Dragon Tears (13 page)

The blue dragon lowered his head and snout toward Larkin. “So small, so young. We bow to your great ability,” the blue dragon said, dipping his head to honor Larkin.

Patrik watched as all the water dragons bowed their heads before Larkin. He noticed the embarrassed blush that colored the young dragon’s neck and face. “Say something,” he whispered to Larkin.

The blue water dragon turned his gaze toward the sound, his sapphire eyes, tinged with yellow, were whirling with shock and displeasure.

“I…I…thank you,” Larkin stammered, but the older dragon was no longer listening.

“There are humans here.” The dragon reared back his head. His wings extended, and his chest puffed out, ready to flame. The other dragons followed their leader’s example.

“Wait!” Redwing cried, blocking Patrik and Allard with her body. Her wings outstretched like a fan. “They are our friends.”

“Humans are no friends of dragons. All magic users must be destroyed.”

“The boy has no magic. And the man has given his promise not to use his.” Redwing raised her wings higher completely blocking Patrik and Allard from the blue dragon’s view.

“They are different,” Larkin said, “and we trust them.”

The dragon leader turned his gaze toward the young dragon. “Tell me how this can be,” he commanded, lowering his head into a listening position.

Redwing continued to guard the humans as Larkin told his story. When he got to the part about the coming war, all the blue dragons reared up from the water, their sapphire eyes turned red and spun angrily, their chests heaved as they prepared to turn the humans into ash.

“That’s why we’re here. We’re going to find Skyhawk and ask him to help stop the war.”

“You would cross the Sea of Lights?” asked the leader, relaxing his stance a little. “And these humans are willing to face its dangers?”

Larkin nodded. “They have agreed to go all the way to the Singing Mountains to find Skyhawk.”

Rat chose this moment to come out from hiding, leaping across the sand in great bounds until she landed at Patrik’s side. She rubbed her head against his legs, her purring filling in the quiet left by Larkin’s words.

The blue dragon leader lowered himself to sniff at the animal, and then shook his head in confusion. “Never have I heard such a thing. Humans do not help dragons.”

Patrik stepped out from behind Redwing. “Great sir,” he began, faltered, and began again. “Great sir, I think dragons are the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen. I would do anything to stop this war.”

The dragon stared directly at Patrik. “And you?” he asked Allard who had joined Patrik.

“Most honored being, I would do anything within my power to stop the coming war. This war will leave our world devastated. It will not be fit for any living creature.”

The dragon reared back his head. “Why is this?”

As the wizard explained how a war of the scale that King Harold was planning would leave the world devoid of all life, the blue dragon’s hide paled in the sunlight. He lowered his wings, and the other dragons followed his example. “This war cannot take place,” he said. “We will help you.”

Patrik blew out a relieved breath between his lips, and Redwing finally relaxed her guarded position.

“Can you tell us how to get across the Sea of Lights?” Larkin asked.

The big blue dragon shook his head. “It is impossible.”

Chapter Twelve

“What! What do you mean?” Surely there must be some way.” Allard stepped closer to the blue dragon that reared back in surprise. “You try my patience, human,” it hissed.

The wizard jumped back as Redwing once again intervened for them. “Surely, honored sir, in all your travels, you must have found a way across the Sea of Lights.”

“I have not. Nor have my companions. We follow the Floating Isles, going where they lead us, and never have we found its end.”

“Floating Isles?” Patrik asked.

The blue dragon leader tilted his head toward the boy. “They drift with the currents,” he said, “and are never in the same place twice. Your human ships have tried to follow them across the sea and have failed, circling endlessly until they give up and return to their homes, or until their crews died of starvation and thirst.”

Allard scratched his forehead. “Surely, there must be someone among you who has found the other side.”

The dragon leader’s blue eyes, tinged with orange, whirled as he thought. “There is one, maybe, who might know.”

Everyone talked at once. “Who? Can we talk to him? Take us to him, please, kind sir?” The blue dragon reared back in displeasure. “Quiet!” he roared.

Rat hissed, arched her back, and looked ready to pounce. Patrik reached down a hand to hold her back. The dragon leader lowered his head to peer at each member of their party, his gaze searing into them as if he could see into their hearts. Patrik wasn’t the only one to look away as the dragon continued to stare at them.

“Amongst us,” he said at last, raising his voice loud enough for all to hear, “lives the Old One. Older than the sands upon which you stand, he has accumulated the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. He does not involve himself in the day-to-day problems that we find so important. His thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. Seldom does he make his presence known amongst us, and when he does, he seldom speaks. It is he who may know a way across the Sea of Lights.”

“Will he help us?” Patrik blurted out unable to stand the tension any longer.

“I cannot answer that question,” the blue dragon leader replied. “I can only ask.”

Redwing lifted her head to stare directly at the blue dragon. “Will you do so, kind sir?”

“I will. I will return here at daybreak tomorrow.” The dragon eased his way back into the sea, followed by the rest of the blue water dragons.

Patrik, Redwing, Larkin, and Allard stood at the edge of the sea, each one wondering what answers tomorrow would bring. The sun rose behind them, and the tide began to rise as the blue water dragons became only dots on the horizon. When at last, the water dragons disappeared from view, it was Rat’s hissing at the incoming waves that drew their attention back to the beach.

“I guess we had better move our camp,” Allard said, looking at the rising tide, and shaking water out of his boots.

Clouds began to gather over the sea. “It looks like a storm might be brewing,” Patrik said. “How far back do you think we should go?”

“At least past the water line. And I think we had better hurry,” Allard replied as the wind whipped his robes around his legs.

The rising wind made breaking camp difficult. It blew sand into small whirlwinds that bore through the camp, carrying away anything that wasn’t tied down. Patrik spent more time chasing after articles of clothing and pots and pans than he did packing them up. When it came time to set up the lean-to, the wind grabbed it and sent it sailing down the beach. It landed in the waves, tossing back and forth on the water as if being kneaded by the surf.

“Don’t worry about it,” Allard hollered, but the wind caught his words and whipped them away.

Patrik raced down the beach, the wind pushing against him and the rain falling in sheets in front of him. More than a few curse words passed Patrik’s lips as he charged into the freezing water to retrieve the lean-to. Although it was canvas and somewhat waterproof, it was now totally waterlogged. He grabbed one corner and pulled against the current. Then he stopped and waited for the next incoming wave and pulled again. By the time he managed to free it from the sea and pull it out onto the beach he felt as if he had just done battle with a giant sea monster. Every muscle ached and the wind seemed to freeze his clothing to his body.

He tugged at the soaked canvas, groaning as he struggled to pull it across the sand and back into the tree line. He fell, face first into a dune, and lay there while the wind blew sand into his eyes and up his nose. He was considering leaving the lean-to for the sea to recapture, when a shadow darkened his vision. Thinking it was another rain cloud ready to release its load of water on him, he covered his eyes with his free arm. “Let me help you,” a voice said from the shadow.

Patrik looked up to see Larkin standing over him. The dragon’s huge form blocked the wind, and Patrik couldn’t think of a time when he had been more grateful to see his friend. “Open your mouth,” Patrik said. The boy tugged one end of the canvas into the dragon’s mouth, and then climbed on his back. “Let’s go.”

They made quick time to the tree line, with Larkin pulling the wet canvas behind him. The wizard and Redwing had managed to pile everything else behind a large boulder. Sheltered from the wind, the rain was not as fierce. Patrik almost fell off Larkin’s back when they reached the new campsite.

“What were you thinking, boy?” The wizard glared at Patrik. “You could have been swept away and drowned.”

“I…uh…the..lean-to’s important.”

“Not that important. Not important enough to risk your life. Get out of those wet clothes before you catch cold or freeze to death. Redwing, do you think you can flame us a fire? Maybe over there in the shelter of those two rocks. Larkin, can you move over here and cover Patrik with a wing while he dries off?”

“I…uh…” Patrik couldn’t think of anything to say. But even as tired as the boy was, he couldn’t help but notice the way the wizard fussed over him. His mouth hung open as he listened to Allard order the dragons around.

“If you ever do anything that foolish again,” Allard threatened, “I’ll tan the hide right off your backside and I’ll set an entrapment spell on you so you’ll never be free to wander off again.”

Patrik rubbed himself dry with one of his shirts and tried to hide the smile on his face. For all the wizard’s bluster and threats, the boy once again realized how much the old man really cared for him.

Out of the wind, and at least partially protected from the rain, Patrik, Allard, and Rat began to dry out. Their dragon friends weren’t so fortunate. Too large to fit under the overhanging rocks, both dragons spent a miserable night. When at last the morning sun rose, both dragons were the first ones to take advantage of it.

“Storm’s gone,” Larkin said, spreading his damp wings out to dry. He flapped them, and then shook himself much like a wet dog.

“Larkin, do that someplace else,” Patrik said. “You’re getting everything wet.”

“Sorry,” the dragon said, a red blush creeping up his long neck. “I think I’ll go sing in the sunrise.”

Redwing followed the younger dragon to the shoreline, and Patrik watched as she also fanned her wings to soak up the morning sun.

“They really don’t like being wet or cold,” he said to the wizard. “How come the water dragons live in water but these dragons can’t stand it?”

“I’m not sure. Not much is known about phoenix dragons, and even less is known about water dragons. All we know for sure is that there are different races of dragons, each one living in different places.”

Patrik shrugged. He knew the wizard had been keeping a record of their journey, and figured that someday someone would read it and make sense of it all. For now, he was just as happy as the dragons that the storm was over.

As the sky lightened, Larkin’s melody filled the morning air. Sweet and melancholy, even the birds quit singing to listen to the dragon’s beautiful song. Rat, who had been prowling around hunting for breakfast even stopped to listen to Larkin sing. It wasn’t long before Patrik noticed the humps of the water dragons beginning to dot the water.

“They’re coming,” Patrik said, running down to the shoreline.

The wizard joined his apprentice, both of them anxious to hear what the dragon leader had to say. Larkin’s song had just finished when the blue dragon leader’s head rose from the surf.

“He is coming. Make way,” said the water dragon leader.

The dragons parted, leaving a column of open water between them. They rose and fell on the waves as the old dragon moved through their ranks. Patrik and Allard stepped back from the shore, and Larkin and Redwing joined them at their side. The two phoenix dragons closed their wings and dropped their heads in submission while Patrik and Allard waited.

A thousand dragon voices bugled in respect as the old dragon lifted his head from the surf and began to walk toward the waiting travelers. As one, the small group backed up to make room for him. His blue scales and his muzzle were tinged with gray. He plodded rather than walked, rolling from side to side as if the bulk of his body was too heavy for him to carry. Then he eased himself down in the sand, and stared at them, his multifaceted gaze going from one face to another.

Patrik desperately wanted to look away, but he didn’t dare. He knew they were being inspected and that they needed to be found worthy of the information the old dragon had come to give them.

At last, the dragon nodded as if satisfied. “I will help you,” he said at last. He raised his head, and looked straight into the morning sun. “You seek a way across the Sea of Lights, but there is no way known to man or dragon.”

All of the travelers seemed to groan in unison, their disappointment causing the hopeful look on their faces to vanish like dew in the morning sun. But before any one of them could speak, the old dragon began again.

“However, the journey you have undertaken is worthy and must be completed. There are those who live in the air and the sea who have the information you seek. They are the Guides.”

Allard stepped forward. “Honored sir, who are these Guides?”

“More than this I do not know,” the dragon said. “Only that you will know them by their lights.”

The old dragon’s mouth snapped shut, signifying that the conversation was at an end. The small group looked from one to another, each one seeking answers they knew they would not find. They turned back to question the old dragon, but he stood as still as if he had been made of stone. No one knew what to do next.

“What’s he waiting for?” Patrik whispered, hoping the old dragon hadn’t heard him.

Allard shook his head, and Redwing gave the equivalent of a dragon shrug.

“A thank-you gift,” Larkin said softly. “He’s waiting for a thank-you gift. Whenever dragons do favors for one another they always give a thank-you gift.”