how much it was hated. Living inside him for sixteen years would not ensure the creature’s survival – it would only ensure that its eventual death was painful and definite.
/What a charming late welcome… common courtesy is not just a thing for dragons, you know ./
Corran yelped and jumped to his feet, one hand clawing at the side of his face where the voice had seemed to come from. Everyone was staring at him, but instead of staring back he turned in a circle, searching out into the darkness of the forest to try and find some other source of that creaky, dry voice – anything but the dragon.
“It spoke to you?”
Corran flinched and spun to glare down at Gerard – unfortunately, Gerard was now on his feet and taller than him.
“Something bit me,” Corran snapped. That made his yelp even more pathetic – but better that then admit what had just happened. He didn’t even want to admit it to himself. He slumped back to the floor, ignoring Gerard’s watchful eye. The smoke tickled his nose and he sneezed again.
His mind reeled in shock and disbelief at the confirmation that voice had brought. Gerard didn’t tell fairy tales. He told horror stories. Corran had been playing shelter to a monster all his life. He was the host to a despicable creature that had invaded him and should never have existed to start with.
/Some people might say the same about you ./
A shudder ran through him, goosebumps rising all over his arms. This time Gerard did not let it go.
“There is nothing to be afraid of. This kind of fire was used by new Fliers to build a link with their dragons.”
He waved a hand through the oddly coloured smoke and Corran shifted his glare to that. Gerard had built it – what had he done? And what was it doing to him ?
“With time you will not need the goldsmoke to communicate, but you have to practice. Breathe in the smoke and allow yourself to adjust to it.”
Gerard retook his seat but Corran was disquieted to realise that half the group stared at him and not their leader. He shuffled further from the flames. There would be no communication. This dragon would have to be stifled so tight it choked until he could do away with it. Was it possible? He didn’t care. He was the son of a dragonslayer and he would not let a dragon beat him.
Gerard continued his story, but shivers ran through Corran as the faint whisperings of laughter echoed through him.
CHAPTER 7
G iselle pulled her new woollen cloak closer around her and continued to chew on the lump of bread that Sarra had forced into her hand at lunch, now several hours past. She had never eaten so much in her entire life. Even living with her guard as a young child it had been limited, but Sarra seemed intent on fattening her up as much as possible. It didn’t seem to be having much of an effect so far – she was still as skinny as ever – but at least the occasional blurry vision and dizziness had faded. Unfortunately, there was a limit to how much she could eat before her stomach felt like it was about to burst, and Sarra did like to push her as far past that as possible.
Voice had been quiet since they set off from Tyrun, but as they rounded a corner on the hilly road to look down at the valley below he rumbled to life.
/This is familiar.../
“Familiar how?” Giselle asked , trying her best to ignore the curious look fixated her way by Sarra. The inability to talk privately with Voice was the worst part of this trip so far. It was even more irritating that she never managed to overhear Sarra talking to Muire
/I think I have been here before. It’s… yes! There !/
She directed her gaze in the direction he was feeling towards and found what he was so focused on ; the entrance to a mine. And not just any mine – it was huge. Workers, little ants from where she stood on the hill, bustled in and out of the gaping hole in the side of a cliff. Further down the valley was a small town and a narrow path ran directly between the
/What a charming late welcome… common courtesy is not just a thing for dragons, you know ./
Corran yelped and jumped to his feet, one hand clawing at the side of his face where the voice had seemed to come from. Everyone was staring at him, but instead of staring back he turned in a circle, searching out into the darkness of the forest to try and find some other source of that creaky, dry voice – anything but the dragon.
“It spoke to you?”
Corran flinched and spun to glare down at Gerard – unfortunately, Gerard was now on his feet and taller than him.
“Something bit me,” Corran snapped. That made his yelp even more pathetic – but better that then admit what had just happened. He didn’t even want to admit it to himself. He slumped back to the floor, ignoring Gerard’s watchful eye. The smoke tickled his nose and he sneezed again.
His mind reeled in shock and disbelief at the confirmation that voice had brought. Gerard didn’t tell fairy tales. He told horror stories. Corran had been playing shelter to a monster all his life. He was the host to a despicable creature that had invaded him and should never have existed to start with.
/Some people might say the same about you ./
A shudder ran through him, goosebumps rising all over his arms. This time Gerard did not let it go.
“There is nothing to be afraid of. This kind of fire was used by new Fliers to build a link with their dragons.”
He waved a hand through the oddly coloured smoke and Corran shifted his glare to that. Gerard had built it – what had he done? And what was it doing to him ?
“With time you will not need the goldsmoke to communicate, but you have to practice. Breathe in the smoke and allow yourself to adjust to it.”
Gerard retook his seat but Corran was disquieted to realise that half the group stared at him and not their leader. He shuffled further from the flames. There would be no communication. This dragon would have to be stifled so tight it choked until he could do away with it. Was it possible? He didn’t care. He was the son of a dragonslayer and he would not let a dragon beat him.
Gerard continued his story, but shivers ran through Corran as the faint whisperings of laughter echoed through him.
CHAPTER 7
G iselle pulled her new woollen cloak closer around her and continued to chew on the lump of bread that Sarra had forced into her hand at lunch, now several hours past. She had never eaten so much in her entire life. Even living with her guard as a young child it had been limited, but Sarra seemed intent on fattening her up as much as possible. It didn’t seem to be having much of an effect so far – she was still as skinny as ever – but at least the occasional blurry vision and dizziness had faded. Unfortunately, there was a limit to how much she could eat before her stomach felt like it was about to burst, and Sarra did like to push her as far past that as possible.
Voice had been quiet since they set off from Tyrun, but as they rounded a corner on the hilly road to look down at the valley below he rumbled to life.
/This is familiar.../
“Familiar how?” Giselle asked , trying her best to ignore the curious look fixated her way by Sarra. The inability to talk privately with Voice was the worst part of this trip so far. It was even more irritating that she never managed to overhear Sarra talking to Muire
/I think I have been here before. It’s… yes! There !/
She directed her gaze in the direction he was feeling towards and found what he was so focused on ; the entrance to a mine. And not just any mine – it was huge. Workers, little ants from where she stood on the hill, bustled in and out of the gaping hole in the side of a cliff. Further down the valley was a small town and a narrow path ran directly between the
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