, and so many birds that they boggled the mind.

  “Welcome to Kav’ru,” Zyla said, her voice full of wonder. “One of the Clan cities of the Kav’ai. Bataar’s people lay claim to this place.”

  “But they will only keep it if they can,” Hubric said with less wonder. “And that slim hope grows slimmer now that Bataar has failed the test.”

  “It doesn’t make sense that he failed it,” I said. “He is the perfect Kav’ai. He respects their precepts. He believes in their ways. I am none of those things.”

  Hubric snorted. “Of course, you aren’t. Do you think we’re fools? We know who you are. But apparently, the Ko Bearers who went before you were tricked by your wiles and chose you to represent them. Which is going to be a problem for us. We need you to go south. Tonight.”

  “There was no talk about me representing anyone,” I said grimly as we began to descend into the bowl. “There was only talk of sacrifice and something about weaving a future.”

  “Do you know how to weave the future?” Hubric asked, giving me a curious look.

  “Not yet,” I admitted.

  He nodded. “Then don’t worry about it. We can only deal with the problems we know.”

  The steps we were on led to a ledge where Zin and Bataar stood waiting. I glanced at them and then back behind me at Saboraak and Kyrowat and the strangest warmth came over me. Perhaps I needed that hat worse than I thought. No, it was something more. Something like belonging maybe or loyalty or ... something.

  The word that you are looking for is family.

  That couldn’t be right. I’d never had a family.

  You have one now.

  I’d wanted a family all my life. My eyes ran over each of them – even Bataar, who I didn’t like – looking to make sure they were well and whole.

  You don’t have to like family.

  What did you do with a family when you had it?

  Protect it.

  I could do that. I would definitely do that.

  We joined Bataar and Zin on the platform and he spoke first. He was avoiding looking at me. As if that would change anything. I hadn’t asked to take his place and I wasn’t going to – not if I could help it.

  “The Elders wish to see the Ko’roi in their clan meeting. Only Ko Bearers are invited.”

  His head hung down as he spoke and I noticed Zin reach out and touch his shoulder, like she was showing him support. What for? Wasn’t he glad not to have to be the “Ko’roi” or the chosen one of his people? He ran away from home, he wanted to avoid it so badly. He did everything he could to avoid the Trials.

  “Avoiding something and failing at it are two different things,” my mimic said. He was leaning against the rock wall examining his nails. “You know that. You avoid a lot of things, but you rarely fail at anything.”

  I’d failed at this. I never wanted to be anyone’s chosen one.

  “Well, if you had failed, then your friends would have all died and I remember something about how that was oh so important to you. Important enough to give me a permanent voice in your head.”


  He flashed his grin, letting his dimples show and his green eyes dance – they were crooked – a fact I had missed all these years – but I fiercely ignored him. One of me in my head was enough work.

  We can take you to Haz’drazen, Saboraak assured me. She can cure many mental illnesses. I will keep you close until you can go to her. Until then, you should ignore that voice. He is only your damaged brain sending up unworthy thoughts.

  I had a feeling that whatever these Elders wanted from me, an extended vacation to the dragon lands probably wasn’t it.

  I laid a hand on Hubric’s shoulder. “Don’t leave without me.”

  He smiled. “I don’t plan to. But it’s up to you to talk sense into this lot, or you’ll end up tied to these people tighter than a cinch strap on a dragon saddle.”

  I nodded. I was going to have to think this through – not my usual style. I preferred to wing things and hope I figured them out on the fly. I’d have to be careful. These people had tangled Bataar up in knots and if I wasn’t careful, they’d do that to me, too.

  Hubric joined Zin and the dragons on the ledge with a last comment. “I’ll saddle the dragons and prepare supplies for the journey. Don’t take too long.”

  Zin waved shyly to me, but she followed Hubric without a word. She was a mystery to me. Hopefully, whatever happened next, I could keep her out of danger.

  Bataar led us down a branching staircase silently. I could feel waves of bitterness washing off of him. Well, if he wanted to be angry, he could be. I’d done what I had to do to save everyone – him included. I’d never meant to take what was his. And I wasn’t going to apologize for it now, either.

  Bataar chose a path down with sharp steps that seemed less worn than the others and then, when the side of the mountain turned into a tunnel and the path grew darker, he seized a lit torch from the wall and led us into the darkness.

  I was sick of stairs. If I ruled a country, I’d make everything be on ground floor. No more stairs. No more ladders. No more climbing at all.

  A very inconvenient design for dragons.

  Saboraak could be in charge of designing the dragon portion. And it could be any way she liked. I owed her.

  I could get used to that.

  We were silent as we went, just Zyla, Bataar and me. Even though I couldn’t see our Ko without the moonlight, I could feel an itch where they usually shone. We were going to be grilled by these elders because of the Ko – something I’d never even asked for.

  We turned a corner through the cavern and Bataar paused above a massive, golden bowl carved into the mountain. He set his torch in the bracket and stepped out on a wide ledge over the bowl. There was no need for torches here.

  Below us, seated on benches were men and women dressed just like Bataar. They could have been his family they looked so much like him.

  They were shaded by the cavern from the beating sun, but someone had drilled holes in the ceiling and walls of the cavern and here in the bowl, it was bright as a calm morning. A small pool of water stood in the center of the room. The rock – which rippled like lapping water – met the edge of the pool smoothly and a tiny trickle on the far wall of the bowl fed the little pool. The water made the whole room feel cooler.

  I breathed a sigh of relief. I hadn’t realized how hot and dry the outside sun had left me. My ease was short-lived.

  Bataar shoved me forward, still not looking me in the eye and as the voices below died off, he spoke loud and clear.

  “I present to you, your sacrifice! The Ko’roi.”

  Great. Nicely worded, Bataar.

  Chapter Five

  THE ELDERS STARED IN silence and then one stood, her billowing clothing making her appear bigger than she actually was.

  “I am Ala daughter of Eda, daughter of Itam. This is the Bowl of Memory and all who enter it enter the memories of the people. We see the marks of memory upon you and we acknowledge them.”

  What did she mean?

  There are marks on your face.

  Very helpful, Saboraak, but they should only see those under the moon!

  Ummm ... did I forget to mention that you have new ones? Ones that can be seen in the sun?

  “If magical things don’t stop marking up my body there is going to be retribution!” My mimic said, staring at my forehead with squinting eyes. “I’ll smash them all to smithereens! I’ll burn them all and dance on their ashes! I’ll – “

  Don’t you at least want to know what they look like?

  Yes!

  They look like a crown around your forehead. They glow golden in the bright sun.

  I was marked by both sun and moon.

  If you hate them. You could probably cover them with a cloth tied around your forehead.

  The mimic hated them more than I did. I just felt resigned. I was never going to be able to slink through a town unnoticed again. Not at night and now, not even in the day. I was going to have to find one of those cloths quickly. Maybe Saboraak could ask Hubric to pack one.

  If it silences that voice of insanity, then sure.

  The silence of the elders had gone on for too long. They were clearly expecting me to say something. I cleared my throat awkwardly. I should give some sort of inspiring words or statement, but I decided to go for honesty first.

  “Look, I definitely want to help you guys out, but the one you really need is Bataar. He knows your ways and your precepts and – ”

  “No!” One of the other elders said. He looked exactly how I imagined Bataar would look in thirty years, though the sun had deepened his wrinkles to hard lines and wings of white wove through his hair above his ears. “The Trial alone chooses a Ko’roi. Where the Ko’roi goes and how he weaves the future are according to prophecy and judgment, but who Ko’roi will be is chosen by the Trials. Bataar Bayanen was not chosen. It is you who must lead us.”

  I could feel anger from Bataar even though he was behind me. Seriously? I’d never asked for this!

  Lead them? I didn’t even know them!

  “The golden crown in the golden basin – a sign of our people!” One of the women said in a voice that bordered on rapt.

  My mimic stood behind her, copying her adoring expression precisely.

  Nope. This was exactly what I was trying to avoid. No one should feel rapt around Tor Winespring. No one should be expecting signs and prophecies fulfilled or people governed well. That could only lead to disaster and disappointment. I needed to test them to see how far this nonsense went. And I needed to word my questions carefully, so they didn’t find a way to trap me or to guess that I had no idea what I was doing.

  “I have a responsibility to your people,” I said cautiously.

  “Yes!” the rapt woman said and around her, there were murmurs of agreement. The scar on my hand felt cold as they spoke.

  “And you know what that responsibility is.” Hopefully, they’d tell me!

  “Responsibility,” my mimic mouthed from behind the Elder. I ignored him pointedly.

  “You stand for the people,” the old man said immediately.

  “He gives his whole self to our health,” the rapt woman said, her short gray-brown hair twitching with her quick movements. I already didn’t like her.

  “He defends us from Ko’Torenth,” another man said, standing as he said it.

  “He preserves our resources.”

  “He settles disputes.”

  “He represents the ancestors to us.”

  “Anchors us.”

  “Remembers our history.”

  “Ends war.”

  “Weaves the future.”

  I’d lost track of who was saying what toward the end. The entire assembly was on their feet now, all eyes glued to me. That ridiculous doorway scar was freezing cold on my skin.

  Skies and stars, that was a long list of impossible tasks!

  My mimic was laughing. “That’s quite the list, Tor! I can see your lifespan shrinking with every one of those.”

  I scrubbed a hand through my ha
ir. I had to be careful. There wasn’t much of a jump from “leader” to “sacrifice” in most people’s minds – after all, hadn’t Bataar called me a ‘sacrifice’? – and I didn’t want to end up thrown from a holy mountain or anything.

  “A great privilege.” I was careful to speak slowly and keep any expression from my face, but inside I was screaming, ‘help!’ The scar on my hand burned with my words.

  It’s an honor, Saboraak told me while my mimic doubled over in laughter. And I will help you honor it.

  “I can’t accept so much honor without sharing it.” Maybe there was a way to wiggle out of this.

  “We will be here to direct you every step of the way,” the rapt woman said, her eyes wide with faith.

  Ah. So that was how it was. There were always people who wanted a leader, but none of them wanted to lead. They just wanted some poor soul to speak the words they chose and take the blame for the decisions they made. If they thought that Tor Winespring was the fool for that job, then they could think again! I was going to wiggle out of this one way or another.

  “I recommend running,” my mimic said. “It generally works for us.”

  Not this time. I needed to be smart this time.

  The first woman was watching me with care. “You seem unaffected by the madness your friend Hubric spoke of. He claimed your dragon was concerned.”

  “I’m fit as a fiddle,” I said with a grin. “Sane as any of you.”

  “Not that they seem very sane right now,” the mimic said. He was slowly circling the crowd, peering at people who couldn’t see him.

  “He said you had to leave immediately to get help, but upon speaking to you, I think we need not worry,” the first woman said. I clenched my jaw. Hubric could have mentioned that. If he had, I could have wiggled out of this one a lot easier with a strong insanity plea. It might not have even been much of a stretch. The mimic was driving me crazy. “And you understand your responsibility to us? You understand that you have a choice right now to accept your responsibility or the darkness?”

  “The darkness?” I asked. My skin prickled. Perhaps there was another option!