deadly to humans, birds, reptiles and dragons are particularly sensitive to the fumes. The first recorded Red Sun resulted in the death of at least three million wild birds and over one-hundred dragons, predominantly smaller breeds, young, old or weak individuals.
Kalai’s breath bottled in his throat.Leaning sideways off the bed, he rummaged through his bag, pulled out the note and turned it over.
1134.
Those earthquakes… The one in Valreus, on the road to the Terror Marshes and the recent one that had collapsed the temple halls. Those weren’t earthquakes. Dragon Mother was stirring, he was sure of it. That was what the note meant. Archivist Aihiri had known, but they’d killed him before he could warn anyone.
Blowing out a deep breath, Kalai flopped flat onto the mattress. It had been so easy to miss the signs. This book was so old and dusty, it probably hadn’t been picked up in ages. The volcanoes hadn’t stirred in a thousand years, nobody had any reason to believe the earthquakes were anything other than regular earthquakes. No person alive had ever experienced anything else, and most people believed the volcanoes died long ago. He thought about the herd of silverhorn in Valreus, migrating too far south for the time of year. The animals knew something was up.
If the volcanoes were waking now, he had to do something. Warn people, finish the job Aihiri couldn’t.
He was halfway out of bed when he paused and sighed. There was nothing he could do right now. People were in bed, and he doubted the temple masters would appreciate being roused and lectured on eruptions and toxic fumes on a beautiful winter night where nothing at all seemed to threaten tranquility.
Sinking back into bed, he placed the book on the bedside table. He’d wait until morning, when people were well rested and more inclined to listen to reason. Not that Kalai would get much sleep, with the knowledge of everything he’d just learned rattling around inside his head. It felt like a formidable revelation, a thousand year old prophecy of destruction. But the earthquakes had been happening for months, and the Dragon Mother hadn’t yet erupted. Another night would be all right.
Kalai didn’t think he’d fall asleep, but he must have, because when he woke again, it was to the sound of his window rattling and Aunt Iako swearing when something shattered on the floor.
Kalai sat up, eyes wide and shirt askew. “Iako?” he called.
“Earthquake!” she called back. “Are you all right?”
Kalai swore, staggering out of bed and pulling on his shoes before yanking open the door. “I’m fine,” he said, without pausing, striding past her and outside into the street. He wasn’t the only one stirred by the tremors. People all around him came out of their houses and opened their windows wide.
A soft rumble announced Arrow’s arrival. He landed beside him, nudging his head under Kalai’s elbow.
Kalai went to his flank, tugging the saddle straps tight before swinging himself onto Arrow’s back. “Take me up, boy. Let’s see what’s going on.” He didn’t have his harness, but wrapped his hand around the safety strap instead, holding on tight when Arrow leaped onto the roof, giving Kalai a better view.
A column of dust rose from somewhere north-west of Kel Visal. Had something else crumbled? He narrowed his eyes, shielding them with a hand from the harsh morning sun. No. It wasn’t dust. It was smoke. A dark column growing and growing, rising from the mountains beyond.
It had begun.
* * *
Tauran stared at the dirty stone floor without seeing it. The shackles bit into his wrists, but he didn’t feel it.
Ibi-shao was dead.
He’d killed another dragon with his recklessness.
All he ever did was get others hurt.
Itana, Sylvexes, Albinus, all dead because of him.
Leyra had been so happy to meet her mother.
Kalai. Kalai had been skeptic about the pills, but Tauran had vouched for Falka. Told him it was safe.
He shivered. How had he ever thought himself worthy of someone as kind and pure as Kalai? Tauran was a failure, and he’d always be a failure.
And now Ibi-shao was dead, and that was his fault, too.
He had sworn on Leyra’s life that he’d return safely. What a fucking idiot he was.
Soft voices filtered from across the cell. Tauran raised his head a little. Catria and Emilian sat close together against the opposite wall. Catria had looped her shackled hands around Emilian’s shoulders. His face was turned into the side of her neck. The sight ignited a shameful jealousy in Tauran.