Dragonoak: The Complete History of Kastelir (30 page)

It felt as though I was wincing and grinning at the same time, if such a thing was possible.

“Sort of got bit. A lot. My dad and another villager were out patrolling and turned up in time, but—but this was before I'd figured out what I could do, and there was a lot of blood, a lot of
everything
, and bitterwillow could only help so much.” Despite the years that had stretched out between me and that moment, a shudder ran through me. I shook it off, trying to regain my footing. “Back then, it was the most exciting thing that had happened in the village.

“I'm not... I'm not
really
sure, but I think it might've triggered my powers. Maybe,” I said, lowering my voice to confide in Claire. The fact that she'd let me speak without talking over me made me a little bolder than I ought to have been. “I didn't heal
fast
, not exactly, but it was faster than it should've been. And then I sort of... well, started putting lambs back together. I tried to get rid of the scars because they took up the whole of my torso, but—it doesn't work like that! The wounds had healed over, so I couldn't do anything about them. I just made them look
weird
. All red and yellow and raised.”

I let out a breath, tale winding to a close, and Claire said nothing. I bit on the inside of my mouth, looking away; I'd said too much, of course I had. It'd been fine when I was talking about the wolf, but just because Claire knew I was a necromancer didn't mean she needed to hear about it. I was dizzy, fingers digging into the dirt. I'd never been given the opportunity to tell anyone that before, and I'd rushed and stumbled at the first chance I had.

After a moment, Claire bowed her head, catching my eye.

“May I see?” she asked, but despite how gentle her tone was, I wrapped my arms around my waist, gripping the edges of my shirt.

I hadn't meant to, but I was convinced she could trace the shapes of scars right through it. No one had ever seen them before. They weren't even scars, not really. I'd twisted them beyond recognition, and they rose from my stomach and chest like strips of rotting fruit, dark and grotesque, wholly irremovable.

And there was Claire sat in front of me, and she could never be described as nothing less than beautiful.

When I gave no reply, she pressed her fingers to the side of my arm and said, “Never mind. I shouldn't have asked,” smiling at me warmly. Only then did my arms fall slack against my sides once more.

“... how old were you when you finally killed a wolf?” she asked, roping me back into the conversation.

“Fourteen,” I told her. “I'd figured a few things out, by then.”

“I didn't kill a dragon until I was twenty-six,” she returned. “You have me beat there.”

We finished our breakfast and spent the rest of the morning idly wandering through Kyrindval, distracted by curious pane. When the time came for Claire to meet with Queen Kidira, she handed me a few coins and asked me to see that the horses were fed. The challenge of scaling my way back down and around the mountain was less prominent than dealing with a language barrier, and if not for the threat of the horses going unattended, I might not have gathered the courage to step into one of the shops.

Once I was through the door, there weren't any problems. It was exactly like a human shop, though the vegetables there were bigger than any I'd seen for sale at market, and I communicated with the shopkeeper through a series of laughs and hand gestures. I left with a grin on my face, carrots bundled in my arms, full of confidence.

I'd ask Kouris to head down the mountain with me. I'd ask her why she'd done what she'd done, to tell me her side of the story.

I reached the dragon-bone gate, but she was nowhere to be seen. I put the carrots down by the remnants of our fire from the night before, and though hours passed, she didn't return. My resolved weakened. I convinced myself I didn't want to hear what she had to say, dismissing her truth before I'd learnt it, and left the carrots by the ashes, hoping she'd know what to do with them.

I awoke to the sound of Commander Akela roaring with laughter in the corridor.

I'd been welcomed into the same cabin as Claire, given a room with a bed big enough to lose myself in, as well as all the food needed to send me into a deep, dreamless slumber. I started at the sudden noise, hopped out of bed and opened the door, not yet awake enough to compose myself. I poked my head into the corridor, hair all askew, and didn't have to wonder what all the commotion was about any longer.

Commander Akela wasn't there alone. She'd escorted Queen Kidira, presumably to speak with Claire; Claire who was dressed in the clothing of a pane. I understood why Akela was laughing, but didn't dare to smirk around Queen Kidira.

Claire was dressed in tough leathers, a swathe of sky-blue cloth draped over her shoulder, crossing her hip, feet bare. She straightened her the collar, pointedly not looking at Akela.

“Tell me, you are not thinking of returning to Isin like this, no?” Akela asked, not feeling the slightest need to compose herself in front of her Queen. “And where are you finding one that is
fitting
?”

“I dressed like this for
years
,” Claire returned, pushing irritation down for the sake of the current company. “... it was presented to me by Zentha. I'm surprised you weren't asked to wear one.”

“Hah! They are liking me enough as I am, Ightham,” Akela declared cheerfully.

Claire said nothing more, and Akela followed her gaze. I didn't get the chance to slip back into my room. The three of them stared at me – Queen Kidira stared
through
me – and so I said, “Good morning,” mussing my hair back into place.

“Northwood!” Akela boomed. I'd little doubt that she'd wanted to know all about the company Claire kept, in order to ensure her Queen was truly safe. “Your timing, it is perfect!. Ightham and Queen Kidira, they are going for a walk, they are talking about—” She paused, waving a hand as though to banish boredom. “They are talking about important, official things, and I am following them like an infant dog—you are coming with us!”

A glance at Akela made it impossible to believe she had any ulterior motives. She smiled brightly, genuinely friendly, asking me to come along more for my sake than the sake of company.

“Um—” I looked to Claire for my answer. For all I knew, those
important, official things
were exactly the sort of matters she didn't want me overhearing.

Claire, in turn, looked to Queen Kidira for an answer. If there were ever two people entirely opposite in their demeanour, it was Akela and Queen Kidira; the Queen barely glanced at me, and could not muster the force of will necessary to regard me as some mild irritation. She was not the woman she'd been yesterday. Whatever softened in her at the sight of Kouris was as stone once more.

“If the Commander insists upon it,” was her eventual, grudging reply.

I thought it better not to stay behind, having troubled Queen Kidira so.

I tried to catch Claire's eye on the way out of the cabin, to no avail. She hurried ahead with Queen Kidira, while Akela and I trailed behind. I was glad of it. I had no idea how to compose myself around royalty, but Claire had been doing just that for her entire life.

It wasn't as pleasant out as it had been the morning before. The skies were grey, filling the air with a constant drizzle, and the pane were less lively, less enthused by all there was to do. There were far fewer of them out, but Queen Kidira had no such desire to retreat inside. We headed away from the great lodge, through the rain-soaked streets, and though we walked leisurely, I doubted that Queen Kidira ever went anywhere without having a very good reason.

“Listen to them! Queen Kidira, she is bringing me here, and then she is leaving me out,” Akela said, clicking her tongue. I'd been wrong to fret about hearing something I shouldn't; the two of them were talking in Svargan, voices hushed. “At least we are both being left out together, yes?”

“I hadn't
met
a pane until six weeks ago,” I told her, “I think the only word I know is—yrval?”

Akela rubbed her chin.

“For some reason, I am quite certain that
harva
is meaning
foot
! Do not ask me why, it is just seeming right.”

As we walked towards the edge of Kyrindval, it occurred to me that Queen Kidira must've learnt Svargan from Kouris. I tried to let that thought stir something within me, but it didn't; after all the venom that had run through my veins upon finding out that Kouris had deceived me for a matter of weeks, I didn't understand how Queen Kidira could be so calm, so still, unless she was unfeeling.

“You are a Felheimish, like Ightham, yes?” Akela asked, roping me back into the conversation. “I am thinking it is good. She is coming all this way, unsure of what is happening, but she is having a companion for the travelling—although, honestly, to me it is a surprise that the Kings are letting you leave the castle.”

I wondered if we would've had to go through Akela first, had she been in the capital when we arrived.

“I think Claire's surprised, too. We only got as far as we did because of—” I lowered my voice, tilting my head towards the outskirts of Kyrindval. “Kouris. They probably wouldn't have let Claire
in
without her.”

“Hmm,” Akela breathed, eyes narrowing in. There was a darkness to her expression that hadn't ghosted across Queen Kidira's face, as though Akela felt all of the anger she ought to have in her place. “Indeed.”

“What about you?” I hurried to ask, dragging the topic away from Kouris. “Your accent, it's kind of—thick. I mean, I can understand you, but...”

“My accent, my words. They are rough, yes!” Akela said, instantly perking up. “Where I am coming from, it is close to the border. So close that I am stepping out of my door and sometimes I am walking into Agados by accident, yes? My family, my neighbours, we are not speaking Mesomium. All I am knowing is Agadian. The first time I am in Isin, perhaps I am knowing... one hundred of the words? Ten years later and I am much, much better. But I do not think I am wanting to learn Svargan.”

“Much better,” I agreed, though I wanted to at least learn
some
words, to properly thank the pane for their hospitality.

Ahead was the hollowed-out mountain Kouris had taken me to the day before. Claire and Queen Kidira had gained a considerable lead, but as they navigated the rockier terrain, Akela and I caught up with them, and their conversation died down. It didn't gain speed when the ground flattened out and they were able to pull away, either. They were both deep in thought, busy mulling something over.

“Are we going to see the dragons?” I asked. My question was meant for Akela, but Claire looked over her shoulder, brow-furrowed, demanding an explanation. “... I went there yesterday.”

“You went into the dragon's cave?” Claire asked, stopping on the spot. Queen Kidira barely broke her gait and Akela glanced back at me as she caught up with her. “What were you thinking? Anything could've happened, Rowan.”

“But it didn't! Obviously,” I rushed to reassure her. “It's not like I knew where I was going. I, ah...”

I trailed off too late.

Claire knew exactly what was about to tumble from my lips, and though it didn't need to be said, Queen Kidira turned back and muttered, “Kouris took her there.” Claire, Akela and I were each uncomfortable in our own distinct ways, but Queen Kidira spoke of Kouris as though she'd been late for dinner, or forgotten to pick something up from market.

“We aren't visiting the dragons,” Claire said evenly, returning to Queen Kidira's side once more.

I really ought to have stayed in the cabin, or spent the day with Michael.

“Queen Kidira, she is having important work to do, and there much of it,” Akela said in a whisper, leaning towards me. “Now, I am thinking we are gathering numbers... ah, but soon, you are seeing!”

Akela patted me on the back and I let myself wonder what, exactly, needed to be counted. Ahead, a fence of felled trees and dragon-bone ran in a circle, enclosing a patch of land too small to rightly be called a field. It was as tall as the tallest pane, with pane stationed all around it. None of them stood to attention: they sat atop rocks, reading, napping. Some played cards, and one reached out with a crook, shooing away a goat who wandered over as we did. It bleated out its indignation and sprang off.

“What's in there?” I asked Claire. It hardly had the makings of a royal vault, but the two pane who leapt to their feet at the sight us to
were
holding spears. “Something valuable?”

“In a sense,” Claire said. She made it sound as though I was as close to the truth as the mountains in the distance; within sight, but still out of reach. “What do you suppose the pane might hoard?”

“Well—” What if the dragons had burrowed deep enough into the mountains to uncover a vein of gold, brightly coloured gems caught between rocks? But what use would that be to the pane, and why would they bring it out into the open where any magpie could catch a glimpse of it? Better to leave precious stones and metals with the dragons, where no passing merchant of spices or greed would be tempted to take a handful. “I have no idea, but I think I'm about to find out.”

“Akela! Queen Kidira!” one of the pane boomed. They towered over their companion, horns already spiralling back. “And new little friends!”

Akela broke away from my side, jogging over to the pane.

“Kravt!” she said, echoing their cheer. “Seeing you again, it is good! It is being months, yes?”

“Too long,” Kravt agreed, bowing their head at Queen Kidira and letting Claire and I see all their fangs when they smiled at us. “Little friends, good morning.”

Kravt was taller than any pane I'd met before, dark skin making their fangs gleam. They dressed in gold, like all pane around the fence, and greeted us with a cheerful smile. Kravt's companion was not so forthcoming. They remained slouched, digging the end of their spear into the dirt and staring vacantly into the distance.

“Good morning!” I replied, watching Queen Kidira and Akela slip beyond the gate out the corner of my eye.