by Jordan Rivet
Zala and a few of her family members were waiting for them beneath the awning. The rest bustled in and out of the house, bringing out the evening meal. Selivia liked this custom of eating together outdoors. Zala had told her there were only a few months in the winter when it was too cold for this. A sturdy screen blocked the worst of the wind, and it could be repositioned depending on the wind’s direction. It made for pleasant, airy meals as they waited for the sun to set.
“How was your walk?” Zala asked as Selivia helped her arrange plates on the table.
“Interesting,” she said carefully.
“Did Ivran say something to you?” Zala asked, perhaps picking up on the hesitation in Selivia’s voice.
“He got offended when I said he was a Truren.” Selivia thought about telling Zala everything, but she was sure to stop her from sneaking out with Ivran. She was too curious to risk missing out on that adventure. “I didn’t know young people in the Far Plains didn’t like being part of Trure.”
“Oh, that,” Zala said, sounding relieved. “Ivran can be a fool, but not about this. Some say we don’t need Rallion City’s leadership anymore. We’ve been looking out for ourselves for a long time.”
“What do you think?”
Zala didn’t answer. Without so much as a good-bye, she bustled off to help her aunt with the meal. Selivia sighed. Many of the Far Plainsfolk had that infuriating habit. Why did they all have to speak in riddles and fall silent when you asked a question they didn’t want to answer?
They were definitely keeping something from her. Zala had been relieved that all Ivran had talked about was whether or not the Far Plainsfolk wanted to be part of Trure. That meant there was something else she didn’t want Selivia to know. But what was it? Perhaps Ivran could show her the truth.
Selivia could barely contain her excitement as they ate. Her brother used to sneak out of the castle for adventures all the time. She couldn’t wait to try it herself.
Sunset seemed to take hours. She didn’t take the glorious vision for granted exactly, but she wouldn’t mind if it went a bit faster tonight. It was all she could do to rein in her curiosity and stop her feet from tapping.
She didn’t dare share her plans to go out after dark with Fenn. Her bodyguard had taken to the Far Plains with surprising grace. Selivia had even heard her asking Ananova for some paints so she could try capturing the sunset. It was nice to see her relaxed and at peace after the death of her brother. But her newfound tranquility didn’t mean she’d let her young charge wander off at night. If night ever hurried up!
At last, the sun dipped beneath the horizon, taking the last drops of copper and gold with it. The family made their way indoors with their usual chatter and bustle. One of the children said something about playing table games, and the others rushed about, collecting cards and tiles and squabbling over teams. No one paid Selivia any heed when she slipped into the shadows beyond the ring of light spilling from the house.
The low music of conversation murmured from the houses around her. An unfamiliar bird called out, and a scrabbling sound indicated a mouselike creature creeping through the dark nearby. Selivia peered into the shadows, trying to catch a glimpse of a tail or a beady eye. She wondered if Ananova would let her keep the mouse if she found it. It would probably be even more likely to run away than her feisty little purlendog, though. But nothing moved in the gloom.
The Far Plainsfolk rarely ventured far from their own homes at night. Selivia hadn’t thought much of it. But as she waited for Ivran in the shadows, she wondered why there weren’t more people around.
Suddenly, a hand closed over her mouth. She gasped and struggled against the grip. Had the Soolens rounded the Rock? Would they capture her like her mother?
She twisted around, and Ivran’s face came into view. He released her with a grin.
“Scared you.”
“That was mean.” Selivia pushed him away, wishing she’d bitten his hand when she had the chance.
“Here. It gets cold fast.” He handed her an extra shawl he’d brought from the house. He wore a midnight-blue coat that blended into the shadows.
Selivia was surprised at the considerate gesture, but it wasn’t enough to cool her anger. She pulled the shawl close around her. “Where are we going?”
“I’ll explain when we’re farther from the house,” Ivran whispered. “Don’t want anyone to hear us.”
They crept down the alleyway between their house and the next, footsteps whispering in the dusty ground. Nightfall brought a deep quiet to Sunset City. Even though people would be awake for hours yet, nothing but wind and moonlight filled the streets.
Selivia didn’t like creeping through the dark, but she could hardly wait to see what Ivran planned to show her. She hoped she’d find out what the Air Sensors wanted her to hear at last.
Ivran led her toward the northern edge of the city. The paintings on the standing stones got darker the farther they went. The Rock loomed over them, blotting out one section of the stars. A rushing wind sang through the streets.
They turned onto a road where the stones were marked with birds and followed it past the city boundaries. A few houses sprawled into the plains, surrounded by little gardens and fenced enclosures for sand goats and desert fowl. They passed the last of these and kept walking.
The open desert was beautiful at night. Countless stars dotted the deep-purple sky. The wind rustled in the brush, creating a sense of movement across the wide-open land. The desert smelled of dirt and strange plants, enticing as spice cakes. Selivia almost didn’t mind Ivran’s company as their steps crunched softly in the darkness.
But it grew colder, and they still didn’t stop walking. Selivia shivered, beginning to wonder if she’d made a mistake. Why was Ivran taking her this far outside the city? She wanted to think the best of people, but her curiosity was slowly turning to worry. She should have brought Fenn along or told Zala where she was going. She hadn’t realized they’d be going this far.
Ivran was a few steps ahead of her. Should she make a break for it? She wasn’t sure she could run faster than him if he tried to stop her. She had a small work knife in her pocket. Could she bring herself to stick someone with it?
Ten minutes after they left the city, Ivran stopped at last. The dark plains surrounded them, shadowy and alien. The empty beauty of the desert had grown ominous. Selivia tensed, her hand creeping toward the knife in her pocket.
“You have to swear not to tell anyone I showed you,” he said. “This is a big Far Plains secret.”
“I swear.” Selivia was annoyed to hear the shaky tone in her voice. “Will you please tell me what’s going on?”
“It’s better if you see it,” Ivran said.
He left the dirt path and strode into the wild scrub. Selivia followed, trepidation and curiosity warring within her. The rocks and shadows made it impossible to tell where her feet would end up next. She wondered if Ivran could see in the dark somehow. He was already outpacing her.
“Wait for me!” Selivia called, afraid she’d lose sight of him completely.
“Shh! I’m here.” Ivran seized her hand, his palm sweaty. “Don’t draw attention to us. I’ll get in trouble.”
“With whom?”
“The Air Sensors Circle.”
Selivia froze, suddenly not wanting to take another step. She was supposed to be listening to the Air, not going against its wishes. Did the Air have wishes? She didn’t understand. Why couldn’t she have just told Ivran to go stick his head in a bowl of porridge?
“The Sensors don’t want me to see this?”
“They don’t know everything,” Ivran said. “Don’t chicken out now.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I think you’ll like it. I swear.” Ivran tugged on her hand. She had no choice but to follow him onward through the darkness. She hoped this wasn’t some scheme concocted to impress her. She’d gotten the distinct feeling that Ivran didn’t like her. Could she have it backw
ard? He had another thing coming if he thought leading a girl out into a dark and scary desert was the way to her heart.
That’s it. Enough being nice. She stuffed her other hand in her pocket and prepared to draw her little knife.
Ivran stopped abruptly, tightening his grip on her hand to keep her from advancing. “Careful,” he said. Selivia’s breath caught. They teetered at the edge of a deep crater. A bottomless black shadow filled it, and she couldn’t make out any details inside.
Behind them, a soft glow nestled at the foot of the Rock. The lights of Sunset City. It was the only distinguishable feature in the vast emptiness of the plain. If it weren’t for the stars, she wouldn’t have been able to tell which way was up at all.
Ivran released her hand. “I’m going to turn on a light,” he said. “Don’t scream.”
Selivia opened her mouth to ask why she’d need to do that. But when Ivran took out a Vertigonian Everlight and shone it into the darkened pit, the question died in her throat.
The body of a massive dragon lay in the crater. Shiny green scales glittered like emeralds on its hide. A ridge of spikes rose up from its spine, casting wicked shadows across its back. A long tail with a knot of hardened scales the size of a man’s head at the end curved around toward the edge of the crater.
Ivran shone the Everlight along the dragon’s length, revealing folded wings blacker than the finest ink from Pendark. The beam of light traveled from the wings to the powerful shoulder joints and all the way along the curved neck. Green scales covered the neck in overlapping plates, getting darker as they neared the head. At the base of the jaw, the scales were pitch black and as shiny as obsidian. The head was as big as Selivia herself. It had a thick, rounded skull, a long snout, and powerful jaws. Spikes similar to the ones lining its spine rose from the creature’s head like a crown of thorns.
Selivia had never seen anything so beautiful or so sad. She couldn’t imagine how the body could have been preserved in such good condition. Those scales must be practically indestructible, and the dry wind of the Far Plains probably helped as well. This was a magnificent treasure, priceless even. No wonder they wanted to keep it a secret! Treasure hunters would come from all across the world to steal scales and spines if anyone knew this was here.
The wind changed direction, carrying a deep musty smell with it. A whiff of bone and dust and smoke. Awed and silent, Selivia stared into the crater as Ivran pointed the Everlight beam at the huge scaly head. The light moved a bit. Ivran was shaking. Why is he so nervous?
Then the dragon opened its eyes.
17.
Secrets
SELIVIA screamed, a mixture of surprise, fear, and utter delight. She couldn’t help herself. It was alive! A real live true dragon lay right here in a pit in the Far Plains. Of all the things she had expected to see tonight, this was not one of them.
The true dragon wasn’t nearly as surprised as she was. It regarded her with eyes of deep cobalt, unlike any blue she had ever seen. It watched them calmly for a moment then raised its head and sniffed. Selivia leaned forward, admiring the way the muscles in the dragon’s neck rippled when it lifted its head. The scales of its underside were a paler green than the emerald tones of its hide. The huge creature shifted its wings, revealing more of the jet-black membrane, before resettling itself and watching them warily.
Ivran was saying something about how she mustn’t tell anyone, but Selivia was far too enthralled by the true dragon’s movements to listen.
“Watch it!” Ivran grabbed her shoulder. She had stepped closer to the edge of the crater. It wouldn’t be a good idea to tumble into the pit with the dragon, but she desperately wanted to know what it felt like to pet that huge head and run a hand over those glimmering scales. The true dragon was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen.
“How?” she said when she found her voice at last.
“He arrived one year ago,” Ivran said. “Just before Zala left for Rallion City.”
“Are you sure it’s a boy?”
“That’s what the Air Sensors say.”
“What do the Air Sensors have to do with it?”
“Everything,” Ivran said. “They sensed the true dragons stirring. They got curious and called one to them. I don’t know how. Some powerful Air discipline that hasn’t been used in centuries. It flew all the way here from the Burnt Mountains.”
“He could have flown right by Vertigon,” Selivia said. “I’d have loved to see him soaring over the mountain.” She sighed, hardly able to process her joy at seeing a real live true dragon. Despite Ivran’s company, this was the happiest day of her life. “Isn’t he wonderful?”
Ivran shrugged. “Aren’t you people used to cur-dragons?”
“They’re so small compared to this,” Selivia said. “Except for the litter that was born last . . . summer.” Selivia almost toppled over as the realization hit her. A cur-dragon had borne a litter of unusually large young last summer. Her brother’s pet, Rumy, was the biggest of the bunch, and surprisingly strong and intelligent. Could this true dragon have flown even closer to Vertigon than they realized on his journey to the Far Plains?
“They chained him up as soon as he arrived,” Ivran said. “I don’t think the Air Sensors believed a dragon would actually answer their call. It scared them something fierce. They haven’t practiced communing with magical animals much.”
“Whyever not?”
“They’re wild beasts, Princess. Our ancestors communicated with true dragons, but the Sensors Circle couldn’t control this one at all when he got here. The creatures are very intelligent, but they don’t think like human beings do.”
Selivia was barely listening. She dropped to her knees and leaned out over the pit, getting as close as she could to the true dragon. It stared up at her with those magnificent cobalt eyes. As she met the strong blue gaze, Selivia thought her heart would burst. How had she gotten so lucky?
The dragon shuffled its wings, pulling them closer against its side. The movement echoed that of the cur-dragons she had played with throughout her childhood. The true dragon’s snout was longer in proportion to the body than a cur-dragon’s, as were the spikes along its back. The colors of the scales and eyes were more vivid, even in the weak beam of the Everlight. It was as if they had a magic all their own.
“Does he breathe fire?” she asked.
Before Ivran could answer, the creature reared back on his haunches, revealing heavy iron shackles binding both hind legs. A low rumble built deep within his green-scaled chest. Selivia stared, transfixed, ignoring Ivran pulling on her shoulder.
The true dragon opened its mouth, and a burst of pure gold lit up the midnight sky. The fire spewed straight upward from its glowing throat, the flame brighter and denser than typical cur-dragon fire. Droplets fell from it, behaving more like liquid than flame. The droplets landed on its back, sizzling as they slid across its scales and pooled on the floor of the pit.
Was the true dragon spitting actual Fire? Amazing. Selivia wondered if all true dragons could send up a fountain of pure Fire. More importantly, had it done that as a direct answer to her question, or was it just chance? She hardly dared to hope.
“Can . . . Can you understand me?” she called softly.
The true dragon looked up at her and cocked its head to the side. Her cur-dragon pets did exactly the same thing! She grinned at the creature. As if in answer, it reared back and shot a second spurt of flame into the air. Cur-dragons loved to show off too. What other similarities were there?
She stretched out a hand. The creature shuffled nearer, dragging its claws through the shimmering puddles of liquid dragon fire. It couldn’t move far with the chains around its hind legs, not even coming close to her perch on the lip of the crater. Why couldn’t they make the chains a bit longer so it could fly around the pit? Or train it. Her family’s cur-dragons roamed freely, and they always returned to the cave beneath the castle. Was it possible to train a true dragon?
The drago
n stretched out its nose, lining it up perfectly with Selivia’s hand. If she were nearer, she was sure it would let her touch it. She was so mesmerized by the magnificent creature that she didn’t notice Ivran was still pulling on her arm until his harsh voice interrupted her reverie.
“We should go, Princess.”
“We just got here.” Selivia could happily sit here watching the true dragon for the rest of her life.
“His flame will draw attention from the city,” Ivran said. “I’m not supposed to show him to you.”
“Why did you?”
Ivran didn’t answer for a moment. “I wanted to impress you.”
“Again, why?”
“Because the Air . . .” Ivran kicked at a stone at his feet. “It’s not my choice, Princess.”
The word hit Selivia like a slap in the face. “You’ve been calling me princess,” she said. “Why do you keep doing that?”
“I know more than you think,” Ivran said.
“Tell me what you’re up to.”
“I’ll be in enough trouble already.”
Selivia leapt to her feet. “Do you want me to push you in there with him? Tell me!”
“You wouldn’t,” Ivran said. He moved to the edge of the crater and stared defiantly at the dragon in the pit, as if the majestic creature were nothing more than a bundle of brindleweed. That made Selivia angrier than anything else that had been said tonight. She entertained a brief vision of pushing Ivran into the crater to meet the true dragon directly. Unfortunately, the dragon sent up another fountain of Fire, and Ivran stepped hurriedly out of range.
“We should get home before they come check on it,” he said. “We can’t get caught.”
“Too late for that,” said a new voice.
Ivran jumped a foot in the air, and Zala stepped out of the shadows. Anger blazed in her eyes as she stared her cousin down. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“None of your business,” Ivran muttered, his face scarlet.
