Chronicles of Den'dra - Spencer Johnson Page 0,152

to the village as he powered back up over the ridge. It was when he began flying over the Vaulwar that Inadar fell silent.

“What is it Inadar? Do you know what he is doing with us?” Cero twisted around and saw the dark expression on her face.

“He is taking us to the dragon towers. They wanted to do that with me before I left, but I convinced them to let me go find you. It seems they have been tricking me all along.” Her words were almost lost to the wind yet they still had enough meaning to chill Cero to the bone.

“What do they intend to do with us there?”

“Keep us safe, I think.”

“What? I have to find my father. I can’t sit around in some old towers waiting.”

“You had best convince Bani to grow up quickly so you can ride him out. Other than that, we don’t have much of a choice.” Inadar bit her lip to avoid screaming something at Onwier when he glanced back at them.

“I think we are supposed to be here for some reason. I don’t know what it is, but Skeln and Sarina were the ones that got us captured. Torroth arrived just in time to help the dragons rescue us.”

“If that makes you feel any better about it. Our alter ego’s helped the dragons kidnap us by getting us captured by our biggest enemy first.”

“That isn’t what I intended… It can’t be that bad. They are your friends and they did rescue us.” Cero looked down to where Bani was comfortably curled up and partially under one of the large spinal scales. The fact that he wasn’t agitated was enough to calm Cero. The little dragon was usually extremely sensitive to any perceived threat to his friend, but was now appeared to be sleeping.

“It remains to be seen as to whether I want to still call them friends.”

“Bani is sleeping. I think he trusts Onwier.”

“That is odd. Usually he is willing to gnaw the face off anyone that insults you. I saw what he did to Onwier when you were trying to get away.” Cero started as he turned back to Bani and saw one green eye fastened on him suspiciously. Cero tried to meet that unwavering gaze, but he found that he had no choice except to turn away. He discovered that he was flexing the fingers on one hand and made an effort to calm himself.

“I don’t know. I just have a feeling that everything is going to work out.” That feeling of loss came again, only stronger.

“Like I said, whatever makes you feel better.”

***

“That is a big dragon.” The woman paused at the top of the wall looking down. The blue dragon they had been tasked with guarding lay curled up in the middle of what had once been the ceiling. Rubble was piled around him from the excavations along the edges of the room. It gave the appearance that the dragon was simply napping in a nest of his own making. Spirion appeared a moment later and nodded.

“Not as big as the gold one. Come on. There are a few weapons scattered around here. Pick some up if you would like.” Spirion kicked some rubble off of a standard issue, military style sword. He gave it a few swings before tossing it to the side.

“Don’t like the balance of it?” One of the shorter men picked it up and tossed it from hand to hand. “It is cheaply made and the metal isn’t of the highest grade, but it isn’t too bad.”

“I have never held a sword. It feels clumsy. This is something I can fight with.” Spirion sized the mace laying on the crumbled stairs.

“Suit yourself. Being able to see the wings on a fly from the other side of a room has its advantages, but doesn’t help so much in a fight.”

“Oh don’t be modest Sjad, I have seen you kill flies from the other side of the room with a pebble.”

“Whatever. Not everyone can call fire like you.”

“Just think of what I could do if I could see my target from the other side of the Braebach.”

“Kliven, I told you that I can’t see that far. Everything gets blurry after a few thousand feet. It is worst during hot weather like today. It is like when you are doing that burning thing and the way it warps the stuff behind it.”

“Well, I think that this might be an easy task. I don’t see anything that