by HM Waugh
Praseep stands easily, the Stone heavy around his neck, and I look at his ankle. It’s unbound.
‘Your ankle …?’
‘Aji Healed it. I’ve never been so happy to see someone, but also so distressed.’
For the first time, I register that neither Aji nor Praseep are smiling. My face drops. ‘What has happened?’
Aji bends to check on Danam, who is struggling to rise with his misshapen leg. She curses. ‘What has gone on here?’
Danam rolls his eyes. ‘I was Healing myself, and Sunaya got in the way.’
Aji looks at him, expressionless, and then at me. I shrug. ‘I had to try something.’
‘You can help me fix it, though? Can’t you?’ Danam asks Aji and Praseep.
Aji doesn’t look away from my face. ‘Did you not think of leaving him here with the warmth, and going to get help?’
I flush. Of course, that would have been the smart thing to do. ‘Have I really messed things up?’
Danam shrugs at Praseep. ‘She’s not normally this weird, Your Highness. I’m sorry. I think she truly believes she’s the one with powers.’
Aji claps her hands. ‘The Prince and I should be able to fix things. If you would oblige, Your Highness?’
Praseep nods and I move back so he can squat by Danam as well.
‘I’ll help,’ says Danam.
Praseep meets my eyes briefly. ‘You can’t help, but I appreciate your enthusiasm.’
‘Why not?’ Danam asks. ‘Teach me how.’
‘Protectors can’t Heal themselves.’
‘I can! How else can you explain what I’ve already done!’
Praseep and Aji look at each other, hands interlinking over the leg, and they nod. I feel the swell of power, and Danam cries out as his leg twists back into shape beneath them. I sink back against the wall of the pit in relief.
Aji sighs. ‘Danam, look at me. You did not Heal your leg before. Sunaya did, or she tried anyway. No one can Heal themselves.’ She pauses. ‘Especially if they have no powers.’
Danam gapes at her.
‘I’m so sorry, Danam. We were hasty and we picked the wrong person. Sunaya is the one who needs to be taking these Tests.’
Danam’s face has gone as white as the snow around him.
Praseep grips his shoulder. ‘I’m sorry. You’re an extraordinary person, to have got this far in the Tests with no powers. But you cannot go any further.’
Danam slaps away Praseep’s arm, and Aji grabs his hand. ‘No. You do not hit the Prince. Any boy who can make it this far in the Cloud Dragon Tests does not react like a spoilt child when he learns the truth.’
I look away. ‘Shall we just head back now?’
‘Not all of us,’ Praseep says. I whip my eyes to him and he nods. ‘Aji will take Danam back, but you and I must continue on.’
‘Why?’
Aji stands, leaving Danam huddled on the ground. ‘I was woken early on the morning after we last spoke. I’d intended to go straight to the Princess on waking, but the Queen was deathly ill, and the urgency for a certain herb to ease her suffering meant I was ordered to leave immediately to harvest some from the far plateau. But I didn’t leave before I’d got a promise from the one who woke me, that Danam’s Tests would not be for several days.
‘I returned to SkyCity late in the day, only to discover the Healers had never asked for the herb I’d been ordered to find. The Dragon Tests had begun, and the Queen … the Queen was failing. The main Healer was very distressed. She recognised some of Her Highness’ symptoms, because she’d seen them just recently. In Danam.’
I blink. ‘What?’
‘But I was poisoned …’ says Danam.
‘Exactly,’ says Aji, her hawk-eyes bright with anger.
By the Dragon … ‘Someone poisoned the Queen?’ I gasp. ‘Why?’
‘To kill Her Highness before Princess Rishala gained a Cloud Dragon.’
‘Is she … is the Queen …?’
Aji smiles grimly. ‘The Queen was stabilising when I left to come here, but she has been weakened. She may last the week with the support of her Cloud Dragon, no longer.’
I look at Praseep and then back to Aji. I don’t want to ask. ‘Who woke you? Who ordered you to go?’
‘Vilpur.’
‘No!’ How could he be involved in this? How could he poison the Queen he was supposed to be devoted to?
Praseep had been right, after all. Vilpur was not what he seemed.
I can’t stop looking towards Praseep. His eyes are almost white, his jaw jutting out, and a part of me puts the last piece of the puzzle together.
‘Vilpur is waiting on the other side of the Tests with the Princess!’
Praseep nods and my head reels. If Vilpur is so desperate as to poison the Queen to try and gain the throne himself, then Princess Rishala is not safe.
I look from Praseep to Aji. ‘I’ll take Danam back. You two should go ahead.’
Aji shakes her head. ‘You’re far stronger than I, and you are the one who must become the Princess’ Cloud Dragon.’
Praseep grips my arm. ‘It is our only chance. We must have a Cloud Dragon pass the Tests before my mother dies, or the country will suffer. And once you are a Cloud, you will be able to deal with Vilpur.’
I shiver.
Aji hugs me. ‘I will get Danam back safely, I promise. Here.’ She takes her cloak off, and I notice both she and Praseep are wearing glorious thick cloaks.
‘How did you two get past the girl?’
Praseep gives a brief smile. ‘Aji came prepared.’
‘Good luck,’ Aji says to Praseep and me.
‘And you,’ Praseep says.
‘Thank you,’ I whisper.
Aji looks at Danam. ‘Going to say anything? Perhaps thank Sunaya for saving your life?’
Danam looks away, and I put my hand on Aji’s arm. ‘Don’t.’
Aji shakes her head at Danam, and then the snow dome dissolves and the extreme chill and dark night floods into our pit.
Praseep links his hands together. ‘Allow me.’
I step into his hands and he boosts me out of the pit. I turn to help Danam, who comes next, but he refuses to look at me. Then Aji comes, and Aji and I pull Praseep up together.
‘Fare well Your Highness, Sunaya,’ Aji says. ‘Until the other side.’
Praseep and Aji bow to each other.
I look to Danam, already walking away, and ice spikes my blood. ‘Danam! Not that way!’
Aji jumps forward to drag him back. ‘You were about to walk into another trap. You’re entitled to be disappointed, boy, but don’t be a fool. You do what I say, you hear? Because I’ve promised your aunt I will get you back alive. And I mean to keep that promise.’ Aji looks at me and nods. ‘Go!’
I seize Praseep’s hand. ‘Come, I’ve already walked this section, I know the way.’
Praseep squeezes my hand.
‘What?’ I look at him and see he is smiling.
‘Well done, that is all. You’ve passed three levels already.’
I smile, and concentrate on retracing my steps. It doesn’t feel long at all until we’re back at the exit tunnel. Having Aji’s cloak helps immensely, to not be freezing. And to not be alone.
Praseep pulls me to a stop just inside the tunnel entrance. ‘Here,’ he says, taking off the Stone and handing it to me. I shake my head but he is insistent. ‘It may help you pass Strength.’
I gape. ‘You mean this Test wasn’t Strength?’
‘Fortitude.’
My heart feels as heavy as a wheel of yakan cheese. I still have Strength ahead of me.
As soon as we pass into the tunnel, the intense chill of the blizzard vanishes with the icy moonlight. We break into a jog. I can feel Praseep’s fear. Somewhere ahead is his sister and a man who has fooled us all. I increase my pace, and he matches it.
Chapter 19
The tunnel weaves for what feels like hours, but finally I can sense a change. It widens ahead.
; Praseep pulls back on my hand. ‘You feel it?’ he asks.
I nod. ‘Do you think it’s another Test?’
He bites his lip. ‘You should take the lead.’
‘I don’t think me completing this is the priority anymore.’
He looks away. ‘It is not that …’
Ah. I wonder again what level Praseep failed at. One he expects will be ahead? Was it Strength? Surely, no one as powerful as Praseep could fail Strength.
‘Resilience?’ I guess.
He shrugs, looks back at me with a twisted lip. ‘You might have noticed I am not very good at accepting others are stronger or better than me. Apparently not a good characteristic for the Cloud Dragon of the future Queen.’
I think of how bitter he was when we first met, and I think how I would feel if I’d failed at something I’d thought was my destiny, and then been sent out to find the person who would replace me. I look at Praseep and smile. ‘Maybe before, but I think you wouldn’t get the same result now.’
He shakes his head like I’m daft. ‘Lead on, Protector!’
I curtsey and walk around the bend. A large chamber meets me, our light the only illumination. The chamber is so wide I can’t see the sides through the trailing mists. The low ceiling seems to crouch over our heads. Stalactites hang randomly, sparkling in the light and casting gruesome shadows. But the weirdest thing of all is the floor, flat and polished so that the black rock shines. As I walk through the opening I feel a chill run down my spine. Instantly, out of the murky shadows, Father appears.
This is only an illusion, I tell myself. I grit my teeth and walk forwards.
‘Hello, Father.’
He grimaces. ‘Look at you, you’ve always had an unhealthy love of the Ice. You disgust me!’
Only an illusion.
Praseep touches my arm. ‘Your response is what is measured. Remember, they’re not real. We need to keep walking.’
I nod and walk towards Father.
‘Filth!’ he spits. ‘You are a demon visited on my family!’
I keep walking. He isn’t real.
‘You will never amount to anything. Your head is full of stupid stories. You need to remember your place in life.’
Praseep’s hand grasps mine. ‘Keep walking.’
‘I know. It’s not real.’ But it feels so real. I take another step towards ghost-Father.
‘Go back and give up this ludicrous fantasy!’ Father’s image shouts, his face angrier than I’ve ever seen it.
This whole thing isn’t ludicrous. In fact, it’s not even a fantasy. I’m terrified of becoming a Cloud Dragon and having to Protect the Princess in a city where innocent boys get poisoned. I hold my head up and walk straight at him.
He vanishes.
‘Well done,’ Praseep murmurs.
Ahead, another figure is growing.
‘Praseep, what are you doing? You have already brought enough shame on our family! This is all your fault!’ The Queen rustles her beautiful cloak and glares at us both. ‘And with the Dirt-Girl! You defile our name just being with her.’
Now, that was a low blow, even for an imaginary person. Praseep drags to a stop, face collapsing.
I squeeze his hand. ‘It’s not real.’
‘I know, but I can imagine her saying it.’
I take both his hands. ‘That’s how this works, isn’t it? It weaves reality with fiction, and that’s why it hurts so badly. We just need to keep walking. We can do this, together.’
He stares at me, then a smile unfurls across his face. ‘Thanks. You have helped me remember what really matters right now.’
‘The Princess?’
He shakes his head. ‘I mean right here. I’ve never had a true friend, Sunaya. I have always been the Prince, set apart. What matters to me is that you are my friend, and you are a good person, and I trust you. Nothing the Queen says can change that.’
‘Go back, you are worthless, both of you!’ screams the Queen’s enraged image.
A smile steals over my face and I squeeze Praseep’s hand. ‘And I trust you. I know you’re far from worthless.’
He grins. ‘Then let us get out of here!’
Together we walk towards the Queen, ignoring the insults issuing from her imaginary mouth. When we’re only a few paces away, she vanishes.
I breathe a sigh of relief and share a smile with Praseep. Each step forward we’re closer to the end, closer to saving the Princess and ensuring she gets to become the Queen she should be.
But this Test isn’t over yet.
Another figure emerges from the fog ahead. Vilpur this time, his normally serene face twisted.
‘Dirt scum!’ he sneers. ‘You do not deserve to walk these halls!’
I keep holding Praseep’s hand and walk forwards. Vilpur’s words can’t hurt me, because I know myself, and I know Praseep.
Lies cannot twist that.
Vilpur looks at me, and it’s hard to believe he’s not real. ‘You couldn’t hide what you were from me. I saw your eyes change at the palace and I realised the truth,’ he says. ‘You’ve come this far, but you will go no further.’
I quicken my pace. The real Vilpur is somewhere ahead, thinking he’s going to get away with poisoning the Queen and Danam, ready to oust the Princess. We need to stop him.
The Vilpur illusion snarls. ‘At first I thought you were here to ruin my plans, but you’ve actually made them easier. Everyone I want is in here at the same time.’
Praseep’s lagging and I gently tug him forward to match my pace.
‘Sunaya …’ he murmurs.
‘This isn’t real,’ I remind him, squeezing his hand. We can do this.
Vilpur laughs. We’re so close to him now, I’m surprised he hasn’t already vanished. One more step should do it.
But Praseep has come to a complete stop behind me. ‘Sunaya!’
I urge him forwards.
‘No!’
I look at him, heart beating faster at the fear in his words. He’s not looking at me. He’s looking ahead.
At Vilpur.
Praseep’s eyes widen at the same time I catch movement in the periphery of my vision. It is Vilpur, moving towards me. Closing the gap. Sword raised.
Definitely Not Disappearing.
I stagger back.
He’s not supposed to be real.
Praseep leaps past me, his own sword out like a shard of ice. There’s a ringing as the two blades meet. Then another, before the two figures step back, warily watching each other.
This is no illusion.
Vilpur surges forward, sword dancing back and forth so fast it blurs, as Praseep fends off the attack.
We’ve been fooled again. Vilpur must’ve been waiting here, in Resilience. Knowing we would think him part of the Test.
I’ve nothing I can use to help Praseep. No snow nor ice adorns this chamber, to bend to my will. And Praseep is like a cornstalk compared to the burly Advisor.
Vilpur looks out of place. The sword doesn’t fit with his robes. But it matches his eyes.
‘Where is the Princess?’ Praseep asks as they circle each other.
Vilpur grins. ‘Who cares? Without her Cloud Dragon, she will be nothing when the Queen dies.’
‘The Queen lives,’ says Praseep.
Vilpur smiles. ‘Not for long, and nor will you.’
‘She lives. They recognised the poison. You should not have used it twice. Your plan was foiled.’
Vilpur’s mask of calm collapses into fury and he lunges forward, but Praseep seems to expect it, dodging to the left, his sword arm out and braced. The force of Vilpur’s charge acts against him as he barrels past his much smaller opponent. As Vilpur twirls to face Praseep again, he holds his left arm awkwardly. I start to hope despite my thundering heart.
I grip the chain around my neck tightly, feeling the weight of the Stone. I’ve never felt so useless in all my life. Vilpur looks nothing like the hermits of Dragon Mountain now. He could do with some calming Stone a
ction.
I gasp.
Of course.
I pull the chain off with hands that don’t shake. A smile spreads across my face because I do have something I can use to help Praseep.
Vilpur isn’t looking at me, his total concentration is on Praseep. I raise my arm, take aim and let the Stone fly like I’m trying to hit the target in our village fete. It strikes Vilpur on his temple, and he manages one startled look at me before collapsing. The sound of the Stone skittering away echoes through the dark chamber. Vilpur lies there and doesn’t move, though his chest rises and falls with each breath.
Praseep backs warily away from him.
‘Are you okay?’ I ask.
He nods. ‘Let us get out of here.’
I guess he’s thinking about the Princess. But I’m thinking about the Stone.
‘Come on!’ he urges. ‘We need to find her.’
‘But the Stone!’ I whisper.
He stares at me, eyes flashing wildly from my eyes to my neck and back again. ‘Where is it?’
‘That’s what I threw at him.’
Praseep curses, and I’m sure no Prince was ever supposed to know a word like that. Together we search the shiny black floor, but we can’t find the Stone. I can’t sense it like I could before. I can’t even sense Praseep in this magical cavern. The Stone could have skittered into any of the dark corners, hidden by the mists and shadows that move and mince around us as we search, like a horde of ghosts waiting to pounce.
It could take forever to find it.
And we’ve got nothing like forever. Who knows what Vilpur’s done to the Princess, to keep her where she is so he could come here and fight us. And, despite Praseep’s brave words, who knows how long the Queen might live. We can’t risk the Skylands falling into civil war, so some vicious plotter like Vilpur can seize the throne.
Princess Rishala needs her Cloud Dragon.
She needs me.
I stop looking. Instead I tear another length off my tunic and bind Vilpur’s hands and feet. We don’t want him waking and coming after us. At least he’s got no idea the Stone is somewhere in here with him.
I look at Praseep. ‘We’ve got to go, we can come back later and find it.’
He is on his hands and knees, hunting with fingers and mind for the sacred sapphire. He looks at me like I’ve just suggested going for a swim in a glacial lake. But then he nods. ‘You are right. Let us find the Princess.’