Then pain crashed in and my heart stuttered back to a start. I slumped against the tree, gasping.
Saboraak. My wonderful dragon. I will miss you.
Tor!
Saboraak!
My eyes shot open.
“I bet you’ve never seen that before,” Shabren said with a wide grin. “The Kav’ai call it a Lightning tree. Hurt it, and it defends itself and the way it does that is so entertaining. I’ve been practicing on the Kav’ai. Even they aren’t stoic enough for this.”
But I wasn’t listening to him. My mind was searching for her. Had I imagined her voice?
I come.
She could be close! She could be far away.
Tears were leaking from my eyes, but I didn’t know if that was hope or despair that I was feeling.
Could she save me in time? There were too many defenses. And Shabren. And the tree. I didn’t know if I could live through another one of those strikes.
“Stop whining and think,” the mimic demanded.
“He can’t think, shadow,” Shabren said. “He can only suffer.”
He looked behind him at the mimic and in the light of the fire I almost thought I could see a shadow clinging to his back. Could that be his shadow self? Could it be as my shadow thought – that they had merged, and the shadow was controlling him?
A thought sprung into my mind. I hoped the shadow wouldn’t say anything as the thought formed. It was so obvious. Why hadn’t I thought of it before?
“We’re too devious for the obvious,” the mimic said. He lifted his shadow axe.
The world rocked, the ground shaking below us. In the city, a fire bloomed up from one of the warehouses.
Almost there!
That couldn’t be Saboraak, could it? It wasn’t like her to attack a town.
Shabren swung around. “I’ll deal with that in a moment. But before I do, I will finish you.”
He lunged with the poker, jamming it into the tree and my body tensed as white lightning stabbed me from every direction. I was screaming so loud that I couldn’t hear anything. But through my bulging eyes, I could still see.
The mimic swung his axe, just as I had thought he might be able to do, severing the shadow from Shabren’s back.
Shabren screamed, snatching at his own shadow as it burst into a thousand pieces and floated upward like smoke on the wind. He fell to his knees, head in his hands.
I didn’t have time to think about what might happen next. One minute I was staring at the rising wisps of shadow, the next at the belly of a black dragon. The dragon whipped around, spinning in the air like a diver into the sea and then her mouth opened, coming right for me.
I screamed but my scream cut off when I saw the jaws shut delicately over the metal ring and tear it from the tree. Lightning blasted into her, but she shook it off.
Saboraak! My magnificent dragon!
I told you I was coming. She sounded smug.
“Come on!” My mimic screamed, leaping onto her back. She tossed me back and I flew through the air, landing roughly in the saddle, my hands still bound, my muscles fighting my commands. They were stiff and weak both at once from the lightning tree.
Hubric ordered me not to come, but I couldn’t leave you. I’d never leave you.
She was amazing. She was stunning! She was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.
Shabren pulled himself to his feet, pulling a flame rod from his belt. Saboraak whipped him with her tail, sending him flying through the air and not even stopping as she ascended into the sky.
I don’t have time for the likes of him and I’m not here to fight. I’m just here to take what’s mine.
Yeah!
And no one is going to stop me!
Wow. Maybe she had a shadow-self.
I think that if I do, it’s probably you.
And I was fine with that. Because shadows never ended up far from their source.
Dragon Chameleon: Shadow Quest
Chapter One
EVERYTHING HURT. MY ribs. My back. My legs. I clung to Saboraak like a child clinging to his mother. Oddly, it felt like my shadow was clinging to me, his own body flickering in and out of sight. His silence was a relief. With so many pain sensors firing across my body, I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with him, too.
Though I owed him a debt of gratitude. Without him, we couldn’t have stood up to Shabren.
I would have scorched him with my flame.
I’d never seen this bloodthirsty side to Saboraak. What had happened to her?
I did not like it when he snatched you from me.
Well, if I’d known that was all it took to help her grow some teeth ...
I have forty-four teeth, thank you very much.
And a spine.
You’re sitting on my spine. Without it, we would both fall from the sky.
She still hadn’t shaken her tendency to take things literally, though. My head was pounding too hard to think of a clever reply.
We flew down the path of the river, low to the ground, and Saboraak descended into a small cluster of scraggly trees. A dark figure sprinted toward us.
“Watch out, Saboraak!” I yelled but all she did was laugh. I fumbled for the knife in the holster between my shoulder blades, but my pained movements were not fast enough.
The dark figure vaulted up onto Saboraak’s back. I startled when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. It didn’t feel like the marauder was trying to assault me.
“Well done, Saboraak! He seems to be in one piece!” Zyla said with a laugh.
“Gently!” I moaned. My belly hurt. “I’m in one piece of pain.”
I looked around, wondering if Hubric and Kyrowat were there, too.
They aren’t far from here. We caught up last night, but Hubric forbade a rescue attempt. He said our mission was too important to risk it saving you.
Always nice to know you’re loved. But why were they here if it was forbidden?
Zyla and I snuck off tonight. We decided your life was too important to risk.
“Thank you for coming for me,” I said aloud to both of them as Saboraak launched into the air again. We weren’t strapped in, but she was flying low and slow. I doubted Zyla would fall, though I felt a little lightheaded.
Zyla hugged me gently. “I’m starting to sense a trend here, Tor. You sure do need saving a lot.”
I grimaced. I didn’t like being the damsel in distress. I didn’t have the hair for it.
“Can I help it that everyone wants a piece of me? I’m just that desirable,” I said, but my wheezing made it sound less likely.
“You shouldn’t have pulled that stunt to save me,” Zyla said.
“Worked out, didn’t it?”
“If you call being kidnapped and rescued ‘working out’ then sure.” Her tone was dry and I grinned. I liked it when her back was up. Her eyes blazed that much brighter.
“How far away is Hubric?”
Not far. I plan to drop you off with him and then circle a bit.
Was she worried that we would be followed?
I just don’t want to be scorched when he lets loose his flame.
“I caught most of that,” Zyla said. “Or at least what she said.”
I startled. “You did?”
“Sure, she lets me listen to her voice.”
I’m not mute. Why pretend to be?
Male dragons didn’t talk to humans who weren’t their riders – except for the rare purple.
Males – of any species – can be very hard-headed.
Ouch.
“I thought about you a lot,” I said awkwardly to Zyla. “That kiss ...”
“Yes?”
“Well, I thought it would be sad how heartbroken you’d be if something bad happened to me.” I gave her an innocent look.
She huffed from behind me. “You were sad about how heartbroken I would be?”
“Sure. I’m a considerate guy.”
You’re an idiot.
Zy
la huffed again.
“Zyla?” I asked. Nothing.
You really are terrible with women.
Why? Wouldn’t she be sad if I died?
I think you’re supposed to say how heartbroken you would be if you never saw her again.
Well, that went without saying.
It really doesn’t.
I groaned as a new burst of pain hit me. But Zyla was resolutely silent. Why did girls punish a guy for saying the wrong thing? It wasn’t like I was a mind-reader!
“Are you okay?” I asked her.
“Yes.” She didn’t sound like she meant it.
“Look, I mean, I obviously would have missed you, too. I mean, I did miss you. I mean, I’m glad you’re here.”
Her silence sounded louder somehow.
“I mean,” I said, “that I ... ummm ... was just teasing. You can take teasing, right? You’re tough.”
“Sure, Tor,” she said, but her tone was cold.
I’d said the wrong thing again.
Perhaps, when all of our adventures are over, you can write an instructional book for other young men detailing what you absolutely should not say to women.
Perhaps Saboraak should mind her own business.
If I minded my own business, you’d still be in the clutches of Shabren and that tree.
Sorry, Saboraak. The twist in my guts wasn’t just from my injuries. I shouldn’t take my dragon for granted.
You are forgiven. Now, brace yourself. As angry as Zyla is, Hubric will be angrier when we set down. We have almost reached his fire.
A red flower of flame flickered alongside the river and Saboraak descended toward it. I braced myself for whatever was going to come next.
Chapter Two
“ZYLA?” I ASKED AS THE silhouettes of Hubric and his big purple dragon drew closer. I pushed on past her stony silence. “I’m sorry. I always say the wrong thing. I owe you a lot and I haven’t forgotten that.”
Her silence lingered as Saboraak cupped her wings and settled on the ground.
Zyla cleared her throat and then squeezed my shoulder. Ouch! I hurt too much for that!
“Most of the time you’re a fool, Tor Winespring, but sometimes I can forgive foolishness ... if it comes with loyalty.”
I turned to catch a wry smile on her face, and I gave her one of my best grins. “Well, obviously I’m loyal, Zyla. I wouldn’t have jumped off a dragon onto a golem for you if I wasn’t.”
She bit her lip. “Listen, Tor, before Hubric talks to you ...”
“Yes?”
She shook her head. She was thinking better of it, but I could see a door shutting. If I let her shut that door it might not open again.
I leaned in with my best grin and said with a wink, “How about if we survive this, you can pick my punishment?”
She barely suppressed a smirk, but I could feel the frost between us melting.
“Zyla Cloudbender,” Hubric roared. “You had better have an explanation for this!”
Off!
I leapt off of Saboraak, flinching at the pain in my guts from the jump and Zyla landed right beside me. Saboraak’s leathery wing almost brushed our heads as she launched into the air again. I thought she was kidding about leaving us to Hubric!
I don’t kid about that.
“We couldn’t leave him, Hubric. You said yourself that we were short-handed.” Zyla stepped confidently toward the fire where Hubric sat, a steaming mug in one hand and Kyrowat’s snout under the other. Kyrowat glared at us through one open eye.
“And you, Tor Winespring,” Hubric grumbled. “You knew how important our mission was and you allowed yourself to be kidnapped by Shabren the Violet?”
I gaped. “I didn’t exactly allow ...”
I couldn’t quite stand up straight. The pain in my mid-section was still too much.
“Do you think he would have kidnapped me?” Hubric asked.
“Well – ”
“No. The answer is no,” Hubric roared. “He would not kidnap me, because I wouldn’t do anything so stupid. And you must learn to stop playing the hero. Heroics are admirable – in their place! – but you’ve grown too reliant on them. Sometimes, biding your time and thinking things through is best. Why do you look like you’re about to collapse?”
I groaned, the pain of my injuries suddenly hitting me in full force now that danger was passed. Zyla caught me as I slumped to the side.
“My captors didn’t treat me with your gentleness,” I muttered.
Hubric snorted. “Sit him down by the fire, Zyla. Where did that flaming she-dragon flap off to?”
There was a flurry of wings as Saboraak landed beside me, quickly squatting down so that Zyla could lean me against her. Hubric shook a finger at my dragon.
“If you think I won’t have words to say to you, too, think again! Special, you may be. And you are certainly needed. But do you think you’re free to act as foolish as your rider? Think again!”
“They saved my life,” I groaned. Those lightnings had not been easy on the joints and muscles.
Hubric snorted. “Did you really think we wouldn’t rescue you?”
Zyla made a sound that suggested that she had thought that.
“I was waiting for the opportune time.” Hubric looked a little embarrassed. “But I suppose that since you did it and succeeded, then that was the opportune time. But now we find ourselves in a bind, children. Can I assume that Saboraak’s rescue of Tor was ... spectacular?”
“Mmmm, the very best,” I agreed. I was feeling feverish. The world was too hot, and my head was banging like a Kav’ai drum. “She was like a hurricane.”
“Then we can assume you will be followed shortly?”
“Flew low,” I added. Suddenly the world was very cold. “Over the trees.”
Hubric stood quickly, strode over and laid a hand on my forehead. “They beat you, boy?”
“I beat them! Showed them who is boss!” My words were muzzy.
“This alters things,” Hubric muttered. “Get him a blanket.”
A moment later, Zyla was laying a blanket over me with comforting shushing sounds. She felt like she was a million miles away.
He leaned over me. “Fever and internal injuries.”
“What do we do?” Zyla asked tensely. She was so beautiful in the flickering firelight. Why did I say such stupid things to her?
“We can’t leave the Kav’ai holed up in those caves for much longer. I’d hoped to find Tor along the way and send him back to release them, but now one of us will have to do it.”
“I could ride Saboraak,” Zyla suggested.
The angry snort beside me startled me. There was a burst of light. Had Saboraak flamed?
If they think they are splitting us up, they can think again. You are my rider. And I won’t leave you while you are injured.
“Not possible,” Hubric muttered. “You can get him help just south of the border. You know the place where Eventen resides? His House of Healing? It will cost us, but I have credit there.”
“Of course,” Zyla said.
“You’ll need to take him there as quickly as possible and avoid Magikas. I’ll go back to the caves and open them. Try to avoid the enemy along the way.”
“Should we stay at Eventen’s House after Tor recovers?” Zyla asked.
Hubric sighed. “We don’t have time for this.”
“We have to do something,” Zyla protested.
“Did I say we didn’t?” He sounded angry – but not at her. I felt too tired to talk. Too tired to think anymore. Hubric sounded just as frazzled, like he’d run out of strength and energy.
He sighed. “You’ll have to go on without me. If all goes well in Woelran, then fly next to Estabis and I will meet you there when I’m done freeing the Kav’ai. You know how important this is, and you know who we can trust and who we can not. Get him inside Woelran to Captain Arendis. Make the plans you need to warn the Dominar and bring down the spies before war erupts. And hurry.”
She hesitated but he cleared his throat and locked her gaze with his own.
“You’ve done well so far, Zyla. You found out what we needed to know in Ko’Torenth. You are ready for this. And Tor – well, just remember that what he says, and what he thinks, and what he does are not the same. No two of those things ever seem to line up. He might spout a stream of objections and foolishness, but when the fires are loosed, and the city is in flames it will be him putting it out.”
“I hope he can put this one out,” she said.
“He can. Tell him to read the book. It’s high time he knew what he was doing instead of fumbling in the dark.”
“I will.”
“We can’t sleep tonight. The golems will be here soon. I’ll help you make a litter for Tor to sling off the side of the saddle. Don’t look at me like that, Saboraak. Someone has to ride you and it has to be Zyla until Tor is fit again. You need to be fast if you want him to live. Understand?”
He leaned over me.
“Don’t die, boy,” he said gruffly. “Read the flaming book. And stay alive!”
It felt like only moments later that I was shaken awake as Hubric and Zyla lifted me with a grunt and then I was lying in a sling and being dragged jerkily up a hill.
Not a hill. My back.
I let my eyes close again and the next words I heard were in snatches. A question from Hubric. A sad sounding answer from Zyla, “I think I might love him.” Why was she so sad about whoever she loved? Muttered words. “Golems” and “Dominar,” and then “Message” and “Healer.”
I could use a healer right about now.
And then someone kissed my forehead, hot against my sudden chill, and adjusted the blanket around my chin and then we were lifting off into the air with nothing but the stars and the skies around us.
I slipped into a fitful sleep.
Chapter Three
WE TRAVELED THROUGH the night and I woke often, feeling too hot and too cold by turns. The pain in my belly gripped at me like a clawed hand on the inside – squeezing.
Dragon Chameleon: Episodes 5-8 Page 21