The Shadow Dragon

by J. R. Castle

  Ignus kept his head low to avoid the heavy, cracked oak beams as he strode across to the bar. Quinn and Thea followed him. Quinn tried to ignore the hostile glances they were getting from the groups of men around the room.

  ‘We need rooms,’ Ignus said to the landlord, as he leaned over the bar.

  The landlord eyed him up and down. He was well built with a long scar across his jaw, but Ignus towered over him.

  ‘Can you pay?’ he demanded.

  Ignus slapped a couple of coins onto the bar. The landlord eyed them sceptically.

  ‘We’ll be in the corner,’ Ignus said. ‘Bring us some food.’

  The landlord swept the coins off the bar and bustled through a beaded doorway.

  ‘Another happy Kerissian,’ Quinn muttered.

  They turned from the bar and made their way towards a table in the corner, well away from the other customers. Most of the men in the hostel had turned back to their drinks, but they were still drawing the occasional unfriendly glare.

  ‘So, what’s the plan?’ Thea asked, while they waited for their food. She kept her voice down as low as possible.

  ‘We stay the night here, then we carry on our quest,’ Ignus started. ‘We’re going to need all of the Emperor’s original Dragon Knights before we can hope to take on Vayn: Ulric, Nord, Kyria, Taric and Noctaris, as well as me. Vayn’s too powerful for just a couple of us, and he’s had twelve years to perfect his sorcery.’ He shook his head. ‘Dark magic has twisted his mind. He won’t care how many people he has to kill to stop us.’

  ‘I’ll use the sword,’ Quinn said. ‘That’ll point us in the right direction.’

  He glanced around to make sure he wasn’t being watched. A hooded figure in the far corner was looking right at them. Quinn couldn’t make out a face, but could see an elaborate brooch clasping the figure’s cloak together and eyes boring into him like a drill.

  Quickly, the figure looked away, suddenly concentrating hard on a mug of ale.

  Quinn frowned, and shuffled closer to Thea. Once he was sure he was unobserved, he slowly drew out the tip of his father’s golden sword. The sword had been used to knight the dragonbloods in the first place – it had a connection to them. In the high tower back at Yaross Garrison, the sword had pointed in Ignus’s direction. Somehow, it knew where to look for the dragons still bound by Vayn’s magical copper manacles. But now, all Quinn could see in the blade was swirling mist and distant, indistinct shapes.

  ‘That could be anywhere on Keriss Island,’ Ignus grunted. ‘The whole place is mostly one big swamp with a mountain in the middle and a couple of towns perched on the coast.’

  ‘It’s not much to go on to find the next Dragon Knight,’ Quinn said, reluctantly.

  ‘It’ll still point us in the right direction,’ Thea said hopefully. ‘And it tells us he’s definitely on this island.’

  ‘Somewhere.’

  The landlord appeared from behind the bar, carrying a plate of bread and cold meats. Quinn hushed as the man approached.

  The landlord clattered the food down on the table in front of them. ‘How long are you staying?’ he demanded.

  Ignus glanced at the food then around at the rest of the customers, who were still shooting ill-disposed glances in their direction. He met Quinn’s eyes.

  ‘Just one night. You can have too much of a good thing,’ he laughed gruffly – though the landlord didn’t seem to enjoy the joke. ‘We’ll travel inland to the main town tomorrow.’

  Quinn noticed a moment of concern flash across the landlord’s face.

  ‘We’re going to need supplies,’ Ignus said. ‘Food for the journey. Blankets. Some spare clothes.’

  ‘I can sell you food,’ the landlord barked, back to his grumpy self, ‘but I can’t help you with the rest.’ With that, he turned away and hurried back to the bar.

  ‘He really makes you feel welcome, doesn’t he?’ Thea laughed. ‘Why do we need so many supplies?’

  Ignus glanced around to make sure no one was listening, and then bent his head in close. ‘We don’t know where we’re going to find the other Dragon Knights – they all went into exile when Vayn took the empire. We might need to search every one of the Twelve Islands … This is the start of a long journey.’

  ‘We don’t have time for a long journey,’ Quinn muttered. ‘Vayn knows I’m alive and he knows you’re free. He’ll be looking for us.’

  ‘Which is why we need to hurry,’ Ignus said, ‘and keep away from people as much as we can. Vayn will be circulating our descriptions to the Black Guard and their allies. People will be looking out for us.’

  Thea let out a groan. ‘Keep away from people? Look …’

  The door to the hostel had opened and a new group were pushing their way inside. They were led by a man almost as big as Ignus. His face was covered in scars and lumps, as if he’d started his mornings by smashing his face against the nearest wall. His short hair was speckled with grey. Quinn saw the other customers look away, averting their eyes. When the landlord saw him, he hurried over, bowing like a worm.

  ‘Bewick.’ the landlord called, a shaky weasel grin spread across his face. He leant in close and whispered something. Bewick glanced over at Quinn with a scowl before he and his group crowded up at the bar and started drinking.

  ‘I don’t like the look of him,’ Quinn said.

  ‘I don’t think he much likes the look of us, either,’ Thea said. ‘Keep your head down.’

  Quinn, Thea and Ignus remained in their huddle, talking in low, hushed tones. However, Bewick’s sharp voice rose from the direction of the bar, insistent.

  ‘There are too many damned outsiders coming to this island,’ he said loudly, wasting no time to demonstrate his malice.

  Mutters of agreement rose around him.

  ‘You know what I’d do?’ Bewick continued. ‘I’d sink their ships as soon as they got close to the shore. That’d keep them away.’ He turned to glare across the room at Quinn, Thea and Ignus, then spat onto the dirty floor. Ignus ground his teeth, and Quinn saw the enormous muscles across his back tighten angrily.

  ‘What is the problem with this place?’ Ignus hissed under his breath.

  Quinn reached out a hand to calm him, but could feel the heat coming off him in waves.

  ‘Vermin, all of them,’ Bewick called, casting a sideways glance into the corner of the room.

  Ignus slammed back his chair.

  ‘Oh gods,’ Thea muttered.

  ‘What is your problem?’ Ignus demanded, striding up to the group of men at the bar. His enormous hands were clenching into fists.

  ‘My problem?’ Bewick sneered. ‘People have been disappearing – that’s what my problem is. And you know who I blame? Outsiders like you. The last thing we need is more of you coming over here and making things worse.’

  Quinn watched as Ignus’s shoulders rolled threateningly.

  ‘Me?’ the Dragon Knight demanded. ‘Make things worse? Worse than the Guard?’

  Bewick pushed his stool aside, suddenly flaring. ‘You’re a damned outsider! Dare to disrespect the Guard and you can leave this island!’

  He put his hands against Ignus’s chest and shoved. The Dragon Knight took a step back and then swung his fist. It caught Bewick on the side of his face and sent him sprawling into his group of friends.

  Bewick staggered to his feet again and launched himself back at Ignus, fists flying.

  ‘I thought we were supposed to be keeping a low profile,’ Quinn hissed, clutching his sword tight beneath the table.

  ‘I don’t think Ignus does low profile,’ Thea said, her eyes darting about.

  Great, Quinn thought. He wondered how long it would take for the landlord to call the Black Guard.

  ‘Ignus!’ Quinn shouted.

  As the Dragon Knight turned to look back at Quinn and Thea, one of Bewick’s blows rocketed against his ear. With a roar, Ignus grabbed Bewick and threw him bodily across the room, into a table. The table went flying, sending drin
ks scattering across the floor.

  Suddenly the whole of the hostel erupted. Men were pushing and shoving each other, and punches started to fly. Bewick’s friends threw themselves at Ignus, who scattered them with a great swing of his arm.

  A flash of gold made Quinn look down. Bright scales had appeared on his arm. He swore under his breath and pulled his sleeve down over them. Why can’t I control it? Why? If someone spotted it, they would summon the Black Guard for sure.

  ‘We need to get out of here,’ Quinn said, grasping his satchel.

  Thea met his eyes and nodded. ‘Grab Ignus before he brings the whole town down on us.’

  They darted across the hostel, dodging between struggling groups towards where Ignus was surrounded by half a dozen men. Quinn ducked a punch and skipped around a fallen table. Thea dashed along behind him. They had almost reached Ignus when a cluster of fighting men crashed right into them and Thea was sent skidding to the floor. One of the thugs grabbed hold of Quinn and shoved him back against the bar, trapping his arm behind him so he couldn’t reach his sword. He could feel the man’s sour breath as he leaned right over him. Quinn tried to struggle, straining against the man’s weight, but slowly the man bent him over backwards.

  ‘We don’t … want … your … sort … around … here,’ he said.

  The man’s arm across Quinn’s throat was cutting off his breath. His vision was starting to go blurry at the edges. Gasping, he scrambled for something – anything – on the bar, but there was nothing in reach …

  CHAPTER 3

  A HELPING HAND

  Quinn’s head swirled and his ears roared as he fought for breath. Desperately, he swung his foot forwards as hard as he could.

  He caught the man right between his legs. With a grunt, the man’s hold on Quinn loosened and he dropped to the floor. Sucking in a breath, Quinn pushed free. He gasped and spluttered, rubbing at his sore throat.

  Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Thea spring to her feet from where she’d fallen.

  ‘Get back!’ she cried, as black, roiling energy sprang to life between her hands, and she began chanting under her breath.

  Black smoke poured in great billows from her hands, suddenly filling the hostel.

  ‘What is that?’ the landlord shouted, panicked. Men raced for the door.

  Quinn stumbled to his feet as Thea reached him.

  ‘Where’s Ignus?’ Thea demanded. ‘This will distract them – but not for long …’

  A loud thump sounded from the smoke, and a man came stumbling back towards them. Quinn stepped out of the way.

  ‘Over there would be my guess,’ Quinn croaked, pointing to the figure of Bewick, who’d been hurled against the wall.

  Together, they hurried into the smoke, where Ignus was parrying a blow. The smoke didn’t seem to be affecting him – one of the benefits of being a fire dragon, Quinn supposed. Ignus was glaring around, looking for someone else to thump. His eyes lit up as Quinn and Thea emerged from the smoke, then his shoulders slumped.

  ‘Oh,’ he grunted. ‘It’s you.’

  ‘Let’s get out of here before someone calls the Guard,’ Quinn said, coughing through the smoke. He grabbed Ignus by the arm, and he and Thea hauled the big man to the door.

  They burst out into the street, eyes streaming. Quinn hurried them round the corner into a side alley, away from the drunken men in the tavern, and sucked in a great breath of clear air.

  ‘Brilliant,’ he said, angrily, glowering at Ignus. ‘Now where are we going to go?’ The first spots of cold rain were falling from the sky – Quinn peered around the edge of the building to see Bewick and his henchmen skulking off down the cobbled road. ‘Are we supposed to sleep on the street?’

  ‘He wasn’t being very polite,’ Ignus growled.

  Quinn shook his head. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be going. They were supposed to be tracking down the Dragon Knights one by one without anyone noticing them, until they were ready to face Vayn. If the Black Guard got wind of what had happened here, they’d be on to them. As though finding one of the Dragon Knights in the middle of the swamps wasn’t hard enough.

  ‘Look out,’ Thea hissed.

  A figure appeared at the end of the alley: the mysterious presence who’d been watching them at the hostel. Ignus grunted and clenched his fists again. Quinn let his hand drop to the hilt of his golden sword as he recognised the glittering brooch on the figure’s cloak. Looking at it more clearly he could see it was an elegant bird, with jewelled eyes.

  ‘It’s all right,’ a soft voice called.

  A woman? Quinn thought.

  The figure pulled back her hood to reveal long, oak-brown hair swept back from her high forehead and tucked behind her ears. She must have been around the same age as Ignus and she was nearly as tall – although not nearly as ugly.

  ‘I saw you watching us earlier,’ Quinn said. ‘What do you want?’

  She took another step closer. ‘I can help you … if you let me.’

  She didn’t look particularly dangerous, but Quinn wasn’t going to take a risk. She could be one of Vayn’s spies.

  ‘Maybe we don’t need help.’

  The woman laughed. ‘You’ve just fled the only place in Port Keriss that’s willing to accommodate strangers these days and this weather’s going to get worse. I think you need my help.’

  Quinn glanced at Ignus and Thea.

  ‘Why should we trust you?’ Thea asked.

  The woman glanced around then moved closer to Quinn. ‘Because I saw that flash of scales on your arm and didn’t say a word. I could have gone to the Guard.’

  Quinn’s hand fell automatically to his sleeve. The scales were gone now, but he knew they could come back at any moment.

  ‘And because I need your help.’ Her head dropped. ‘My name is Maria, and I need someone who will stand against the Black Guard …’

  Quinn wavered.

  ‘We haven’t got anywhere else to go,’ Thea whispered to him.

  Quinn knew she was right. They couldn’t stay out in the street all night. And Maria was telling the truth. She could have gone to the Guard. There was always a reward for turning in a dragonblood, and Quinn was pretty sure that reward would be far greater for turning in the true Emperor to Vayn.

  ‘All right,’ Quinn said. ‘Let’s talk.’

  Quinn, Thea and Ignus made their way down the cobbled street. The howling of the wind and the rain lashing the rooftops was enough to convince them that they desperately needed shelter. Quinn had begun to dry out in the hostel, but now he was soaked through once more.

  Maria led them to a small home above a strange-looking shop. Although shuttered for the night, Quinn caught a glimpse of jars of exotic spices through the grill.

  The rooms had obviously been fairly grand once, but now the paint was peeling and the ceiling showed large damp stains from the rain. Maria lit a small fire in the grate and placed herself down delicately in a fraying armchair. Rain rattled against the cracked windowpanes.

  ‘This is it,’ she said, waving an arm to encompass the room. ‘Make yourselves at home.’

  Quinn lowered himself onto a sagging couch, which dipped even further beneath his weight. Ignus didn’t even risk the furniture; he just hunched up against one wall. Quinn figured that was probably a good idea – the chairs didn’t look like they could handle Ignus’s muscly bulk.

  ‘You know,’ Maria began, ‘you need to take care around Bewick.’

  Ignus snorted. ‘He’s a weed.’

  Maria shook her head. ‘I can see you’re a fighter. But Bewick is in league with Lorimer, and Lorimer is untouchable. He’s one of Vayn’s personal lord vassals. The Black Guard do whatever he says, and if you humiliate Bewick, Lorimer will take it personally.’

  ‘Sounds like a great guy,’ Ignus said. ‘How does he get away with it?’

  ‘He did something for Vayn a long time ago; a secret operation. It made him one of Vayn’s favourites. He’s lived in Astria like a kin
g ever since. He’s got a whole suite in the old castle the Black Guard are using as their fort.’

  ‘Astria?’ Quinn asked, frowning.

  ‘The main town on the Island. It’s in the valley on the other side of the marshes. That’s how I used to make my living, trading stuff that came in to the port to Astria. I did pretty well out of it.’ She sighed and looked around at the decrepit room. ‘Now this is all I’ve got left; this and the shop downstairs.’

  ‘So what happened?’ Thea asked. ‘Why can’t you trade?’

  ‘I do.’ She dropped her voice, ‘But when Vayn took over, the Black Guard seized the main road across the island. That’s when things got bad. If you use the road, you have to pay their taxes, which means they take at least half of everything you have. But this last year, it’s got much worse. Now if anyone tries to use the road, the Guard steal everything you’ve got.’

  Another gift from Vayn, Quinn thought. He had never known his father, Marek, but he did know the Twelve Islands hadn’t been like that when he’d been Emperor. Quinn felt the now familiar dragonblood course through his veins.

  ‘The only other way to get to Astria is via the paths through the marshes,’ Maria continued, ‘and they’re always shifting. People go missing when they use that route.’

  So Bewick was right, Quinn thought. No wonder we’ve had such a frosty reception.

  ‘But that’s not all … ’ Maria gathered her cloak about her, shivering. She looked pained as she began to speak. ‘If the marshes don’t swallow you up, the Stone Trolls might.’

  ‘The what?’ Quinn began.

  Ignus guffawed. ‘Kerissian Stone Trolls? They’re stuff and nonsense! A myth!’

  Maria snapped back, ‘They were myths,’ she scowled. ‘But not any more. Vayn brought them into existence.

  Ignus looked taken aback as Maria continued.

  ‘Keriss kept fighting against him even after the Emperor and Empress were gone, so he used his dark magic to turn rock into the horrific creatures of myth and legend. They’re shaped like men, but twice your size’ – she nodded at Ignus – ‘and made completely of stone. You can’t hurt them and you can’t reason with them. They’re only loyal to Vayn. They stalk the marshes and they’ll attack anyone or anything they come across, ordinary people or Black Guard. It’s almost impossible to trade safely any more.’ She looked around her room. ‘You might not guess it, but a lot of people are doing even worse than me now. What’s the good of a port if you can’t trade anything?’