“Don’t you feel guilty taking these clothes from her?” I asked as I fell into step behind Teka.
“She’ll often give things away like that. She has no real need for money because she sings most of what she needs from nature. Wakari are a peaceful race. It’s a shame that they’re not really known.”
“How will I ever be able to repay her?”
“The same way I do. Bring her gifts like tea or art. That is all she really wants– friendship.” Teka stepped on the dock and gestured to the ship before us.
“Wow.” I gawked at the ship.
It was fairly small, only about eight wyvern-lengths long and two wide. Almost everything about it was as black as night, yet it shimmered in the light of the suns. The two masts were of clear crystal, which refracted all light into countless rainbows. It was gorgeous!
“This is Shadow Dance, a ship sung from onyx and diamond. Verd gave it to me when my last ship was swallowed by a storm– the same storm I pulled her out of.”
Teka lead the way to the main deck and barked orders to her crew, who immediately jumped to their chores. I was shown to a room on one of lower decks, allowed to change, then given the grand tour of the Shadow Dance.
Magic was what they named the mutagenic powers that had developed in the Bedebian survivors. No one understood precisely what had caused the mutation, but they managed to narrow down the source to some form of radiation in the atmosphere of Bedeb.
– FROM “THE CHRONICLES OF ITHNEZ, VOL. IV” BY ORN TERSON, COURT HISTORIAN
Dimitri’s ruby eyes watched as Godilai paced the room, impatient for news. Their search of Sindai had resulted in no sign of the girl, so the duo had gone to the team’s designated meeting place. The shabby tavern reeked of fish and booze and something Dimitri did not want to think about. The entire place made him sick, but not nearly as sick as the thought of losing the girl. If the Anakor River swallowed her, then the Dragon Diary was lost as well. That very thought distressed Dimitri beyond words– the diary was the key. If it was truly lost due to the incompetence of two Dákun Daju women, there would be Régon to pay.
Dimitri sighed and relaxed into the pillows propped up against the headboard of a lumpy bed. His gaze continued to follow Godilai. Truth was, he wanted to get to know her more, but she was in no mood for conversation. So he admired her from afar.
Her long, shapely legs made pacing the room rather quick work. He was sure she would wear out what was left of the tattered rug. Godilai froze mid-stride and drew her swords a heartbeat later. Dimitri heard it, too, but made no move to arm up; he knew those footfalls. The door burst open as a burly sailor was thrown through it. Luna and Vincent stepped in a moment later.
“What is the meaning of this?” Godilai yelled, pulling the sailor to his feet by his hair.
“He has seen the girl,” Luna answered, sealing the door.
Dimitri smirked and looked the sailor over. “Has he now?”
He was tall and muscular with skin worn from the winds. He sported shoulder-length blond hair and a full beard.
“How long ago was the girl found? Did you get her name?”
The sailor’s blue eyes met Dimitri’s in a fierce gaze. “What does it matter to you?”
“Very well. What is your name?” Dimitri asked, getting to his feet.
“Jakk.”
“Well, Jakk, the girl has something in her possession that belongs to me. Now tell me what happened to her.”
Jakk crossed his arms defiantly. “What if I don’t remember?”
Godilai’s blade was on his neck a second later. In a whispered hiss, she said, “I suggest you start remembering.”
Jakk slowly unfolded his arms. “She washed up on shore this morning. Teka and I brought her to a healer where she made a rapid recovery. Then I left for my crabbing. I never learned the girl’s name. I caught a glimpse of Teka’s ship sailing away when I returned to port. Where she went? I do not know. I don’t even know if the girl is with her.”
Dimitri stared at the man as he thought things over. The mystery girl had the diary, and chances were high that she could not read the runes within. She would need to go somewhere… particular to get it translated, and there was only one way to get to that island. Finally, Dimitri asked, “And what kind of ship does this Teka own?”
The sailor seemed to grow extremely uncomfortable with the subject. “It’s…uh…one of a kind.”
Dimitri scowled. “One of a kind does not help me. What is the name of the ship, and what does it look like?”
“It’s black. Two masts. Silver sails. Really hard to miss.”
“And the name?”
The sailor did not answer. Godilai dragged her blade over his neck, leaving a crimson line. He got the hint. “Shadow Dance,” Jakk whispered and hung his head, ashamed.
“So now we are searching for a black ship called Shadow Dance and captained by someone named Teka. And which direction was the ship headed?” Dimitri asked, turning his back on the sailor. He grabbed his father’s diary from the hidden pocket of his coat and began to flip through the pages.
Jakk sighed. “I don’t know. North?”
“Perfect. That was most helpful, Jakk.”
“What do you want from the girl?”
Dimitri growled at the inquiry.
A sudden thud followed a gurgling noise. Dimitri looked over his shoulder. Godilai was cleaning the blood of her sword and the sailor lay dead on the floor, his neck sliced wide open.
“Why did you kill him?” Vincent asked, sounding very annoyed.
“He outlived his usefulness,” Godilai answered, returned her sword to its sheathe. “Besides, if we stay here talking any longer, we will miss our ship.”
“Indeed we will,” Dimitri mumbled. “Where did you two find him, anyway?”
“He was dropping off a load of crab when the ferry from Beldai landed,” Vincent explained. We figured he had been away when you two went about, so we asked. We got lucky.”
“I am curious,” Luna began, “what lies to the north aside from Arctica?”
“The Sorcerers’ Isle,” Dimitri answered with a smirk.
“And just how do you know that?” asked Godilai.
Dimitri flipped to a page in Agasei’s diary and showed his team the spread– a hand-drawn map of the world. Just west of the country of Arctica lay an ellipse with the words “Sorcerers’ Isle” scrawled in standard.
“There’s no way in Havel that that diagram is accurate,” Godilai muttered.
Dimitri winked at her. “It depicts a force field around the isle. My father could not figure out how to break it, but I know how.”
Godilai frowned.
Luna sighed. “And just how do you know you can get through?”
“A few centuries of research will make you well schooled in several things.” Dimitri slapped the diary shut, returned it to his pocket. “It doesn’t matter at the moment. We need to get out of here before the ship leaves without us.”
“You really think the brat is headed to the Sorcerers’ Isle?” Vincent asked, helping Dimitri gather some belongings.
“I hope she is. And as soon as I find her, I am going to kill her myself to make sure it’s done right.”
“Let’s get going!” Godilai shouted, shoving her way past the others.
I shall never forget the words spoken by Thedrún that day, “It is only in sorrow that the storm masters us; in elation we face the storm and defy it.”
– FROM “CONVERSATIONS WITH DRAGONS” BY DJURDAK ZA’CAR
My arms were heavy. My legs were sore. My whole body begged for sleep. But haunting visions kept me awake. There was nothing I could do to force myself into a dreamless rest. Therefore, I once again found myself on the main deck of Teka’s ship sparring with shadows. I had rehearsed the battle dance Zhealocera and I had barely begun to practice until each movement became instinctive.
As I repeated the dance for the sixteenth time this night, I thought about the mess my life had beco
me. I was on the run from an enemy I knew little about, headed for an island long thought myth, and my best friend, Ríhan, had been murdered– all for a stupid book!
I grumbled at the thought of that book, the Dragon Diary. Everything that had happened to me in the last two weeks was because of that cursed book. I wish I could just throw the cursed thing overboard and be done with it. But every time I tried to dispose of the book, something, like a spectral whisper in my ear, stopped me.
I sighed and began the routine again. Who am I trying to fool, anyway? I am nothing more than a teenage girl who cannot remember an inkling of her past. Why could the diary not find its way to someone more worthy to uphold the legends within? Someone…stronger.
“Amorez, why don’t you do this yourself?” I whispered to the wind.
“Land ho, Cap’n!” The cry of the boy in the crow’s nest yanked me from my thoughts.
I glanced up and followed the direction he pointed. A shadow formed just over the predawn horizon. I stared at it as we drew nearer. Soon enough I could make out mountains piercing the sky behind a curtain of tall trees. It looked so…normal. Not at all what I was expecting the Sorcerers’ Isle to look like.
“We should be landing within the hour, Xyleena,” Teka said, suddenly beside me.
I nodded but otherwise did nothing.
“Maybe you should have something to eat before we disembark. You look weak.”
“I’m fine.”
I heard Teka click her tongue before she walked away. I sighed and continued to watch the island grow. I could not shake the feeling of familiarity, almost as if I had seen the island before. I scoffed and finally looked away. Yeah right.
◆◆◆
As Teka predicted, the Shadow Dance made landfall in just under an hour. I was surprised to discover that Teka had beached her ship on the white sand beach of the island instead of anchoring a few leagues out and rowing ashore. She explained that high tide made the beach almost disappear, making it easier to leave the island. Plus the ship was safer beached as it was instead of anchored out at sea.
Teka, two of her crew, and I were the only ones to leave the ship.
“Too many visitors would send the Feykin into a defensive frenzy. We want them to listen to us, not kill us,” Teka explained as she led the way up a path to the trees.
“I don’t know if I want to meet them now,” I muttered.
Teka chuckled.
“They’re not bad,” one of the crewmembers replied. “They’re just protective of their land and their people.”
The other crewmember patted me on the shoulder as he spoke. “Trust me, lass. I’d rather deal with ten Feykin than an angry wyvern during breeding season.”
I smiled but found no comfort in their amusement. Try as I might, I could not escape the heightened sense of awareness that washed over me. We are being followed.
I cast my gaze around the lush foliage that surrounded us. Plants of all kinds grew wild and dense, completely untouched by man. Multicolored flowers, ferns, and grasses made the forest absolutely breathtaking to behold.
A gentle rustle of wings had my heart in my throat. I slowly moved to grasp the tessens from my bag. I breathed slowly like Zhealocera taught me, trying to calm myself. A twig snapped. I spun around to block any attacker but found none. A bird cawed angrily and took flight. I watched it for a moment as I exhaled slowly.
“Just a dahma bird,” Teka muttered, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
I turned to face her in time to see her sheath a dagger. She winked at me before turning in the direction we had been headed.
“So are we going somewhere special?” I asked, falling in step behind Teka.
I heard her smile. “Not really. You see, we cannot enter any of the Feykin towns without their permission. So we have to find them first.”
“I don’t understand. How do we find the Feykin if we don’t go to their town?” I frowned when her chuckle reached my ears.
A dozen bodies suddenly burst from the foliage and surrounded us. Teka and her crewmembers made no move to fend them off, but I flipped open my tessens just in case.
“Like that,” Teka answered as she rested a hand on my arm.
I sighed and allowed myself to relax.
“Kahs gözandí, fratime,” Teka said. “Eo ík Teka Loneborne.”
“Aké la ja chee?” One of the older-looking men in the group surrounding us stepped closer.
He and Teka conversed while I studied our captors.
Though styled in different ways, their hair was always silver. The only way I could tell them apart otherwise was their eyes, which varied in as many exotic and strange colors as the Dákun Daju. They were clad in strange garb that looked like it had been woven in eccentric patterns from various plant life.
Snow-white and pearled wings extended from the backs of each Feykin. I noticed that the tips of their feathers were tinted to match their eyes. A strangely crafted silver armor ran the length of each of their wings and made them look fierce and dangerous. Yet overall, they looked…well, human. Nowhere near as exotic as I was expecting.
“We are to follow them to Thorna and speak to the Council of Elders,” Teka announced in Standard.
I turned to face her. “Is that normal?”
“No. But because they do not know you, they are demanding that you be judged by their Elders before they offer any assistance.” Teka nodded to the older Feykin she had been speaking to.
He uttered a command in Kinös Elda, and the Feykin started through the trees. Teka, her crewmates, and I followed a moment later.
“What would happen if these Elders decide I am not worthy of their help?”
Teka sighed. “They will kill you.”
“That’s comforting,” I muttered.
We must have trekked miles upon miles through the dense forest– over hills and under a noisy waterfall where we all paused to drink. I had no idea exactly how long we traveled, as the foliage blotted out the suns. On many occasions, we caught sight of large deer herds. The Feykin took note of their location, probably to return later for a hunt.
Just when I thought I could not take another step, one of the younger boys in the group escorting us let out an excited whoop. He burst forward with enough speed to rival a Dákun Daju and used his wings to thrust him forward faster. Some of his companions laughed at his antics and gave chase. How they could have so much energy after such a long walk was beyond me. I began to wonder what had suddenly got them so riled up. At the crest of a sizable hill, I had my answer.
Looming over us were the largest trees I had ever seen! Each one must have grown to at least a league high, if not more. And nestled among the branches were hundreds of platforms and bridges, creating a wondrous maze through the giant trunks of the trees. Many of the platforms had huts built on them, and women were about doing various chores. Children ran across the bridges playing and laughing.
I continued to gape at the splendor overhead as our guide lead us up a spiraling walkway and into the heart of the canopy. We caught the attention of many inhabitants as we paraded past them. Some of the younger children joined the parade. One of the children, a small girl with lavender eyes, grabbed my hand and walked beside me.
The parade ended just outside an insanely wide tree that had been hollowed out. Our guide ushered us inside. Teka thanked him in Kinös Elda and lead the way over the threshold. I blinked, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the brightness within.
We were in an enormous, round room. The walls were lined with floating orbs, which glowed in varying colors of light. In the center of the room was a wooden bench that stood before five raised platforms. Seated on each of the platforms was an ancient-looking Feykin flanked by trident-wielding guards.
Teka bowed to the five Elders before taking a seat on the bench. Her crewmates and I mirrored her actions. The old Feykin were silent as they studied us for a long while. I took this time to observe them.
The oldest man in the middle wore a dark
-green, pointed hat that flopped to one side of his head. His grey eyes were half hidden by small spectacles and white-silver hair. His face was gentle but wrinkled and sporting a long beard. His four companions were similar, but upon closer inspection, I noticed two were women.
“Kíen la ja süm, Teka Loneborne?” The man in the middle spoke in a strained whisper.
I began to wonder exactly how old he was.
“Estéz karétez la meo micallaz, bó et kanójo wa Xyleena.”
The conversation continued, keeping its quiet tone. I found myself wishing once more that I knew a bit of Kinös Elda.
“Xyleena?”
The old man’s voice yanked me from my thoughts. I looked at him, confused.
“It ja nan hakaní estéz tantúre?”
“Uh…”
My vacant expression made him smile.
“Hoko bemum Thera Onyx.” He flicked his wrist, and a guard ran from the room.
Upon learning that this girl, who had proven herself to be the Dragon Keeper, was a Priestess of the Temple, I grew concerned; not for her, but for the rest of the world. In all honesty, I feared that she lacked the resolve to do what was necessary to save us.
– FROM “THE SECOND KEEPER” BY THERA ONYX
We must have sat there in silence for a good hour before the guard returned with a young woman in tow. Unlike the other Sorcerers I had seen so far, she wore jet black, which matched the ebony feathers of her wings. Her silver hair fell past her shoulders and covered one of her deep, violet eyes. She dared a glance at me before bowing to the five Elders.
“Núl wa de ja du bemum meo po, Ujak?” Her voice was like water– gentle, yet hiding an untamable ferocity.
The old man in the middle platform motioned toward me and said something in Kinös Elda. I felt foolish being talked about in a language I did not know.
“My uncle says you do not understand the Ancient Tongue. Is this true?”
I smiled nervously at the girl and nodded. I wondered how she had learned Standard in a society that seemed to know only Kinös Elda. I watched as she said something to the old man, her uncle. He said something in return, and the girl faced me again.
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