He moved within range of the dragon’s flame, ignoring the worried whispers of his friends behind.
‘The Shadowdreamer gave you the itchy,’ he continued, ‘and it was also he who sent his minions to kill your mother. Cowards they were, to kill her while she slept. Look at this sword.’
He drew his sword, holding it in front of him, and Olakanzar eyed it warily. Bel forced his feet onwards, until he was standing right in front of the dragon. He knelt, placing the sword on the ground before the great beast.
‘Look how small it is,’ he said. ‘Like a needle to one like you, a pinprick, a pig-sticker. Do you think that such a blade could cause the hurt done to your mother? Could still her heart before she had a chance to scorch us? Could cleave such gashes in her, could spill such volumes of her blood?’
Olakanzar craned forward, sniffing the sword. ‘No smell of her,’ he said.
Bel spread his hands wide. ‘You have been done grave injustices, twice in your life, by Shadowdreamers. Poor, poor Olakanzar!’
‘You say …’ The dragon’s bulbous eye began to weep freely, tears hissing to vapour before hitting the ground. ‘You say poor Olakanzar?’
‘I do. No one deserves the harm that’s been done to you.’
‘Yes,’ said Olakanzar. ‘But who deserves what? Who decides?’
‘Perhaps you could decide that the burned man, Tyrellan and the Shadowdreamer deserve not to get away with what they inflicted?’ Bel knew that he was muddying up his Shadowdreamers but didn’t think it was something the dragon would notice.
Olakanzar seemed to consider his words. Tiny flames curled around his teeth.
‘If you allow us to take the Stone,’ said Bel, ‘if you choose to be unlike those who have stolen so much from you …then we will take it, and use it against the Shadowdreamer.’
‘Care not for diamond rings or gold,’ said Olakanzar. ‘Care not for stones as well, all told. Gift it was, to the mother, who kept me long past due, when past the point to leave I grew. Lament, oh lament, how can I find the ones upon whose heads to chew? The Shadowdreamer lies in the dark, hidden away, like the notes of a song, like a right inside a wrong, like the life housed in meat, like water in sleet.’
‘No,’ said Bel. ‘He is no longer cloistered in his homeland. He marches forth, and the burned man is with him’ – or will be , he added to himself, aware that he was taking liberties – ‘and Tyrellan.’
‘Where?’ Olakanzar growled. ‘Where shall I find these, them, three, the all of them? Where?’
Bel felt a connection ripple strongly then, running between him and Olakanzar, direct and forceful and triumphant.
‘If you take me,’ he said, ‘I can show you.’
‘What the blazes are they talking about?’ said Jaya.
For some time she had not been able to hear what Bel and the dragon were saying. She was worried by him being there, but was trying not to show it. She knew she should accept that an extraordinary man would do extraordinary things, such as suddenly deciding to meander off to chat to a dragon who wanted him dead …but it had taken all her self-control not to cry out in dismay as he’d stepped within reach of the flames, let alone directly in front of the dreadful beast. Even though he was apparently getting through to the creature somehow, that did not change the fact that Olakanzar was mad – so what would stop him unexpectedly lashing out, despite any progress Bel was making?
‘Easy now,’ said Hiza tiredly. ‘There’s nothing we can do …I think …for now. Let us just sit down and try to mend a little faster.’
Jaya could not sit, however, despite her weariness and the aching of the cuts. Damn this man , she thought. Why should I care? If he dies then I will be free again.
Free to be heartbroken , came an answering thought. Free to never love this deeply again.
‘Look,’ said M’Meska.
Bel bent to pick up his sword, and slid it into its scabbard. He turned to walk back towards them, and she made herself wait as he closed the gap, though she could see that he was grinning.
‘Well,’ he said as he arrived, looking very pleased with himself.
‘For Arkus’s sake, spit it out, man,’ she said. ‘What has happened?’
‘It seems,’ he said, ‘that I have organised us a lift. All the way to Holdwith!’
‘What?’
‘On the dragon?’ said Hiza, alarmed.
‘Do not worry, Hiza,’ said Bel, laughing easily. ‘He only wanted to take me, but I convinced him he could manage another. So,’ he nodded at Hiza and M’Meska, ‘I’m afraid we may have to part ways for a time, for my lady and I must away. I hope you two don’t mind being stranded in the wilderness, but at least you will no longer be in danger. You can make for a town, heal up, then join the army when you can.’
Jaya felt a thrill shoot through her, but also an undercurrent of fear. Yet this would surely be a tale to tell, and Bel wasn’t the only one allowed a little vanity.
‘Big lizard agree to this?’ rasped M’Meska. ‘How?’
‘He just needed a little sympathy,’ said Bel. ‘And a certain redirection of his murderous tendencies. He now wants to kill the First Slave, and the burned man – the causes of his malformed eye. I, for one, am perfectly happy for him to do either.’
‘Impressed,’ said M’Meska simply.
‘Yes,’ said Bel. ‘Sometimes I impress even myself.’ He turned to Jaya. ‘Well, my sweet, ready for the ride of your life?’
She nodded, trying to let go of her concerns and become caught up in his mood.
What is wrong with you, girl? she thought. One little tussle with a Mireform and you’re to be reduced to a quaking craven for all time? Let go of that. Forget it. Remember who you are, bold until the end. Ride the dragon!
Easier thought than done.
‘But you two,’ she said to Hiza and M’Meska. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right?’
‘Oho, yes!’ said M’Meska. ‘Hard enough for me to stay on horse, dragon I not wish for! Will walk from here.’
‘Hiza?’
‘We’ll be fine,’ said Hiza, seeming almost relieved. ‘Something tells me life might get less hectic without any blue-haired warrior types around.’
Bel laughed and clapped him on the back. ‘Thank you both,’ he said, ‘for your help so far. Take care, and we will see you soon. Now, come on you,’ he took Jaya’s hand. ‘I don’t want to keep him waiting lest he change his mind.’
He led her back down the path, and before Jaya knew it she was standing before the dragon. This close he was even more impressive.
‘Hello,’ she said dumbly.
‘Greetings, sparrow,’ said Olakanzar, and gave a chuckle. ‘No, not sparrow any more, perhaps. Lend you my wings, instead.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, trying not to stare too hard at the bloodshot eye. ‘But how are we going to hang on?’
‘Olakanzar,’ said Bel, ‘may we tie ourselves to your spines?’
The dragon lowered his tail. ‘Up you come,’ was his answer.
Jaya followed Bel up the tail, balancing easily on sloping scales, which reminded her a bit of roof tiles. They reached Olakanzar’s back and moved to the flattest part, between the dragon’s shoulders. Bel retrieved rope from his pack and looped it around his waist, then knotted it to the spines around him. Somewhat disbelieving of what was about to happen, Jaya did the same. Soon both of them were secured, perhaps even overly.
‘Well,’ said Bel. ‘Ready to do this?’
‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘Why wouldn’t I be? Ride on dragons all the time, I do. Why, just the other day I rode one to the market to fetch some eggs.’
Bel smiled. ‘Didn’t think you liked eggs.’
‘I don’t,’ said Jaya. ‘I just wanted to get whatever would provide the greatest challenge to carry on a dragon’s back.’