Dragon Rising

Chapter 3: Chione the Benevolent

Ryadni tugging the rope set off a string of vibrating alarms on all the floors below, even though she couldn't hear them. She didn't take her eyes off the dragon. Its scales gleamed like a thousand tiny jewels, reflecting the midday sun. Its vast wings were black against the brilliant blue sky. Slim legs folded beneath its body, ending in sharp talons.

Dragon attacks weren't common even after Khaus and Astrayas's catalytic fight those years ago. Humans' attacks remained the bigger worry. Dragons never sought deliberate decimation of entire villages, murders of children or pillaging of resources. But their fights could not be reasoned and had a massive area of destruction.

The shuffle of footsteps from the ladder below reached her ears. Someone climbed the ladder to join her.

Her eyes never left the dragon. Cold sweat broke over her body. Raiding strongholds of bloodthirsty warlords or seeing the aftermath of her teammates' capture had little effect on her, but hearing the screech of a dragon, even though this one had a higher pitch and smaller body, brought all the unpleasant memories flooding back. Her hand reached back and clutched the dagger. It would do as much damage as a leaf on human skin, but it gave her some comfort.

She shifted over to make space. The dragon soared over their hideout, huge wings beating gusts of wind onto the ground, and continued eastward. Her new partner sighed with relief. Ryadni released her grip on the dagger's handle, grateful for the cramped space allowing her to hide her shaking hand.

It gave another scream before blending into the distant sky. The cry made her saliva turn acidic and her stomach churn. For a few seconds, she could smell the acrid scent of dragon blood congealing over open fires. Her chest tightened, squeezing the air from her lungs. She closed her eyes and counted to ten.

"Which one is it?" asked Thecor, the medic-in-training. Ryadni jumped. Taking a few moments to swallow the lump in her throat and to steady her voice, she pretended to be focused on keeping her sight on the faraway creature, even though it was so tiny now it was barely visible. The glare from the rising sun made it too painful to continue.

"I've never seen it before," Ryadni said. Her voice was calm, to her relief. She blinked the glare from her eyes. "It's smaller than any of the ones we've encountered."

She blinked again. A dark circle stayed in her centre of vision and she couldn't see anything else. The pressure around her chest began to ease and she could breathe normally again.

"You tell Pallas. I'm due to take over from you anyway. He'll want a report."

She reached behind her, her hand still shaking a little, and pulled the alarm again, twice, signalling the all-clear. She passed the dagger to Thecor and swung over the edge, dropping weightlessly through the air. Her dark hair lifted from her head. Her feet met the ground with barely a sound.

Releasing a breath she didn't realise she was holding, Ryadni made her way down the stone steps again. The silence during this time of the day was eerie. Seldom had she been back in the dungeons during a dragon sighting as she spent most of her time raiding or on lookout. Seeing the quivering children clutching each other beneath the bunkers on the bottommost level brought back unpleasant memories of being helpless and vulnerable. One by one, the adults released the children back to their parents or guardians. Ryadni studied the metal-enforced beams and sturdy stone walls, averting her eyes from the crying and kissing.

Ryadni rolled her shoulders and then flexed her head left and right, popping the joints. Her muscles ached. The price of the night raid and six hours of being on lookout was catching up with her. Her eyes burned and a dull ache remained in her chest after hearing the new dragon's cry. But she was determined to defer rest. The cool air of the deep underground made her clammy skin tingle. Pallas wasn't amongst the adults guarding the children.