As the blinding white light that had surrounded Devaj faded, Nagaron eased his hands away from his face and blinked, trying to clear his vision. The light had been so intense he had been forced to turn away from Devaj and press his hands against his eyes to keep from going blind. Aarush had closed his eyes as well and lifted a wing between Nagaron and Devaj.
The chamber walls glittered with millions of glowing crystals, and a chorus of voices shimmered the air with song. Aarush rolled his shoulders and folded his wing back. Nagaron ran his fingers across the glowing crystals in the chamber walls and let out a sigh of relief. Squinting his eyes, Nagaron turned to look at Devaj. Though the intense light was gone, white light still radiated from Devaj’s face and body in the center of the Fountain’s golden glow. A rainbow of colors from the crystals on the walls reflected off Devaj’s diamond armor.
Devaj blinked and gazed around the room. Taking a step forward, he stumbled over the Crown of Power at his feet. Aarush reached a foreclaw out to steady him.
“Nagaron,” Devaj said, after regaining his balance. “I believe it was the Fountain’s will that you and Aarush be reunited.” He blinked and fell forward, unconscious.
Aarush caught Devaj and lifted him in his arms.
“I hope Devaj is right and the Fountain really has forgiven us?” Nagaron stepped into the Fountain’s cascading water and collected the remaining Powers. “They’re still here. The Fountain didn’t take them back.”
But do they have any power left in them? Aarush asked.
Nagaron looked down at the hand he had used to lift the Fabric and then held his hand up for Aarush to see his fingernails had turned gold.
Aarush let out a surprised rumble.
“We should put His Majesty in bed,” Nagaron said. “Did you draw chambers for him?”
I did, Aarush said, striding out of the Fountain chamber, carrying Devaj. Come. Bring the Powers.
Nagaron followed him into the familiar halls of the home he had been torn away from long ago. A sweet wind wafted down the gray stone hallway, rustling the earth-colored rug that ran along the floor and the leaves of the plants that grew in pots along the walls.
I did not draw his chambers like those Khalid lived in at the palace at Stonefountain, Aarush said. I did not think he would want that. I modeled them after his chambers in the Kundiland palace. I suppose, if he doesn’t like that, we can make changes as necessary. Here is the king’s suite. Aarush stepped into a round room with a dragon bed of loose pillows and down comforters in the center. Gold covered the walls and floor. Sunlight streamed in through a dragon-sized arched window. On the far side of the room, a human-sized alcove, which included Devaj’s favorite chair in front of a fireplace, Devaj’s bookcase, desk, and instrument stand, adjoined it. Aarush put Devaj’s lute on the instrument stand, laid Devaj in the bed, and pulled a blanket overtop of him. Devaj’s glow lit the blanket from beneath, throwing into contrast the white fabric and gold stitching.
A glass display case stood against the back wall of the alcove. Aarush opened it and motioned for Nagaron to place the Powers inside. Nagaron put the Quill and ink on the shelf next to the pages that held all of Nikeron and Kachanaba’s drawings as well as Aarush’s. Nagaron folded the Fabric with the rough side out and set it on the next shelf down. He laid the Crown on a red display cushion on the bottom shelf and covered it with the red velvet, waiting for that purpose. He left the Heart Stone in Devaj’s diamond armor over his heart. It would be up to Devaj to place it in the display case along with the other Powers when he was ready.
The silver dragonscale armor that Nagaron had taken from Devaj in the Mynydd Duon hung on a stand beside the display case. Nagaron had intended to give it back to Devaj, though it looked like he had already replaced it with something far more valuable.
Do you think he’ll glow like that for the rest of his life? Aarush mused while Nagaron lit a fire in the fireplace.
“I hope not,” Nagaron said. “If he does, Rajan will find some way to be angry about it and blame us.” Once the fire was lit, he followed his dragon from the king’s suite to their own chambers.
Aarush curled into his bed at the center of the room. Nagaron joined him, sitting with his back against his dragon and appreciating the arm and tail Aarush wrapped around them both. Welcome home, Aarush said. It has been so long since we’ve been here together that I gave up hope of it millennia ago.
“I never gave up hope,” Nagaron said. “And that is why we are here together once again.” A sense of wholeness and safety Nagaron had not felt since the day he had bonded with Aarush settled over him.
Several hours later, a cry for help from Jinjani to Rajan speared through Nagaron’s mind. He snapped his focus into the boy’s mind and found Jinjani flying on Irazu over the open ocean. He and Irazu had left the fifth finger of the islands coming down from Darvat and were attempting to fly the last leg to the Untamed Lands, but a cold headwind had sprung up, pushing them back. Irazu’s fire was dwindling and his body growing heavy. Nagaron realized that they had come too far to turn back but were not close enough to the Untamed Lands to reach it before Irazu could no longer fly and would plunge into the sea.
There is nothing Rajan can do to save him, Aarush said in alarm. Elkatran isn’t large enough to carry Irazu, even if he could reach him in time, and you and I would never make it before they perish.
Nagaron jumped to his feet and raced back to the king’s suite. He pulled Quill, ink, and paper from the display case and set them on the desk. Aarush hunched down beside him and brought the paper Nikeron had drawn the Untamed Lands on to the top of the stack.
Can you tell where he is? Aarush asked as Nagaron wet the Quill.
Be quiet. I’m doing my best to find out when they left the fifth finger, what speed they were flying, and their trajectory. Nagaron’s mind spun with the calculations. When he had a clear sense of Jinjani’s exact location, he began to draw.
* * * *
Jinjani’s heart pulsed in time with the beat of Irazu’s wings. He could feel his dragon’s heaviness in his own body, his wings’ unwillingness to keep moving, though Irazu kept pressing forward with all his might. Open water surrounded them.
I’m sorry, Irazu said. I thought we could make it.
We both thought you could. You’ve flown this distance over water before. Jinjani remembered Rajan’s warning about the flight to Darvat that had destroyed Kanvar and Dharanidhar’s health.
Rajan’s mind answered Jinjani’s desperate call. Where are you?
We’re too far out. There is no land in sight. Irazu is too cold. We won’t reach you in time, Jinjani answered.
Turn back then. Get to land while you still can, Rajan urged them.
Jinjani glanced behind him, unsure whether the land behind or the land ahead was closer. He could not tell how far he’d flown with the icy wind biting his face and stealing Irazu’s fire. Irazu’s left wing stopped moving, followed by his right. Jinjani’s stomach leaped up into his throat as he and Irazu dropped toward the frothing waves below. All his life, Jinjani had loved the sensation of falling, until this moment.
Jump free of me and swim, Irazu told him just before they hit the water.
It won’t do any good. If you drown, I’ll still drown with you. Jinjani opened the flap of his travel bag and used his power to force Kitty to fly up into the sky away from him. At least Kitty will survive, Jinjani said. He clung to his dragon as Irazu splashed into the cold ocean. Water rose up around them and closed overtop, swallowing them the way the ground terror had swallowed Jinjani. But Jinjani knew no cutting with his blades would ever bring fresh air to his lungs again.
Their descent into the abyss reversed abruptly as a steaming volcano rose from the depths, carrying Irazu and Jinjani up with it. The ocean waves parted, spilling down the sides of the volcano in steaming waterfalls. Irazu found his feet on the ground of the volcano’s caldera and a bubbling lake of molten lava in front of him.
Jinjani slid from his back and stepped away so Irazu could immerse himself in the liquid stone.
Irazu tried to move forward into the heat that would revive him, but his body had already solidified to stone.
Move up to the caldera rim, Nagaron’s voice spoke into Jinjani’s mind.
Jinjani remained frozen in place, suffering from his dragon’s immobility.
Move to the caldera rim, Nagaron ordered again. He took control of Jinjani’s body and forced him to race away from the pool of lava. Jinjani tried to fight Nagaron’s control, but his mind was like a jewel dragonfly battering itself against a Great Blue dragon. When Jinjani reached the rim, Nagaron forced him to turn around and look at Irazu as the floor of the caldera crumbled inward, and a fountain of lava burst into the sky.
Nagaron moved Jinjani’s hand to bring the visor down over his face as the burning lava thundered down around him and rolled back into the widened lava pool in the caldera. Irazu sank into the lava with a sigh of relief, and Nagaron released Jinjani’s mind and body.
Jinjani gasped, started shaking, and couldn’t stop.
Jinjani! Nagaron’s presence disappeared from Jinjani’s mind, replaced by Rajan’s voice, calling out to him. What happened? I thought I’d lost you.
Jinjani shared his view of the bubbling pool of lava below him and the sense of warmth creeping back into his body as Irazu basked in the pool’s heat.
A volcano? Rajan said in disbelief. Where did that come from?
I have no idea, Jinjani said. It just rose up out of the ocean. A rumble sounded and another volcano came to the surface on the horizon.
I’ve made a path to the Untamed Lands for you and Irazu, Nagaron said into his mind.
Realizing Nagaron must be using the Quill of Creation to aid him, Jinjani licked his parched lips. I don’t suppose you can make a pool of fresh water on this volcano? Jinjani asked. He had lost both his pack with food supplies and canteen during his escape from the Guardians, and hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since leaving Darvat.
The ground beneath Jinjani’s feet changed from rock to a pool of fresh water up to Jinjani’s knees. Jinjani scooped handfuls of the refreshing liquid into his mouth. Keening, Kitty flapped down to drink from the pool beside Jinjani.
Nagaron, is that you? Rajan’s mind connected with Nagaron’s in Jinjani’s thoughts.
Jinjani is safe now, Nagaron answered. That’s what matters.
What about Devaj? Rajan demanded. What have you done with him? If you’ve hurt him, I swear I’ll make you pay for all eternity.
The image of Devaj lying in peaceful repose in his room at the Kundiland palace, his face and armor radiating with light like a glowstone, played across Jinjani’s mind and into Rajan’s.
That’s a lie, Rajan snapped. I know Devaj is not in Kundiland.
Rajan, you are impossible to please, Nagaron said, and his mind vanished behind a heavy shield.
Well, I’m happy, and so is Irazu, Jinjani said, hoping Nagaron heard him through the shield. Thank you for saving us.
Jinjani and Irazu waited for the wind to die down before taking to the air again and hopping across the line of volcanic islands to reach the Untamed Lands. Rajan met them on the coast, pulling Jinjani into a tight hug the moment his feet touched ground. When he released him, he punched Jinani in the arm. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“Oh, believe me, drowning is high on my list of never do that agains,” Jinjani said, following Rajan over to where he and Elkatran had set up camp. “Does Nagaron really have Devaj? How did that happen?”
Rajan shook his head in frustration and offered Jinjani and Kitty some of the fish he had cooked for Elkatran and himself for dinner. “Elkatran, Devaj, and I had captured Nagaron a few days ago, but Aarush showed up, freed Nagaron, and snatched Devaj. Trying to fight Aarush is impossible. He’s just too powerful. We couldn’t stop him from taking Devaj, and he’s three times Elkatran’s size, so we couldn’t keep up when he flew away. We followed them here, arriving only hours before you two nearly drowned.”
“So, Devaj, for sure, could not be at the palace in Kundiland. Why would Nagaron show us that?” Jinjani asked.
“I don’t know, but Elkatran senses him inland from here,” Rajan said.
If we follow this river, it should lead us to him, Elkatran rumbled. He lay curled up in the shade of the trees next to Rajan’s tent. His eyes blinked sluggishly, and his words came out slurred.
“Are you all right?” Jinjani said, going to the dragon and rubbing his smooth gold shoulder.
Elkatran’s eyes closed, and he faded back to sleep.
“He fell unconscious after we landed,” Rajan said. “He was playing his swarabat for Devaj. An explosion of white light shot out of him, and then he blacked out. He has not gained full lucidity since then, at least not enough to be able to tell me what happened to Devaj.”
“It looks like he is glowing, or is that a trick of the setting sun?” Jinjani asked.
Rajan frowned. “Perhaps you’re right. I had not really looked at him closely. It’s hard to see a gold dragon in sunlight, in any case, and he wasn’t in shadow before.”
“Devaj was glowing when Nagaron showed him to us,” Jinjani said. His gaze swept over the river delta and the main channel of water that led inward. “Wait a minute.” He slid the world map out of the map pouch on his belt and spread it out on the ground. “This delta and that river are not on my map,” Jinjani said, pointing to the Untamed Lands. “But they do seem familiar.” Jinjani slid his finger westward across the map to the Stonefountain River delta. “Are you sure we’re in the Untamed Lands and not the southern tip of Varna? Neither of us are wearing iron at the moment. Nagaron could have twisted our minds around and brought us back to Varna instead of letting us chase him to the Untamed Lands.”
A heavy sigh played across Jinjani’s mind, and Nagaron spoke to him. Honestly, Jin. You are not in Varna. What you are looking at is the New Stonefountain River in the Untamed Lands. Have Irazu fly you and Rajan up here, and Devaj and I will explain everything to you.
From the looks of Elkatran, Devaj is not currently conscious, Jinjani said. What did you do to him?
I didn’t do anything. Come with me. Nagaron held Jinjani’s mind pinned in his own and forced Jinjani to look out through his eyes as he strode through a palace of gray stone that looked much like the ancient section of the Stonefountain palace Jinjani had searched with Torin. Nagaron’s path led him into the familiar passageway that led to the Stonefountain chamber. As he stepped inside, a grand anthem, sung by a million voices, leapt into Jinjani’s mind, and a rainbow of colorful stones spread out around him, refracted by the glittering rush of water shooting up from the Fountain.
But you can’t be at Stonefountain, Jinjani said. Elkatran insists you are here in the Untamed Lands.
Nagaron sighed again. Jin, if I can create a volcano to save you and Irazu, why wouldn’t I bring my own home into existence somewhere I don’t have to kill every human in the world to get to?
You created a new Stonefountain with the Quill? Jinjani said in awe and disbelief.
I closed the path between our world and the Realm of the Dead in Varna and reopened it here, Nagaron explained. But what I couldn’t do was convince the spirits tied to the Varna Stonefountain to move here. They couldn’t have come, even if they wanted to, because their souls were tied to their crystals in Varna. Devaj had to do that. And yes, he has been unconscious since then, and yes, he hasn’t stopped glowing since then. Why will you and Rajan not believe when I tell you I am a friend and an ally? I made this entire place for Devaj, because he was dying inside more every day. The longer he stayed separated from Stonefountain, the greater his pain and longing had become. He brought Aarush and I back together, ending our torment. I wanted to do the same for him.
Jinjani rubbed his head. A rush of air blasted him in the face as Aarush swooped from above, grabbed Jinjani, and lifted Elkatran into the air, carrying him with his strong back claws.
The actual distance upriver from the delta to Mount Stonefountain in the Untamed lands was only a fraction of the distance on the larger continent of Varna. Aarush flew in through the window of a golden chamber and eased Elkatran onto a dragon bed in the center of the room. Then he landed and set Jinjani down next to the bed where Devaj lay.
“Your Majesty,” Jinjani said, kneeling by the bed and shaking Devaj. “Your Majesty, are you all right?” Kitty climbed from the travel bag and licked Devaj’s face.
Devaj’s eyes blinked open and came to rest on Jinjani. “Why do you smell like a volcano?” he murmured.
Jinjani let out a weak laugh.
Nagaron strode into the room. “He’s bound to a red dragon, Your Majesty,” he said, going to a glass case against the wall. “Volcanoes are his natural habitat. If he smells like sulfur, it means he’s alive and happy, which is a far cry better than being buried in the depths of the sea.” Nagaron lifted the Heart Stone out of the case and walked over to Jinjani.
Jinjani backed away from him, suddenly aware that the other Powers rested in the case within Nagaron’s grasp.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Jin,” Nagaron said, holding the Heart Stone out.
“Stop calling me Jin. Only friends and family get to call me that,” Jinjani said.
A wispy smile played across Nagaron’s face. “If you insist, Your Majesty, Jinjani Raza king of Kundiland and Navgarod.”
“What?” Jinjani said. Perhaps he was dreaming. The volcano in the ocean, Stonefountain in the wrong place, an ancient castle, Nagaron addressing him as king. It was all so unbelievable, it couldn’t possibly be real.
“It’s what the humans in Varna have taken to calling you the last couple of days, courtesy of Commander Aerick,” Nagaron said with a laugh. “He’s wearing iron, so I can’t see into his mind, but I hear the stories from the humans around him. It seems he told Commander Torin that Kanvar ascended to the throne after the Great War. Since he is now dead, you are the Naga king.”
Jinjani’s face grew hot. “I am not now, nor ever will be king.”
“Would you rather that Aerick told everyone Devaj is still alive?” Still holding the Heart Stone, Nagaron stepped closer to Jinjani. “Or that you have an older brother, Tolan? What about Asha and Niamh? Do you want them to be hated and hunted by the Guardians as well?”
“Stop,” Jinjani said. “What do you have against me? Why have you hunted me, tormented me, and tried to kill me for so long? What did I ever do to you?”
Nagaron shook his head. “You have done nothing to me, and I have used you cruelly for my own ends. That is why I am trying to make reparations the best I can. Be still, just for a moment.” He froze Jinjani in place and pressed the Heart Stone against his chest. A rush of warmth spread through Jinjani. The ache in his ribs and the pressure on his lungs faded away. A tingling spread across his face, lips, tongue, and throat. The discomfort from the scabbed-over crossbow bolt wounds vanished along with every other scrape, bruise, ache, and pain Jinjani had been forcing himself to ignore. A giddy sense of energy swept through Jinjani.
Nagaron stepped back, pulled the Heart Stone away from him, and freed his mind and body. Aarush held up a mirror in front of his face.
Jinjani gasped. The disfiguring scars had vanished, and his own face looked back at him from the mirror instead of the hideous monster he had become after fighting the ground terror. Even the scars on his lips from bonding with Irazu had vanished.
“There,” Nagaron said. “Now your mother will never know, and you can go dancing with Daisy without her running from you in fear, and you can continue to yearn to kiss Star all you like, though I have to warn you, you won’t win her heart. She’s in love with the son of her mother’s footman.”
Jinjani flushed. “How do you know about Daisy? And I’ve never told anyone ever about . . . Star.”
Nagaron shrugged and returned the Heart Stone to the display case. “There is a volcano here for you and Irazu to come visit any time you like. You won’t find any dragons here to hunt, though. At least not yet. Food’s a bit scarce at the moment. I was hoping Irazu would teach Aarush and me how to farm and breed livestock.”
Jinjani could feel Irazu flying as quickly as he could manage toward the New Stonefountain with Rajan on his back.
“Yes, he’s coming,” Nagaron said. “And Rajan isn’t as quick to forgive as Devaj is. That is why Aarush and I are leaving now. He has created a secondary residence for us a few miles for here, so His Majesty can have whatever privacy he wants for himself and his guests now, and whenever he comes to visit the Fountain in the future.”
Nagaron climbed onto Aarush’s back, and the two of them flew out the window.
Rebecca Shelley 