by Linda McNabb
‘Innkeeper, can we have another meal?’ Eagan called through the half-height swinging doors that led to the kitchen.
‘Make that two!’ Ryker added loudly. ‘It’s been a very long walk from the mountains.’
The dining area was empty and Eagan left them both eating while he went upstairs to tell the others they were back. Seth gave his food his whole attention and ignored Ryker who sat at a table at the far side of the room. Clearly the apprentice still wasn’t keen on Seth being able to do magic of his own.
‘So Seth is healed?’
Seth was more than halfway through the huge plate of food when he heard Waide’s voice getting closer. He shovelled in one last mouthful and stood to wait for the youth to arrive. They definitely had some unfinished business to attend to.
‘And you found another wizard? That’s good isn’t it?’ Tal asked.
Ryker looked up from his meal and looked surprised to see Seth had left half of his food.
‘You look like you’re expecting a fight.’ Ryker said. ‘I don’ think you have anything to worry about with that great big sword, a dragon and magic on your side.’
‘I don’t plan on using any of them,’ Seth answered, rubbing his suddenly sweaty palms on his trousers. He took a long breath in and let it out slowly. He definitely didn’t want to harm anyone accidentally either.
Ryker looked confused then shrugged and went back to his food. Waide was the first to arrive and he looked to have hurried ahead of the others. He walked straight up to Seth and stopped just two paces away and glared at him.
‘This is who you’re afraid of?’ Ryker asked with a bark of a laugh.
Waide flicked his attention towards the apprentice and frowned, then turned back to Seth. ‘You’re all better now?’
The tone in the youth’s voice showed that he had lost none of his anger at Seth.
‘Waide, I’m sorry,’ Seth said. He knew it wouldn’t be enough but at least he could say it honestly.
‘Sorry?’ Waide’s voice rose several octaves. ‘You kidnapped Caden and took him away from his family, and now he’s a prisoner on an island full of wizards? And you’re sorry.’
‘I…’ Seth only got one word out before Waide’s clenched fist connected with Seth’s jaw. Seth was thrown backwards and tripped over a chair. He landed heavily on his sword and it dug into his shoulder.
‘You’re not going to put up with that are you?’ Ryker mumbled through a mouthful of food.
‘I deserved it.’ Seth stood up slowly. It wasn’t that he was hurt as his healing had made him feel stronger and fitter than he had ever been. He was just a little wary of getting into a full fist fight with Waide. He had never tried to control his gift while throwing a punch!
‘Get up and fight!’ Waide shouted, seeming frustrated that Seth was taking so long to stand up.
‘Fighting won’t help us,’ Eagan said as he joined them in the dining area with Asher and Tal just behind him. The two locals looked at Ryker with interest and seemed pleased to see him. Ryker did not even look up to greet them.
‘I deserve to take revenge,’ Waide said and he sounded less angry, but he still glared at Seth.
‘Let the boys fight it out. They’ll be best of mates in five minutes,’ Ryker said with a shrug. ‘No point interfering with their business.’
‘And they think he’s going to help them defeat an entire island of wizards,’ Darius said in a slow drawl.
Ryker choked on his food and glared at them all. ‘Defeat the wizards? I’ll do no such thing. I’m just here to get the boy back.’
‘Ah,’ Darius muttered. ‘I forgot the apprentices can all hear us until morning.’
‘But you said…’ Asher looked at Eagan.
‘Don’t worry,’ Eagan assured them quietly. ‘It will all work out.’
Waide seemed more interested in Ryker now and half-turned away from Seth. ‘You’ve come to help get my brother?’
‘Your brother?’ Ryker asked, and a strange smile and keen interest lit up his face. ‘Are you anything like your brother?’
Waide appeared confused by the question. ‘My hair is the same colour.’
‘He’s nothing like him,’ Oran said and hovered directly in front of the boy to peer into his eyes. ‘No life-giving well within this one.’
Ryker immediately lost interest and wiped up the remains of his food with a thick slice of bread. ‘I’ll need the other one again then.’
Waide rounded on Ryker immediately. ‘What do you mean you’ll need him again? Did you have him before? It was Seth who stole him.’
‘Seth worked for me. He did what he was told.’ Ryker shrugged as if it was no great secret. He glanced at Seth. ‘Well, I thought he did.’
Waide looked confused as if he wasn’t sure who to be angry at now.
‘How about we let Seth finish his dinner. He’s been sick for a while now and missed a few meals,’ Eagan suggested.
‘So, what was wrong with Seth?’ Ryker asked, looking at Seth as if he doubted that the boy was ever unwell.
‘Tal shot him with a poison arrow,’ Waide replied.
‘And you’re going to trust them with a plan to save Caden after they shoot poison arrows?’ Ryker asked, pointing his dinner knife at Asher and Tal.
‘And they should trust us?’ Oran remarked dryly. ‘As soon as we get Caden back we’ll be gone!’
‘Uncle!’ Neras exclaimed in disgust.
‘Eagan can still hear you,’ Darius reminded him.
Oran simply shrugged as if he didn’t care what anyone thought of him.
An annoyed look crossed Eagan’s face but he shook it away and smiled as if nothing had been said. Seth wasn’t going to let it go quite so easily.
‘It was an arrow they usually save just for wizards. It can kill them,’ Seth said with a straight face and watched Oran scowl and retreat a little further away from the new arrivals.
‘I think we should gather our things and leave as soon as StarFire returns,’ Eagan suggested with a forced smile. ‘There is no reason to delay here any longer. Seth, eat up.
The apprentice turned to leave and ushered the others ahead of him. Ryker remained, and looked keenly at Seth’s half-finished meal. Seth ignored him and turned to sit so that his back was to the apprentice. He wasn’t worried about Ryker and Oran harming him as Neras was sitting watching them, besides, they thought he was more powerful than them now. He’d just let them think that for now.
It was a few minutes later that Seth, now comfortably full, wandered up to find Eagan. Ryker remained sitting in the bar downstairs sampling the ale. The old man was standing at the window looking down at the alleyway.
‘Do you still feel well?’ Eagan asked.
‘He’s better than any of the rest of us,’ Darius snorted. ‘And he can stay that way forever if he wants to.’
‘StarFire has just returned,’ Neras said and pointed out the window.
‘You didn’t tell Ryker about the plans to heal Caden when we find him,’ Seth pointed out.
‘And if I did, he would be running in the other direction as fast as he could go,’ Eagan replied with a nod. ‘It’s best to let him think he’s going to be able to use the life-force for now.’
Seth had to agree that was quite likely and shrugged. Who knew what was going to happen when they found the way to Deek. If they found the way!
StarFire had been less than impressed to see another apprentice and wizard so the seating for the flight to Water Haven took a while to work out. MoonFlame agreed to take both Eagan and Ryker when it seemed that they might have to leave Ryker behind.
The flight was a lot faster than Seth had imagined. Asher had said it took two weeks to travel to the city by wagon yet it was only just before sunset when the dragons dipped lower and flew along the treetops. A large lake came into view as they flew over a mountain ridge and the glistened red in the last rays of the setting sun.
Seth could see many small lights far out on the lake and he wonder
ed if they were all houses. He saw Asher pointing down to the ground as StarFire sank into the trees below. MoonFlame followed and a minute later the lake had gone from sight and they were in a small clearing in a forest.
‘How did you fly that fast?’ Seth asked as he slipped to the ground.
‘As we grow we can fly very fast. Soon we can fly so fast you would not see us,’ MoonFlame replied then she looked at the group of humans. ‘But not carrying such a load!’
Seth wondered if he would get a chance to experience such a flight. The one here had been exhilarating and he wished it had gone for longer.
‘We should approach Water Haven in daylight,’ Asher said, as if the matter had been decided already.
‘Why?’ Eagan asked. ‘The longer we wait the stronger the Yarris will become.’
‘We cannot navigate the lake by night and we don’t really want to arrive on the back of dragons. I’d like to slip in and out without father knowing we’re even there,’ Asher explained. ‘It will complicate matters if he learns of our presence.’
It was agreed that there was no other option but to wait for morning and they set about making a small fire.
‘I am hungry,’ StarFire stated loudly. ‘I will hunt.’
‘I am hungry too,’ MoonFlame said and rose from where she had been resting under a large tree.
Asher looked horrified as the dragons extended their wings to take off.
‘What exactly do dragons eat?’ he asked, stepping in front of the white dragon.
‘Not humans,’ StarFire snorted. ‘A goat or a pig would do.’
‘We need all our animals near here,’ Asher insisted.
‘How about fish?’ Tal suggested.
Both dragons turned to her and waited for her to continue.
‘Just past the large island you will find the ocean. It is full of big fish.’
The dragons nodded and seemed pleased with the suggestion.
‘Please fly well away from the city though. We don’t want anyone seeing you and causing panic,’ Asher said and watched nervously as the dragons took off and flew low over the trees.
It was several hours before the dragons returned. By the way they flopped down and fell asleep almost immediately it was clear they had a belly full of food. Seth just hoped it really was fish!
‘I just don’t trust Ryker and Oran,’ Seth told Neras quietly. He had lain awake for hours but wasn’t really tired.
‘Neither do I. You sleep and I’ll keep watch,’ Neras assured him. ‘I’ll wake you if there’s any trouble.’
Seth finally nodded off, listening to snoring dragons and the crackling fire.
Chapter Six - The Silver Bridge
‘Caden and I will catch up in just a moment!’ Rem called to her father from the top of the stairs. ‘Go on without us. We’ll join you before you reach the corner.’
It was not long until sunset and, as Rem expected, her father wished them all to parade the streets along with the other families of the upper city. It had been simple to delay Caden in her room for a few minutes and let the others leave first.
‘Don’t be long,’ her father replied and followed Mayala out the door. Rem paused for several more seconds to be sure they were gone.
‘Caden, we’re going to play a game. You like games don’t you?’ Rem crouched down a little to talk to him. She didn’t have to bend too far and she noticed with a frown that he appeared to have grown again and looked even older now. How much magic had been taken through him? She didn’t need to guess who had taken it. Mayala.
Caden nodded. He may look older but he was as excited as a toddler being promised a bag of treats.
‘We’re going to go along the road and down to the trees without anyone seeing us,’ Rem said. Caden grinned. Rem noticed that he still didn’t talk very often so hopefully inside he was still a little boy. Maybe they would find a way to reverse the ageing process.
Rem had changed back into her own clothes and didn’t miss the tight-fitting dress or the headdress as it gave her a terrible headache. It felt good to have her sword strapped across her back again. She threw her green cloak around her shoulders, relieved that nobody had removed her old clothes from the room. Caden, however, was dressed in frilly, white and red clothes and would draw far too much attention.
She took him down through the back of the house and into the servants area. It was deserted at this time of day and she found a brown coat that one of them had left behind. She draped it over Caden’s shoulders and it covered most of his clothes.
They left the house by a side door and crept out across the gardens, keeping to whatever shadows they could find. She wondered why they kept the city so brightly lit if there was a shortage of magic. Wouldn’t it be better to conserve it? She shook such thoughts from her head. It was nothing to do with her any longer. She was abandoning the only real home she would ever have, to save Caden.
Caden giggled as she pulled him back behind a short, wide tree. She wrapped her cloak around them both and hoped the green colour was enough to disguise them. A family strolled past and then they were off again. It hadn’t seemed far from the trees up to the house last night but it was taking ages to get back there tonight.
They finally reached the trees and slipped into the darkness off the road. Caden wanted to run around in the forest, but Rem grabbed hold of him. She felt a sensation of being watched and noticed dozens of pairs of eyes staring at them. For a second she wondered why so many people were in the forest, then she realised that they were green cat’s eyes. It was the night-shadows. This must be where they spent most of their time when they were on Deek.
She didn’t blame them for hiding in the forest. She knew the wizards would take any life the night-shadows possessed. After a minute of watching each other, the huge black cats lost interest in Rem, although they did nuzzle up to Caden as he passed them. Caden thought it was wonderful and stopped to cuddle each one.
They walked through the trees far enough so that the guard at the entrance wouldn’t see them, then went out onto the road that led to the lower city.
There was no need to sneak around now that they were in the lower city but Rem led them around any groups of people. She stopped several times to look at small stalls that people had set up in the street, as she didn’t want it to look too obvious where they were heading.
‘You’ll be fine in the morning.’
Rem recognised the voice as her eyes tracked ahead of them and saw several people coming out of a small, poorly-made house. It was her grandmother. The street wasn’t well lit and Rem moved to the shadows and stopped to watch. She didn’t really want to have to explain why she was down here dressed in her old clothes.
She drew in a surprised breath when she realised that Sufi was with her. It wasn’t the fact she was with her grandmother, as Rem had worked out that she was her assistant. It was her hair. She had cut it very short and it was spiked up exactly like Rem’s hair. If Sufi knew the truth about her she doubted that the girl would have tried to copy her hairstyle, even though Sufi did not appear to dislike humans to the extent that Rem had expected.
‘Take that, brewed in water every day for a week,’ Felise told a young woman.
Rem watched as the two moved on down the street. Everyone they passed greeted them with a nod and a smile. Felise stopped by one older man who appeared to stumble. She looked at him closely then offered her hand outstretched.
Rem frowned. Hadn’t her father said that was not acceptable here?
The man looked at it briefly then took it in his with a sigh of relief that ran through him visibly. He only held her hand for a few seconds and there were tears in his eyes as he let go.
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I used almost all my magic when my son fell from a tree last week. He would have died if I hadn’t cast a spell to catch him.’
Felise’s reply was soft and Rem strained to hear it but there was too much other noise on the street.
‘We should be getting back, Sufi,�
�� Felise said as the man walked off.
‘Yes, Felise,’ she replied with a nod. ‘I want to show Arianna my new hairstyle.’
‘She’s an interesting girl for sure,’ Felise remarked. ‘I must talk to her again soon.’
Rem doubted her grandmother would get the chance as she could see the bridge hall not far down the street. She was almost there. It was several minutes before Felise and Sufi had gone far enough away for Rem to feel safe walking down the streets again.
A young boy came running along the road and bumped into them. He knocked Caden over and looked back at whatever he was running away from as if he was worried about being caught.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered and Caden reached out a hand for Rem to help him up. The boy grabbed it instead but made no attempt to pull Caden to his feet.
‘That’s enough!’ Rem snapped as she pushed the boy away and broke the contact. It was clear the boy was just trying to steal Caden’s magic.
The boy took a step back and simply stared at Caden and shook his own arm as if it tingled. Then he turned and ran as fast as he could, back in the direction he had come from.
‘We need to leave, now,’ Rem said, mostly to herself, as she helped Caden up and hurried him along towards the hall. If the boy had felt how much magic Caden could give he might tell others. They needed to get away fast.
She looked at the dark, forbidding-looking building for only a second and pushed open the glass doors, then took Caden inside. It was safer than being out there. Their footsteps echoed as they walked up the stairs. There seemed to be more than Rem remembered and as they reached the top she was startled by a voice that echoed loudly around them.
‘This isn’t a public building. Be gone with you.’
‘We’ve come to see the bridge master,’ Rem called back as they continued down the wide corridor.
A hooded man stood at the far end of the hall, barely silhouetted by the almost dark sky.
‘Why?’ he asked bluntly,
‘We wish to travel on the bridge,’ she said. There was no time to waste with general chatting. She wanted to be gone from this island.
