Despite his relief in seeing Talia and Pyra, Holt worried over how they would react to Ash. He led Ash into the entrance of the ruined tower and convinced him to stay put until called. When Talia drew closer, Holt ran out into the courtyard and began jumping up and down, waving his arms and yelling to ensure they saw him.
Pyra roared mournfully when she reached the courtyard. She hovered over the remains of the Matriarch then turned her baleful yellows eyes upon Holt. Swiftly she descended, sending up clouds of cinders when she touched down. It was then Holt noticed there was a second rider on Pyra’s back.
Lord Brode.
Then it hit him. Brode had said he was going on a trip, and Talia had flown away a few days ago. Holt only now realized that he hadn’t seen Brode around the Crag since then.
The old rider slid down from Pyra first and the dragon sagged in relief. She was still a young dragon herself and carrying two people must have taken its toll on her.
“What are you still doing here?” Brode asked him. He approached Holt cautiously, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice.
Holt was taken aback. Of all the reactions, he hadn’t expected this.
Brode was treating him like a threat. “I hid.”
“Civilians would have been evacuated,” Brode said. “No one else remains. Just you.”
“You can’t think I was involved?” “Where’s your father?”
Holt gulped. “I—I don’t know. I think he got away.”
I hope he got away.
Talia slid down from Pyra then and unsheathed her own sword; a flowing crimson blade, blazing as though freshly drawn from a smith’s forge. “Master Brode,” she called, her voice stiff from suppressed grief. “Pyra and I sense another core nearby—”
Brode spun and threw out an arm. “Stay back, Talia. And get back on your dragon. If this turns out to be a trap—”
“But you know me,” Holt interjected. “What trap could I possibly—” “Silence,” Brode said, rounding on him. “I don’t know what to think.
The scourge have magic of their own. This could be some illusion.” “Then how can I prove to you I’m me.”
Brode considered him evenly, then met his eye and spoke firmly. “What task did I give you?”
Holt’s stomach squirmed. Well, it had to come out at some point. “You gave me a dragon egg to destroy.”
Brode relaxed his grip on his sword. “Another core nearby…” he muttered, stepping closer to Holt. “An egg to destroy… and did you do something incredibly stupid?” His gaze left Holt, roving the courtyard instead and then the entrance to the Crag itself.
“I—” Holt hesitated. What would happen to Ash?
Brode towered over him and shook him roughly. “Did you?” Holt nodded; his eyes fixed on the ground.
“Where is it?”
“Do you promise not to hurt him?” “Where is it, pot boy?”
Heart and bond thumping, Holt turned to face the Crag. “Ash? Come on out. Come to my voice.”
Ash stepped slowly out from behind the Order Hall doorway. The moment he did so, Pyra growled and pivoted so fast, she nearly knocked Talia over. She let loose a low, rumbling roar, and the full disapproval of her amber eyes were trained on Ash. He wasn’t able to see the threatening look
Pyra gave him, but her tone was unmistakable. Poor Ash bowed his head in fright and picked up his pace, running to Holt to take refuge behind him.
Talia ran over to them, ignoring Brode’s orders. “Pyra says he is the reason the scourge has come.”
“That’s crazy,” Holt said.
Talia acted like Holt wasn’t there.
“She says his weakness has brought ruin upon the flight.” Her voice went wooden, her eyes glazed over, and she raised her sword. “She says he should never have hatched. He’s an insult to our race.”
Holt saw her drawn sword with newfound alarm. He placed himself between Talia and Ash.
“Leave him alone,” he said. Then, with the family recipe book still in hand, he threw his weight behind it and shoved Talia with all his might.
Several things happened at once. Talia’s eyes returned to normal, a horrified look broke across her face and she dropped her sword, wringing her hand as though it had burned her. Across the courtyard, Pyra roared in fury and began bounding toward the group. And Brode snatched at the back of Holt’s neck, pulled him away from Talia, and threw out a hand toward Pyra.
“Enough!” Brode yelled. Pyra skidded to a stop, a little too close for Holt’s comfort. “No one is going to hurt anyone. There’s been enough death already.”
“Pyra says—” Talia began.
“I know damn well what she’ll be saying. No, the dragon shouldn’t have hatched, but it’s happened now. It’s done.”
Pyra snorted smoke, beat a claw against the ground then lowered her head and turned away from Brode.
“And you, Princess,” Brode carried on, “do not allow your dragon’s emotions to dominate you so easily. Resist. Your mind is your own.”
“Yes, Master Brode.” She picked up her sword and sheathed it, her cheeks turning as bright as her hair.
Holt squirmed but Brode had him in an iron grip. For an old man he was very strong.
“You let me down,” Brode said darkly. “Don’t disobey me again, if you want to live.” He let Holt go, throwing him back towards Ash. “What’s wrong with him?” Brode barked as an afterthought.
“He’s blind,” Holt said.
“Poor thing,” Talia said.
“But he’s capable,” Holt said. He knelt to Ash’s level and was about to stroke his head and neck when Talia snatched his hand away.
“Don’t do that you fool. Hatchlings aren’t careful with humans.” “What are you talking about? Ash wouldn’t hurt me.”
“Ash?” Talia said in disbelief. “You named it?” Holt looked to Brode for help.
“That’s a nice name, Holt. But it’s not our place to name dragons.
They’re not pets.”
“His name is Ash,” Holt said with more determination than he felt. Brode frowned.
Feeling he wouldn’t be interrupted again, Holt returned to scratching Ash down his neck. The bond warmed him gently from within. And then he experienced a new sensation, akin to the feeling of being watched, but it came from inside of him. A gentle touch at his soul followed, light as a feather and gone just as quick.
“He has a bond,” Talia said. “Of low Novice rank to be sure, and the dragon’s core is barely a heartbeat; no wonder nobody picked up on it while the Order was here but it’s… solid for what it is.”
Brode came over and crouched beside them. His face softened and he looked more his age than ever; exhausted and sad. “What happened here?”
Holt told them the whole sorry tale; from the moment he heard the bells to the moment he had closed his eyes to escape the waking nightmare.
Talia let out a choked whisper. “Silas Silverstrike would never betray us. You must be mistaken.”
He met Talia’s eyes then, the first time he’d truly met them. They were dark green and full of sorrow. Holt didn’t need a dragon bond with her to know they shared the same feeling. Silas had been as much a hero to her as to himself, probably more so given she was a rider.
“I’m not mistaken.” Holt’s voice cracked in admitting it. “I saw it happen.”
Ash growled to signal his agreement.
Across the courtyard, Pyra rumbled low in her throat. She stood at the site of Ysera’s and Commander Denna’s demise, her head bowed almost to the ground.
All the fight seemed to drain from the Princess. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed heavily. “Pyra says she can sense an echo of the storm
magic. It’s true.”
Brode grunted. He dropped to one knee by Ash. “No obvious type and he’s looking a little thin.”
“I tried my best to feed him,” Holt said.
“Couldn’t sneak enough food away I imagine,” Brode said, without taking his eyes from Ash.
“I think he might be a mystic dragon.”
“Could be,” Brode said. He reached out a hand to Ash, who sniffed at it then allowed Brode to run a finger down his snout. “I take it he has spoken with you?”
“He’s getting better,” Holt said. “Say something to Brode, boy.”
“I cannot reach his mind,” Ash said.
Holt opened his mouth in confusion but Brode laughed it off. “It’s not as easy as that, especially for one as young as him. Nor are hatchlings so comfortable around humans to allow them close like this. Your bond must be strong. Fascinating.”
“Well,” Talia said with a swish of her red hair, “whatever he’s done to this dragon can be dealt with by a senior rider from Falcaer Fortress. You can look after the pot boy, Master Brode, and I’ll go to Sidastra and—”
Brode jumped to his feet and caught Talia by the arm as she attempted to leave. “You’ll do no such thing.”
Talia scowled. “I have a duty to the realm. I must go to warn my uncle, ready the army and lead the defense.”
“You’ll do no such thing.” Talia closed her eyes.
Brode groaned. “Don’t you—”
Talia reopened her eyes and now they shone like bright emeralds. Tendrils of thin flames burst from her arm where Brode’s hand gripped her. Brode cursed and loosened his grip enough that she threw him off and started running for Pyra faster than Holt thought possible.
Brode wrung his hand and called after her. “You’re a rider first. You swore the oath.”
“Riders fight the scourge. That’s what I’m doing.” “What happens at court isn’t your concern.”
“It’s my family,” Talia screamed back. “I won’t turn my back again. I won’t.” She climbed onto Pyra’s back, but the dragon didn’t take off. “Come on,” Talia wailed. “Come on, girl. Go.”
“The Crag flight might be decimated but we’re still here. I am still here.
Pyra knows her duty.”
Talia’s strength faded with every plea she made. “Pyra go, please, please, for me. Go.”
Pyra’s amber eyes, so recently full of hate, were now wells of pity. She looked to Brode and her expression hardened. Pyra may not have liked following the order, but she would obey a senior rider.
A moment later all the fight went out of the Princess. She collapsed sobbing onto her dragon’s back and wrapped her arms around Pyra’s neck.
Now it was clear Talia wouldn’t be going anywhere, Brode relaxed. Holt too let out a breath he hadn’t been aware of holding.
Ash nudged his head into Holt’s knee. “What will we do?”
“We’ll stick with Brode,” Holt whispered. “He’ll look after us.”
Although what one young rider, an old dragonless rider, a hatchling and a Cook’s son would achieve when all else had fallen, Holt hadn’t the faintness idea.
