home he had faced dangers. Dragonhunters, extreme cold, demons and night dragons – any one could have killed him, but he had escaped each challenge unscathed. For the first time, Elian
suddenly became painfully aware of the fragile nature of life. He could not tell the extent of his own injuries and his dragon could be dying for all he knew. Was it all about to end? Was he about
to crash and die? Robbed of his sight and hearing, all Elian could do was to hang onto the pommel and hope that Aurora still possessed the strength to get them to safety.
Blurred shadows loomed around him. It felt as though they were amongst mountains again. Aurora bucked and rolled beneath him like a wild stallion. He knew in his heart that it was turbulence,
but for an insane moment he thought she might be trying to throw him from her back. Sheer desperation kept his fingers wrapped tightly around the pommel. He squeezed it so hard that his fingers
seemed to lock and he doubted he could have let go again if he had wanted to.
All at once Aurora gave a huge lurch, like a horse leaping over a high hedge, and the pummelling rain cut off in an instant. The wind that had tugged at his clothing and hair also stopped
abruptly and Aurora’s motion switched from a flying rhythm to a running one. Relief warmed him. They had landed.
Aurora slowed to a stop and Elian leaned forwards slowly until his cheek rested against her back ridge just in front of the saddle. His fingers would not let go of the pommel, so he bent over
them. He had thought that when the rain stopped his vision would clear but, although the flash spot was receding, his sight remained blurred and no amount of blinking made any difference. He could
no longer feel his right foot and he felt sick with the pain in his ears and eyes.
The lullaby of unconsciousness began to sing its drowsy invitation but Elian refused to listen to its dreamy voice. There was something important that he had to do. He could not afford to rest.
Another voice, distant, harsh and demanding began to intrude. Was that Aurora? No. It was Kira! He could hear her. He wasn’t deaf. He could hear Kira. She wanted something.
Legs bowed?
Letter owed?
What was she saying?
He felt hands grip him on either side of his jacket and pull him to his left.
Let go!
That was it. She wanted him to let go. He wanted to comply. He trusted Kira but his fingers refused
to obey. The hands searched under his body and prised his fingers free. A spike of pain shot down his right leg as he was eased out of the saddle. He gasped with the shock of it. More hands
supported him from below, lowering him gently down Aurora’s side.
Pell? Nolita?
Had they returned to Orupee? No, that couldn’t be it. The weather had been fine in Orupee when
they left. It was cold and raining here. Where was he?
Elian groaned. He was being carried, but by whom, or to where, he had no idea. Voices spoke to him – distant dreamlike voices. He tried to concentrate on what they were saying. They
sounded both concerned and encouraging.
Suddenly he realised he was no longer moving. His bearers had put him down. Where had they taken him? When he tried to remember how long he had been carried for, he could find no frame of
reference. It had felt like an eternity, yet it might have been a few heartbeats. He could feel a soft mattress under his back. Someone was bathing his right cheek and ear. A burning sensation was
spreading across his face that helped him to focus. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words would form on his lips.
Excruciating pain suddenly roared in his right thigh, causing him to buck violently on the mattress. He cried out, feeling the vibrations of that cry rattle around inside his head. For some time
afterwards his teeth ached and his ears felt as though they were bleeding. Gentle pressure was being applied to the leg. It hurt, but nothing like that first shock of pain. This felt comforting.
Blurry shapes moved around him, bent
suddenly became painfully aware of the fragile nature of life. He could not tell the extent of his own injuries and his dragon could be dying for all he knew. Was it all about to end? Was he about
to crash and die? Robbed of his sight and hearing, all Elian could do was to hang onto the pommel and hope that Aurora still possessed the strength to get them to safety.
Blurred shadows loomed around him. It felt as though they were amongst mountains again. Aurora bucked and rolled beneath him like a wild stallion. He knew in his heart that it was turbulence,
but for an insane moment he thought she might be trying to throw him from her back. Sheer desperation kept his fingers wrapped tightly around the pommel. He squeezed it so hard that his fingers
seemed to lock and he doubted he could have let go again if he had wanted to.
All at once Aurora gave a huge lurch, like a horse leaping over a high hedge, and the pummelling rain cut off in an instant. The wind that had tugged at his clothing and hair also stopped
abruptly and Aurora’s motion switched from a flying rhythm to a running one. Relief warmed him. They had landed.
Aurora slowed to a stop and Elian leaned forwards slowly until his cheek rested against her back ridge just in front of the saddle. His fingers would not let go of the pommel, so he bent over
them. He had thought that when the rain stopped his vision would clear but, although the flash spot was receding, his sight remained blurred and no amount of blinking made any difference. He could
no longer feel his right foot and he felt sick with the pain in his ears and eyes.
The lullaby of unconsciousness began to sing its drowsy invitation but Elian refused to listen to its dreamy voice. There was something important that he had to do. He could not afford to rest.
Another voice, distant, harsh and demanding began to intrude. Was that Aurora? No. It was Kira! He could hear her. He wasn’t deaf. He could hear Kira. She wanted something.
Legs bowed?
Letter owed?
What was she saying?
He felt hands grip him on either side of his jacket and pull him to his left.
Let go!
That was it. She wanted him to let go. He wanted to comply. He trusted Kira but his fingers refused
to obey. The hands searched under his body and prised his fingers free. A spike of pain shot down his right leg as he was eased out of the saddle. He gasped with the shock of it. More hands
supported him from below, lowering him gently down Aurora’s side.
Pell? Nolita?
Had they returned to Orupee? No, that couldn’t be it. The weather had been fine in Orupee when
they left. It was cold and raining here. Where was he?
Elian groaned. He was being carried, but by whom, or to where, he had no idea. Voices spoke to him – distant dreamlike voices. He tried to concentrate on what they were saying. They
sounded both concerned and encouraging.
Suddenly he realised he was no longer moving. His bearers had put him down. Where had they taken him? When he tried to remember how long he had been carried for, he could find no frame of
reference. It had felt like an eternity, yet it might have been a few heartbeats. He could feel a soft mattress under his back. Someone was bathing his right cheek and ear. A burning sensation was
spreading across his face that helped him to focus. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words would form on his lips.
Excruciating pain suddenly roared in his right thigh, causing him to buck violently on the mattress. He cried out, feeling the vibrations of that cry rattle around inside his head. For some time
afterwards his teeth ached and his ears felt as though they were bleeding. Gentle pressure was being applied to the leg. It hurt, but nothing like that first shock of pain. This felt comforting.
Blurry shapes moved around him, bent
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