The Dragon of Despair

by Jane Lindskold

  "There should be other lanterns here," Peace replied. "Find them and light several."

  Firekeeper did as Peace requested, locating the proper locker immediately with the assistance of Blind Seer's nose. While she checked the wicks and oil, she heard noise from above and then bare feet on the stair.

  Elise was the first one down and promptly sat on a narrow bench to dry her feet and put on her shoes.

  "Derian and Edlin," she informed them, grinning mischievously, "decided to relocate the four guards from outside to that upper room. If the stones of Aswatano have a chance to dry, their friends may think they got bored and went off for a glass of wine."

  "Good idea," Firekeeper said, touching flame from Peace's lanterns to those she had prepared. "Can we lock door again?"

  "Edlin is going to try," Elise replied. "If not, he and Derian will at least move a cabinet or two into the doorway to make it harder to get through."

  "Good thought," Firekeeper agreed, "or if cabinet not move, put men tied up against door."

  Elise relayed this suggestion upward via Doc, who was making his own descent.

  Six humans and one Royal Wolf, all more or less damp, made the lower chamber rather close, so Peace sent Derian and Edlin back upstairs while he continued looking for the exit he knew must be there.

  "At least I believe it is," he confided worriedly. "Firekeeper, can the dragon tell you anything about how we reach it?"

  "No," the wolf-woman answered promptly. "This place is all since it was bound. It knows there is live water near it, for the water is involved with its binding. Live water and living stone. That is all it knows."

  "Do you feel the dragon's thoughts more intensely in any direction?"

  "Down," Firekeeper said. "When we come down it grew louder."

  "But not east or west?"

  Firekeeper shook her head. Her own emotions were in an uproar. If this was a dead-end and Peace could not find the way to the dragon then Firekeeper couldn't be blamed for not stopping Melina. She would not have to bind the dragon herself. She would not have to pay the price. But then Melina would win.

  Hope warred with fear until Firekeeper didn't know what she hoped or what she feared, but the dragon's awareness that Melina was coming for it was as real to her as the odor of Blind Seer's wet fur.

  Firekeeper could tell from Peace's expression that he was about to admit defeat when Doc said:

  "Grateful Peace? I think I may have something here."

  Peace turned, his gaze alight with surprise.

  "Yes, Sir Jared?"

  "I've been looking at the pipes," Doc said, "tracing them like I would the vessels in the body that carry blood."

  "Yes?"

  "And this lot over here," Doc indicated a mass of piping on the northeast segment of the wall, "doesn't seem to do anything."

  Peace hurried over to the section Doc was inspecting.

  "See?" Doc said, pointing to a curving pipe that looked no different from any of the others to Firekeeper's eye. "It starts there and ends there, but as far as I can tell it links into neither the hot nor cold water systems."

  Peace held his hand up to the pipe in question, then gripped it in his hand.

  "Neither hot nor cold, simply chill." He rapped it with his knuckles. "Nor does it carry water. Sir Jared, this may be our answer!"

  It did not take long then for Peace to find how this one section of pipes swung clear from the wall. Once the pipes were moved away, Peace's expert eye found the thin outlines of a door cut into the dressed stone and a keyhole concealed in what appeared to be a natural flaw in the stone.

  Firekeeper stood close, holding a lantern so that Peace would have light enough to pick the lock.

  Blind Seer spoke to her. "So, Little Two-legs, we could have done this without a pack, you and I, could we?"

  Firekeeper wanted to kick him, but felt the truth of his accusation.

  "If we were not about to go on a hunt," she said, "and this room were not so small, I would lay myself at your feet and show you my throat and belly."

  Blind Seer sneezed his satisfaction.

  "Just don't forget. Like knows like best."

  A sharp click announced that Grateful Peace had convinced yet another lock to yield to his skill.

  "This door also pulls outward," he said. "There do not appear to be any traps, but we should take care when we go through. Tell Edlin and Derian they can join us now."

  "I go first," Firekeeper said, "with Blind Seer."

  "So the lantern light doesn't spoil your vision," Peace agreed, but something in his tone made her think he might be teasing her. "Then I will go second since I may see things you two do not."

  Firekeeper did not disagreeùthough her real reason was that she wanted no one to stop her if she decided to do something they might find impulsive. When all were ready and lanterns turned to the merest glows and shielded so that their light would not give undue warning of their coming, Firekeeper put her fingers into small depressions in the stone and pulled against the heavy stone door. It glided easily on unseen tracks, swinging back and revealing a steep stone ramp curving gently downward.

  "Now," Firekeeper said, almost to herself, "very careful, very quiet. We go."

  Chapter XXXIX

  FOR A LONG, SILENT MOMENT Citrine stared at her mother, awed and intimidated by the wonderfully terrible vision in crimson, gems, and gold that had emerged from the steaming portal.

  Then, realizing she was cringing, Citrine straightened her shoulders, ready for whatever punishment Melina might deem fit. As the moments passed in slow, shuddering breaths, Citrine realized that there was no anger upon Melina's intricately painted features, only wonder and a strange, gleeful calculation.

  "How long have you been following me, Citrine?" Melina asked, the jewel-hung chains on wrists and waist ringing as she knelt to meet Citrine's gaze.

  "Since you left your rooms," Citrine replied softly. "You were carrying a heavy bag. I thought I could guess where you were going. So I followed."

  "You could guess," Melina prompted. "How could you guess? This place is a secret."

  "Our secret," Citrine replied in a nearly inaudible whisper. "I have known about it for days and days now. I…"

  She decided to give up the entire truth and be done with it. "I've followed you before, Mother. I had to know where you were going." She waited for the slap across her cheek, the angry admonishment that would make her ears ring and her face blaze brighter than the rising welt. Neither came. Melina only looked thoughtful and maybe the tiniest bit sad. "Why did you need to know where I went, Citrine? To tell your friends what I am doing?"

  Citrine choked around a sob she didn't know was hidden in her throat.

  "I don't have any friends. Nobody cares about me. The others only care about the things the king wants. I was just a tag-along, crazy baby."

  Melina reached out and, careful not to mar her attire, drew Citrine close. The elaborately detailed dragon that spread its wings across Melina's breast made a hard pillow, but close to her mother's scented warmth Citrine didn't care. And when Melina finally spoke she said what Citrine had always wanted to hear.

  "I think, Citrine, that you have turned out the best of my children, the very best of all. Sapphire was always so headstrong, so sure of herself. Jet was just a sniveling flatterer underneath. Ruby and Opal…"

  Melina dismissed her middle two daughters with an indignant puff of breath.

  "But you, little Citrine, so devoted, so passionately devoted. You're the very, very best of all."

  Citrine wanted to weep she was so happy, but she knew she daren't. Close up she could see that Mother's paint went all the way down her neck and even lower. Tears might smear the tiny little characters written upon Mother's pale skin. That might make Mother mad and Citrine wanted nothing at all to spoil this perfect happiness.

  Eventually, Melina released Citrine and rose with regal majesty to her feet. Her beautiful silk robe was soiled with dust from the floor and Citri
ne hastened to brush it clean. Her happiness when the dust didn't cling and ruin Mother's beauty made the child's smile radiant.

  Melina took Citrine by the hand.

  "Come, darling, let me show you the secret place I've found. It's hidden behind this steaming curtain. Close your eyes and follow me."

  Citrine obeyed the gentle tugging of Mother's hand. She'd never dared cross the steam herself. Though she had followed Melina to this point, she had never been this near. When Mother had not returned for so long Citrine had crept closer, wondering if the steam concealed a tunnel rather than a cave, as she'd always assumed. In her haste to make sure she wasn't left behind, Citrine'd forgotten to be stealthy and the clatter of rolling pebbles had brought Mother forth.

  Now the steaming heat filled Citrine's lungs with wet fire and made her head light, but that lasted only for a moment.

  "Open your eyes," Melina said, and Citrine gratefully breathed in mouthfills of marginally cooler air.

  Citrine found herself in a cozy room shaped something like an egg.

  Mother's bag rested on the smoothed stone of the floor along with the clothing she'd been wearing when Citrine had followed her. Lovely ornaments were placed here and there on the floor, but Mother didn't give Citrine time to closely examine them.

  "Tell me, Citrine, did you hear what I told Tipi to tell you?"

  "Yes, Mother. You said you'd come to see me, even if it was late. That I needed to eat a good dinner."

  Melina smiled, evidently pleased, even though Citrine hadn't obeyed her commands. This puzzled Citrine a little, but then she realized that Mother was happy that Citrine loved her so much that she would disobey to be close.

  "Do you believe I would have come to see you?"

  "Oh, yes, Mother!"

  Melina pinched Citrine gently on one round cheek.

  "It's nice to be believed, but let me show you proof of my intentions, darling. Look what's in my bag."

  Melina handed Citrine a folded bundle of fabric. Its weight warned Citrine that it contained more than cloth and so she unwrapped it very carefully. She soon found herself gaping in astonishment at a crimson silk robe not too different from Mother's own, a pair of embroidered slippers, and a tangle of jewelry. To Citrine's delight, there was even a dragon breast pectoralùit was made from dry paper mash, like the costumers had used to make her apple costume, but it was beautifully painted so unless you looked closely you couldn't tell the difference.

  "Mother! Everything, it's just like what you're wearing!"

  "That's right, my darling," Melina purred. "Tonight I planned to reward you for being such a wonderful, faithful daughter. I am going to let you help me with a very important project."

  Citrine stood straighter, trying very, very hard to be worthy of her mother's trust.

  "I'd like to help, Mother."

  "I am going to work a great magic tonight, Citrine. Does that scare you?"

  "No, Mother," Citrine insisted, though in reality her insides were twisting at the thought. She remembered how she and her cousin Kenre Trueheart used to scare themselves silly with the rumors that Mother worked magic.

  Melina didn't seem to see her fear, but went on calmly, "This magic will make me the mistress of something so powerful that you and I will no longer need to worry about what those fools in the Primes think. They will listen to what I want and be glad for an end to their endless bickering and debate."

  Citrine nodded, almost understanding. Certainly she got tired of the way the voices in her head could argue at her. It seemed reasonable that the Primes would be glad to stop arguing, too.

  "The spell we will work tonight will awaken a dragon, Citrine." Melina's pale eyes were shining now, lit from within by the intensity of her vision. "A real flying, fire-breathing dragon! I was going to bind the dragon to myself, but a few days ago I had a thought…"

  Melina paused dramatically. Citrine folded her hands around the folds of the brilliant scarlet robe and waited, her heart pounding.

  "Citrine," Melina said, once again sinking down so she could meet Citrine's gaze, "do you ever get tired of being just a baby? Do you ever wish you could grow up quickly?"

  Citrine had never realized that this was what she wanted, but she realized so now. How much easier life would be if she were grown-up! Adults never had to worry about what anybody thought. Adults were in charge of things.

  "Oh, yes!" Citrine answered almost surprised at the fervor in her own voice. "I've always wished I could grow up quickly!"

  "Well," Melina said, lowering her voice so that Citrine had to listen very carefully, "there's a secret to the dragon, a secret most people don't know, but I'll share it with you."

  Citrine leaned closer.

  "If you are in control of the dragon," Melina said, "then you grow up faster."

  "Because you have to be grown-up to manage the dragon?" Citrine asked, trying to show that she understood.

  "Something like that," Melina replied with a gentle smile. "Now, I could control the dragon, but then you'd stay a little girl, but if you controlled the dragon for me, then you'd grow up faster. Why, by the end of a year, you'd be twelve."

  "Really?" Citrine gaped in wonder. "That's almost as old as Ruby!"

  "That's right. You'd be almost a young lady, and you'd continue to grow up faster than usual. Do you know about Idalia?"

  Citrine nodded, no longer at all hesitant about letting her mother know how much she had learned.

  "She's the lady who is mayor of your underground city, Mother."

  "That's right," Melina said, looking pleased. "Well, Citrine, when you were grown-up and controlling the dragon, I wouldn't need Idalia anymore. You'd be my assistant in her place."

  One of Citrine's voices, very faintly, tried to cry out that there was a problem hidden in the folds of this strange offer, but Citrine didn't listen. Her mind was too full of wonderful images: of herself an elegant young lady in beautiful robes, of flying on the back of a dragon with Mother sitting close behind her, of being a princess at last, just like Sapphire.

  "Mother, would you really let me do this?"

  "I would," Melina said. Her tone grew stern. "First you must promise me from your heart of hearts, cross the river and never come back, that you'll never ever let the dragon do something unless I give you instructions first."

  "I promise, Mama!"

  "Promise that you'll go blind before you'll disobey me?"

  "I promise, Mother. May I go blind and deaf and dumb if I disobey you."

  "Good girl."

  The severity left Melina's face and she lifted the red silk robe from Citrine's hands.

  "Take off your dirty clothes, and we'll wash that dark stuff off your face and make you pretty again. While we get you ready, I'll tell you just what you'll need to do."

  Heart fluttering wildly, Citrine reached to undo the toggles fastening the neck of her robe. She noticed that Melina's expression had turned dreamy.

  "What are you thinking, Mama?" she asked shyly.

  "I'm thinking that tonight, at long last, the Dragon of Despair will be mine!"

  DERIAN PLACED HIMSELF LAST IN LINE, Elise directly in front of him, Doc before her, and Edlin shadowing Grateful Peace as if he had made himself the older man's protector for so long that it was unthinkable for him to do otherwise now. Firekeeper and Blind Seer, leading the way, were lost to Derian's sight.

  The stone ramp was slightly rough, providing steady enough footing, but Derian found he kept reaching out with his free hand to touch the wall. The weight of the stick thrust in his belt was little comfort, for the corridor down which they moved was narrow enough that he could not have swung it.

  He found himself hoping that they were on the right course. The New Kelvinese were so weird and their Founders seemed to have liked underground nearly as much as they liked sky-pointing spires. It seemed all too likely that these chambers beneath Aswatano might have nothing to do with the dragonùno matter what Firekeeper said. She hadn't been at all herself la
tely.

  It was during one of those times he reached out to steady himself against the wall that Derian realized that the ramp had broadened. At almost the same instant, he knew from the sudden ache of calf muscles that no longer needed to tighten against the slope of the ramp that their course had leveled off.

  Peace had reminded them against whispering, for the hissing sounds would carry farther than normal speech, so Derian asked in the softest voice he could manage:

  "Are we in a room now?"

  The sound of his own voice gave answer, echoing slightly against walls unpadded and unadorned but certainly wider set than the tunnel or the room above.

  Peace's voice spoke in reply.

  "I'm going to turn up my lantern just a little."

  The pale beam Peace freed and turned back illuminated a small chamber, barren except for curling bits of what Derian knew was the older New Kelvinese script painted on the walls. An opening in one wall showed that their journey was not over, and Derian saw Firekeeper and Blind Seer cross to inspect it.

  The painted inscription was well preserved and once Peace had confirmed they were alone and no traps awaited them, he motioned for them to wait while he brought his light over and directed it at the text.

  "Any idea what it says?" Derian asked Elise, his lips nearly touching her ear.

  "No," she answered. "A few words here and there, but the old writing isn't much like what they use these days."

  Edlin had followed Peace and to Derian's surprise actually seemed to understand some of the characters. Then he remembered how Melina had forced her prisoners to systematically map the tunnels beneath Thendulla Lypella and thought he understood.

  "Hot water again, what?" he could just hear Edlin say. "And the dragon. We're on the right road."

  Derian felt strange relief that he was not the only one who had wondered, but Peace's reply awoke a new uneasiness in him.

  "We are," the New Kelvinese replied, "and so was Melina. We must hurry."

  The Illuminator walked briskly toward the other opening. Derian, turning to take up his place in line once more, saw that Firekeeper and Blind Seer had already passed through.