The Raven Collection

‘And I shall have some to say to him,’ said Stylia

‘What’s got into him?’ asked Ilkar.

‘He’s been muttering about “organising things better afterwards” ever since he woke up,’ said Denser.

‘And he’s pla

‘I expect so.’ Denser shrugged.

‘Mistake,’ said Hirad, heading for Wingspread. ‘Big mistake.’

The set of Stylia

Hirad, trotting quickly ahead of the rest of The Raven, caught Stylia

‘Stylia

‘Ah, Hirad the Dragonene. There are matters of great importance to iron out. Now is a keenly appropriate time. I think I can make myself heard.’

‘Stylia

The Dark Mage stopped, he and his Protectors surrounding Hirad. ‘Oh, I think I understand very well. And this one-way deal is about to be changed.’

‘What?’ Hirad gasped.

‘Stop him,’ ordered Stylia

‘Get out of my way,’ said Hirad, anger rising.

Silence.

‘Don’t you get it? Just who is it you’re protecting? Because if you don’t move, it certainly won’t be Stylia

‘Hirad, no.’ The Unknown’s sharp tone stopped him in his tracks. ‘They’ll kill you.’ He was at Hirad’s shoulder. ‘Ile, Rya, Cil, he speaks the truth. Let him pass.’

The Protectors sheathed weapons and stepped aside. Hirad ran through, The Raven behind him, and was quick enough to hear Stylia

‘Sha-Kaan,’ he said. He was ignored. ‘Great Kaan, I must be heard.’

Sha-Kaan’s head moved and his eyes opened. He took in Stylia

‘This is not a granted audience,’ said Sha-Kaan, his voice low and sonorous. ‘Leave.’

‘No,’ said Stylia

Sha-Kaan’s eyes narrowed and his head shot forwards, bowling two Vestare from their feet. His snout all but touched Stylia

‘My tone was not meant to offend,’ said Stylia

‘I must prepare. Leave.’

‘—there is a chance the spell will not be cast,’ continued Stylia

That stopped them all. Sha-Kaan drew back his head sharply, his eyes blinking slowly, breath hissing into his cavernous lungs. Hirad turned and shot Denser and Ilkar a glance. Both shrugged their ignorance while Erie

‘How is this possible?’ he demanded.

‘Great Kaan, I have no idea. It is not a problem raised by The Raven’s mages,’ said Hirad.

‘I understood there to be a certain casting but that there were risks as to its outcome.’ Sha-Kaan’s voice was flat, cold and very angry. Hirad shuddered. It was Stylia

‘That is indeed the case. It is merely that there is a feeling that Balaia needs assurances of your continued support and future aid in legitimate struggle.’ The air temperature seemed to cool. Sha-Kaan moved his head back in close to Stylia

‘Assurances,’ he said.

Hirad noticed the Vestare had backed away from the dragon’s neck and head. He turned to The Raven and muttered:

‘Just in case. Give yourselves room. That goes for your Protectors too, Unknown.’

‘You don’t think—’ began Denser.

Hirad shook his head. ‘I would doubt it but, you know . . . Let me try and sort this out, all right?’ He walked briskly up to stand beside Sha-Kaan’s head, facing Stylia

‘I feel there must have been a misunderstanding, Great Kaan,’ he said, feeling the dragon’s ire hot in his mind.

‘Let us hope so,’ replied Sha-Kaan. There was menace in his voice that Stylia

‘No misunderstanding,’ he said, a slight smile on his face.

‘Stylia

‘Hm.’ Stylia

‘I am a Kaan dragon,’ came the reply.

‘Exactly. Here is what will happen. You, the Kaan, will agree to help me regain my College. You will also help me in negotiating treaties with the Wesmen and the other Colleges. If you do not, I fear I will be unable to assist in the casting of the spell to close the rip; a fact that will render it uncastable.’

‘But if you do not assist, you will die,’ said Sha-Kaan.

‘And so will you all,’ said Stylia

Hirad could not put into words what flowed through his body at that moment. The silence of The Raven told him they all felt the same. Disgust did not do it justice. Revulsion merely scratched its surface. Sha-Kaan, however, felt able to do more than glare his utter contempt.

‘You, little human, are willing to sacrifice the lives of everyone in Balaia and my entire Brood if you are not promised help to further your own personal ends?’

‘I prefer to think of it as fair recompense for my personal sacrifice in saving all of Balaia from certain death,’ said Stylia

‘But we are asking nothing,’ said Hirad, the words dragging themselves from his throat. ‘We do it simply because it has to be done.’

Stylia

‘Stylia

‘Can’t I, Denser? I’ve already lost everything.’ Stylia

‘But you’ll be killing us all,’ said Hirad.

‘So persuade your dragon not to call my bluff.’

Hirad wanted nothing more than to wipe the smug look from Stylia

Stylia