The Broken Scale. Book 1 of The Dragon Riders of Arvain

Chapter Twenty Four, part B

Hayden sat in his bed and closed his eyes, knowing what would come but unable to stay awake. He awoke the next morning and tried to forget the horrible night he had, even though it was becoming an almost nightly event.

Two more months and they would be fully fledged riders; they would end their one year training when winter ended. Hayden felt better this morning then he had in a while, they would have no physical training today because they were going to spend the whole day with Estraken.

Draek had gotten up with the sun to go hunting; he said the prey was easier to find when they were first waking up. Hayden got ready and made his way to the door, he passed by the pile of stuff he had gotten during the Festival of Games. It was still where the servants had put it; he had yet to even touch them.

He went through the winding halls until he was at Estraken's door, which was open, and he walked right in. He was used to seeing Shane, Giles and Sebastian but today Cass was with them. Giles and Sebastian had pulled themselves even further away from the group, now they didn't even make fun of Hayden or Shane.

Cass smiled softly at Hayden as he made his way into the room. Hayden hadn't spoken to her in some time. He was afraid to speak to any of his friends except for Draek anymore, he was afraid that they would judge him for what he had done. For his part in the dwarfs dying.

"Good you're here, that's all of you right?" Estraken counted each of them while pointing at them. "Now today is going to be your last lesson, after that if you want to continue to come here and ask question you can but you are no longer required to."

He coughed into his hand and pulled his golden cloak tighter around himself. "This cold weather gets to me every year."

"So what is our last lesson?" Shane asked. He did not do it rudely but they had learned that if you don't keep Estraken on track he was liable to ramble on for hours.

"Ah today we are going to the lowest room in the Metallic Pyramid." He said proudly.

They all just stared at him for a few seconds, no one quite sure how to respond to what he said.

"Ok, but why did that take you so long to get ready for it then if all we are doing is going down to the lowest room?" Sebastian asked.

"Because I had to find the door; now follow me." He started to climb the spiral staircase, being extra careful not to knock any of the random scrolls or artifacts, which were lying around, off. They had also learned that when it comes to some of the things that Estraken did there was no explaining them.

Estraken led them to the top of the stairs which ended at a bookcase. He reached out and pulled the bookcase so that it swung on hinges just like a door. Hayden would have never had guessed that there was a secret passage way in Estraken's library.

Behind the bookcase the passage way was a just a staircase going down, no decorations of any sort just stairs and more stairs. Estraken grabbed a torch that had been hanging on the wall by the bookcase and led the way down.

"How much further can it be?" Shane asked Hayden and Cass as they continued down what seemed to be a never ending staircase. They had been climbing down for a while now and Shane voiced what would be the first of many complaints.

"Well it would have to be a good ways down wouldn't it, it is the lowest room in the pyramid after all." Hayden responded.

Hayden had not thought about answering but it seemed to just come out. Cass and Shane were both just as surprised to hear his voice. They did not want to badger him so they let his response go but they did smile at each other.