Shadow

by Mark Robson

  ‘There’s loads of them, Shadow!’ Pell said tentatively through the bond. ‘How are we going to shake them?’

  ‘Don’t worry, Pell,’ she replied. ‘There will be a degree of danger for the next few minutes, but I’m going to show them shortly that trying to follow me is not a good idea.’

  Chapter Fourteen

  Outlaws

  As the tight canyon twisted and turned, so Shadow began to switch from one wall to the other. The first time she switched, she did it so subtly that Pell nearly failed to notice. The only clue was when she dipped underneath and behind a night dragon. She passed so close that Pell felt as if the dragon’s tail might inadvertently swipe him out of the saddle.

  In the instant that Shadow was directly below and behind the other dragon, she let slip a deliberate wingbeat noise designed to attract attention before continuing her silent slide across to the deep shadow of the opposite wall.

  The results were spectacular. Before the unsuspecting dragon knew what was happening, several chasing dragons were stooping down on top of him with talons extended. The resulting melee was chaotic and noisy, allowing Shadow to abandon her silent flight and power upwards a few strokes, once again giving her the advantage of height over her pursuers.

  Pell could feel her amusement through the bond as she changed back to silent flight again. She was actually enjoying this! The thought shocked him and a chill settled in the pit of his stomach. They were engaged in a deadly chase, being pursued by an unknown number of adversaries, and Shadow was having fun!

  In the secret part of Pell’s mind a question gnawed. Was his dragon completely sane? He had always known her desire for power and recognition matched his own, but tonight he was seeing a side of Shadow she had never shown him before.

  The tangle of dragons in the centre of the canyon began to separate, but before the confusion had been totally sorted out, Shadow dived back in and stirred it up some more. In a deft move, she slid across the top of the fight and briefly locked her talons onto the wingtip of one of her would-be pursuers, unbalancing him such that he slewed sideways and collided with a second dragon. Both plummeted, briefly out of control, only to split a lower formation that was still climbing towards the fray.

  The screeches of rage from the dragons needed no translation. Suddenly, the levity in Shadow’s mind disappeared and Pell felt a terrible sadness through the bond.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, worried.

  ‘One of the dragons below us just met her end,’ she replied, her voice cold and distant. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt her. It was an accident. I was trying to put them off following us.’

  ‘Of course you were,’ Pell replied quickly. ‘They weren’t exactly playing friendly. With all those dragons in such a narrow canyon, confusion and collisions were always a danger.’

  ‘Well, that’s not quite true,’ Shadow admitted. ‘But I appreciate your support. We need not worry about immediate pursuit any longer. They have called off the chase.’

  ‘Great!’

  ‘Don’t get too excited,’ she warned. ‘They’ll be after us again soon enough. I was given a message from Sharptail, one of the older dragons. He called to me as the decision was made.’

  ‘Really? What sort of message?’ Pell asked, intrigued.

  ‘A message of banishment,’ Shadow responded, her tone in his mind flat and emotionless. ‘He made it clear that if either of us ever return to the night dragon enclave, we will be killed on sight. We have been declared outlaws.’

  Outlaws! It took a moment for the magnitude of the word to sink in. Outlaws! A week ago, when the Oracle had told them they would be undertaking the Great Quest, Pell’s imagination had revelled in the glory such a prestigious life purpose would bring him. Had the Oracle foreseen this day? Had it known that the status Shadow and Pell craved would be cruelly denied at every turn? Pell had assumed from the outset that he had been chosen for his strength and potential. What if he had really been chosen because he was an outsider, different from all the others? There was a twisted sort of logic in that.

  ‘Oh, gods!’ he breathed. ‘What have we done?’

  ‘What’s the matter, Pell?’ Kira asked over his shoulder in a low voice. ‘Is everything all right?’

  What could he say? The situation was as far from all right as it could possibly be, yet his troubles were his own. The immediate danger was past.

  ‘It’s nothing, Kira,’ he said eventually. ‘They’ve turned back. We’re in the clear for now. The dragons are returning to the enclave to get their riders. If they’re going to chase us, then the real pursuit won’t begin again for a little while.’

  ‘Excellent!’ Kira said, her voice a little louder this time.

  Shadow was still employing her unusual talent for stealth. As a result the word sounded strange, almost dead, in the cocoon of silence that surrounded them. Kira intended to ask more, but a shiver ran down her spine when her voice was killed by Shadow’s eerie ability.

  By the time they emerged from the narrow canyon into the wide valley beyond, Pell felt thoroughly miserable. What good would it do to complete the quest now? Even if he did overtake Segun and get the night orb, there would be no glory in it. He had no standing at the night dragon enclave. He would have to avoid all contact with other night dragons and their riders for ever. Outcast! Pariah! Outlaw! The words bounced around in his head as the implications of the last few minutes started to sink in.

  Stars pricked the sky overhead and the early moon was just visible over the southern mountain-tops in the wider expanse of sky. They turned left and began to track along the near side of the great valley basin.

  A chill wind breathed down the mountainside and Pell instinctively hunched in the saddle, trying to shoulder the cold aside. The wind would get stronger as the night wore on. He would need extra layers soon, or risk freezing. It was something he had seen in the mountains many times before.

  By day the sun warmed the air in the valleys, causing it to rise. The result was a light flow of thermals up the mountainsides in the late morning and afternoon, but this breeze was invariably weak and capricious. By night, however, the opposite was true. Cold air at the top of the mountains sank, rolling down the slopes with gathering momentum to flow out along the valleys. The resulting wind was cold, and the effect was more pronounced than the daytime heating, giving rise to far stronger breezes. In certain valleys, the resulting wind could become very strong, particularly if the valley narrowed like a funnel. This accelerated the air still further, sometimes even to speeds normally only experienced around severe storms.

  The dangers associated with the chill night breeze were not lost on Pell, but he did not care. The frosty gusts fitted Pell’s mood. Even as his body tensed against them, his mind embraced their icy intent. For a moment he wished the wind could freeze the anguish from his heart, but he knew there was no such easy fix for this problem.

  The more he thought about it, the more he felt this whole situation was the Oracle’s fault. Perhaps Segun was right. If he and Shadow had not been given this ridiculous quest, none of this would have happened. With their combined strength, they would have prospered at whatever they had put their minds to. Perhaps they still could. If they abandoned the quest and started again somewhere a long way from the night dragon enclave, they might still enjoy a fulfilling life together.

  Pell could feel Shadow in his mind. He was sure she knew what he was thinking and she was saying nothing. Did this mean she agreed with him? He wanted to believe she saw things his way, but his gut feeling told him she was not happy. He knew how strong the pull to the Oracle was for her. Would she be willing to give up on the quest if he asked her to?

  They began descending. He could see very little in the darkness, but he guessed they were approaching the place where the other dragons were waiting. Swift and silent they swooped down to land by an outcrop of rock. The cave entrance was well hidden. He did not see it until the other dragons began to emerge, no doubt at the silent calls
from their riders.

  Elian and Kira slid down Shadow’s side and ran straight to greet Aurora and Fang with affection. Nolita also dismounted swiftly, but instead of running to Firestorm she moved away from the dragons and started emptying her water bottle over her hands. Pell dismounted more slowly, nursing his bruised body to the ground. His fingers lingered on Shadow’s scales as he fought with his emotions.

  Suddenly Kira stiffened. Reading anger in her body language took no great skill. Whirling from where she had been stroking Fang’s face, she covered the short distance back to where Pell was standing in what seemed like a handful of furious steps. Hands on hips she confronted him, eyes blazing.

  ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing, Pell?’ she snarled.

  ‘I’m not sure I follow you, Kira,’ he replied, confused. Gritting his teeth against the pain it brought, he straightened to his full height.

  ‘Fang tells me you’re considering abandoning the quest,’ she spat. ‘Shadow felt you would do better to air your thinking publicly. It seems your dragon has a lot more sense than you do.’

  Feelings of betrayal and shock rocked him. He looked up at Shadow in disbelief. How could she do this to him?

  ‘We cannot blame the Oracle for this, Pell.’ Shadow’s voice in his head was stern and sure.

  The flash of anger he directed at his dragon was fierce. He would never have believed her capable of sharing his thoughts with another like this.

  ‘Why not?’ he asked her aloud, his voice laced with fury. ‘We wouldn’t be in this situation if it wasn’t for the Oracle’s damned quest.’

  ‘It was our choice to undertake the quest,’ she pointed out. ‘Like it or not, we have to take responsibility for that decision. This is not the Oracle’s fault. It is a situation of our own making. We have both acted without considering the consequences of our deeds.’

  ‘The Oracle’s “damned” quest is the reason your dragon exists,’ Kira said fiercely. ‘It’s the reason all of our dragons exist. That’s what this is all about.’

  ‘The quest is a nonsense,’ he responded bitterly, turning on Kira as the easier target for his anger. The red fury he felt temporarily masked his physical pain.

  ‘Then why did you agree to it with such enthusiasm?’ Kira asked. ‘No! Let me tell you. The truth is you agreed because it fitted your expectations: glory and honour. Don’t deny it. It was written all over your face.’

  ‘Yes, I saw it as my big chance,’ Pell growled. ‘Shadow and I both did. And now any chance of good coming from this is gone, so why bother? It’s all a nonsense.’

  ‘Good for who?’ Kira stormed. ‘Good for you! You selfish son of a—’

  ‘Go ahead. Swear all you like,’ Pell mocked. ‘Come on, Kira. Tell me your motives for following this quest are pure. At least I’m honest about my intentions. Why don’t you tell us your reasons for agreeing to the Oracle’s mad errand? And don’t give me any pap about saving dragonkind. Save that for Elian.’

  Elian looked confused, but Kira’s eyes narrowed and her hand went instinctively to her belt knife. Pell did not flinch. He just smiled.

  ‘My actions are not in question here,’ she replied, her voice icy. ‘Yours are. All that talk back at the campsite near the Oracle’s cave was just noise, wasn’t it, Pell? I’m not afraid of anything, she mimicked. ‘I can’t believe you had the gall to let those words out of your mouth! The moment things turn tough you want to run away. I’m surprised you aren’t crying out for your mother. Gods, I wish you’d been there when Nolita retrieved the day orb! Maybe then you’d have some understanding of what bravery is really all about.’

  ‘When Nolita what?’ Pell exclaimed.

  ‘You heard me.’

  ‘Impossible!’ he spat. ‘Just to get to the day dragon enclave would have taken you . . .’

  ‘. . . five days,’ Kira finished. ‘Yes, but with Aurora’s ability to transport us between worlds we made up a lot of time on the way back and in catching up with you.’

  Pell looked around at Nolita in disbelief. She was scrubbing at her hands, occasionally glancing up at the two arguing riders. As soon as she realised Pell was looking at her, she looked down and concentrated on her hands again. He shook his head. It did not seem possible. Yet why would Kira lie? One question from Shadow to the other dragons confirmed what she said. The dragons did not lie to one another.

  ‘So what would you have us do?’ Shadow asked. ‘Run? Hide?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘I need to think on it.’

  ‘Well think well, and think quickly, rider,’ she replied, her voice fierce with anger. ‘The quest is alive. We are free. Your only crime amounts to having disagreed with Segun. I have killed another dragon. Living with that will not be easy. I will find it easier to justify if we complete the quest. It will give her death purpose. I’m sorry to upset you by involving the others in this, but it’s important, Pell. The quest is not ours alone. If we walk away, the quest fails. We need to think beyond ourselves this time.’

  ‘Nolita was brilliant,’ Elian was saying enthusiastically, his words tumbling over the top of Shadow’s. ‘You should have seen it. She faced her worst fears, Pell. The Oracle’s rhyme came true. It was a trial. Maybe what has happened so far is a part of yours. I don’t know. One thing’s for sure, I don’t want to see Nolita’s efforts amount to nothing. We’ve come a long way and risked a lot to find you and help you face your challenge. You can’t give up now.’

  ‘Without the promise of glory the quest does not have the same lustre,’ Shadow admitted in his mind. ‘But does that mean it is any less worthy a goal for us? We have been outlawed. If we cannot attain glory and renown within the enclave, then perhaps we should look to gain fame and notoriety by denying Segun what he wants.’

  The suggestion was so outrageous that for a moment Pell was left mentally speechless. His mind whirled. There was a certain allure to the idea: Pell, the rogue outlaw, fighting to right the wrongs of the corrupt institution. He had not flinched from the possibility of danger on the Oracle’s quest, so why did he hesitate now?

  Shadow was right. It had been his choice to defy Segun that had seen him imprisoned. Shadow’s actions in the canyon had not really made the situation much worse. If he had bowed to the night dragon leader’s will in the first place, he and Shadow would have taken their first step on the ladder to power. Had the reason for his defiance changed? No. He had felt then that Segun was wrong. The Oracle’s intentions felt wholesome. They transcended the motives of men and dragons. Just thinking about the Oracle filled him with a special feeling.

  ‘All right,’ he said slowly. ‘We press on with the quest, but only on one condition.’

  ‘Really?’ Kira responded, her voice dripping sarcasm. ‘What makes you think you can set conditions, Pell?’

  ‘Cool it, Kira,’ Elian said soothingly. ‘Hear him out.’

  ‘My condition is simple,’ Pell said, his eyes locked with Kira’s. ‘I lead. At least until we get the night orb.’

  To his surprise, Kira burst out laughing. Pell glanced at Elian. The dawn dragonrider’s reaction matched his.

  ‘Do you have a problem with that, Kira?’ he asked coldly.

  ‘No,’ she laughed. ‘Not at all. Which way would you like us to go first, O Worthy Leader of the Great Quest? Do you have any clue where we’re heading, or would you like your faithful followers to tell you so you can lead the way?’

  ‘Enough, Kira!’ Elian’s command surprised everyone. Even Nolita looked up with respect at the power in his voice. ‘Pell, have you learned nothing? We’re in this together. We don’t need a leader. We need to cooperate and combine our strengths. Each of us must be ready to step forwards and take the lead as the quest requires, but we were all chosen for a reason. Nolita and Firestorm have demonstrated their bravery. Kira and Fang have shown ingenuity, guile and gall in the way they led your rescue. Ra and I have led the others through another world to make up time. All you’ve done so far is to jeopa
rdise the quest. Kira is right. You’re in no position to make demands, but neither should she provoke you into further argument.’

  Pell seethed inside, but despite his anger he could feel Elian was right. Kira’s lips were pursed tightly together as she also fought to control a further outburst.

  ‘Fang knows the way to the “brave ones” mentioned in the Oracle’s rhyme,’ Elian continued after a short pause. ‘I suggest he leads us there. Before we go, though, we need to consider how we’re going to get out of here without attracting more attention from the night dragons.’

  ‘Shadow can get past the watchers without being seen,’ Pell said quickly.

  ‘As can Fang,’ Kira pointed out.

  ‘But Fire and Ra will be seen for sure,’ Elian said thoughtfully.

  ‘We can fly out over the mountaintops,’ Aurora interjected. ‘If you double up with Pell on Shadow, Nolita can fly with Kira. Fire and I will go the high route and meet you once you’re well clear of the watchers.’

  Elian nodded. ‘That makes a lot of sense. Thank you, Ra.’ He relayed Aurora’s suggestion to the others, who all agreed it was a good idea.

  As the heat of anger finally died in Pell’s gut, so the pain of his physical wounds washed over him again. Even as he turned to remount Shadow the world spun out of control. There was no time to call out – no time for anything. The darkness took him and he fell.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Doubling Up

  As Pell surfaced, he stretched. It was a self-satisfied stretch, like a cat waking from a snooze in front of an open fire and luxuriating in the lazy heat. He felt good. Incredibly good! He drew in a deep breath and tasted the clean mountain air as it passed over his tongue. It was fresh and invigorating. Then he remembered.

  His eyes snapped open. He was outside. The ground under his body was far from comfortable. Elian, Kira and Nolita were all looking down at him. Elian and Nolita looked pleased, while Kira’s expression was unreadable. What had happened? He couldn’t make sense of it. They were outside the cave where they had met with the other dragons. It was still dark. How long had he been unconscious? He felt rested, as if he had slept for days. The pain had gone. He ran his fingers tentatively across the areas where the bruising had been worst. Nothing. He prodded harder: still no pain.