The Draykon Series (1-3)

Chapter Twenty Seven

Llandry felt as though her body was turning itself inside out. The sensation mirrored the way she had felt when she had crossed into the Upper Realm, but now it was infinitely worse. It was a familiar pain; she had felt it before, with increasing frequency since she had discovered the draykon bone, but this bout was extreme; she truly felt that she might break into pieces. She lay curled around her stomach that pulsed with pain, her face wet with tears of shock. She forced her eyes open and found herself in near darkness, surrounded by figures whose faces were obscured by shadow. She closed her eyes again, squeezing them tightly shut like a child hoping it would go away if only she couldn't see it.

   She tried to think back. She had left her grandfather's house a few hours ago. Finding herself still too sore to fly, she had walked instead, making her way somewhat aimlessly through Rheas's pretty alpine valley. To her confusion, the mountains had melted away before she had reached them. Glissenwol caps had crowded in upon her in their place, tall and draped with vines, just like the trees at home. This changefulness made her nervous, and she had redoubled her efforts to find a gate to take her home.

   Instead of finding a gate, she had found herself back at the site of the skeleton, the one her grandfather said was a draykon. Its bones drew her in some way that she was powerless to resist. She had replaced the piece she had taken earlier, fitting it back into the map of bones out of some compulsion she didn't understand. Then, as she crouched in the earth with her hands pressed against the bones, she'd felt energy suddenly roar into life beneath her fingers, and a mind flared abruptly into consciousness.

   And that was when everything had begun to go horribly wrong.

   It had begun with a sensation of tugging, as though hands grabbed at every part of her body and tried to drag her away. It had become extremely difficult to walk. Llandry fiercely resisted the tug, but then the pain hit her. Crumpling to the ground, she had had time to glimpse the world dissolving around her before her vision had darkened and she had closed her eyes.

   Now, on top of everything else, she was hallucinating. A voice spoke to her, a deep female one with a refined Glour accent. Peeping through her lashes, Llandry thought she saw Lady Glostrum's face. That was not possible. She laughed weakly, trying to sit up. Dizziness engulfed her and she rapidly abandoned the endeavour. A gentle hand pressed her back to the ground.

   'Don't move, Llandry. I think that would be best.'

   The apparition knew her name, then. Llandry stared at the face hazily.

   'Where am I?' Her words emerged weak and rather slurred. She grimaced.

   'You're in the Lowers, Llandry. No, I don't know how you got here. Just lie still.'

   'Are you Lady Glostrum, or am I dreaming?'

   'No, I'm really here.' Llandry opened her mouth but Lady Glostrum cut her off. 'Don't ask; there isn't time to explain.'

   A glitter of silver caught Llandry's eye. She turned her head painfully. On the floor a few feet away lay a pool of silver links, in the midst of which rested a round piece of wrought silver. Llandry turned her eyes away but there was a familiarity about the shape of the necklace that tugged at her. She forced herself on to her hands and knees, grimly ignoring the pain, and inched her way over to it. Before she could reach it, Lady Glostrum picked it up. She handed it to her, gently pushing her back down to the ground.

   Llandry turned the silver over in her hands. It was slightly oval in shape, engraved with stars. A cavity in the centre had, she knew, once held a piece of istore. She knew because she had placed it there herself.