Skyrider of Renegade Point

by Erik Christensen

  “You still need to narrow your search,” said Vincent. “The pin holes are a good starting point, but you’ll need to check them from a distance to stay safe. Charlie, did you bring them?”

  Charlie reached into a large bag by his side. He pulled out a shiny brass tube hanging from a chain. He handed it to Maya and pulled another from the bag. “Telescopes,” he said as he passed the rest around. “One for each of us.”

  William admired the instrument, peering through the small end. He’d looked through a small one once at school, but the view had been blurry without much magnification. “This is amazing,” he said as he fiddled with the focus. “Did you make these, Charlie?”

  The big man nodded. “A glass-maker I know grinds the lenses. I just assemble them.”

  “Charlie is being modest,” said Vincent. “His telescopes have become famous throughout Esper. I brought one to a council meeting a couple of years ago and the orders have flooded in since.”

  “These ones magnify seven times,” said Maya. “Anything more would be hard to use while flying. But even at this low level, they can be dangerous. Do not look at the sun through these—not even its reflection—because it will burn your eyes. No doctor can heal that kind of injury, so aim away from the sun.”

  William found himself wishing for a cloudier day than fate had granted. “What do we do if we find something? If one of us spots the rebels, how do we signal the others? They’re just as likely to spot us, and flying back to a meeting spot would give them a chance to get away.”

  “That’s where these come in,” said Vincent as he presented large red silk scarves to William and the others. “Twenty feet long, but sheer enough that they aren’t bulky. If you spot something, unfurl it and let it fly behind you. It’s not much, but it might be enough to catch each other’s attention, especially through the telescopes.”

  “They’ll keep us warm, if nothing else,” said Jack as he wrapped one around his neck.

  Vincent leaned over the map and looked around the table. “Folks, Jack is right about the size of this bay. For today, let’s concentrate on the area closest to the river. The rebels likely stayed close by, because every moment on the water increases their chances of being spotted. If nothing turns up, we’ll expand the search area tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” said William. “Can you show us on the map where each of us should go?”

  Vincent drew a circle with his finger around the city. “Maya and Charlie, I suggest you handle the city and its surroundings. You know the area, and you’ll notice anything unusual.” His finger traced the coast south of the city. “Rachel, this area is hilly and wild. If anyone can spot them in the wilderness, it’s you. Don’t focus on just the water; they could still be on foot, waiting for ships to arrive. Oz, you’ve got the north coast, which should be the easiest to search. The beaches don’t offer many hiding spots, so if you get sick again you can land and wait until you feel better. If you see any ships that don’t look like they belong there, let us know.”

  “But I don’t know how to tell which ships belong, and which don’t,” said Oz.

  “That’s okay,” said Vincent. “Trust your gut. If you don’t like the looks of a ship, look at the name painted on the back or near the front. Can you read?”

  “A little,” said Oz.

  “Just do your best. You only need to go as far as this spit of land here. Melissa, I have a treat for you.”

  “Oh, goodie!” said Melissa.

  “This inlet a little beyond where Oz is going has been used by smugglers in the past. They’ve abandoned it for the most part, but the rebels might not know we still keep a close eye on it. Follow all the little branches to their ends.”

  “Will do,” she said.

  “Jack and William, these two groups of islands are yours. Jack, if you take the smaller group, you’ll be in the center of this whole area. You’ll need to watch for the others in case they fly their scarves, so you can alert everyone else. William, you have the larger group, but anything you don’t cover today can be done tomorrow.”

  Both William and Jack nodded their agreement.

  “This goes without saying, but I’ll state it anyway. No one should approach these rebels on their own. If you see something worth investigating, signal the others. Don’t do anything alone.”

  Jack looked at William pointedly. “That means you,” he said.

  William rolled his eyes and allowed himself a little smile. He didn’t argue, though.

  “Last thing,” said Vincent. He walked around the table again, handing each person a pouch and skin. “Nuts, dried fruit, and cold tea. Not the fanciest fare, but it should let you fly for the rest of the day. I’ll have a feast waiting when you return.”

  “Will you be safe here without us?” asked William. “Maybe one of us should stay.”

  Vincent waved away the suggestion. “Thank you, William, but I’m well protected. You’ll rarely see them, but I have four guards stationed in the manor and on the grounds. That’s fewer than usual, but more than I need. Living on an island is protection enough. Best of luck in your search.”

  “Thank you, Vincent,” said William as they shook hands. “We’ll be back around sundown—or sooner, if we’re lucky.”

  They found the drones finishing their own breakfast on a pasture not far from the manor. “The duke won’t like that,” said Jack, pointing at the pile of bloody sheep carcasses.

  “It’s the least of our problems,” said William as he climbed onto Adonis’s neck. “I forgot to ask for shelter for you, Adonis. I hope you and your brothers were warm enough.”

  “Cold does not bother us,” said the dragon. “And it did not rain. We slept well and have eaten our fill.”

  “Good, because we have a lot of flying ahead of us.”

  “Hey, Will,” said Jack. “Remember what Vincent said about doing things alone. Don’t be a hero.”

  “I second that,” said Melissa. “It took me years to trick you into marrying me, and I can’t afford to spend my best years seducing another gullible baron.” She winked at him and climbed onto her dragon.

  William grinned, relieved the tension between them had finally dissipated. “Anyone else with words of encouragement before we leave?” he asked. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 25

  Seconds later, they soared above the tall pines covering most of Vincent’s island, and William finally got a clear picture of what he’d barely seen in the darkness the night before. The island itself was small, perhaps a mile long at most, and half that distance across, the manor house situated on the only large clearing. A mixture of sandy beach and rugged, rocky coastline surrounded the island, pummeled by white-capped waves.

  Adonis wheeled higher, and William sucked in his breath as more islands came into view, and soon the city itself sprawled before him in the near distance. Several small boats plied the waters between the islands and the mainland, and the river itself was nearly choked with sails. Nothing as large as a ship, though.

  William signaled for Adonis to climb even higher. Greater height brought a greater view, and soon even the distant barrier islands came into view. Once, as they circled around, the sun’s reflection caught him by surprise, and while his eyes watered it occurred to him how much worse it would have been through the telescope. As they faced west again, he noted with relief that a bank of clouds covered the far horizon. With luck, those clouds would soon hide the sun’s glare.

  At a certain height, the vista below began to resemble Vincent’s map, and William soon recognized the two clusters of islands the duke had assigned to him and Jack. Jack’s drone drifted away to his group of islands, and William leaned forward to show Adonis where he wanted to go.

  The wind in his face invigorated him. Clyde kept pace a few yards to their right, flapping and gliding effortlessly. Behind him, Adonis’s wings beat gently, and the sun warmed his back just enough to counter the frigid breeze. A glance below reminded him of the unthinkable height at which
they were flying, but he was less afraid than amused. He knew a fall from here would kill him, but somehow the possibility didn’t seem real. Besides, the distant views were so much more impressive. How much higher would they have to go before the distant shores of Ibyca became visible?

  Half an hour later, they had passed Jack’s search zone and approached his own. Adonis descended in response to William’s signal, and they began to search the channels between the islands for signs of ships.

  The water below was empty, with not a vessel in sight. The sea below them was choppier now, white froth forming on the waves, and William realized the breeze in his face was not entirely due to Adonis’s speed. The clouds he noticed earlier were nearly upon them now, and he hoped they would soon shield him from the sun.

  Having found nothing on the water, they turned to the islands themselves. Descending yet again, they flew across the nearest island, looking for any sign of human activity. No one could live this far from town, could they? What was here for them? A few of these islands might be large enough to support a farm or two, but they would be too far from town to sell their crops or buy supplies. The view below supported his thinking: nothing but trees and rocky beaches, populated by sea birds and the occasional seal.

  The second island was no different. They circled it completely, dropping below the clouds that had blown in. William wrapped the scarf even tighter to ward off the cold.

  Nearing the third island, William’s heart began to race. A plume of smoke rose from the far end, nearly undetectable in the increasing breeze, but a closer inspection confirmed it. He reminded himself it could be anybody, but he couldn’t escape the knowledge that any human activity this far out was noteworthy. If they weren’t the rebels themselves, they might at least have seen them.

  He signaled to Adonis. Moments later, the mighty drone flew over the smoke, but the trees were too dense to allow any sight of what lay beneath them.

  A huge gust of wind rocked them. William gripped the neck ridges in front of him as Adonis turned abruptly to correct his flight. The rain hit them seconds later, pelting William’s face and obscuring his view. Adonis banked sharply, away from the wind. The dragon’s great head cast back and forth as they descended, looking for a spot to land.

  He didn’t argue. Instead, he gripped even tighter, squeezing Adonis’s neck with his legs, hoping he wasn’t restricting the drone’s breathing. He shut his eyes as they hurtled toward the trees, opening them in time to see Adonis swerve toward a small clearing. They approached the ground at a startling speed, and William braced himself for the inevitable crash, but Adonis stretched his wings, catching the air and slowing them to a near stop, bouncing only slightly as they landed. Clyde thumped to the ground beside them and rebounded to his feet, apparently unharmed.

  “Are you okay, Adonis?” asked William. “That wind came out of nowhere; I hope it didn’t hurt you.”

  “It takes more than wind to harm a dragon,” said Adonis with an air of pride. “Even your little one is uninjured. But I cannot risk falling into the water, especially this salt water.”

  “No, I suppose you can’t. The Ambassador told me dragons can’t swim.” Lightning lit the sky, the thunderclap following seconds after. “I suppose we should find shelter. But we can’t go near that smoke until we’ve checked the surrounding area. I don’t want to run into anybody on our own.”

  They found a small ridge near the woods, an outcrop of rock that blocked the heavy winds from the west. “This is as good as we’ll find, I’m afraid,” said William as he pulled his cloak close. “It won’t stop the rain, but at least we’re out of the wind.”

  “How you frail humans survive is a mystery to me,” said Adonis as he curled against the rock face. “Sit against my belly. I will be your shelter.”

  William did as instructed, and Adonis wrapped a giant wing over him, covering his own head as well, leaving only his snout exposed. Clyde snuck underneath the wing and rested his head on William’s lap.

  “Thank you, Adonis,” said William. “That eliminates wind and rain. Hopefully it won’t get too cold.”

  Adonis said nothing, but began to breathe in a rumbling, rhythmic manner. Was he snoring? Had the dragon fallen asleep already? Soon though, the cold scales of the beast’s belly began to radiate gentle warmth.

  William sighed in relief. He removed his cloak, rolled it into a pillow, and leaned against the dragon’s scaly underside. How convenient it must be to carry your own fireplace and be proof against the cold. And with the fire safely enclosed in his innards, it wouldn’t give away their presence.

  The wind howled around them, but only a few tendrils of cold air snuck under Adonis’s wing. They were lucky, considering how quickly the storm caught them. He hoped the others found shelter in time. A scary thought crossed his mind—what if one of his friends had been swept off their dragon?

  What if Melissa…?

  No, he couldn’t dwell on that. He had to trust they saw the storm coming. It had come from the west, crossing his path before anyone else’s, and the lightning that struck near him would have given the others plenty of warning.

  “Where Melissa?” asked Clyde.

  “I don’t know,” said William. “She’s too far away to talk to right now, Clyde.”

  “My brothers have all landed,” said Adonis. “And your friends are all safe. I warned them about the storm before we landed.”

  “You warned them?” asked William. “How?”

  “Drones can speak to each other over open distances,” said the dragon. “I speak, and they hear it in their heads.”

  “You mean like telepathy?” asked William. “But I thought that was a myth.”

  “Our distance speech is no myth. It does not work well near the ground at great distances though. I sent my message quickly lest I lose the chance.”

  William nodded to himself. “If it doesn’t work near the ground, the curvature of the planet probably blocks it. That means it needs line of sight to work. Can you talk to your brothers if a mountain is between you?”

  “Not well, sometimes not at all. Nor from different parts of the hive.”

  “How is it that I’ve known you dragons for four years, and this is the first I’ve heard of this?”

  “I might be telling you a secret I should not be,” said the dragon. “Perhaps the queen will punish me with fire.”

  William’s head whirled toward the dragon’s. “Was that another joke, Adonis?”

  “I may have learned a human trait or two.”

  “Any chance your brothers can tell my friends we’re safe?”

  “My brothers do not speak your language, and I cannot teach them. They have no way to inform your friends.”

  William sighed. He would have to wait for the storm to end before they could fly back to let everyone know they were safe. But could he even head straight back without investigating further? Vincent’s warning echoed in his head—don’t do anything alone. But no one was in the sky to signal, no one to help him scout the source of the smoke.

  They would have to approach it alone.

  Chapter 26

  The storm lasted the rest of the day and most of the night. Although he was sheltered and warm, the howling wind kept him awake almost until dawn. The morning sun found the ground littered with branches torn from the trees by the wind, a few of which had landed dangerously close.

  William nibbled on the nuts Vincent gave him the day before, while Clyde dug up some ferns to chew on. “Are you hungry?” he asked Adonis.

  “I ate my fill of your duke’s sheep yesterday,” answered the dragon. “I do not need to eat for several hours.”

  William nodded. “We should fly back to the duke’s mansion soon, but I want to investigate where the smoke was coming from first.”

  They lifted off a few moments later, and William caught sight of the frothy waves pounding the beach, still agitated by the storm. The occasional gust of wind still buffeted them, but both Adonis and Clyde were more than
equal to the task. They gained height first, wheeling around before leveling and aiming for the other side of the island.

  The smoke was gone. He’d expected that—no fire could have survived such wind and rain—but he hoped at least to find where it had come from. He had Adonis fly low along the beach, but they spotted no sign of human activity.

  What should he do? On the one hand, the island itself wasn’t going anywhere. On the other, whoever built the fire might still be here, and he needed to know if they were worthy of further investigation. What if it was only a fisherman who had scrambled for shelter before the storm? With so much area to cover, they couldn’t afford to waste time.

  He asked Adonis to land on the beach. Landing in such an open spot was risky—anyone hiding in the woods could spot him easily—but it also meant he could get away quickly if he ran into rebels. Plus, he had Clyde.

  It didn’t take long to find the source. Even to his untrained eyes it was obvious this was no wayward fisherman’s campsite. The ground was trampled by heavy boots, and several logs surrounded the giant firepit, clearly meant for many people to sit on. A trash pit had been dug nearby, larger than the one he had found at Kirby’s hiding spot in his woods. Whoever they were, they’d spent at least a day there, and had left recently—possibly shortly after spotting Adonis in the sky.

  A small cove lay a few dozen yards from the fire. The water looked calm and deep, and he found several places where the ground was scraped by something large and heavy like a rowboat. No ships were moored there now, but William could picture them, hidden beneath the canopy of tree branches that arched over the little bay.

  He had to tell the others about this, and soon. He raced back to the beach, only to find Adonis in an agitated state. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” answered the dragon. “But my brothers tell me your friends are upset. No doubt they are worried about you, not knowing you are safe. We should return at once.”