Chapter Ten
Ash
I woke slowly, my whole body aching. I tried moving an arm and winced. I ignored the pain and sat up, gazing down at my human body.
I’m still me, I sighed, gritting my teeth as I stood from the vine bed.
I shuffled into the main room, trying to remember where the toilet was.
‘Good morning.’ Lance breezed in, staring as I leaned helplessly against a wall. ‘How are you feeling?’
I glared at him.
‘Perhaps you’d like a bath? I have a small private one, or there’s the public spring, which will be big enough to swim in.’
‘Swim?’ I blanched.
‘Can’t you swim? Perhaps another time then. I’ll fill the bath for you.’
I shuffled after him to the bathroom. His bath was twice the size of our wooden tub; like everything else, it was made of vines.
Lance tugged at a vine dangling from the ceiling over the bath. Water began pouring out.
‘How is it already warm?’ I asked.
‘The source of this water is always kept heated. I’ll add some herbs to help ease your soreness.’
‘Lance,’ I said. ‘What was that dream? Why did it feel so…’
‘Real? It was real.’
‘But I still look like me.’ I raised my hands to check.
‘I don’t know what you saw, but I do know it was meant for you alone. Wherever fate leads you, this was meant to happen.’
‘That’s not an answer.’
Lance smiled and pulled the vine, stopping the water. I stared down at the full bath as he sprinkled crushed herbs onto the surface.
‘You can handle what’s in store, little one; I have no doubt about that.’
I stayed in the bath until the water was luke-warm. My muscles were still sore, but I could move them without much pain.
Lance had left a normal towel made of cotton. I dried myself carefully, examining my skin with a frown. It felt harder. I squinted at it, seeing faint lines.
Are those scale shapes? I shook my head and looked again, seeing nothing.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ Father asked when I shuffled into the main room.
‘Everything hurts.’ I moaned, collapsing into a chair.
‘Isn’t he at the age human boys begin growing like weeds?’ Lance smiled, setting a tray of food on my lap.
Father nodded, the hint of concern fading from his eyes.
‘Even so, it would be better to wait before leaving. Being transported when unwell isn’t recommended.’ Lance advised.
‘He’s not ill.’ Father said, ‘But we can wait; there’s no need to rush back.’
‘But-’ I stopped, too tired to try.
‘Your mother will understand.’ Lance smiled.
I wasn’t so sure.
I barely moved that day, dozing in the chair, each time catching glimpses of that ash-filled place with the red blur far away, watching. Each time I woke Lance stood there with some tea. Drinking it always made me doze again.
In that place I was still a dragon, unable to move my new body. I breathed in and out, feeling my body, aware of possessing another lung I wasn’t using.
What’s that for?
To breathe a different substance. The voice sounded amused. A stab of pain pierced the world. My eyes shot open.
‘Someone’s hurting her!’ I said, sitting up. Father looked at me, annoyed.
‘It was just a dream, son. Everything is fine.’
‘It wasn’t just a dream; she’s in pain!’
Lance said nothing, his face serious.
After three days of barely moving my aches had faded. The red blur had evaded my questions about her pain, encouraging me to concentrate on my own new body.
The scale marks had become more noticeable, decorating every inch of my skin. Father had stared at them in horror and refused to acknowledge them, barely looking at me.
‘What are these things?’ I asked Lance, following him out of his hut. Father remained behind, determined to leave today but refusing to help Lance with his own trading.
‘What do you think they are?’ Lance answered, making me want to punch him.
‘Don’t you ever give a straight answer?’
‘Only when I want to.’
I gave up, following him as we walked away from the occupied streets to a narrow, darker road.
Lance stopped suddenly, his posture rigid.
‘Hello, Sapphire. Can I help you?’
A small light twinkled in our path, a pair of delicate see-through wings the most visible part of it. My eyes could see a small version of Sapphire in the light’s centre.
‘I thought you said faeries don’t exist here!’
‘They don’t. Faeries are beings who can only remain small. Sapphire is a farry, an evolved form who can be both elf and faery.’
As he spoke the light around the farry brightened, growing. Even my eyes were blinded. I closed them, re-opening them slowly to see the Sapphire I’d met before standing in front of us.
‘What are you doing Lance?’
‘I think you already know.’ He smiled.
‘Why are you getting involved with that boy? His fate had been decided, do not try to steer him.’
‘He’ll see the seal eventually; why not give him a quick peek now?’
Sapphire stared at him, her expression cold.
‘I will not be a part of this.’ She stepped forward, forcing us to move aside so she could walk past. ‘That is not Dagan, no matter what you wish.’
Lance watched her back until she disappeared from view, a melancholy expression on his face.
‘An amazing woman, that one,’ he breathed, his face suddenly shifted into a mischievous grin. ‘Shall we follow her?’
He wasn’t joking.
‘Err-’
‘Never mind; you need to see this. But don’t tell your father.’
I followed him, the path growing narrower. I held my tongue, wanting to know who Dagan was, but remembering the expression the name had caused for Lance.
My foot slipped. Lance grabbed my arm before I fell off the path’s edge.
‘Careful little one, it’s a long way down.’
‘Where are we going?’ I asked, trying to calm my racing heart.
If I get too scared here…
‘Have you ever heard of the four immortal realms?’
‘I know that’s where the immortals come from.’
‘The only ones who can enter are immortals, and only through barriers at certain locations. The earth barrier is protected by the elves here. I thought you being near the seal might help in some way.’
The path had become so narrow I had to put one foot in front of the other. The ground widened out into a round platform. I took three steps into it before I dared look up again.
The platform would have squashed ten people on it. The design reminded me of the elevator; I shuddered. Only a green mist hovered in the centre, the height and width of two men.
‘Do you see it?’
I nodded, reaching out of hand.
‘Careful.’
Too late. My hand touched the mist and searing pain shot through my head. Her scream echoed through my whole body, and once again I felt it burning.
‘What have you done?’ Sapphire’s voice. I could only see the ash place now, the red blur a little clear, her body withering in pain.
‘She’s dying!’ I screamed. ‘I can’t-’
Soon.
I didn’t hear anymore.
‘Has this happened before?’ Lance asked.
‘A few times, but it’s nothing. The boy gets scared and passes out, that’s all.’ Father insisted.
‘Dimitri, panic attacks are dangerous when being consistent.’
It wasn’t one. I wanted to say, but my mouth refused to move, my eyes heavy to open. You know what it was, why are you lying?
‘They’ll go away.’
‘You can’t risk it. He won’t survive in Aneller; the lifestyle is too harsh.’
‘He-’
‘You’ll have to wait Dimitri.’
‘Wait? Wait! Look at him! What is wrong with him? His skin…’
‘Does it scare you?’ Lance’s voice was quiet, soothing. Father began to whisper too.
‘Is this because of my sin? That woman, she was…and now his skin looks…’ He trailed off.
‘Those two events aren’t connected. Your son has been chosen for a very special role.’
‘Ignatius warned me. He said the boy would be used as a tool against him if I wasn’t careful. How can I take him to Aneller if he’s going to betray me? I’ve tried to redeem myself after what I did, but…’
‘Dimitri?’
‘I need Ignatius to be Arŕ Wel. I need to be loyal to him. I can’t risk that, not for anything. Forget the stupid attacks; I can’t go to Aneller when he could be a threat. He needs to stay so Ignatius can watch him; and if need be…if he ordered me to…’
They didn’t talk again. I retreated into the ash field, too shocked to cry.
If you die, and Father kills me, what will happen then?
She didn’t answer.
My mind remained in the ash field until it was forcefully yanked out. I gasped in a deep breath, eyes opening to feel heat all around me.
Fire all around.
Please no.
I was off the ground, being carried by Father, cradled to his chest in a suffocating hold.
‘Welcome back, was it a successful trade?’
‘Yes master, although one payment hasn’t been made yet. I-’
‘What is wrong with the boy?’
I was sobbing. Those fire eyes stared at me and I could barely breathe.
‘It happened the first night in Laven. What should we do?’
I tried to struggle, but all my body did was a pathetic wriggle.
‘P-please Father. Don’t k-kill me!’ I shifted my head, burying it in his chest.
‘Why chose this child, I wonder.’ Ignatius pondered.
‘Master?’
‘Don’t hurt him, Dimitri. I have plans for him once his transformation is complete. He must stay in Firo, and visit Laven as often as possible.’
‘But-’
‘Does it bother you that much? You may still depart to Aneller, but the boy must stay. The choice is yours. Let me know when you decide.’
Father hesitated for a little longer, but turned away, his tight grip bruising my hard skin.
Scribbled Thoughts 