Starlighter (26 page)

“Koren?” As Jason looked at the black window, Koren’s face came back to mind—sad, wounded…and lovely.

“I did. But if this viewer just shows her, it won’t do much good.”

“Maybe she can help,” Randall said. “If she’s a slave there, she’ll definitely know more than we do about dragons.”

“A weakness?”

Randall shrugged. “Maybe. It’s worth a try.”

“We have to make this fast.” Jason inserted his fingers. As before, the dragons lit up, as did the inscription and their fiery breath. He gazed into the glass, silently begging for it to clarify once more and show Koren.

After a few seconds, the image of a girl appeared, a younger, dark-haired girl. With tear tracks smudging her cheeks and deep lines digging into her brow, she seemed worried, if not terrified. Well beyond her, two dragons were lifting the body of a third dragon onto a pair of rafts. The dead dragon had only half a tail.

“It’s the dragon I killed!” Jason strained his eyes. “It’s like I’m standing on the opposite side of the mesa from where I was before.”

Randall looked over his shoulder. “If those dragons are so tough, how did you manage to kill that one?”

“It wasn’t too hard. It definitely wasn’t the same kind of dragon.” Jason studied the girl’s cracked lips. She was saying something, but she kept licking her lips, making them impossible to read.

“Well,” Randall said, “do you see anyone in there?”

“Shhh! I see someone, but I’m trying to concentrate.” For the moment, the girl had stopped licking, and as Jason pieced the words together, he spoke them out loud. “What did you say, Koren?”

“Koren?” Tibalt asked. “You found her?”

“Quiet! Just listen.” Again Jason drilled his stare at the girl and, copying her lip movements with his own, gave voice to her words. “You’re hearing someone? Who?” The girl stared straight at Jason and continued speaking.

This time, Jason stayed quiet as he read her lips.
Jason?
she asked.
The boy you saw in the egg?
The girl looked more worried than before.
That’s impossible. You’re just upset and imagining things.

“No!” Jason shouted. “Koren! It’s me, Jason! You’re not imagining things.”

The girl squinted.
Koren? What’s wrong?
She stepped closer.
How can you talk to Jason? He’s not here.

“Koren,” Jason said. “Listen carefully. I can’t see you this time, and I can’t hear you, but I can see the girl who is talking to you. Tell her to carefully repeat what you want to say to me, and I’ll be able to read her lips.”

The girl cocked her head.
Okay
,
Koren. If you say so.
She straightened and spoke slowly.
My name is Natalla
,
and I am Koren’s friend. We are trying to get into the slave mines
,
but there are two dragons close to the entrance
,
so we’re waiting for them to leave.

A feminine hand reached out and pushed Natalla’s hair away from her mouth. Wounds marred the girl’s wrist, blood still oozing from a raw cut.

Jason sucked in a breath. Was he looking through Koren’s eyes? How could that be?

“Koren,” Jason said, “it looks like you’re near the entrance where the workers go in. Do you know where the other entrance is?”

Yes
, Natalla’s lips said.
Why do you ask?

“There’s a chamber at the bottom of the stairway, and a huge dragon is there blocking my way out. If it leaves,
I can open a doorway to my world and help the slaves escape forever, so can you tell me when it comes out?”

I will take care of it.

Koren grasped Natalla’s arm. “Stay here. I’m going to act as bait to get that other dragon out.”

“What other dragon?”

“Jason said there’s a dragon inside the secondary entrance, blocking his way. Remember? We saw him go down there.” Koren pointed at herself. “When the dragons come after me, run into the main entrance. Do you remember where that is?”

Natalla nodded. “And what about you?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll tell a story that should give me enough time to get away from them.” Koren set a hand on the mesa and peeked around its curving side. The Royal Guard dragon and the patrol dragon had finished loading the dead body onto the rafts and were now conversing, each one glancing at the mine entrance from time to time. The weight of the rafts combined with the dragon’s body dammed the stream, and the water flowed toward the mesa, following a trench with newly dug earth and rocks lining the sides.

A bend in the trench diverted the flow from the main entrance and into a hole at the base of the mesa near her feet, probably an air vent for the miners. She stooped and pushed her hand into the water. Whatever the dragons were up to, it couldn’t be good.

Taking a deep breath, she leaped over the trench and dashed around the bend. She passed by the first entrance,
a low arch with stone steps descending into darkness, and sprinted toward the second.

“Stop!” one of the dragons roared, but Koren didn’t look. When she reached the second entrance, she slowed down and crouched as she negotiated the steps. The dragon came into sight, huge and armored—probably a Royal Guard. He faced the inside, his tail flicking back and forth within reach of her outstretched hand.

With his back towards her, his eyes stayed out of view, but his head’s rhythmic swaying from side to side indicated his fixation on something toward the rear of the chamber. Even with all their brains and brawn, these Royal Guard dragons sometimes obsessed beyond reason. It wouldn’t be easy to draw him away, and with the other two dragons probably closing in from behind, she would have to use all her skill to get out of this mess.

Koren pulled the hood over her head and called out, “One day long ago, a dragon flew to—”

“Stop!” The dragon swung his head around, revealing his familiar face.

“Ma…Magnar?” Koren backed slowly up the slope.

“Yes, Starlighter.” Magnar hissed as he followed, his head low and his tongue flicking in and out. “I think your storytelling days are over.”

T
he dragon’s following her!” Jason jerked his fingers from the wall and stepped aside. “Tibalt! Quick! Open the portal.”

“Will do!” Tibalt pushed his fingers in place. As before, the glass expanded and brightened, revealing the scene in the anteroom, still somewhat blurry. The only sign of the dragon was the end of his tail snaking up the entry slope.

Jason and Randall withdrew their swords as one. “You check on Elyssa,” Randall said. “I’ll see what I can do to help Koren.”

Jason pointed with his sword. “That dragon’s a tough one. It’ll take both of us to kill it, and there are two more besides.”

“I don’t mean to kill it. I’m just going to distract them long enough to get Koren to safety.” He patted his photo gun holster. “This will at least blind them for a few seconds. One of us needs to check on Elyssa and the kids.”

“Okay, I guess you’re right.” Jason strangled his hilt. The portal seemed to be taking longer to expand this time.

Finally, the gateway wall disappeared completely. As soon as they leaped to the other side, Randall ran up the entry stairs, and Jason spun around. “Open it again every half hour until you see us. Got it?”

“Got it.” Tibalt raised a hand as if to salute and disappeared.

A roar and a sword clanging on scales erupted outside along with Randall’s groan.

“Randall!” Jason turned toward the exit. The distinctive pop of a photo gun sounded from outside, followed by two dragon yelps.

“Jason! Over here!”

Jason spun on his heels and found Elyssa waving her arm frantically.

“Hurry!” she called.

He ran to the central tunnel and ducked inside with Elyssa. “What’s wrong?”

“The mine pit is filling with water.”

“Where is it coming from?”

“The miners had an air vent to the outside. Water’s pouring in from that down deep in the pit. Allender thinks the dragons diverted the stream to flush the slaves out.”

“I think you’re right,” Jason said. “I saw the trench they dug. But can’t the miners plug it?”

She shook her head. “They were all at the ledge talking, and no one noticed the water until it was too deep. Even if someone dove down there, he wouldn’t be able to see well enough to find the hole, much less plug it before running out of air.” She pulled him farther into the tunnel. “Come on. You need to talk some sense into them.”

“Sense? Why?”

As they hurried through the dark passageway, Elyssa spoke in a low tone. “Allender proposed sacrificing two men, but the dragons demanded either all six men or two children. If they sacrificed the six men, all the children would be given new Assignments instead of being put in the cattle camp.”

When they reached the ladders, they descended in parallel. “What did Allender say to that?” Jason asked.

“He countered with four men. Two had to stay alive to make sure the dragons kept their word regarding the children.”

“And?” Jason prompted as they stepped down to the lower level.

“The dragons upped it to all six men or three children. Now Allender is trying to get the deal back to the first offer, but I think he’s trying to persuade the men to let two children die.”

“What?”

“Come and listen for yourself.”

Jason followed Elyssa toward the far side of the mine pit where Allender stood in the midst of the other five men, who were sitting with their hands clasped on their laps. Allender waved his arms as he spoke, but his voice stayed too quiet to hear. The children were nowhere in sight, not even Wallace.

Jason looked into the pit. Light glimmered far below, perhaps a reflection on the surface of the water, but it was too dark to discern the rate at which it was rising.

When they arrived, Allender glanced at Jason for a brief second before continuing. “I maintain that it is better for the children to die than to be sent to the cattle camps.
Their suffering would be unimaginable. If they die, they will be in the comfort of the Holy One’s arms.”

“Only a cowardly man allows a child to die in his place,” Micah said, shaking a finger.

Allender gave Jason another glance. “For the sake of the foolish boy who has caused our troubles, I will say it again. I would gladly give my life to save any child. In the casting of the cube, I lost, and I made no complaint. Even now, I would walk into the dragons’ fire without flinching if I could be sure that they would keep their word. But as it stands, no one would remain to make an appeal to the priests of the Zodiac if they break their promise.”

Mark looked at his wringing hands, sweat dripping onto his fingers. Another man leaned his forehead against his tight fists, rocking as his lips moved silently.

Jason read his unspoken words.
Holy One
,
O Holy One
,
grant us wisdom. Grant us courage. Grant the children freedom and peace.

A ripping pain stabbed Jason’s heart. These poor fathers and uncles! They loved their children so much! And there seemed to be no way out of this deadly predicament.

Yet there was a way out, but not for almost half an hour. Would the water rise that quickly? Did they have time to wait for the portal to open? And would Allender and company now believe him?

Cowl rose to his feet, wiping tears from his eyes with his thumb. “I say we give them six men. I trust Wallace to make an appeal if necessary. He is almost of age.”

“Almost,” Allender repeated. “Almost will not pull the pail. Since Wallace has only one eye, he would be the best candidate for sacrifice. We need to choose only one other.”

Jason boiled inside, and his voice erupted unbidden. “You can’t be serious!”

“The dragon killer speaks.” Allender gave Jason a mock bow. “Now that you have brought us this calamity because of your madness, would you kindly offer us another generous helping of insanity?”

Jason bit his tongue. A hundred retorts flew into his mind, each one nothing more than a combative insult. But that would truly be foolishness, definitely not using his brain. Heaving a sigh, he spoke in an even tone. “How long do you think we have before we’re flooded out?”

“Based on the last measurement,” Cowl said, “about fifteen minutes.”

Jason nodded toward the ladder. “All the way to the upper chamber?”

“We think it will rise to that level by then. It’s hard to be sure.”

Jason looked at Elyssa. “Tibalt won’t open it in time.”

“I know what you’re thinking. It’s probably our only chance.”

“You know what I’m thinking?”

She nodded. “It’ll come to you. You’ll see.”

He looked into her eyes, sparkling green and sincere, the same eyes that coerced him into so many brave and daring acts when they were children. Her little-girl voice echoed from the recesses of his mind.
You can do it
,
Jason!

Young Elyssa had fallen from a tree and was clinging to a branch that hung low over the fast-flowing river. The current beat against her dangling legs. She couldn’t hold on much longer.

Eight-year-old Jason stood on a limb, clinging to a vine. “I’ll have to climb down and grab you!”

“You can do it, Jason!” Then, as now, Elyssa displayed no fear, just trust—trust that he would find a way to rescue her.

As the vision faded, Jason let out a long sigh. “Okay. I think I know what you mean.”

He returned Allender’s bow. “I will go with five other men, and we will be the sacrifice. I suggest that Cowl remain as the survivor so that he can continue to be a wonderful father to Tam.”

Allender studied him for a moment. Then, extending his arm slowly, he grasped Jason’s wrist. “Very well. I think I misjudged you, young man.” He turned to the others. “What say you all?”

Four men spoke. “Aye!”

Cowl shook his head. “I cannot vote for my own survival while you brave men give your lives.”

“No need to give us a nay, my friend,” Micah said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You are outvoted.”

Allender took in a deep breath and motioned toward the ladders that led to the main entrance. “I will go first and tell them, and the rest of you follow. Let Jason be the last, but he will have to leave his sword behind.”

As Allender climbed a ladder, Jason detached the sword and scabbard from his belt and looked at Elyssa. “Is this what you had in mind?”

“No. It was what
you
had in mind. I just prompted you to act on what you believe in.”

“Then you don’t have a problem with me sacrificing myself?”

She kissed him tenderly on the cheek. “You’re a hero, Jason, and you have to do what heroes do. But I think you’ll figure out a way to survive. And we still have Randall and Tibalt, right? Maybe Randall will show up and—”

“Tibalt’s in our world counting his heartbeats, Koren was here to try and stop the dragons, and Randall might have died trying to save her. I think we’re on our own.”

Elyssa laid her hands on his cheeks and forced him to look at her again. “We’re
never
on our own.”

Her words sounded so strong, so filled with conviction. “Okay,” he whispered. “I get your point.”

When she lowered her hands, Jason looked down at the mine pit. The water was now less than a body length from the top. “It’s rising fast. Where are the children?”

“Wallace is with them near the main entrance,” Elyssa said. “Allender didn’t want them to hear the debate.”

“Good thing.” They walked to the ladder and waited next to Cowl while another man climbed.

Elyssa set a hand on Cowl’s elbow. “Would you stay with me for a minute? I have a question for you.”

Cowl glanced at Jason before answering. “Certainly, Miss.”

“Elyssa, you need to get out of here,” Jason said. “This place will be flooded soon.”

Elyssa gave him a gentle push. “Go ahead. Don’t worry about me.”

“You’re plotting something, and, knowing you, it’s something dangerous.”

“Go, Jason. You do your part, and I’ll do mine.”

He met her eyes for a long moment, then turned, tucked his scabbard under his arm, and grasped a rung. Behind him, Elyssa and Cowl whispered, but he caught only one word:
water.
As he climbed, Elyssa’s words reverberated in his mind.
Don’t worry about me.
But how could he not worry about her? They were both risking their lives.

When he reached the top, he stepped into a tunnel, well lit by sunlight pouring in from the exit to the outside, perhaps thirty paces away. In the low corridor, Wallace stood between Jason and the exit with six small children huddling around him in perfect silence, each one watching Jason’s every move with wide eyes. The other men lined up behind Allender, who was standing at the bottom of an upward-leading stairway, looking out into the daylight.

Wallace soft-stepped toward Jason, his worn-out shoes crunching the pebbly soil. “I heard what you did,” he said. “But why don’t you just open that door to the other world again?”

“I wish I could, but we have to wait for our friend on the other side to open it. I’m hoping to find a way to delay the sacrifice and make a break for the portal.”

“Where is Elyssa?”

“On the lower level with Cowl. I’m not sure why. It’s not unusual for her to stay a step ahead without telling me what she’s doing.”

“I’m going to check.” Wallace scrambled down the top rungs of the ladder. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”

Jason leaned to one side, trying to see around the men and through the exit. Why was Allender just standing there looking up the stairs? And where were Randall and Koren?

Allender suddenly turned and waved with both hands. “Get back, everyone! Give them room!”

As the men withdrew, Randall stomped down the steps carrying a girl in his arms, his scabbard clanking behind him as it dangled from his hip. His face bruised and bloodied, he stopped at the landing and wobbled.

Mark took the girl from him and cradled her. She appeared to be breathing, but unconscious.

Jason weaved through the crowd and grasped Randall’s arm, supporting him. “What happened?”

He pointed back to the stairway with his thumb. “She happened.”

Bare feet and ankles appeared on the stairs, then a flowing white dress and trailing cloak. As she descended, her entire form came into view, a petite girl with windblown red hair, a blood-smeared face, and raw wounds on her wrists. When she reached the bottom, she smiled and offered a curtsy. “Hello, Jason. I’m glad to finally meet you.”

Elyssa knelt with Cowl at the edge of the mine pit and began reeling in one of the ropes. “I’m guessing this is an air tube.”

Cowl nodded. “Ventilation is poor down there. We made an air vent to the outside, but it wasn’t big enough to make much of a difference. Drilling such a long hole through solid rock takes a lot of time, and the dragons thought it was a waste to drill another. This mine has very low pheterone yield compared to the others, so they believe we will not suffocate down there.”

“That doesn’t make sense. If it’s a waste of time to drill another air vent, isn’t it a bigger waste to drill in an unproductive mine?”

“We have asked ourselves that question many times, but the dragons tell us to keep following the holes.”

Elyssa wrinkled her brow. “Holes?”

“A long time ago, someone drilled three small holes from the top of the mesa deep into the ground. The dragons have told us to dig until we reach the point the holes stop. One
day, Allender dared ask Magnar himself why we’re doing this.”

“And what did Magnar say?”

“Did you see the burn on Allender’s face?”

She pulled the end of the tube to the surface and held it. “Yes…I see what you mean.”

“And another reason we’re not like the other mines.” He nodded toward the exit ladder. “A drone watches every rock and pebble that comes out of here.”

“A drone?”

“A male dragon without…well…”

“Never mind. I understand.”

“They are relatively weak, bad-tempered beasts,” Cowl said, “but they are meticulous. If a pail contained even the smallest crystal speck, he would find it.”

“A crystal speck?”

“Indeed. Anyone who brings something crystalline to the drone receives double rations.”

Elyssa stared straight ahead. “So this mine is really here to find some kind of crystal for Magnar. He believes a crystal treasure exists at the bottom of the three holes.”