'No?' cried Melissande into the ringing echoes. 'Why not? What's the matter with you people? You heard Gerald! Lional and his dragon are out to destroy you! You have to help us stop them!'
'Kallarap is in no danger from your brother or his dragon,' Zazoor said mildly. 'Kallarap is protected by the Three. Perhaps you should find your own holy men and ask them to speak to your god so he may provide protection for you.'
She spread her arms wide. 'Look around you, Zazoor! Do you see any of our clergy rushing to my aid? No, I'm pretty sure you don't, because they've all run away just like everybody else!'
Zazoor shook his head. 'Then your god is to be pitied, Melissande, that he is worshipped by such straw men.'
'Magnificence, the dragon has flame!' she cried. 'And its venom is instant death! Look around you at my fallen people. You'll burn in fire and acid, just like they did! Your charred remains will stink as theirs do!' 'We are Kallarapi. We will not burn.'
'So — what? You'll stand by and watch the dragon kill anyone not lucky enough to be riding a camel?' she demanded bitterly. 'And when we're all dead, what then? You'll ransack our Treasury sofas for any spare coins you can find between the cushions then go home to Kallarap secure in the knowledge of a job well done? Is that your great gods' plan, Magnificence? Is that their vaunted justice and mercy? Because if it is — ' And she spat on the ground at his camel's feet. Gerald sighed. 'Melissande, don't!' said Monk, alarmed.
'Steady on, ducky,' muttered Reg. 'Does the word "outnumbered" mean anything to you?'
Ignoring them, Melissande stared up at Zazoor, all her freckles blotchy in a face gone ivory-pale with temper. Behind Zazoor a growl as his army sat a little straighter and reached for their scimitars.
The sultan raised a finger and they subsided, reluctantly. 'Shugat?'
'He who made the dragon must now unmake it,' the holy man pronounced. His eyes had rolled back in his head, leaving slivered crescents of white. 'So say the Three, whose words are holy and cannot be denied.' Zazoor looked at Gerald. 'You have our answer.'
He could've screamed. He//. Were Shugat's deities deaf? 'I told you, Zazoor, I can't defeat the dragon. Not by myself. Reg, back off please.'
With a muttered curse, she jumped from his shoulder over to Monk's. 'Gerald, what are you doing?'
What had to be done. He stepped forward till he was close enough to touch Zazoor, then dropped to his knees and looked into the Kallarapi sultan's unforgiving face. 'Magnificence, I beg you: listen to my words. Lional knows magics far fouler than those he used on me. I have power, it is true, but I am not strong enough to defeat him or the dragon. They're no longer two creatures, but one. Help me, I implore you. And when it's done — when Lional and his dragon are dead — I'll return with you to Kallarap to face whatever judgement your gods decree I deserve.' 'No, Gerald!' idiot boy!' 'Dunnywood, you maniac — '
Not turning, not shifting his gaze from Zazoor, he raised a hand and his friends fell silent. 'Magnificence, please, don't let more innocent people suffer because of me.'
Zazoor considered him in silence. 'My gods' wrath is fearsome, wizard,' he said at last. 'They punish with fire and tooth and talon. They will show you no mercy. You understand this? You understand what will happen to you if I agree?'
Gerald nodded. For what he'd done he wanted forgiveness… but he deserved retribution. 'Believe me, I understand. Magnificence — ' 'Melly! Melly! There you are!' He looked around. Rupert. Staggering towards them from behind the palace, an unhappy Boris in his arms. Covered in soot and ash, his blue velvet knickerbockers and orange silk shirt charred in a dozen places and his face streaked with sweat or tears or both. 'RupertV cried Melissande and ran to meet him.
Flooded with relief Gerald stood and watched as brother and sister fell on each other's shoulders. Yowling Boris bolted into the nearest unsinged shrubbery. Melissande barely spared him a glance.
'Rupes, are you all right?' she demanded tearfully.
'I'm fine. Oh, Melly! Thank God you're unhurt, I was so frightened for you. I was frightened for me\'
'So was I, Rupert!' Her hand pressed against his grimy face. 'You're really here? I'm not imagining this?'
'No, no, I'm really here.' He captured her hand in his and held on to it, tight. 'Melly, can you believe it? A dragon? I thought dragons were made up, I thought — '
Melissande sighed. 'They are. It's a long story. Listen, Rupert — '
Not paying attention, he looked at the bodies scattered around them. His dirty, foolish face crumpled. 'Oh, Melly… our people…' His breath caught on a sob and he pointed. 'That's Swifty, Mel. I can tell by his socks, I gave him those socks for his last birthday. He used to help me with the butterflies, sometimes, on his day off.'
'I know, I know' Her voice was ragged. 'Don't look, Rupert.'
'And that's Arabella, from the kitchens,' he continued, heedless. 'She always saved me a brown egg for breakfast. Oh, Mel — ' i'm sorry, Rupert,' said Melissande. i couldn't save them. I couldn't save anyone.'
'Neither could I,' said Rupert, equally anguished. 'When I tried, the dragon burned down my butterfly house.' i saw.' She cupped her palm to his cheek again. 'Oh, Rupert, all your little pretties…'
He shook his head. There were tears in his eyes, it's nothing, they weren't people…' Then his expression hardened. Abruptly he looked older and nowhere near as foolish.'This was Lional, wasn't it?' 'Yes,' she whispered. 'Rupert — '
But he wasn't listening. He was staring past her at the mass of Kallarapi warriors. 'What's this, Melly? Why are they here? What's going on?'Without giving her a chance to answer he marched across the grass and the gravel to confront the invading Kallarapi, ignoring his sister's warning plea.
'Greetings, Your Highness,' Zazoor said calmly as Rupert stamped to a halt before him. it is good to see you again, although the circumstances are — '
Rupert waved away the pleasantries. 'Look, Zazoor, if you've come for a wedding I'm afraid I've bad news. It's nothing personal so don't be offended but — '
Gerald cleared his throat, it's all right, Rupert. The sultan's not marrying Melissande.'
All the determination drained from Rupert's face, returning it to foolish uncertainty.'He's not?' 'No.' Rupert frowned. 'Then who is he marrying?'
'Trust me, Rupert,' said Zazoor, revealing his teeth in a smile. 'When the gods have decided you'll be the third to know' 'Then what are you doing here? With an armyV
Before Zazoor could tell him, one of Kallarap's warriors shouted, pointing. 'Draconi! DraconiV Lional's dragon was coming.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
It danced in the distance like a butterfly, crimson and emerald scales flashing fire. Flirting with treetops, kissing their crowns with flame, it cavorted without care, its enormous wings shivering snaps of sound from the air that floated towards them, thunder on the horizon.
As everyone else stared at the damned thing, stunned into silence, Gerald grabbed Monk's elbow and tugged him aside.
'Listen. It'll reach us in a minute or two so there's not much time. You've got to portal back to Ottosland. Take Melissande, Rupert and Reg with you and — '
Monk stared. 'Leave you here alone with that thing? And Lional? I don't think so!' 'Out of the question, sunshine,' Reg added.
'What's going on?' demanded Melissande, joining them. Rupert hovered by her side, his dirty face drawn, his gaze darting between his sister and the dragon. 'Monk's getting you out of here,' he said. She snorted. 'No, he's not.' 'Who's Monk?' said Rupert. 'I am,' said Monk. 'Pleased to meet you, Your Highness.'
Rupert looked bewildered. 'Yes. Certainly. I'm sorry, I don't understand…'
Gerald growled. 'He'll explain it later. In Ottosland. Monk — '
'I can't go to Ottosland, Gerald,' Rupert objected. 'There's a murderous dragon loose in my kingdom.' 'I know. And I'll take care of it.'