The Emerald Quest (4 page)

‘But Ondine –'

‘I don't want to talk about her any more,' Tia said fiercely.

‘All right.' Finn blew a few more smoke rings then said, ‘I can't go with you to Drangur or the lands round about it because of the spell.'

‘I know,' Tia said. ‘But you can help me get there faster than if I was walking.'

‘You're not going to ride me!' Finn said in horror, his skin rippling with alarming shades of orange and yellow and green.

‘Maybe you can carry me,' Tia teased.

Finn snorted. ‘I'll carry your back-pack but you can walk! I'm a dragon, not a horse.'

Tia laughed. ‘So you're still going to help me then?'

‘I suppose so. DragonMother told me to find you and bring you back. She didn't say it had to be right away.'

‘That's settled then,' Tia said and yawned again. ‘Time to sleep. I need to be wide awake tomorrow.'

They put out the fire, squeezed into the cave and settled down for the night. ‘Good night, Finn,' Tia said as she snuggled against him for warmth.

Finn sighed. ‘Good night, DragonSister,' he said.

The road to Drangur wound by the edge of the forest. On the other side of the road gentle grassy slopes led to a huge rolling plain. Far away, in the centre of the plain, was a town, surrounded by a thick wall. Rising from the middle of the town was a castle perched on a jagged column of rock.

‘That must be Drangur,' Tia said. She had never seen a town or a castle before and she was excited as well as scared. ‘I can see people working in the fields.'

The only humans she could remember seeing before were the Traders, and she was curious about other people.

Finn was curious too and peered between the trees to get a better view.

‘Stop,' Tia said. ‘Someone might see you!'

‘No they won't, they're too far away. But if you're worried I'll disguise myself.' In an instant Finn made himself the colour of grass dotted all over with white and yellow and blue wild flowers, and crept out onto the verge at the side of the road.

‘Don't go any further!' Tia shrieked. ‘You don't know where the spell starts.'

‘DragonMother told me that people farm right up to the edges of the spell boundary,' Finn said. ‘There's no farmland here.'

It was true – the early green corn and the meadows with sheep and cows were far away in fields edged with low stone walls.

‘I bet those walls are the boundary,' Finn said.

At that moment they heard the quick drumming of hooves, and a boy on a brown pony came round a curve in the road. He reined in his pony and stared at Tia in surprise. ‘Who are you, Trader?' he said.

Tia realised the boy thought she was a Trader because she was wearing brightly coloured Trader clothes. She decided to use a Trader name.

‘I'm Nadya,' she told him, ‘and I'm going to Drangur.' She stared as curiously at the boy as he stared at her. He looked strange in his dull grey clothes, and his hair was blond, not red-gold like hers, nor black and curly like most Traders.

‘Why are on your own?' he asked.

‘I got parted from my parents in a fog when we were coming back from the Drakelow Mountains. They were going to trade in Drangur so I'm going there too, to find them.'

Tia was amazed to find herself inventing such a story. She'd had no idea she could do it. ‘If my
parents aren't there I'm going to look for work until they arrive.'

‘You were in the Drakelow Mountains?' the boy said, his eyes wide and bright. ‘Did you see any dragons?'

Finn sniggered and the pony jumped nervously.

‘What was that noise?' the boy said looking straight at where Finn lay on the grass.

Tia was amazed he couldn't see Finn. She could easily see the shape of her DragonBrother, even though his colour matched the ground, but it seemed as though he was completely invisible to the boy.

‘I didn't hear anything,' Tia lied. ‘I've seen lots of dragons – we trade with them all the time. Haven't you ever seen one?'

The boy shook his head. ‘No, because of the great spell the High Witches cast to keep them away. I'd like to see a dragon someday.'

‘They're not as special as you'd think,' Tia said. ‘The young ones can be very stupid. Tell me, the great spell, where does it start?'

‘Where the forest ends. As soon as you step out of the forest and on to the grass, the spell boundary begins.'

‘Thank you,' Tia said and the boy trotted away.

Tia hurried to Finn. ‘Don't change colour!' she said. ‘Just come with me quickly.'

Back at the cave they talked about what the boy had said.

‘He must be wrong,' Finn said. ‘The spell says, “If the jewels of power see a dragon walking warily on the lost lands of the six towns – the spell will toss them away, tumbling like a leaf in a storm.” I walked on the grass verge and nothing happened.'

Tia frowned and silently marched up and down in front of the cave, thinking.

‘That's it!' she said at last. Her eyes shone with excitement. ‘The warning says, “If the jewels of power
see
a dragon …” The jewels couldn't
see
you because you're camouflaged, just like that boy couldn't see you!'

‘But you can see me,' said Finn.

‘Maybe that's because I know you so well?' Tia guessed. ‘It looks like you're invisible to everyone else, even to the spell.'

‘I still can't come to Drangur with you – it's too hard to camouflage myself for very long,' Finn said. ‘I'm sorry. But I will practise!'

Tia left him practising looking like a fallen log and set out on the road to Drangur – alone.

I
t was a long walk to Drangur and Tia didn't reach the town until almost midday. The nearer she got, the more people she met on the road. They walked quickly and silently with their heads down. Tia did the same.

She passed through the towering town gates and onto crowded, winding streets lined with houses and shops, inns and workshops. The streets were built in a series of rising circles that led up to the castle.

Tia walked up and up, wondering why the town was so quiet. She'd never seen so many people in one place. But they didn't often talk, and when they did
they looked around as though they were frightened of being watched.

Tia was so lost in thought that she almost stepped on a brindled dog sitting in the road.

‘Sorry, dog,' she said and stretched out her hand to pat it. It snarled, showing its pink gums and pointed teeth. Tia jumped back. The dog slunk towards her, growling.

‘Come in here, girl,' a voice said from behind her and Tia found herself dragged backwards into an inn.

A big, grim-looking woman had pulled Tia inside and now she was pushing her onto a bench at a table by an open window. She gave Tia a lump of cold meat. ‘Throw that out to the dog and if you're lucky it'll forget about you.'

Tia did as she was told and the dog snatched up the meat and ran away.

‘Thank you,' Tia said. ‘I'll pay you for the meat.' She gave the woman a bronze coin. ‘Is that enough?'

‘More than enough,' the woman said. ‘It'll buy you a meal as well. I'll bring it to you. And don't speak to anyone while I'm gone.'

Tia nodded, and glanced round. The customers all sat alone, staring down at their meals. Nobody smiled.

The woman returned carrying a tray of bread and cheese, a sweet pastry roll and a glass of water.

‘There you are,' she said putting it on the table. She sat opposite Tia. ‘Suppose you tell me what you're doing in Drangur,' she asked softly. ‘I can tell you've never been before – you don't even know to beware of the beasts.'

Tia's mind raced: could she trust this woman? ‘I'm a Trader…' she began.

‘Careful!' the woman said. ‘Don't look as though you're telling me something important; a creature might be watching to take back information to HER.' She jerked her head in the direction of the castle that loomed above them.

Tia looked round. ‘I can't see any animals.'

The woman smiled grimly. ‘There are cats, there are mice, there are birds that can hide anywhere. You never know what's spying.'

Goosebumps rose on Tia's arms and the back of her neck prickled as though someone – or something – was staring at her from a secret place.

The innkeeper leaned forward and asked softly, ‘What are you doing here all alone, child?'

‘I'm lost,' Tia whispered. ‘I was separated from my people in a fog over the great plain. I've walked and walked. I'm meant to be going to Iserborg town but
I've come the wrong way.'

‘You have indeed. Iserborg's a long way from here.'

‘My parents will come and find me, but what can I do till then? I need to work for my keep.'

The woman shifted uneasily. ‘You could always try up at the castle. No-one likes to stay there for long so there's always work to be found, especially in HER menagerie.'

‘What's a menagerie?' Tia asked.

‘It's where SHE keeps wild animals in cages and makes them perform. It's horrible – wolves and bears made to dance, lynx and snow leopards to do tricks. And when she's tired of them she kills them.' The innkeeper shuddered.

‘That is horrible,' Tia said. ‘But I need work.'

‘I understand.' The innkeeper patted Tia's hand. ‘When you've finished just go up to castle and say you're looking for work. And I'll prepare you a bed here for the night.'

‘Thank you,' Tia said and finished off her food in silence.

The innkeeper was right; there was plenty of work at the castle, and Tia was sent to the Beast Master
of the menagerie. The huge man looked Tia up and down. ‘You're very small,' he said.

‘I'm strong,' Tia said. ‘And I can work hard.'

‘The last assistant annoyed Malindra. You aren't foolish enough to do that, are you, girl?'

Tia shook her head.

‘Good, because you know what happens to people who annoy Malindra, don't you?'

Tia shook her head again.

‘Maybe it's just as well,' the man grunted. ‘What's your name?'

‘Nadya,' Tia said.

‘I'm Tryg. Come with me.'

Tryg led Tia down corridors and up steps. Though Tia was used to winding tracks in the Drakelow Mountains she was confused by all the twists and turns and flights of stairs in the castle.

Eventually she found herself on a long balcony overlooking a stone-flagged courtyard with cages around the walls. The big cages held snow leopards, wolves and bears but smaller animals were kept in tiny cages piled on top of each other at the far side of the courtyard.

Tia had only seen wild animals roaming around freely and couldn't help saying, ‘They look so sad!'

Tryg caught her arm, swung her round and shook
her. ‘Don't ever talk about HER animals! Especially like that. You never know what might be watching or listening. Now come on.'