‘No cause to thank them,’ said Bel. Through the fug of his disappointment he realised that there was a more important failure looming at him. ‘They will have made off with the Stone.’
‘We should look, at least,’ said Jaya, her sleeve across her mouth. Bel noticed her considering the gold and other valuable objects that lay here and there in the earth.
‘I suppose we should. Go to it.’
As the others moved away, and Hiza and Jaya went to join him. Bel held back, trying to make up his mind whether he could stand to go also, to poke with his sword through bloody earth in search of the damnable Stone. He kept going blank as he considered it, the all-too-familiar feeling of something inside him missing, something his other might feel about the situation that he therefore did not. It was not right that his sword was reduced to such prodding when it thirsted to be sheathed in flesh.
‘We should not forget,’ said Gellan anxiously by his side, ‘that there is another dragon also …if the son has not moved on, he might be back at any time.’
A flicker of hope rose in Bel …perhaps he still might dance a mighty dance this day. Then his eyes fell on Jaya, who grinned sheepishly as she retrieved a golden necklace from the dirt – not the Stone – and he forced himself to remember that while they tarried here, they were all in danger.
‘Well then,’ he said to Gellan, ‘you had better hurry up and help the others make a thorough search.’
Gellan glanced at him oddly, then moved away into the cavern. As if in a daze, Bel followed. Jaya was now standing by a gold statue of a strange man with a scarred face, about a pace tall, as if thinking about how to carry it. Nearby, Fazel stooped to grasp the protruding handle of something buried, and pulled it free. It was a ceramic water jug, painted with intricate figures.
‘What’s that?’ Bel asked in annoyance.
‘Something magic,’ said Fazel. ‘Hence I was drawn to it. But it’s not what we search for.’
‘What’s magic about it?’
‘I think a simple protection spell, to stop it breaking.’
‘Let’s see,’ said Bel, and took the jug. He hurled it at the wall where, instead of breaking, it bounced off unharmed.
Bel scowled.
Eldew, who stood like rock against the cliff a short distance from the cave mouth, let his beady eyes pop out onto the surface.
‘They’ve gone in,’ said Tarka.
‘Do we follow?’ said Ectid.
‘No,’ said Eldew. ‘They might find what we could not.’
He was troubled. Although they had ploughed through the dirt for at least an hour – the most they could stand in that terrible heat after slaughtering Shebazaruka – they’d found nothing matching the Stone’s description. All he could think to do was hope that Bel’s group would have better luck locating it. Then, once they emerged, the Mireforms could take it away from them – while of course being careful not to harm the blue-haired man in the process.
There was also the matter of the second dragon, whom they had seen leave the cave that morning. The Shadowdreamer had ordered it killed also, but they had no way of knowing where it had gone or how long it would be away. If it showed up while Bel was in the cave, they would have to intercept it, but if not …well, that was the question. What to do next? He would need to confront Bel to find out whether or not the Stone had been found, but he did not want to do it outside the cave in case the other dragon returned. It would be too difficult to control a battle on two fronts against such opponents.
He did not like to divide his force, but perhaps he had to. The younger Mireforms, only a few centuries old, were a little too full of themselves right now, glutted on the killing of Shebazaruka …even though she had been asleep, and dead too quickly to raise any resistance. What they viewed as victory Eldew did not. He regretted the ease of the killing somewhat, for it had made the young ones think their task too easy, and that if the second dragon turned up, angry and awake, it would be just as simple to dispatch.
Two to go, four to stay , he decided reluctantly.
‘Ectid, Gremin,’ he said, choosing the youngest and eldest. ‘You will set a trail from the cave mouth, in our natural form. Head east, along the earth where your footprints will be clearly seen. Travel for an hour at most.’
‘Why?’ said Ectid, clearly not wanting to be sent away.
‘Because if the blue-haired man follows you, I will know he hasn’t found the Stone and thus suspects we have it.’
‘What if he does not follow?’ said Gremin.
‘Then neither will we. Like as not he will lead his group back to the village at the forest’s edge. If we have not joined you by nightfall, journey to meet us there.’
Ectid gurgled and Gremin rose, shedding his rock form as long limbs and claws unfurled.
Losara let his senses expand widely throughout the cavern. He wasn’t sure what the Stone would feel like, or if he would even know it at all. Maybe the Mireforms had found it already, maybe they hadn’t. He wasn’t sure yet what he preferred.
He glanced at Bel, who was wandering around the dragon’s corpse, inspecting it with his sword still in his hand.
Robbed of the fight , Losara thought. Disappointed. How strange. He thought of the expression on Bel’s face when he’d reminded him there was still another dragon – it had been something close to hopeful.
Perhaps … came Fazel’s thought.
What is it? sent Losara.
Perhaps I’ve found it.
Wait for me to get there.
‘What is that?’ asked Bel, standing by Fazel. Fazel was levitating one of the dragon’s bloody claws off the ground, fresh blood leaking from deep scratches.
Too late I fear , came Fazel’s thought, almost mocking in its lack of emotion.
Dangling from the dragon’s claw was a chain of black gold with a pendant affixed that looked like a small rock.
‘Must have been precious to her,’ said Fazel, ‘for her to sleep with it under her claw. Seems her son must have repeated those stories I told him about its worth. Strange that he even gave it to her – it’s very unlike normal dragon behaviour.’
Bel reached to snatch the chain, and held the Stone up to his fiercely blazing eyes.
‘We found it!’ he said. ‘By Arkus …’
Strange patterns moved across the rock’s surface – greys, blues, darkness and light, tinges of yellow. It was a subtle effect, yet otherworldly.
‘The Stone of Evenings Mild!’
From the look on his face, he could scarcely believe it.
The others came running eagerly. Jaya gave a whoop, and threw her arms around Bel. M’Meska landed heavily, having leaped from somewhere, and crooked her head to sniff at the chain.
‘Such a small thing,’ said Hiza, staring in wonder.
All the while Losara stood calmly, considering his next move. He could take the Stone right now, if he wished, and there was little they could do to stop him. It would mean dropping his disguise, but he had probably learned everything he could. He felt this moment keenly. It was as if he stood at a crossroads …and yet perhaps he could defer the decision until they were all free and clear.
‘Come,’ he said. ‘We can celebrate later, in less perilous confines. The other dragon could return at any time, and who knows where the Mireforms lurk, if they have failed to achieve their purpose.’
He wondered if they had killed the other dragon too, if Bel was now safe …but without being able to find them to ask, he could not be sure.
‘Yes,’ said Hiza, who, unlike Bel, had the sense to be edgy down here. ‘Let us make haste!’
‘Just one more minute,’ said Jaya, stopping to scoop gold coins from the ground.