Theora slumped lazily in the clearing of Camp, all alone, thinking about what Damon had told her.
No cure…she told herself, her tired eyes browsing the dried up creek bed. No cure for the firesap and no water for the stream.
It had been days since the Colony left for the Lake in need of fresh water. It hadn’t seemed like a dry season, and yet the creek was left as an alarmingly dry wash, nothing but a trail of sand.
The problem must be up at the source of the creek, far away from here, Theo guessed. What else could cause this drought?
She opened and closed her dry mouth, day dreaming of water crawling back into the creek bed, a slow trickle at first but gaining more and more power until the whole wash was full…But no. The bed remained cluttered with crackling, brown leaves and bone-dry twigs, not a single drop of water to be seen.
How is the Colony doing? she wondered. Sky, Jacinth, Lichen…
They had all invited Theo to join them in their migration to the Lake, but she had declined.
What if Damon finds a solution to all my problems? She wanted to stay close, just in case.
How ridiculous, Theo thought scornfully. Here I am, hoping for a miracle as I slowly die of thirst!
Camp was such a lonesome place. It was strange for her to think that not too long ago the area used to be teeming with dragons.
“Damn those Highlanders!”
Theo started as she heard an approaching dragon curse.
Who’s here?
She gasped as she saw Lynx appear out of the trees, blood running down the side of his face.
The marine green dragon stopped to look at her and grinned.
“Lynx, you’re bleeding!” Theo exclaimed, staring at the gash on his crown.
“Never mind that,” he replied, blinking away the blood that ran down into his eyes.
Theo stared at him, appalled. “Who attacked you?”
“The phoenixes got me.” He smirked.
Theo could tell that he was mocking her, recalling their first interaction, but his smug air altered as he grimaced in pain.
“Don’t jest with me,” Theo insisted. “Tell me what really happened.”
“I wanted to avoid the Lake, with the rogues and colonists bashing heads, so I went to a spring up in the mountains but there were already a couple of brutes there.” He tossed his head to shake off the bloody saliva dangling from his jaws and chuckled. “We didn’t agree with each other.”
With that, he lumbered away, a snide smile lingering on his face.
That leaves the Lake as the only dependable fresh water source on this side of the mountain range, Theo realized. And with the rogues defending it as their own, what will happen to everyone else?
Frustrated and parched, Theo made up her mind and headed towards the Archway, Wystil on her mind- her drive for hydration making her reckless.
“River!”
Theo jumped, and then noticed Cedar at the foot of the mountain, across the creek bed from Damon’s shelter.
“Oh, Cedar,” she murmured. “Why aren’t you with the rest of the Colony?”
“Ah, I’d like to be,” Cedar sighed. “But Wycker asked me to stand guard at the Archway, and you know when he asks for something…you can’t really say no.”
“True,” Theo agreed. “Why does he want you to guard?”
“Scouts, I think they’re called,” Cedar said. “I don’t know what a scout looks like but I sure have been scaring off a lot of humans.”
“What?” Theo was taken aback. “What are the humans doing?”
“I don’t know. But they come one by one and all I have to do is growl at them and they run away,” he chuckled. “It’s kind of amusing, actually.”
“Cedar, those are scouts,” Theo told him.
“No.” Cedar shook his head. “They’re humans, I’m sure of it. They look just like that Damon person.”
“Well, yeah they’re humans, but they’re called scouts because they’re coming to scout out the area,” Theo tried to explain.
“Huh…” Cedar puzzled. “Ah, well. All that matters is I’m doing what Wycker wants, right?” He grinned. “Although…I heard you’ve stood up to him before. Got quite the courage, have you?”
“Ugh,” Theo narrowed her eyes, remembering. “I can’t stand him.”
“Oh, I know,” Cedar concurred. “Anyway, what are you doing so far from the Colony?”
“Just-” Theo shook her head. “I’m just staying behind for now. I hear things aren’t so grand up by the Lake with all the rogues. Is Whinchat there, do you know?”
Cedar looked downcast. “Yeah, she is,” he answered. “I’m worried for her, though, because of all those rogues…I wish she’d have stayed down here with me.”
“Did you ask her to?”
“Yeah, but…I guess she didn’t feel comfortable being away from everyone else.”
“Hmm.” Theo nodded sympathetically. “How long does Wycker want you to stay here?”
Cedar snorted. “He didn’t say. I’ve been here since…I don’t even know how long.”
“Oh.” Theo wondered if he’d been there since the truth about the firesap was revealed, but she didn’t ask. “Do you know where Wycker is now?”
“He’s guarding the Narrow Valley. Apparently he doesn’t expect these humans, or scouts, to give up.”
“Yeah…” For once, Theo agreed with Wycker. After slaying the Maelstrom and hearing about the dragons that came to snatch a little boy, Chadwick would be more determined than ever to find out what was going on in the dragon territory.
Soon he’ll give up on sending scouts and just come himself, she predicted. With an army at his heels…
She worried of what was to come. What will kill us first? The firesap, the rogues, the drought, or my brother’s men? Everything seemed so hopeless.
Once again, Theo was reminded of the one thing she wanted to do in this time of complete chaos.
All I want is a drink.
She took a deep breath. “I’d like to get past,” she told Cedar.
“What?” Cedar was confounded. “You want to go through the Archway?”
“Yes,” Theo affirmed, trying to take a step forward.
“But wait!” Cedar exclaimed, getting in her way. “Why?! What am I to tell Wycker?”
“Tell him to go shred his wings or burn his eyes out for all I care,” Theo scoffed. “Try standing up to him for once. See how he likes it.”
“He won’t like it,” Cedar replied, abashed. “Please, River! Don’t leave.”
Theo looked him in the eye. “Sorry, but I’m going. So please get out of the way.”
Cedar stood still for a moment, holding eye contact with her. Then, he averted his eyes and stepped aside. “I don’t want to fight my friends,” he said. “Not that I don’t think I could beat you,” he added.
“Perhaps you could,” Theo responded walking past. “Thanks all the same.”
“…hope I don’t regret this.” Theo heard Cedar muttering behind her as she headed deeper into the valley.
On either side of her, the iron bond plants were shriveling and crackling as they bent, unable to support their own weight in their drained condition.
When she reached the Archway, she saw that it was clearly exposed, no longer submerged in the water that once flowed through. Cautiously, she stuck her head out, scanning the scenery before crawling out.
She spotted the bank where she had knelt down in her royal dress to drink from the river. She was reminded that, had she left for the castle when her servants asked her to, she’d be out of this mess entirely. Theo shook her head angrily. She felt so dehydrated.
She ventured further into Wystil, heading for Swaine River, which curved around the castle, providing a trusty water source for the humans, their crops, and their livestock. Theo assumed that this river her people relied on so much was still at its peak. Its source, she knew, was located a vast distance away from the source of Iron Creek.
Her assu
mption appeared to be correct. As she drew nearer to her destination, there was an obvious increase of wildlife. Birds sang above her head. Rabbits and squirrels hurried to get to shelter as she came. Once, she took the liberty of catching some quail for a meal. She smiled at the satisfying crunch of bones, followed by a flood of warm juices within her mouth.
Theo could feel herself getting closer to the castle. It vexed her, that feeling. She continued to stride onward, all the while her anger rising. There was nothing for her to be angry at but herself. She thought of all her past decisions that turned out to be critical mistakes. Had she avoided just one of them, her problems could have been solved, or would never have existed in the first place. How foolish she was to have accepted the Gift of Fire.
Gift of Fire! She snorted at the irony.
In a relatively short time, she reached the river. The sight of its seemingly limitless water flowing with ease brought her mind off of her problems for the moment. Eagerly, she crept up to the water’s edge to plunge her muzzle into the cool refreshment. She sucked in mouthfuls, lifting her head each time to let the water run down her throat.
For once, she felt enlivened. Then she heard the sound of something crashing through the undergrowth. Theo immediately retreated to the cover of the trees, turning her head to the noise as it came. She saw a deer running at full speed. In its panic, it was unaware of her and bounded right in front of her.
Theo took the deer down by impulse. At once it lay in the dirt, its neck snapped from impact.
Theo looked at it irritably. She hated when she lost control of herself like that.
Then something under the carcass caught her eye and she turned the deer over with one claw to see it better. Blood stained its side where an arrow protruded. It all became clear to her why it had been fleeing.
Theo alerted at another sound nearby- horses at full gallop. The shouts of men were also to be heard, as well as what Theo believed to be the excited screeches of hunting monigons.
She froze. This was a hunt, and she had just taken down the quarry.
Suddenly, Theo cried out in pain as an arrow embedded itself between her left wing and shoulder blade. Living in such a tough hide, pain had become a rarity, but now it blossomed up inside of her and she fled.
As she ran, she heard her attacker calling out to the others.
Out of nowhere, Theo saw a midnight blue dragon flying above her, darting with expert agility between trees. Wycker.
“Fold your wing in!” he flared at her, seeing her left wing being torn as it caught on twigs and branches.
“I can’t!” she cried. The arrow prevented her wing from closing, and the pain worsened when she tried.
“Turn here!” Wycker demanded and she, panicky, did as he said.
Racing onward, trying to keep her wing from hitting trees, she sensed that she was out-running the hunters. Their noise was distant, and Theo began to believe that she actually escaped them.
Then she hit a dead end.
A rocky cliff loomed before her. She began to change direction, but Wycker called her back.
“You’ll run right into a town that way,” he said, glaring down at her from a jut of rock.
Theo desperately looked to her right.
“You’ll meet a dead end there, too,” Wycker growled.
“I have to climb?” Theo gasped, looking up at the top of the cliff, so far out of reach.
“No time!” Wycker snapped. “It’s either fly or be caught!”
Theo stared, terrified, unable to respond.
Fly? She tried to move her injured wing but the pain was too great. I can’t!
“So be it,” he hissed when she just stood there.
“What do I do?” she yelped. Her pursuers were drawing closer now, with shouts of excitement.
Wycker crouched as he contemplated.
“Submit,” he told her. “Don’t fight them. Request to speak to the king.”
“Yes, of course!” Theo exclaimed. “I will tell him who I really am. He will help me!”
“No!” Wycker barked. “Do not tell anyone of your true identity. You will only be met with denial and accusations.”
Theo opposed but Wycker shut her down.
“Try to make yourself desirable alive, just so they don’t kill you. I will see you again.”
With that, he was up and over the cliff, completely out of sight.
Clinging to a rock was a small, marble white wyvern that watched Theo intently with scarlet red eyes.
You! For how long will you haunt me? She stared back at the creature and it opened its mouth, emitting a piercing screech.
Theo whipped around just as the first hunting monigon appeared. More arrived, surrounding her and advancing at a stalk. They exchanged freakish, excited sounds as they saw that she was trapped, pressed against the cliff.
The leading one bellowed, proclaiming their capture.
With the hunters soon to arrive, Theo sunk lower to the ground.
The horsemen cantered to a stop behind the arch of monigons, staring at their catch in awe. The horses threw their heads nervously.
“Send for King Chadwick,” one man on a dark brown horse said. Theo’s heart skipped a beat when she recognized him as Chadwick’s best friend.
Tyrone.
One man turned his horse and galloped away to do as Tyrone ordered.
“Imagine how handsomely we’ll be rewarded!” someone exclaimed and was met with a chorus of cheers.
Tyrone did not cheer. He almost looked grim as he dismounted his horse. He lifted his falconer-gloved hand and called softly, “Ivory.”
Theo flinched when the red-eyed wyvern flew past her to perch on his arm.
It’s his! Theo realized. He must have kept it ever since it scared me out of that tree!
Tyrone’s eyes flicked down to the pool of blood forming where she stood. The dark red liquid gushed out of her shoulder with every rapid beat of her heart.
“That arrow is causing her a great amount of damage,” Theo heard him say to a man behind him. “She needs medical attention or she’ll bleed out.”
Theo narrowed her eyes, trying to hide her fear. Her wing stuck out awkwardly, making her feel even more vulnerable. Tyrone continued to stand there, examining her from the distance.
“I don’t understand how she’s still standing!” a bowman exclaimed. “I shot her with enough tranquilizer to down a bear!”
“Well, this is no bear,” Tyrone responded absentmindedly.
“Tyrone,” a man addressed him nervously. “Who’s going anywhere near that thing?”
“I will,” Tyrone answered without hesitation, removing his glove as Ivory climbed up his arm to his shoulder. “I should be able to dress the wound as I have done for other animals.”
“You’ll surely be devoured,” a man scorned as Tyrone began his approach towards Theo. She arched her back in warning, her body in a defensive half-circle.
“I believe you said the same when we faced the fearsome Zeus,” Tyrone replied to the man, his eyes fixed on Theo. “And now the legendary beast lies dead on the coast.”
These are the same men who helped kill the Maelstrom? Theo was alarmed.
“It was King Chadwick who slew him!” the man objected.
“True,” Tyrone agreed, still facing her. It was clear he did not care to argue, though Theo suspected there was something his opponent was not giving him credit for. Though Chadwick could easily win him over in a duel, Theo knew Tyrone to be very skilled not only in tracking, but also in handling monigons.
Tyrone was probably right there with Chadwick, helping him defeat the Maelstrom in any way he could.
“Back off!” Theo hissed, baring her teeth when she felt Tyrone come too close. She was too winded to breathe fire, though she wanted to warn him away.
The band of hunters inhaled sharply as she spoke, drawing away slightly. Tyrone, however, just met her glare with solemn eyes.
“My apologies,” he murmured, “bu
t I cannot.”
Theora stiffened. Though she felt threatened, she found herself disarmed by his behavior. To lash out at him was impossible.
“Your men shot me.” She held a rigid stance.
“Yes,” he agreed. “And I would like to tend to that.” Swiftly, he stepped to the side of her, causing her to start. But he did nothing else except stand there, observing her wound as she watched him from the corner of her eye.
She felt herself weakening. Her poise was loosening to the point where she swayed on her feet as the tranquilizer and loss of blood took effect.
At long last, the sound of hoof beats came within earshot. Chadwick had arrived, with guards on either side.
Theo began losing her grip on what was going on around her. She realized that Tyrone was now inspecting her injury at close quarters, but she could do nothing about it. Slowly, her vision blurred and her hearing became muffled. She sank to the ground, lying there, trying to hold on.
“Please,” Tyrone requested, “what may I call you by?”
Do not reveal your true identity, Theo wearily remembered Wycker telling her.
“River,” she groaned.
“Then, River,” Tyrone said, taking hold of the arrow sticking out of her. “Please pardon what I am about to do.” With that, she felt the arrow yanked out of her. She lurched with a scream, her sight crystal clear for a moment as the pain shot through her.
Blood flowed even faster with the blockade removed. She felt a few more pricks and probes before she completely lost consciousness, leaving her body to slump in full submission.
Chapter 27