“The creatures that end up mattering the most to us tend to come into our lives unexpectedly,” she finally said. “In the end, no matter what the woman did or how she hid, she began to wonder if perhaps Aquinder were meant to find their way back into the world. Perhaps there is a new chapter to their story. One that pesky girl is going to have to help write.”
FOURTEEN
Silver woke with a start. She rubbed her hand quickly over her eyes. The baby Aquinder sat up, too, startled, and looking at Silver anxiously. She’d fallen asleep. Last she remembered, her mind was racing—she was bonded to a water dragon!—but soon enough, her breathing had matched her water dragon’s, which at the time was slow and steady, and she nodded off.
But now she was wide awake. Nebekker was missing, and there were voices by the path to the entrance of the cave.
“All you Jaspaton kids have herd dung for brains.”
That was Nebekker’s voice.
“It’s not my fault! Everyone’s worried.”
Silver blinked. She knew that voice, too. Brajon.
“And you thought you’d be some kind of hero? You were more likely to get yourself killed out in the vast desert.”
“But I didn’t. And I found you and Silver. I am a hero. Feels pretty good, too.”
Nebekker grunted, as if to hide her laughter.
Silver stood. The baby Aquinder stretched himself tall, too. “You have to hide,” Silver told him.
The water dragon quickly tromped along the river’s edge and dipped into the water. He gracefully swam to the other side, got out, and disappeared into the stalagmites. For about two seconds. As soon as he realized Silver wasn’t following him, he stuck his head out and mewled.
“Shh!” Silver waved him back behind the cavern formations. But instead of moving out of sight, he mewled louder. He howled for Silver.
“Meryaaahhlllll!”
“Stop that,” Silver hissed.
“What’s that sound? A monster?” Brajon said. His voice rose. “Silver? Are you down there?”
“Go!” she told her Aquinder.
He completely ignored her.
“If she’s been eaten by a cave beast—”
“She’s alive and well,” Nebekker said. She and Brajon rounded the corner.
Even in the low light, Silver could see that her cousin’s eyes lit up when he saw her.
“Silver!” he cried, rushing toward her. He dropped the dune board he was carrying and grabbed her in his arms, lifting her off the ground in a tight hug.
“Can’t breathe,” she gasped.
She heard a splash, then a high-pitched roar. In a flash of blue, the baby Aquinder slammed into Brajon’s side, sending both him and Silver to the ground. Brajon rolled a few feet away, while the water dragon stood over Silver protectively, hissing at him.
“What is that?” Brajon yelled, raising his fists.
“Quiet,” Silver yelled back. “It’s my dragon.”
That shut Brajon up. He froze and dropped his hands to his side. “What?”
Silver put her arms around her Aquinder and rubbed his sides. Both their hearts raced, but Silver tried to silently convey to her water dragon that Brajon wasn’t going to hurt them. As if the dragon understood, he relaxed his big body against her and licked the side of her head in relief.
Brajon sat on the ground, his hands tangled in his hair. “How … What…?”
“It’s a long story.” Silver told him everything, starting from when she looked out her window and saw Sagittaria Wonder heading out into the vast desert. “And now it’s just me and Nebekker.”
“And the water dragon. The Aquinder. They’re real,” Brajon breathed. “Your Aquinder. What does that even mean?”
“It means they’ve bonded,” said Nebekker. “And that means a whole lot of not good things.”
“Good things, too,” Silver said, but she frowned.
Nebekker had been short of breath when she spoke. And in the low blue light, her face had taken on a slight shade of green. She was sick, and it was because she and Kirja were separated. Bonds were beautiful, but it was clear they were dangerous, too.
Brajon sat back on his heels, slowly shaking his head. He didn’t look so well, either. “Sagittaria Wonder. A dragon thief. An Aquinder thief.”
“Theft runs rampant before big races,” Nebekker remarked offhandedly.
“She’s not technically a thief,” Silver said, telling Brajon about the registration law.
“So that means this one…” Brajon waved his hand at the baby Aquinder. “What are you going to do with it? I don’t think your father will let you keep it.”
Silver barked out a laugh, which her Aquinder mimicked, thinking it was a game. The honking sound echoed through the cavern.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not going back there,” Silver said.
“You have to!” her cousin said. “Everyone’s been searching for you. Your mother hasn’t slept since you left. And mine hasn’t cooked.”
Silver felt a pull when Brajon mentioned her mother. She nibbled on her bottom lip.
“Sorry to deprive you of Aunt Yidla’s feasts,” she said. “But I have to stay here. With my…” Silver looked at her Aquinder. His big eyes sparkled back at her. She couldn’t keep calling him “my Aquinder” or “my water dragon,” like he was just a thing. He needed a name. Letters played over her lips, trying to form themselves into the right name for the dragon. “Mo … Tr … Vi…” She racked her brain to remember the names of the ancient deities. There was one responsible for all the matter surrounding the earth: the blue sky, the white clouds. The things that reminded her of her Aquinder’s coloring. “Hiyyan,” she finally said.
“Hiyyan? Like from the old stories?” Brajon said. “That’s what its mother called it?”
“No,” Nebekker said. “Water dragons don’t name one another in our language. They use their own. This is the name Silver has given her dragon.”
Brajon shook his head. “It’s not as though you’re going to be able to hide it in your room. Not for long, at least. And what about when it has to go to the bathroom?”
“You’re not listening to me.” Silver stood and brushed her trousers off. “I’m not going back to Jaspaton. I’m staying here with Hiyyan.”
“Says who?” Nebekker said.
Silver looked at Nebekker with surprise.
“I can’t leave Hiyyan. And I have to help Kirja. And you need help, too. You’re sick!”
“No, you can’t leave Hiyyan,” Nebekker said. She sighed. “But I never expected to have to account for a couple of children.”
“We’re not babies,” Silver said.
“You act like one sometimes,” Brajon teased.
Silver stuck her tongue out at her cousin. Hiyyan followed suit.
“Stop teaching that poor Aquinder your bad manners,” Nebekker said. “Now that his mother’s gone, you’ll have to show him how to be a water dragon … somehow.”
“How will I teach him to race?” Silver asked. “How will I teach him to fly?”
Nebekker shook her head. “I’ll show you the way back to Jaspaton. You’ll be able to come and go as you please, so long as you never let anyone see you. If our secret is discovered, say good-bye to Hiyyan.”
Nebekker picked up her lantern and began walking. Silver took a step toward the old woman. Hiyyan whimpered. He began to follow Silver.
She stopped. “He just lost his mother. And now I’m supposed to leave him?” She shook her head, thinking about that tight feeling she’d had when she’d thought about her own mother. “No. I’m not going back. In fact…”