Chapter Thirteen
They stood for a long while in silence, and then Wulfstan became edgy.
“I can feel them,” he said. “The wolves are coming. They’ve sensed our presence.”
Linne was reluctant to leave, but she knew she had to.
“Come, Little One,” said Algast, “we must return south and let Aelfric know what has happened.”
“We are not going back south,” said Linne stubbornly. “We keep heading for Dragon’s Helm.”
Linne, climbed onboard, followed by Wulfstan. She took one last look at the graves, before taking off, in a spinning spiralling motion. She flew wildly, urging Algast to feel her pain and grief, realising hers was mingling with his. With a huge roar, Algast flew over the village, and spewed out a burning column of smoke.
“What are you doing?” cried Wulfstan aghast. “You’ll bring the Wolf Men running.”
“Sending a message,” said Linne grimly, then she wheeled round and headed north. “It’s time to take the fight to the enemy.”
“This is crazy,” said Wulfstan, for the hundredth time. Algast was flapping his wings steadily, as the air got colder and colder. They were now well into the Mittelands, and Linne’s plan was looking more and more foolish, even to her. But she was too stubborn to turn back down now.
“Feondulf’s had it his own way far too long,” said Linne. “It’s time he realised that there are those who will oppose him.”
“He’s spent all this time looking for you,” said Wulfstan, “and you’re going to just march into his castle?”
“He won’t be expecting that, will he?” said Linne with a set and determined look on his face, “besides, Algast knows a way in.”
“Which is?”
“Underneath Dragon’s Helm,” said Algast, “there’s a secret passage the dragons took in days of old. My mother told me before she died it had been blocked up to prevent Feondulf finding it. We got out that way, along with the rest of the dragons who made it down south. They never found us, so I am assuming it is still blocked up.”
“But you can’t know,” said Wulfstan.
“I can feel it,” said Algast. “There’s someone – someone I trust, locked in the basement of the castle – it’s my grandsire: Sigebehrt, the dragon they called Great. Linne’s mother was his dragon rider. I can feel him in my head. We’re very close now.”
“How can we get in without being seen?” said Wulfstan, still unconvinced.
“The entrance is several miles from Dragon’s Helm,” said Algast, “I can take you there much more swiftly then you think.”
He started scanning the area, and then suddenly dived, taking them both by surprise, onto a cliff edge, where there was a huge waterfall. Seeming to head straight for the rock, he went off at a tangent, through a wall of water and to their surprise and relief they discovered they were behind the waterfall in a huge cave.
Linne and Wulfstan tumbled off his back, and took stock of their surroundings. There was green lichen on the walls, and the cave felt damp and dark, but secure.
“Can we make a light?” Linne said, “I can barely see.”
“Not just yet,” said Algast, “Come, climb back on my back, and I’ll show you.”
He ambled softly towards the back of the cave, which opened out into a vast cavern hollowed under the rock. Linne could barely make anything out, and soon they were plunged into darkness, but Algast seemed undeterred, and took off into the gloom. He flapped slowly for what seemed like an endless time, and then said, “Linne you can light our way if you wish.”
Linne carefully blew out a finger of flame in the shape of a torch, and stared in awe, as the shapes of the vast cavern, stood in front of her. Shadows danced in the corners, but the cavern was huge, seeming to be reach to the top of the mountain.
“Who knows this is here?” she asked in awe.
“No one,” said Algast. “This was a secret of the dragons from the days of old. I doubt even your parents would have known of this.”
After a time they finally reached an impasse. Where once a huge entrance had stood, was a huge pile of rubble: great rocks piled up high and spilling out over each other.
Algast landed and they slid off his back again.
“Now what?” said Wulfstan. “How are we supposed to get through that?”
Chapter Fourteen
“I don’t know.’ said Linne, looking up at the vast mountain of stones in despair. It was clear that the dragons when they left had never intended this exit to be unblocked.
“Did your mother ever say anything about what they would do if they planned to return?
“No,” admitted Algast. “Let me see what I can do. Stand back.”
He stood up to his full height and roared flame at the rock. Linne and Wulfstan sheltered behind him from the burning heat, but when he had stopped, nothing happened.
“Heat won’t do this,” said Wulfstan. “But maybe between us we can use heat and cold.”
He stood in front of the stones, and held out his arms. Bright white frozen light danced from his hands, in the way that Linne could make fire dance from hers. She looked at him in amazement. She had realised he had magic, but not how strong it was.
Within seconds the rocks were frozen solid. Trying again, Algast roared his flame over them, and Linne joined in, darting flame between the rocks, trying to find a way, in, something to connect, something to make the rocks tumble and fall.
When they’d finished, Wulfstan tried again. This time, increasing the scope of his actions, so the frozen rocks when higher and wider.
“It’s a long shot,” he said, “but perhaps if we can melt this ice, the water might wear away part of the rock.”
“That will take forever,” said Linne.
“Well, have you got any other suggestions?” snapped Wulfstan, and she had to admit that she hadn’t. They kept going for hour upon tedious hour. Linne and Algast pouring fire onto the ice that Wulfstan had created, but nothing happened more than water pouring out of the rock.
In the end they gave up, exhausted and dispirited.
“We’ll have to get in another way,” said Linne flatly. “This is never going to work.”
“What and risk capture by the Wolf Men?” said Wulfstan.
“We need to rest,” said Algast. “There is nothing else we can do for now.”
Exhausted and dispirited, they flopped down next to Algast, who curled up on the floor, allowing them to lean against him.
“You have to give up,” said Wulfstan. “Linne, now you have to. We need to go back to Aelfric and ask his advice. You can’t do any more on your own.”
Linne slumped down, not replying. Disappointment overwhelmed her. They’d come so close, but now in the dark, she was exhausted and emotionally wrung dry. She had tried her best, but there was nothing more she could do. And nothing that could bring Ma, and back. Who was she to try and avenge their deaths and save her brother alone? She was too young and powerless; it had been a foolish notion.
She shut her eyes, thinking sleep would never come, but eventually dozed off, her exhaustion completely overtaking her. She had done her best, but it wasn’t enough. In the morning, they would have to leave and go back south. Wulfstan was right. She should take advice from Aelfric. It was stupid of her to think she could have done it alone.
You are not foolish, girl, a voice called in her head. A deep voice. One she seemed to remember hearing in her dreams all the way here. But it wasn’t Algast’s voice. It was older, wiser, deeper than a running river, a powerful voice commanding awe, respect, and even, she shivered –fear. You have come here for a purpose. And you will fulfil it.
What? What purpose? she found herself asking.
To save me, said the voice. And suddenly she was wide awake and shivering in the darkness. By her side Wulfstan slept curled up against Algast, who also was breathing softly. They were both dead to the world, and it seemed to her that there was just her and the voice alone in the cavern.
Come to me, little one, said the voice.
How? she asked.
I will show you the way, said the voice.
In her mind’s eye Linne suddenly saw a vision. A young girl and her dragon were swooping through the very cavern she was locked in. And high above her, they landed on a ledge, and the girl seemed to squeeze through a gap. Linne gasped. She looked up, lighting a flare in the gloom. High, high above her, was a natural recess. Was that where the girl and her dragon had been? Could she really climb up there?
Have faith, Linne, you have greatness in your blood. If your mother could do it, so can you.
My mother? Linne said. Who are you?
You will see, said the voice, come, come to me.
As if in a dream, because surely she couldn’t be awake? Linne started to climb up the rubble. It was a scrabble and at times she struggled to hold on to the stones. She lit her way with a glow of light that bobbled in front of her. And slowly, she began to see there were handholds cut out in the stones, as she climbed higher up over the pile of rubble, it was clear that other people had done this before her. There was a path of sorts, but an arduous one. It took her half an hour to get to the halfway point. Looking down she could only see blackness, and assume that below her Algast and Wulfstan slept unaware of what she was doing. At one point, she nearly went back, wondering herself why she was climbing up a rock face in the middle of the night on the instructions of a voice that belonged to a voice she couldn’t see. What if it was a trap?
This is no trap, said the voice. Come you are nearly there.
Reaching for the last handhold, Linne stretched forward, and swung herself onto the ledge she had seen both in her dream, and glimpsed from the floor of the cavern. At first she could see nothing. She brightened the light in front of her, and wandered round the walls of the recess, which were smooth and gave away nothing, till. Aha. There it was. A slight indentation in the rock face gave way to a narrow passage invisible at first sight, but broadening out to a wider passage. She had done it. She was through.
Chapter Fifteen
Linne found herself in a narrow corridor. It was dark and damp, and she should have felt a little worried, but for some reason she didn’t. She could feel the presence of the person behind the voice very close to her now, and she knew that he or she wouldn’t lead her into harm. Lighting a ball of flame to guide her, she walked down the corridor for about half a mile, until it widened out, and she could feel some air upon her face. Looking up, she realised shafts of light were coming through gaps in the cavern above her. She assumed she was somewhere deep under Dragon’s Helm itself.
In front of her, she could make out a faint flickering light, so dousing her own light, she made her way warily towards it. The tunnel curved a little at the end, so she had plenty of opportunity to observe her surroundings, without being seen. What she saw made her gasp out loud. There on a pile of treasure, sat the largest dragon she had ever seen. But unlike Algast, whose scales were shiny and shimmered different colours under different lights, this dragon looked pale and dim. His scales were dull and barely coloured. He looked gaunt and skinny, a shadow of the former self he must have once been. Suddenly, Linne knew who she was looking at. Inching herself forward to make sure that there was no one else there, she stepped out into the vast cavern, and said, “You are Sigebehrt, my mother’s dragon?”
The dragon stood up, towering above her, and said, “Yes, Little One. I have been waiting a long time for you.” Again, she felt it the force of his hatred, and anger and bitterness. This was a proud dragon who had been humiliated and beaten and lived a life of shame ever since.
“Can I help?” Linne said, seeing for the first time the chains that bound him. They didn’t look like much, a simple single silver rope, but she could see the collar around his neck had chafed and bitten into him. There were scars and scabs where he had clearly fought against his imprisonment.
“Not unless you know the secret of the wolf wyrd,” said Sigebehrt. “Feondulf created a special magic to keep us bound to him. No one yet has worked out a way to undo it. If you touch the silver rope, it will burn you, as the fire of dragons runs through you. Only a Wolf Man can work this metal. And none I think will come and rescue me.”
Linne said, stumbling, “I have a friend – he has some wolf magic, though he is no friend of the Wolf Men, perhaps he can help.”
Sigebehrt reared his head and roared in anger. Flames shot across the cavern roof, illuminating the treasure he sat upon.
“Do you consort with Wolf Men now?” he said, “You are no true daughter of Aedelinda.”
“Wait,” said Linne, “Listen, please. I’m here with my friend and my dragon – he is your great grandson, Algast. They’re stuck behind the rubble where the dragons destroyed the path out of here. I’m sure Wulfstan can help. He isn’t our enemy. He’s saved my life. If I can get him through the pass, maybe he can help you too.”
Sigebehrt sighed, “I have grown old and bitter here,” he said. “It is hard for me to trust anyone. But if I cannot trust you, daughter of my queen, then hope is truly gone. In days gone by, the dragon riders kept oil, for burning raiders down here in the vaults. There are still supplies hidden in places the Wolf Men don’t know about. Go, take them, and use your fire magic to make an explosion, which should break through the rock face.”
“Won’t someone hear?” said Linne. She looked around nervously. Surely someone was guarding the great dragon?
“It is unlikely,” said Sigebehrt, “no one comes here much. They use me to guard their treasure. Me who was the noblest dragon in Dragon’s Helm, reduced to this! And nothing much else. They feed me periodically. We are deep underground here, and we will not be observed. They think all the dragon power is done. And they grow fat and lazy. If you want to regain your mother’s crown, you have a good chance of doing so easily. At the moment Dragons’ Helm has only a light guard. Feondulf went east some months ago, and though he returned here briefly, he is gone again. No one knows where.”
“He’s looking for me,” said Linne bitterly. “He has laid waste to the east and then to the Mittelands. He killed my foster parents and stole my brother. I came here in hopes of finding him.”
“Your brother is probably dead,” said Sigebehrt, “You should think no more of him.”
“I have to try and save him,” said Linne. “We heard rumours Feondulf bought him here.”
“If he was here, he is here no longer,” said Sigebehrt. “You should concentrate on avenging him and your parents. Free me, and I will help you build a great army, and we can reclaim our world from the Wolf Men.”
Linne felt her resolve harden as she listened to him. Too many people had died because of her, for her, and she owed them a responsibility. She was the daughter of dragons, this was her destiny.
Twenty minutes later, she had found her way back to the cavern entrance. On this side, the rocks looked even more daunting. She wasn’t sure this plan would work at all. But she could feel Algast searching for her, and felt a pang at his agitation that she had left without saying a word to either him or Wulfstan. She sent him reassuring thoughts, and showed him a picture of what she planned to do. As Sigebehrt had predicted, there were several store rooms with oil barrels piled high. With great effort, she rolled one towards the entrance. How to get it to work effectively was a problem. So she improvised. Pushing the barrel into the middle of the rocks, she used her sword to dig out a hole to which she tied a long piece of rope she found at the bottom of one of the store rooms. She grabbed as many smallish rocks as she could find and jammed them in the hole. Then she carefully pulled the rope back to the base of the rock fall and stood well back. She flung flames at the end of the rope, and watched them catch light and snake their way up to the barrel itself. Within seconds it was burning and as she ran back to hide behind a pillar, it burst into flames and exploded, dislodging enough stones to create a small hole in the pile. Patiently when she was done, she got another barrel and did the same thing, widening the hole each time. Soon she could make out a big enough gap that Wulfstan at least could crawl through. She shouted through the hole, “Can you hear me?”
“Just,” Wulfstan called back. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to make a big enough explosion to make a way through,” said Linne, “Stand back!”
This time, she pulled three or four barrels and placed them in the centre of the gap.
“Algast, breathe on this,” she said, “And both of you get right back.”
As Algast roared his flame from his side, Linne through her fire magic from hers, there was a cracking followed by a huge explosion. Linne was flung back against the cavern floor, as bits of barrel exploded back outwards, but rewarded by the sound of rocks falling, and as she stood up her ears ringing, grazed and covered in dust, she could see that she’d done it. There was a path through the rock face. Not a very stable one, and one that was likely to collapse at any minute, but it was enough for Algast and Wulfstan to get through.
“What have you been doing?” said Wulfstan, as he made it through the other side. He was covered in dust, and Algast’s normally shiny coat was distinctly lacklustre. “We woke up and you were gone.”
“I’m sorry,” said Linne. “I found a secret way through above the rock slide, and I’ve met Sigebehrt, my mother’s dragon. He’s imprisoned here, and needs our help. He’s bound by some horrible rope that keeps him imprisoned. It’s wolf magic, I thought you could help.”
Wulfstan’s face darkened, and he said, “Sigebehrt? He had a fearsome reputation. I have heard dire deeds of him. It is said when they imprisoned him, he killed many – Wolf Men and Dragon Riders alike. The stories tell that he has grown angry and embittered in his chains. Do you think it is wise to let him out of here? And what of Feondulf? How are we to spirit Sigebehrt away without his knowing?”
“Feondulf isn’t here,” said Linne, “Sigebehrt says the guards are light. It’s the best chance we’re going to get.”
“I don’t like it, Princess,” warned Wulfstan. “Sigebehrt is dangerous.”
“How do you know?” said Linne. “He didn’t seem dangerous to me. He’s my mother’s dragon.I have to help him.”
“He is my great grandsire,” Algast told Wulfstan. “Please help.”
Wulfstan looked as if he was struggling with something deep inside.
“All right,” he said. “I’ll see what I can do. But I warn you, things aren’t always as they seem.”
Chapter Sixteen
Linne strode more confidently then she felt towards the great chamber where Sigebehrt was waiting for them. She could feel Algast’s nerves too. There was something about Sigebehrt that not only commanded respect, but also fear. She could sense a poisonous darkness running through him, which made her wonder if perhaps Wulfstan were right and they shouldn’t release him. But then, what else was she do to do? He was her mother’s dragon and had served her loyally by all accounts. He had paid dearly for that loyalty, and should be free to exact his revenge. And he had fired up Linne’s anger towards Feondulf. For the first time she felt she might have a chance to do something to avenge her parents. Perhaps together they could defeat the Wolf Men and restore the land to her people. They deserved justice after all this time.
“So,” Sigebehrt rose to his full height and looked down at them, “this is the boy who can help me?”
Linne could feel his disdain, and hoped that Wulfstan wouldn’t be aggravated by it.
Wulfstan looked coolly up at the dragon, but seemed unquailed.
“I can help,” he said, “but I need to know that you won’t attack any innocent people.”
“It is not my intention to seek retribution among the weak,” said Sigebehrt. “It is only Feondulf that I desire to destroy. Besides, I am so weakened, I am in no fit state for battle. I need to repair south with all of you, and help Linne form her army.”
“You’re still keen on that plan?” Wulfstan shot at Linne.
“What would you have me do?” she shot back. “Let Feondulf destroy everyone and everything? Someone has to stop him. If it’s going to me, then so be it.”
Wulfstan shrugged his shoulders then looked piercingly at the rope around Sigebehrt’s neck.
“This is strong magic,” he said. “The most potent spell I’ve ever seen.”
“Can you break it?” asked Linne anxiously, but Wulfstan ignored her.
He ran his hands up and down the rope, teasing, as if to find a weakness.
“Hang on,” he said, “yes, let me see...”
He was half talking to himself, completely oblivious to the others, and Linne watched in fascination as the rope took on a life of its own, bubbling up, and writhing in his hands like a coiled snake.
Sigebehrt cried out in pain as the rope sank more tightly round his neck, as if it were resisting Wulfstan’s work.
“Sorry,” said Wulfstan, “this shouldn’t take a minute.”
With a sudden movement, he pulled hard at the rope and blood spurted from it, at the same time, he shot ice round the blood and wound it up in a tight frozen coil. The rope lay limp in his hands, and the necklace chafing Sigebehrt, broke off and fell apart.
Sigebehrt stood up again in wonder, the sores round his neck had opened once more and were oozing blood, but Wulfstan put the frozen blood down, and approached him.
“If you would permit me,” he said, and Sigebehrt, lowered his head, and Wulfstan touched his neck, softly repeating words that Linne couldn’t hear. The wounds instantly closed over.
“I’m sorry, I can’t heal them directly,” said Wulfstan, “I need some herbal remedies which I don’t have here, but that should help for now.”
“I am in your debt, young man,” said Sigebehrt. “I apologise for doubting you.”
“Don’t,” said Wulfstan. “I’m a wolf boy, you’re a dragon. Trusting isn’t something that comes easily to either of us.”
He looked around him at where Linne was standing open mouthed and said, “What?”
“I didn’t know you were a healer as well,” stammered Linne.
“There’s a lot about me you don’t know,” said Wulfstan. “I think we should move now. Someone might have heard the explosions back there. We should get out of here while we can.”
Linne was about to lead the way back to the cave entrance when they heard the sound of rocks falling. One or two at first, then a mighty woosh, as the whole fragile edifice came crashing down.
Now there was only one escape route left to them.
Sigebehrt led the way, though he moved slowly and was clearly in pain, he still had an authority that was hard to resist. To her amusement Algast, who was often very chatty when the two of them were alone was following his great grandfather in quiet awe. The way out of the jewellery chambers was long and laboured. There was not an easy path for dragons, as they wound their way round long labyrinthian corridors, and passed huge caverns piled high with jewels and gold. Linne had hoped they might be able to fly up to the next levels of the castle, but Sigebehrt explained that the Wolf Men had built extra floors in to prevent his escape should he have tried to get away.
“We need to make our way up to the second levels,” he said. “They are still underground, but there is a dragon sized tunnel which we used to come in and out of the castle unseen. They use dragons as slaves to bring materials in and out of the castle.”
“Dragons?” said Linne. “I thought all the dragons fled?”
“Not all,” said Sigebehrt. “Many were injured and weakened in battle, and Feondulf has kept them and their descendants as slaves. There are many dragons here. And they need to get them in and out. I doubt they have blocked up the dragon tunnel.”
It turned out that Sigebehrt was right, but also, for the first time they had a problem. The entrance way was guarded, by Wolf Men, who clearly carried the venomous wolf wyrd on them. Linne seeing what it had done to Sigebehrt had no desire to let it touch her.
“We have no option but to attack,” said Sigebehrt. “Although I am weak, I think I still have strength for this. Linne, how good is your fire magic?”
“It’s getting better,” said Linne.
“Well do what you can,” said Sigebehrt. “Algast, I will lead, and Linne and I will surprise them with flame, while you and Wulfstan attack them from behind us. Wulfstan, can you withstand their wolf wyrd alone?”
“I think so, yes,” said Wulfstan, though he was clearly unhappy about it.
“Do we have to do this?” he whispered to Linne.
“Can you think of another way out?” she said.
Wulfstan didn’t respond, so she climbed on to Sigebehrt’s back, and he onto Algast’s and then Sigebehrt silently took to the air, and uncertainly flew around the corridor, before flapping his great wings and then narrowing them so he formed more of an arrow shape. Suddenly she was flying at full speed towards the unwitting guards. Sigebehrt let out a roar, and flame spewed all over the guards, who had been playing cards in a quite relaxed fashion. Linne threw fireballs at them, scattering them everywhere. Tables turned over, chairs caught fire. The guards were caught on the hop. She and Sigebehrt forged a path through the tunnel as more guards came to the aid of their colleagues.
Behind them, she heard the hiss of ice magic as Wulfstan threw down bolts to neutralise the silver ropes coming towards them. At one point, one glanced her arm, and she cried out in pain as a burning weal formed instantly. But Sigebehrt, was fired on by passion and anger, and the guards were no match for him. He was right. They had grown fat and lazy, and weren’t expecting the attack. It was all over in minutes, though it seemed like long hours, to Linne, and soon they had dispatched the guards, and were heading for the entrance which was closed by massive gates. Linne cried out in terror, but Sigebehrt poured scorn on her fears, dousing the door with a liberal dose of flame and driving right through it.
She looked behind to see Wulfstan and Algast make it through the burning gate and then they were up and away and roaring high into the sky.
“We have to get back,” she said, “we need to go somewhere safe so you can get strong, and then head down south to work out what to do next.”
“No,” said Sigebehrt with passion. “There is something I must do first.”
Turning with great determination, he wheeled round back to the magnificent castle that was Dragon’s Helm. The place where she had been born. Linne was seeing it for the first time, and though Aelfric had described it to her in detail, she was overawed by the view in front of her.
It stood on top of a great rock, and consisted of several interconnected spiraling towers which led up to the main castle at the top, in front of which stood a huge platform – the Dragon Platform, Aelfric had told her about it – the dragon riders of old had launched into battle from there. At one end of the platform there were some steps, leading up to a vast door, which led to the Citadel. She could barely believe she was actually seeing it.
But there was not time to think about what she was looking at, Sigebehrt flew with great determination, shooting flames from left to right as he went, to the top of the castle, and hovered above the Dragon Platform.
“I demand Awiergan the Cursed is brought here now!” he said to the clearly terrified guard.
The man bowed down low, and called to a servant, who ran towards some vast doors at the far end of the platform. They waited interminable minutes, until an elderly man was brought forth.
“What is all this fuss about?” he said querulously, then stood back in horror as Sigebehrt flew down closer to him.
“You recognise me, old man?” said Sigebehrt, singeing him a little.
Awiergan fell to his feet. “I am so sorry for what has befallen you, my lord. There was nothing I could do, I a weak old man.”
“Enough,” called Sigebehrt. “You are a coward and a traitor, and by rights I should execute you now. But I want you alive for this purpose. You are to give Feondulf a message. I, Sigebehrt the Great, am at last free from my chains. And together with Linne, Queen of the Mittelands I shall have my revenge.”
He roared more flames round the platform, causing everyone to run in circles, then swiftly took to the skies again, and caught up with where Algast and Wulfstan were waiting for them with impatient concern.
“Now to save the dragons,” he said. “Then south. Linne, it is time we raised your army.”