I will tell my hatchlings about this, and their hatchlings, too.
If we lived that long.
Don’t be so gloomy. Come over here and get your Dragon Staff. You left it behind.
I crossed to where he was, trying to keep Nasataa in my view as I took out the Dragon Staff and inspected it. He’d done a great job of taking care of it. It was in perfect shape.
The Blue dragons were moving so quickly now, that I couldn’t see anything at all except for a cloud of bubbles and the slightest glimpse of Nasataa between them every now and then.
Heron came over and took my hand, smiling gently as he joined me to watch Nasataa. He put his other hand on Olfijum.
It’s nice to have him back – all the way back. If this all works out – if there is a world left when we are done – I would like to form a bond with him like they do in the Dominion.
That was a surprise. I didn’t think that Olfijum was the type to give up his freedom.
Won’t you want to marry him? That’s giving up freedom, too, though in a different way.
Shh! Don’t say that! I thought as hard as I could.
Won’t you? You’ve thought about it.
That’s none of your business! You’re not supposed to read those thoughts!
Well, I’m sorry – so I’m supposed to just know what thoughts you want to share and what ones you want to keep to yourself?
Maybe Heron wouldn’t want to bond with him when he was so annoying.
Maybe I’ll ask you for the bond. After all, I’ve come to be a close ally to you, too. It’s just that I thought you would want to stick with Nasataa.
I felt a little touched by that. He liked me, too?
I’ve gotten used to you. Don’t get all warm and fuzzy about it. It happens.
Then he needed to promise not to tell Heron that I’d ever dreamed of marrying him.
Oops. Too late.
“We need to talk about the prophecies,” Bareena said, leaning her bubble against mine as we watched Nasataa.
I was grateful for the interruption, though the suspense of this test was killing me. What were they doing to test my little dragon?
“Sure,” I agreed. But I could feel something sifting through my mind like it was looking for something. I tried to shove it away.
Hold still. The voice was unfamiliar. We are searching your memories of the dragonlet. All your companions will be searched as we weigh his claims.
Great. They were accessing my memories, too. Why did everyone think my head was their play land?
They could just go ahead and get out of my head. I was sick of being sifted and tested and taken apart by pieces only to have to put myself back together again.
It's necessary. One last test. And then the final one - opening the Haroc and putting Nasataa on it. If we approve him.
That was going to be a test, too?
Yes. The hardest test of all - the test of life. If you fail that one, everything else will have been for nothing.
"Seleska?" Bareena reminded me.
"Yes?"
"The prophecies. Are you paying attention?"
"Yes," I said "I'm sorry. What were you trying to tell me?"
"There are prophecies about this, too." Bareena said. "The hope at the end, delicate, small, a few friends against the powers of darkness and silence. Together they stand. The few against the many. The few for the light of the world. And in their victory the people will be planted like a seed to rise again. In the death of all, the final end, will come the victory to fill the world from sea to sea. A memory of hope. A strong love. The only keys to open the heart of the world.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I murmured.
“You don’t like hope and victory?” Bareena asked, puzzled.
“I don’t like that part about the ‘death of all,’” I said, choked up on the words. Heron gripped my hand to comfort me.
But was that really what this was about? Was it really just one long journey to our deaths? If I’d known that, wouldn’t I have just stayed on our island with Nasataa and Heron and my parents? We could have just been happy there for our last weeks together.
And you wouldn’t have met me, Olfijum reminded me.
I didn’t regret meeting him.
Or Hubric and Kyrowat.
I missed them.
Or Vyvera, Octon, Raolcan, Taoslil, the Dominar, Tor, Saboraak, Zin and Zyla – all of them.
But all the danger, all the death, all the suffering. I could have traded that for a few quiet weeks on the island.
Would you trade that? If you could trade it right now, would you?
I hesitated.
When Heron lost his memory, he didn’t remember any of the dangers or worries. What did you think of him, then?
He had been an empty shell of himself.
And that’s what you would be if you erased all those trials from your life – just an empty shell.
I wouldn’t want that.
Then let’s face this next test with confidence. Let’s face it determined to win.
Chapter Fourteen
I stood in silence as the minutes ticked by, determination growing in me. Maybe we’d beat all the odds and survive this. Maybe we’d even beat death.
“What is this thing around your neck?” Heron asked, gently touching the necklace with the lock – the collar that Branson had put on me.
“They used it to put memories in my mind,” I confessed, shying away from even the memory of the memories.
“Can you take it off?” He ran his fingers up around the woven collar.
“It’s too small to pull over my head,” I admitted.
“And it’s made of woven metal. I’m not even sure I could saw it off,” he said, brows knit together. “But there is a keyhole.”
“If I had a key, that would be useful.”
“Perhaps the lock could be picked,” he said, still studying it like he thought he could pick it himself.
“I don’t think we have time for that right now.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What if they can give you more memories? What if they can use it against you?”
I shrugged. “We’ll just have to deal with that when it comes.”
“Hmmm.”
He wandered over to Olfijum’s saddlebags and began to rummage around in them in the middle of the water. Damp dried meat floated out of the bags and spilled around us in the water. Gross.
After long minutes he returned with two bent lengths of metal.
“I’m going to try to pick the lock.”
“Hubric had lockpicks in the saddlebags?” I asked, shocked.
“He was a crafty old fellow.”
He worked away at the lock, but as the hours passed, he made no progress. I thought he was close to giving up when the ground began to rumble.
WE HAVE FOUND THE CHOSEN ONE.
The mental shout of the Blue dragons testing Nasataa sent shivers down my spine. Why did they have to make the earthquake just to declare that? It was an awfully dramatic way to behave!
The ground shook more as the dragons spiraling around Nasataa slowed and I could finally make him out again. He looked different. A pattern of silver was etched over his scales that reminded me of the ko that Tor had given me.
He was their Chosen One. Pride warmed my heart.
We need to get to the Haroc, he said and I opened my arms as he leapt into my embrace.
“We will,” I agreed. “We’ll go right away!”
The ground shook again.
THE COUNCIL HAS TESTED THE DRAGONLET. HE IS THE TRUE CHOSEN ONE. OUR TIME HAS COME. PREPARE FOR BATTLE.
Well, at least we’d have allies.
I saw Bareena out of the corner of my eye stuffing packages into Olfijum’s saddlebags. We were ready to go. It looked like she’d even found fresh water to fill our waterskins somehow. Trust Bareena to be prepared.
As the ground shook harder, I felt my first moment of doubt. Wasn’t that dangerous? Weren’t they goin
g to destroy their own city like that?
“Watch out!” Heron cried, pulling me to the side. I held onto Nasataa, pulling him with me as Olfijum and Bareena dodged in the other direction. A chunk of the coral-encrusted pavilion fell, landing where we’d been standing.
As if the shock of it had cleared my mind, I suddenly saw what was going on around me with clear eyes. The dragons were no longer watching the ceremony in the pavilion. They were no longer testing Nasataa, no longer going about their business high above. They seemed almost as if they were forming ranks for a fight.
Get ready to grab a hold of the strap! Saerdes cried, streaking toward us with another Blue dragon. The Purple, too. He won’t be able to keep up and we must hurry.
What was going on?
“Grab the handles when the dragons go by!” I yelled to the others. They all looked as confused as I felt, but I clung to Nasataa. This time, we wouldn’t get split up.
Draven. They are just below the surface. More than we knew could even exist. We must flee, now, while the guard buys us time to escape.
We needed to get to the Haroc.
None of us will do that if we are dead.
He was right. The ground beneath us shook again – this time so hard that we were flung off the surface and into the briny water. I didn’t have time to think about it before Saerdes was there, his neck close enough that I could grab a handle, jamming the dragon Staff in behind the collar and then reaching for Nasataa. Heron grabbed the handle on the other side. I couldn’t see Olfijum or Bareena.
We have a grip on the other Blue.
Saerdes twisted in the water and then we were plunging upward as the ocean floor split open and Black shapes oozed out of it.
I couldn’t see or hear anything. Panic gripped me as I lost my sight, but I held on tight to the handle and to Nasataa. Saerdes was our only hope – if we could just hold on!
But I couldn’t tell if we were going anywhere or stuck in the water where we’d started. The monsters behind us could slowly be closing in. They could suck the last life out of us. They could eat us alive.
I should let go and try to swim on my own.
It was all I could do to silence that inner voice and keep fighting. If I gave up, all would be lost. I knew that, even while all my instincts were screaming at me to let go.
Stay strong, Seleska, I told myself. Don’t give up.
But every second felt like an eternity. How long did you hold on when you didn’t know whether holding on was the right thing to do?
Chapter Fifteen
My vision came back first and with it a bittersweet burst of hope mixed with terror.
Saerdes streaked through the water surrounded by the fleeing bodies of other Blue dragons. We were packed together like a school of fish, streaking through the dark water. When had it gotten so dark?
Blood. I realized after a chilling moment. The water was full of blood. I clung tighter to Nasataa. I couldn’t hear his voice yet, but I could see he was unhurt, though afraid. I tried to look back behind us, but I could see nothing but darkness bubbling up.
Saerdes dodged to the side and we narrowly avoided a building. Other Blue dragons squeezed in close as we all slid around the obstacle together and their bodies pressed down on me, squeezing the air from my lungs. We were slowing. We were getting bogged down in all the bodies.
I’d seen schools of fish fleeing predatory fish before – seen their silver bodies packed so tightly together that seemed like a single panicked creature – now we were part of one of those terrified schools of fish, only it was a school of dragons.
Everything went dark again for a moment and then vision returned. My heart pounded in my chest – I could feel it – but I couldn’t even hear my own heartbeat.
Saerdes turned in the water so that we were moving perpendicular to the flight of the other dragons, squeezing awkwardly between their long, darting bodies. My heart was in my throat. What was he doing? We were going to get caught like this! This was not a time to do something fancy. This was a time to flee.
Bubbles filled the water around us, obscuring my view and with the silence of our minds, it was impossible to know what he was doing. All I could do was cling to his back and hope he had a plan – and that it was a good plan.
I stole a glance to where Heron held on to the other handle, white-knuckled, his teeth gritted together. I wasn’t the only one worried. Something hit us – hard. We all shook, and it was all I could do to cling to that handle as Saerdes bucked from the hit and then another and another. I felt something smash into my shoulder and I bit back a cry of pain.
We were being struck by other Blue dragons, I realized, as they tried to flee the Draven.
Saerdes bucked again, but this time it felt like he was putting extra energy into his swimming. He plunged up into a space that was mercifully clear of other dragons, dodging the spire on a dragon tower and then swirling in a spiral.
The sounds of the ocean filled my ears and I drew in a grateful breath. I could hear again.
We’re waiting for Lylssud.
I leaned over the side of his body to try to see below us, just in time to see the other Blue dragon carrying Olfijum and Bareena being buffeted and shaken by a school of Blue dragons whipping past. But they weren’t the only Blue dragons swimming with purpose. Below us, the sea writhed.
Swirls of Blue dragons formed battle lines, flaming underwater at the oozing darkness – the Draven, while eddies of other dragons tried to flee the dark masses. The ground beneath the city was open in a ragged line – darkness still spilling out from it. The city – the glorious underwater city – was crumbling wherever the darkness oozed around us.
I gaped at the destruction. Not here, too! Was nowhere safe? Was nothing sacred?
We must get the Chosen One to the Haroc. Our leaders left us with that last command.
Last. That assumed there would be no victory here.
They swallow our warriors like minnows.
I watched as the darkness swallowed up the flames of a line of fighting Blue dragons and then the dragons were gone – absorbed by the darkness.
No.
I’d thought that if anyone would be immune – if anyone could stand against this, it would be them.
Why would this be different than my home in the Lands of Haz’drazen? Olfijum asked. Why would it be different than Ko’Torenth or the Dominion?
I didn’t have an answer. But I was certain of this – despite the terror I felt at returning to the Haroc, we would have to go. And we would have to risk death if that was what it took. Because otherwise, there would be nothing worth living for left in the world.
The darkness stretched upward as if reaching for us. No.
Had it heard my thoughts? Were we in more danger?
We will be if we don’t flee now!
Lylssud was almost to where we were when the darkness shot upward so fast that I couldn’t even call out before sound was gone again.
I felt Saerdes bunch up and shoot upward.
And then darkness blocked our vision again and all I could do was hold fast and grit my teeth and hope with all hope that somehow we could flee fast enough.
Chapter Sixteen
I clung to his back until I thought my grip would break – and then I clung harder. Something shook us, whipping us back and forth. Memories – not mine – filled me. Memories of hatching from an egg. Memories of crawling to the sea with my fellow hatchlings. Memories of the song of the sea as I learned to flame for the first time.
And then they were gone, and we shook again. I was crying – I thought – from the stress and exhaustion. If this lasted much longer, my grip was going to break. Both my arms were screaming with pain, pushed past the breaking point. And yet, I held on.
It felt like hours before I saw light again. I didn’t know where we were, but I looked around, desperate to assess our situation. Nasataa clung to the handle unhurt but looking pale and weak. Heron still gripped his handle, but his forehead was p
ressed to Saerdes back. Was that because he was close to exhaustion?
Saerdes was leaking blood into the water. I didn’t even know he was hurt before I saw that. Behind us, the black cloud still pursued. But wherever we were, I could see no other Blue dragons. Only strange spires that shot up into the water from the ocean floor – thousands of them. They sprouted waving flag-like red fronds almost as if it were a forest of some alien plant.
It is a forest. The Blood Forest.
Saerdes! Was he okay? That was a lot of blood he was losing.
We must lose them in the forest. There is a portal there, if I can find it. A way to get to the Haroc. Hold fast.
I looked behind us, but I couldn’t see Lylssud or Olfijum or Bareena.
I heard a voice and almost jumped. Heron had leaned in so that his bubble touched mine and we could speak.
“I can’t find Olfijum’s mind.”
I bit my lip. “Maybe we just lost them while we fled. There were a thousand ways to go and it’s me and Nasataa that they want, not Olfijum or Bareena.”
He nodded, but anxiety painted his face and I knew he was as worried as I was. I’d grown to depend on Olfijum. Even losing his help for a little while was a huge blow. If something worse had happened ... if he was gone. Well, I would be gutted.
“We have to hold on,” I told Heron. “We just have to keep going and hope this all works out. There are no other options now.”
“I know,” he said grimly, but he reached out a hand and put it over mine, trying to lend me strength.
I appreciated the gesture. But I had a terrible feeling that I’d seen the last of my dragon friend and Bareena. What had she been saying about a prophecy before we fled? It must have been important. I needed to remember it.
"The hope at the end, delicate, small, a few friends against the powers of darkness and silence. Together they stand. The few against the many. The few for the light of the world. And in their victory the people will be planted like a seed to rise again. In the death of all, the final end, will come the victory to fill the world from sea to sea. A memory of hope. A strong love. The only keys to open the heart of the world.”
Dragon Tide Omnibus 2) Page 24