Dragon Charmers: #1 Mountains of Fire Page 15

CHAPTER ELEVEN - RADOLK FALLS

 

  Logan wasn’t sure which was worse as he clung to Alyxa’s back; the lurching or the view. He had chosen to sit at the rear on the flight back to the mountains so that he couldn’t see as much, but the white dragon’s tail-end lurched in great pulsing sweeps and Logan got a full view of the snow-capped mountains every few seconds.

  ‘Are you all right back there?’ Alyxa asked, twisting a bit to look at him and almost throwing him off balance.

  ‘Just fine,’ Logan replied shortly. ‘Couldn’t we have put some riding straps on?’

  Don’t worry, if you fall I will catch you this time, Silverhorn rumbled with what sounded like laughter. It did nothing to make Logan feel more comfortable.

  Logan had been surprised that his master had mounted the white dragon without any mention of his usual dislike of flying. Zared sat at the front, discussing the general direction with the dragon as they flew. He had his staff tucked into his belt and the blackened tip had smudged his clothes. Myles sat behind the wizard, quiet and focused on the mountains ahead.

  They reached the mountain ranges in half the time it had taken the previous day and Logan dared a look back at where they had come from. Shanoria wasn’t even a speck on the horizon. Even though he disliked flying, he had to admit that it was a very quick way to travel.

  Within an hour they were hovering over the white dragon’s lair. Logan was wearing the green cloak and even in the cold mountain air he was far too hot. Combined with the slow, hovering beat of the dragon, he was feeling rather ill and it wasn’t until Alyxa turned and punched him on the arm that he realised he was being spoken to.

  ‘We need to know which way to go,’ Zared repeated. ‘I’m sure it was north of here, but the mountain ranges look all wrong.’

  Logan obligingly withdrew the medallion, holding onto Alyxa’s cloak with one hand, then held it up in the direction Zared was pointing. Instantly a picture formed on the silver surface and Logan was relieved that it wasn’t fire-breathing red dragons this time. Instead a girl of about twelve was carrying a tray of food away. She wore a warm-looking red tunic and black leggings. She turned and smiled, showing caring and kind emerald green eyes, framed by rosy cheeks and windblown mousy-brown hair.

  ‘Well, which way is it?’ Prince Myles asked impatiently.

  ‘North,’ Logan confirmed, with a small smile. At least someone at the mountain city was being nice to the captive prince. He was tempted to continue watching what Erik saw, but was forced to slip the medallion back under his shirt and hold on with both hands as they flew off.

  A short time later, a movement off to their right caught his attention. He poked Alyxa and pointed out the blue smudge against the white snow. ‘What’s that?’

  Alyxa looked for a few seconds before replying. ‘I think it’s Prince Myles’s blue dragon.’

  What’s on its back? Silverhorn asked, slowing down to look at the blue dragon in the distance.

  ‘Eggs,’ Myles replied. ‘We need to go and get them.’

  So you can enslave even more dragons? Silverhorn muttered sarcastically.

  ‘I went to a lot of trouble to get those eggs,’ Myles insisted.

  We don’t have time, really. Silverhorn glared at the prince. But we do have to get them off its back. It can’t fly like that for too long.

  Logan felt his stomach churn as the white dragon executed a sharp turn towards the blue dragon and dived in a beeline for it. As they got closer, he could see that the blue was collapsed on the snow under the weight of the eggs and it hissed at them angrily. A small flame licked out its nostrils and Alyxa exclaimed a little in surprise.

  ‘It hasn’t flamed since it was a hatchling,’ she commented, looking confused.

  Right about the time you humans charmed it, Silverhorn added, and Alyxa fell silent, obviously unwilling to start up that particular subject again.

  Keep away, the blue dragon croaked out in a voice which seemed unaccustomed to being used.

  ‘It can speak again too?’ Alyxa muttered, more to herself than to anyone else. She looked disturbed and uncomfortable.

  ‘We only want the eggs,’ the prince called out.

  The blue turned slightly to look at the prince and its eyes narrowed as fresh flames melted the snow in front of it. When it spoke it was more of a snarl of contempt. You are the boy with the stick who made me fly too fast.

  Prince Myles looked uncomfortable at being spoken to like that and did not reply. The white dragon landed a dozen paces away and Alyxa slipped off his back.

  ‘Just let us remove the eggs so you can fly properly,’ the charmer suggested gently.

  The dragon would not allow Alyxa to come any closer and finally it was Logan who had to go forward and untie the straps holding the eggs on its back. The net full of eggs fell to the snow and the dragon flexed its back and stretched his wings.

  When do we get fed in this place? it asked, looking from one human to the next, and then at the white dragon. I haven’t eaten in over a day.

  You have to find your own food, Silverhorn replied a little sadly, then turned to Alyxa. Most domesticated dragons die up here in the mountains because they have no idea how to forage for their food.

  ‘If you carry those eggs back to the city for me I’ll make sure you get a good meal,’ Prince Myles said, eyeing the net of silver-wrapped eggs.

  ‘We don’t have time for all this,’ Zared interrupted, shaking his head. ‘Follow us for now and we’ll show you how to get food when we’ve sorted out our business up here in the mountains.’

  The blue dragon seemed to consider their offer and nodded briefly, then beat its wings and rose into the air and hovered, waiting.

  ‘And if you bring the eggs...’ Prince Myles tried again and earned himself a glare from Silverhorn. ‘I know you like those berries that grow down by the lake past the castle.’

  The blue grabbed the netting with one of its claws and hoisted it off the snowy mountain. It was obviously very hungry.

  Logan checked the medallion again before they took off. The girl had gone but Erik appeared to be looking out a window, overlooking a bustling village marketplace. Mingling in with the people were huge red dragons, but nobody seemed to be taking any notice of them

  ‘We’re still on course,’ he told the others, but he didn’t comment on what he had seen.

  A short time later they were flying directly towards a huge mountain. The white dragon stopped and hovered, looking confused. ‘I have kept a true course, but this mountain should not be here.’

  ‘It can’t be that way,’ Zared argued, frowning at the mountain before them. ‘The path into Radolk Falls is through a pass.’

  They flew around the mountain and continued for several hours before Logan thought to check the pendant again.

  ‘We’re going the wrong way,’ Logan told them, pointing back the way they had just come. ‘It’s back that way.’

  ‘Keep checking,’ Zared suggested. ‘We don’t have time to get lost again.’

  They flew on and arrived back at the mountain that had caused them to change their course earlier. Logan checked the pendant; only a grey stone wall showed on the silver surface, but it was clear and it was definitely straight ahead. ‘That’s the direction the medallion shows. Perhaps we should fly around it again?’

  ‘I don’t see any mountain,’ Alyxa argued and looked at her fellow travellers as if they must be mad. ‘There’s a pass just up ahead.’

  ‘How can you not see it?’ Logan asked, looking back at the rocky-faced obstacle. Perhaps the coldness up here in the mountains was getting to her and affecting her eyesight.

  ‘Well, it’s three against one,’ the prince said firmly. ‘We all see a mountain.’

  Five, Silverhorn corrected bluntly, and Myles looked uncomfortable. Five of us see a mountain. The blue dragon sees it and so do I.

  ‘There is no mountain,’ Alyxa insisted hotly. ‘Trust me.’

  ‘I agree with the wizard
. We should fly around again. We must have missed the pass.’ Myles looked to Logan to agree with him as well.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Logan said hesitantly. ‘I see a mountain but I also believe that Alyxa sees a pass, even if we don’t.’

  That’s how the red dragons stay hidden, Silverhorn mused as he hovered before the mountain. It must be an illusion and Alyxa is the only one who isn’t fooled by it. If Alyxa and the medallion say it is straight ahead, then that’s where we go. It is only a couple of hours before sunset. We must hurry.

  Without waiting for anyone to agree with it, the white dragon dived down to catch an air current and sped towards the immense, foreboding mountain that stood in their way. The blue followed without argument. At the speed they were going it would be impossible to pull up and avoid a collision with the snowy slopes that were coming closer with every beat of the huge white wings.

  Just as Logan was about to consider leaping off the dragon’s back, the mountain before them faded into a misty cloud and they sailed right through it. Ahead of them now was a brightly lit valley full of houses, and above that a huge mountain city spiralled to an impressive golden palace at the very top. A river flowed past the valley and cascaded off a cliff in great clouds of spray.

  ‘Now this is what I remember,’ Zared said with a nod and half a smile. ‘Welcome to Radolk Falls.’ His happiness seemed marred with sad thoughts, though, and it was Myles who noticed the danger ahead.

  ‘Those red dragons on the peaks will see us soon,’ the prince said, pointing out three dragons on separate peaks around the perimeter of the valley.

  Good spotting, Silverhorn said approvingly and turned so sharply Logan almost lost his balance. I didn’t expect them to have lookouts.

  The white dragon flew down to an impossibly narrow crevice running along the side of the nearest mountain. If they hadn’t been so close to it, he would have said it was just a shadow on the side of the rock. With only a second to spare, the dragon drew in its wings and glided along the narrow pass. The blue had more difficulty and its wings were almost scraping the walls of the pass.

  ‘This leads directly into the village and city,’ Zared called back to them softly. ‘Talk quietly from here on in. Sounds travel a long way in these mountains and we don’t want the red dragons to know we are here.’

  ‘So why don’t they watch this pass if it takes you right into the village?’ Logan asked, half expecting a huge red dragon to leap out and block their way.

  ‘Not many dragons, or people, know about it,’ Zared replied. ‘It was the escape route for the royal family.’

  Now to figure out where they’re holding Erik. Logan, we need to know if he’s in the village or in the city above. Silverhorn slowed as the pass divided up ahead. The left branch led up the mountain while one to the right carried on a flat course.

  ‘I saw a marketplace and a large fountain,’ Logan offered, hoping that would tell them. He didn’t want to look at the medallion again while he was desperately trying to hold on in the narrow pass.

  ‘Definitely the village then,’ Zared said with a pleased grin. ‘It would have been harder if they had already taken him up to the palace.’

  Silverhorn took the right fork of the pass and zoomed around the bends so fast that Logan knew for sure the dragon had done this many times before. The dragon had shrunk just enough to be able to spread its wings a little, but stayed big enough to carry its passengers comfortably.

  ‘Quiet now, we’re almost at the village,’ Zared whispered as the dragon slowed down and stopped at a sharp bend that looked no different to any other part of the pass. ‘We walk from here.’

  They slid off the white dragon’s back and Silverhorn shrank down to human size in just a few seconds. The blue dragon gently lowered its bundle of eggs and settled on the ground next to them.

  You’ll have to wait here, Silverhorn told the blue quietly. There aren’t any blues up here and you would be noticed straight away. They all fled the area when the reds came. If we don’t return in an hour, head back the way we came and fly south for as long as it takes to get back to the village you were born in. It’s better than starving in the mountains or staying in this place.

  I’m tired anyway. I’ll have a sleep while I wait, the blue said, curling up around the net of eggs.

  ‘I’ll try to find some food for you,’ Alyxa said kindly as they turned to follow Zared around the bend.

  Logan wasn’t sure what he had expected, but when they emerged into a lush garden even he was surprised. The entrance to the pass was hidden behind a cascading waterfall at the end of an overgrown garden that showed signs of once having been well tended.

  ‘The royal family stayed here when they were in the village,’ Zared said in an offhand manner as he led them through the overgrown garden. ‘It looks as though nobody has been here in a long time.’

  He led them around the side of a three-storey wooden building and paused. He glanced back at Silverhorn uncertainly and then at the others. ‘I can’t go into the village; too many people will recognise me. There’s something I have to fetch from the city. I need to make sure that this is the last time they come looking for a prince. There won’t be time to do it after we find Erik, so I want you to find him and bring him here.’

  ‘You’re leaving us?’ Myles hissed. ‘How are we supposed to find my brother?’

  ‘With the medallion,’ Alyxa replied calmly. ‘Are you scared?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Myles snapped.

  ‘Don’t worry, Zared. We’ll find him,’ Logan assured the wizard.

  I’ll fly you to the city, Silverhorn offered — by the look on the dragon’s face, he knew exactly why the wizard was going. We only have a matter of an hour or so until we start to become affected by the dragons’ charm.

  ‘What charm?’ Logan asked.

  ‘That vibration you can feel is also a charm that makes you want to stay here and serve the red dragons,’ Zared explained. ‘The longer we are here, the less we will want to leave.’

  ‘We’d better get going then.’ Logan took out the medallion. It took only a second to decide which direction to head in, even though all Logan could see was still the grey stone wall.

  ‘Be careful,’ Zared instructed as he and Silverhorn backed away. The white dragon was growing larger by the second and the wizard leapt onto his back. They launched into the air and vanished among the bushes which grew up the steep cliff that bordered the back of the garden.

  Taking the first step out from the bushes was hard. Logan could see a busy street beyond the safety of their hiding place. People, some with carts, were noisily making their way about their business. The people didn’t frighten him, as they looked very similar to the people in the village he had grown up in. The dragons were making him nervous.

  Making their way through the crowd were dozens of red dragons. Some were walking on their hind legs, other smaller ones were taking flying jumps, making the crowds clear for their landings. Still more were flying low overhead.

  ‘I wonder where they’re going,’ Alyxa said from right next to his ear, making him jump.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Logan whispered back.

  ‘They’re all heading the same way,’ Myles pointed out. ‘And it looks like it’s the same way we’re supposed to be going.’

  Logan gulped as he realised the prince was right. The red dragons were all heading down the street, towards the marketplace they could see at the bottom of the small hill. It was the same marketplace Logan had seen in the medallion.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Alyxa said, grabbing hold of both boys’ arms and dragging them out into the street. Nobody seemed to notice them blend in with the busy crowd, and nobody took any notice of them. They were close behind a particularly large red dragon and had to step back as its tail swished sideways, narrowly missing dozens of people. Another dragon flew low and flicked its arrow-shaped tail at the head of the larger red dragon they were following.

  Hurry up, Lightfoot! We’re
late — Longtooth will be waiting for us, the smaller dragon yelled, then sped off down the hill.

  The huge dragon simply grunted and continued stamping its way down the cobbled road. Logan noticed there were only one or two dragons left in the crowd now. As they approached the marketplace, Logan saw someone who looked familiar. A girl in a bright red tunic was walking around the edge of the marketplace and everyone seemed keen to speak to her as she passed them by. She was struggling to carry something heavy, but he couldn’t see what it was from this distance.

  ‘That girl looks familiar. I’ve seen her before,’ Logan muttered to Alyxa, trying to work out who she was.

  ‘Where?’ Myles asked bluntly.

  Suddenly Logan remembered the red tunic; ‘I saw her in the medallion. She took food to your brother.’

  ‘Then I think we should follow her,’ Alyxa suggested, hurrying them along to catch up with the girl.

  They followed her past the marketplace and up to the door of a huge old grey stone clock tower. An old man stood by the door and he grinned at the girl as she approached.

  ‘Morning, Enchantress Djana. Do you think they’ve found The One this time?’ he asked as he helped her up the steep steps.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Djana replied a little hesitantly. ‘I hope so.’

  ‘What’s that you’ve got there? It looks heavy.’ The old man tried to take a large brass bowl from her, but she shook her head.

  ‘It’s something that will tell us if we’ve found The Royal One. I’m taking it to Longtooth. We’ll know very soon if he’s The One or not,’ Djana replied, puffing as she reached the top step. ‘It’s shorter to cut through here than to go around the market.’

  ‘Glory to the red dragons. At least let me take one side of it,’ the old man said, looking excited by her news.

  The girl nodded her agreement, and the old man took hold of one long flat handle then pushed the old wooden door open. They went in and the door banged shut behind them.

  ‘Do we follow?’ Myles asked nobody in particular.

  ‘I think Prince Erik’s in that top room,’ Logan said, standing back to look at the tower and trying to figure out the angle that had looked down on the marketplace through the medallion. ‘I say we should rescue him while the others are busy with the reds.’

  ‘Good idea,’ Alyxa said, and the three of them hurried up the steps and into the clock tower. Logan couldn’t believe their luck that they reached the top of the stairs without coming across anyone on the way. There was only one door that could lead to a room overlooking the marketplace and they paused outside it.

  ‘It’s not even locked,’ Myles muttered softly. ‘He can’t be in here.’

  ‘I can hear someone inside,’ Logan whispered as he crouched with his ear to the old wooden door. ‘They’re pacing across the floor.’

  ‘Erik,’ Alyxa called out softly, just loud enough for her voice to carry through the door. Myles glared at her but she ignored him.

  ‘Who’s there?’ replied a voice that clearly belonged to the prince. ‘Is that you Djana?’

  ‘Well, at least we know it’s your brother,’ Alyxa said, grabbing hold of the black iron door handle and pulling hard. The door swung open with a creak and a startled Erik stood looking at them.

  ‘What are you doing here, Myles?’ the young prince asked, looking confused but making no attempt to come over to greet his rescuers. ‘Have you come to watch the ceremony?’

  ‘We’ve come to rescue you,’ Logan told the prince and glanced nervously back into the hallway.

  ‘What from?’ Erik asked, clearly confused.

  ‘The red dragons of course! The door wasn’t even locked. Why didn’t you try to run away?’ Myles asked, striding over and taking his younger brother by the arm.

  ‘Why would I want to run away? We’re having the ceremony soon. Then the red dragons will take me to the palace. I tried to tell them I am a prince but they want proof.’ Erik pulled his arm free from Myles and stepped back out of reach.

  Logan studied the prince carefully; he looked different. The cheeky grin and sparkling eyes were gone and he looked a little dazed.

  ‘How long has he been here?’ Alyxa asked thoughtfully.

  ‘About a day and a half I suppose,’ Myles replied, not looking to understand why she wanted to know.

  ‘Zared said we only had an hour or so before we would start to be affected by the red dragons’ charm,’ Logan said, nodding in understanding. ‘He won’t leave by his own choice any more. We’ll have to take him by force.’

  ‘I’m not going with you. You can’t make me. Djana!’ The prince looked horrified that they would try to force him to leave, and he ran to the window and began yelling for Djana.

  ‘There’s someone on the stairs,’ Alyxa hissed as Myles clamped his hand over his brother’s mouth.

  ‘I’ll bring him down.’ Djana’s voice drifted up to them, and they looked at one another, knowing there was nowhere to hide.