The Time Tournament (Order of the Dragon #1)

CHAPTER 12

Elena

July 1429

E verything felt heavy—my body, my head, my eyelids. I tried to move, but, like before, I couldn’t even raise a finger. Then I heard voices. I forced my eyelids open and realized I wasn’t at the entrance of the cave but in one of the cave castle’s rooms. The entire room resembled the throne hall with its intricate carvings and details. Like the throne hall, everything was made of marble—marble chairs, a marble table, a marble dresser, and, judging by the cold hardness against my back, a marble bed. It looked like an ice room, except made from stone. The cold seeped into my muscles, which were only now beginning to wake up.

The voices returned. “I believe there’s something more than meets the eye,” a woman’s voice said.

“She’s been revived,” Lord Valkorian said, but I couldn’t turn my head to see him.

“Which proves again this was more than a snake’s bite,” the woman replied.

“Then Tarra made the right choice by flying you here,” Lord Valkorian said.

What did that even mean? A young woman knelt before me, maybe a few years older than me. She wore a dark green velvet headscarf wrapped behind her head. Her outfit seemed like an extension of the scarf. She gave me a warm gaze and a reassuring smile. Unlike me, calmness oozed from her. She reminded me of a younger Mom.

“This is Rosalynd. She and her mother are our land’s healers,” Lord Valkorian said.

“I’m glad to meet you. It makes me immensely happy you’re awake. For a moment, we thought we lost you,” Rosalynd said.

“What happened to me? It seemed like I was okay after the bite,” I said.

“We believe the snake was sent with the intent to kill you,” Lord Valkorian said.

“The warlocks?” The terror in my eyes startled them.

“I see we share the same assumption,” Rosalynd said. “It is clear there is a deeper meaning here. ”

“But how could a snake bite have such a long-term effect?” I asked.

“The snake was spellbound. Alongside the venom, it injected a recurring spell. Each time you drank or ate, it would reignite. But do not fret, Mother and I took great measures, including healing magic, to alleviate its effects as well as your pain.”

“Do you believe we should pursue this matter further?” Lord Valkorian turned to a third person who had entered the room. Rosalynd explained something using sign language, then turned to Lord Valkorian. “Mother says, only they will know,” Rosalynd said as her mother placed a freshly medicated cloth on my wound.

They? Who were they?

“Then it’s decided,” Lord Valkorian said.

Decided what? When? How? The three people in the room exchanged knowing glances while I lay there as a sitting duck. Or better said, a laying-on-her-back duck. My fate was decided by these strangers in a matter of seconds. And I was only on the receiving end. What was the point of fighting toward a mission when things just happened without my say? “Don’t I have a say in this?”

“Not even we have that privilege,” Lord Valkorian said.

“How so?”

“Given what has happened to you until now: your presence on Crimson Dragon territory, the spellbound snake, the story you’ve shared with us. All tell there’s something ominous awaiting us. It’s rare for the Fates to choose humans to carry out their bidding, but questioning such happenings usually leads to only one outcome.”

“Which one?” I asked.

“Death.” Lord Valkorian’s features hardened. “The Fates don’t meddle unless great change must happen. Hard times are coming.” He lowered his gaze and wallowed in his thoughts. “If we eliminate the cause…”

I froze. I remembered Tarra telling me about their mother’s death. He just buried her two months ago, and now he had to deal with me. And the easy way out was to kill me.

“Maybe it’s all a misunderstanding,” I said, trying to convince them I wasn’t some kind of messenger of death. “I made a mistake when I said the spell. I should’ve arrived in the summer of 1430. A year later.”

“A year later, you say? Then it must be connected to His Majesty’s claim to the throne.” He turned to Rosalynd’s mother. “There must be a role she must carry.”

“The Pure should know,” Rosalynd said while using sign language to keep her mom in the loop.

“We must present her to the head of the village as well,” Lord Valkorian said.

“Please don’t talk like I’m not here,” I said.

“If we present her to the village, there is no turning back,” the healer said.

“Her lying in my Keep’s bed is already a point of no return,” Lord Valkorian said, turning to me.

“Now you’re ready to pay attention to me?” I asked.

“From now on, you’ll be in everyone’s attention, little survivor,” Lord Valkorian said. “But first, you need to rest. This will be your quarters. From now on, you’re considered a guest of the House of the Crimson Dragon and my personal protégé. The letter to the Solomonari headman has already been sent. The Pure allows limited time for visits, but since His Majesty has a meeting tomorrow, we might get a short audience with the Pure afterward. Only then will your role be decided.”

I tried to process it all, but my head spun from all the new information. Dragons, spellbound snakes, the Pure—it was all too much. But this was the time to act, the moment Mel had talked about for a whole year had arrived. I had no choice but to trust these people. After all, they had saved my life. Twice.

Rosalynd’s mother finished tending to my wounds, her touch was gentle and reassuring. She then said something with her hands, and Rosalynd translated, “Mother said, ‘You’re in good hands. We’ll take care of you.’”

I closed my eyes, trying to absorb the comfort of her words. Despite the uncertainty and danger, a small part of me felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I would survive this after all.

“Are you already done?” Tarra popped her head through the nonexistent door.

“Yes, my daughter, Elena is safe. The worst has passed, or so it seems. You must hurry and fly Rosalynd and her mother to their cottage. On your way back, inform Killian to be present at the village hall tomorrow evening. We have a long journey ahead of us, and he must be present.”

“But Father, he’s—”

“It is his ruler’s orders.” Lord Valkorian lowered his voice but somehow, it sounded more menacing.

“Yes, Father. See you later, friend,” she said and left.

“It seems my daughter has found a companion in you,” he said. “Otherwise, she would never travel without a rider through the lands to seek help for a human.”

“I didn’t plan any of this,” I said, somehow defending myself.

“Indeed, an issue we must rectify.” He took a seat on the white marble chair. “From now on, every step you make must be warned and guarded. We have yet to identify your enemies.”

“I have a question.”

“Go on,” Lord Valkorian said. He looked at me like a kind father, but his posture and presence hid great control. He was in command even with his back turned.

“I haven’t seen any soft materials in your Keep. And usually, servants are present…” I lost my train of thought when I saw his facial muscles stiffen. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“Anything flammable is a concern among dragons. Due to some changes a few months ago, all hazardous materials were disposed of, along with serviceable humans. We feed mainly as dragons, so we don’t need much help. It’s just been me and my daughter for some time now.”

So Killian hasn’t been living with them since their mother passed .

“Now, if that quenches your burning curiosity, I will retreat and let you rest. Tomorrow, we fly to the village.”

“Fly?”

“Rest.” He turned and left the room.

I deeply wanted to listen to Lord Valkorian when he told me to rest, but sleeping on a cold rock with no pillow tested my resilience. I tried turning to the side, using an arm as support, but to no avail. Every point of my body that touched the bed experienced pressure point therapy unwillingly. I missed my bed, my dark-as-night blanket, my witchy décor. If only I had magical powers like Mel, I would’ve found a way to get out of this mess. It was just… nothing was easy with me. A Red Riding Hood who never got the option of a shorter road. Just the winding, twisty road filled with witches and dragons.

I turned to the other side and felt every bone in my body scream. Crap. How thick-skinned could these people be? Okay, they were dragons, but in human form, they looked the same as others, maybe a bit more prideful. How could they live in a cold mausoleum? A coffin suddenly seemed inviting. Compared to dragons, Dracula made more sense.

As much as it pained me to turn and twist, it helped me realize that lying on my back made the most sense. Though I preferred to sleep on my side, I felt my entire body relax, and I slowly fell asleep.

I opened my eyes to a set of bright blue eyes hovering above me. It was Tarra. I’d never seen such a color on anyone. And didn’t she have dark eyes before ?

“Are you ready?” She grinned.

“Ready for what?” I couldn’t remember where I was.

“Let’s go.” She couldn’t stop fidgeting and quickly raised me to my feet. I lost balance immediately.

“Oh, I forgot your foot has yet to heal. I just can’t wait to show you to my friends in the village.” Her eyes gleamed.

“Tarra, there won’t be any of that. We are to present her to the leaders of the village and the Pure.” Lord Valkorian entered the room.

Tarra’s shoulders slumped.

“Maybe another time. When I can walk on both my legs.” I placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You’re right. Duty comes first,” she said stoically, though the tone felt bittersweet.

“Help Elena to the Rotonda,” Lord Valkorian said.

“Yes, Father.”

We ambled out of the castle cave and turned slightly right. The sun had already set, and things began to merge into darkness. Initially, I didn’t understand what he meant by the Rotonda. But once we arrived, I realized it was a massive circle cleared of grass and covered with pebbles. On the other end of the Rotonda stood a deep cliff. I knew it was deep because I could see the other side, half a mile away. In my time, this was the cliff we crossed on a bridge. But now it looked like a perfect way to deter trespassers. The closer to the cliff’s edge, the ground bore deep ridges. To the side of the platform stood a lighted torch, like an airport control tower but medieval .

“Do you see that light across the ravine? That is where we land. You’ll be flying on Tarra,” Lord Valkorian said.

“Wait, wait. I’m going to fly. But––” I swallowed hard.

“Don’t worry, I’ve had a few riders before. I’ll make sure not to make quick turns,” Tarra said.

“What happened to those riders, though?”

“Well.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “They died.”

“What?” My eyes widened.

“But that was during battle,” she raised her hands as if that would reassure me. “They weren’t riding me when they died.”

“The less you explain, the more likely she won’t fall, Tarra,” Lord Valkorian said, and took off his shirt. As he turned, he let go of his breeches, and in the blink of an eye, he began the “shh” sound as he turned into a mountain-sized dragon. He was much larger than Killian, and his coloring was deep red, like oxblood. But the most glaring thing about him was his torn and unnaturally broken wings. Though he took flight, it was obvious he put a lot of effort into maintaining his course. Still, the way he moved was smooth, poised, and deliberate. A beautiful dance of wings and wind.

Then I realized I would be hovering miles above the land. One tiny slip and these dragons would have another dead rider under her belt. A panicked heat began creeping under my skin.

“Don’t worry, I’ve been trained since childhood to bear a rider. My scales grip well and my crests are sturdy. You’ll have no problem.”

“Why do dragons even need riders? You seem to fly very well on your own.”

“That is because we know these paths like the back of our wings.” She chuckled. I couldn’t bring myself to humor her. The blood pumping in my ears made it too hard to exhale. Laughing seemed like an impossible challenge.

“But what stops you from learning other paths?”

“For sky dragons to breathe fire, we must sacrifice our sight.”

“How? What? Killian and your father just now, flew blindly?”

“Yes. Our eyes are too close to the fire gland nested deep in our throats. When we turn, a black membrane covers our throat and eyes to protect our most vulnerable parts.”

“But how do you avoid bumping into things?” I asked.

“Well, our hearing and sense of smell are very well developed. Our nose can help determine where we are location-wise––above villages or forests. For a deeper understanding of our environment, we focus on our light perception which means we can see high-contrast shadows and light. And sounds. Even though sounds are important, their lack brings just as much value. We call them sound shadows. We pay attention to everything moving—from winds, to birds, to trees. They all tell us how far the objects are from us. For more precise guidance, we produce sounds. Our family mostly uses the ‘shh’ sound, but other houses may choose their own. ”

So that’s why Killian and Lord Valkorian made the “shh” sound when he took off as a dragon. “From what I understand, you’re using echolocation like bats, right? But that still doesn’t answer my question.” If bats could do it, then surely dragons could.

“We use riders during demanding situations like battles and tournaments, as well as prolonged flights. In times when decisions must be made quickly or when we need to travel far.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Still, you want me to ride a blind dragon above a mile-deep ravine when I’ve never even ridden a bike? That doesn’t seem dangerous at all.”

“I knew you’d come around.”

“I’m not sure you understand sarcasm.”

“I don’t need to, when I can show you.”

“You’re not getting it.” But Tarra didn’t seem to hear me. She shed her tunic, leggings, and boots and turned into a dragon. Except, she was pink.