Albrek's Tomb

“I am not an oracle,” said Kat. “And now I may never be one.”

“But you know something,” Arco

“I guess at many things, but I do not know,” Kat said softly. “I believe Alex is safe, and that he will return to us as himself.”

“More like the dragon—ready to destroy us when we step out of this cave,” Barnabus said.

“No, I don’t believe that,” said Arco

“Perhaps the person we have traveled with isn’t really Alex,” Thrain said softly. “Maybe he’s still on the Isle of Bones, and the dragon there took his place with us.”

“Don’t say such things,” Thrang snapped angrily. “We’ll wait until morning. If Alex has not returned by then—”

“Why wait until morning?” questioned Alex, moving forward toward his friends.

Alex could see his friends were both relieved and afraid. He understood their fear, because it was something he had also felt.

“You have no need to fear,” Alex said. “I am your friend, not the dragon from the Isle of Bones.”

“I didn’t mean—” Thrain began.

“No harm is done,” Alex interrupted. “I repeat, I am myself. And we are free to leave whenever we like.”

“So you destroyed the thunderbird?” Arco

“No, I did not,” said Alex. “I struck a bargain with it. No thunderbird will ever trouble this land again.”

“You were in the dragon form for a long time,” Thrang said slowly. “Are you sure you’re all right? Perhaps you would like to rest awhile.”

“I’m fine,” said Alex. He turned to Arco

“Then,” Barnabus began and paused, “then are you a dragon? Pretending to be a man?”

“No.” Alex laughed. “I am a man anda dragon. I am both, and I can take either shape without fear of losing myself.”

“That is not possible,” Nellus said.

“And how would you know what is and is not possible?” Alex questioned. “You ca

“No, I can’t,” agreed Arco

“Yes, some men were once dragons,” Alex said. “But that was long ago, and almost no one remembers that time now.”

“I suspect the dragon on the Isle of Bones remembers,” Arco

“Yes, he remembers,” said Alex. “He is the oldest living thing in the known lands. He is the guardian of the past, and he remembers.”

“So you are both man and dragon?” Thrang repeated, shaking his head as he tried to understand.

“I am,” said Alex. “And I must ask that none of you share this information with anyone. I doubt anyone would believe such a story, but it would be best if few people knew the truth.”

“Yes, of course,” said Thrang. “I, for one, will never tell this tale.”

Alex looked at each of his companions one at a time, and they all swore in turn that they would keep Alex’s secret. Alex turned to Kat last, but even as she promised not to tell what she knew, Alex saw a great sorrow inside her. He remembered Kat saying that it was too late—but too late for what?

“Kat,” Alex said softly. “What did you mean when you said that you may never become an oracle?”

“Can’t you guess?” Kat answered, tears filling her eyes. “The empty tower by the sea.”

“The tower you once tried to enter, but I stopped you,” said Alex.

“It will vanish into the evening mist in three days’ time,” Kat said sadly. “It is too late for me to enter. Too late to find out if I was meant to be the Oracle of the Empty Tower.”

“It’s too late when you are dead and not before,” said Alex, his mind racing for some way to get Kat back to the tower in less than three days. It came to him so suddenly that he started to laugh.

“What?” Thrang questioned. “What’s so fu

“The prophesy,” Alex answered. “The dragon will bring the oracle—it is so simple.”

“Of course,” said Arco

“You would do that for me?” Kat questioned, a look of disbelief on her face.

“I told you that once we’d found what we were looking for I would help you any way I could,” said Alex. “We have the Ring of Searching, so now we must get you back to the tower before it’s too late.”

“What about the rest of us?” Thrang questioned. “You can’t carry all of us and our horses.”

“Turn the horses loose on the plain; they will be safe there. The rest of you can all ride on my back,” Alex answered.

“You will need to travel very fast,” Arco

“Tie ropes to me and to yourselves,” said Alex. “Then none of you will fall off, and we can move as fast as possible.”

“Can’t we ride?” Thrain asked in a shaky voice. “Can’t you take Kat to the tower while the rest of us ride north again? I mean, well, I did promise Fivra that I’d try to go with him to see an oracle when we got back.”

“Would you miss what is coming?” Alex questioned. “Oracles are not made every day. This will be something worth seeing, even if you have to ride on a dragon’s back to get there.”

“Besides, you can’t go ru

“What about the treasure we left in Kazad-Syn?” Nellus asked.

“We can collect that on the way,” Alex said with a wave of his hand. “I can take us close to the city and then change from a dragon into a bird to reach Thorson and collect our treasure. If you like, Thrang, I can even change you into a bird and you can go with me.”

“But—” Thrain began, a look of fear on his face.

“No buts,” Thrang said firmly. “Alex’s plan is a good one. We will ride the dragon to the tower.”

“As you wish,” said Thrain in a dejected tone.

“There is no need to fear,” Alex said, putting his hand on Thrain’s shoulder. “I did not let you fall when the thunderbird dropped you, and I will not let you fall now.”

“I know,” said Thrain, his voice shaking. “It’s just that . . .”

“I know,” said Alex before Thrain could go on. “I have felt the fear as well. But there is nothing to fear now. Trust me, you will be safe.”

Thrain nodded and slowly looked up into Alex’s face. Alex gave him an encouraging smile. Thrain smiled back weakly and then hurried to collect his gear from the tu

It was well after noon by the time they were ready to go. Their freed horses wandered across the grassy plain, and all of Alex’s friends had strong ropes tied around them that they would attach to Alex once he had changed.

“With your permission,” Alex said to Thrang, with a bow.

“Yes, of course,” Thrang answered, returning the bow.

The change, now that Alex had time to think about it, was incredible. It didn’t require any great magical effort, only a simple acceptance of what he was. He let his mind reach out, and felt the magic filling him, almost flooding into the space around him and co

He lowered himself to the ground and stretched out his massive true-silver leg to form a step so his friends could climb onto his back, and then waited for Thrang to call out that they were ready. At Thrang’s call, he leaped into the air, circling the mountain as he climbed into the afternoon sky. When he was as high as the highest peak of the mountain, he turned north and shot back across the plain that had taken them weeks to cross.

The sun sank in the west and the first stars came out, and still Alex flew north. His dragon eyes could see everything below him clearly, and he changed his course slightly as they approached Neplee. He didn’t want to be seen by the dwarfs, because he knew the sight of a dragon would terrify them for days to come.