House of Winter

Chapter 9, Part 1

A R I

After the suns had set, the only sound was the gentle lapping of waves against the ship as it drifted through the night. In the dark water the dragons moved alongside the ship as its silent companions, sleek bodies visible like links of a chain. Ari sat on the deck with Jinni at her side, taking in the ocean air and hoping to spot the first signs of Vastier on the horizon when she saw the dragon in the sky.

The crew spotted it too, and their shouts broke the silence. Eventually Savvas emerged from below, and called out to his kinnling, who had been swimming alongside the boat. The dragon emerged from the water, white body reflecting the light of the moon, and stretched its wings into the sky. Ari gasped as Savvas jumped neatly from the rail of the ship and onto his dragon's back just as the dragon launched into the air.

Ari watched as Savvas on dragonback flew to intercept the other dragon. The two dragons met in the sky and Ari watched tensely, certain that she would witness the start of a fight. But the dragons circled each other in a friendly gesture, and then Savvas led the other dragon back down to the ship.

The two dragons landed on the deck. Savvas jumped from his dragon's back, and the visitor did the same. He was a young man, not much older than Ari, with brown skin and cropped hair, and the clothes of a dragonrider.

"Is she here?" he said, as he landed on the deck.

Both of the dragons slipped from the deck and into the water, to swim alongside the ship, and then the man had a view across the deck, to where Ari was sitting with Jinni. She saw his eyes widen as he caught sight of the tiger.

"She's here," Savvas said, and he was gesturing to Ari.

Ari stood up warily, looking between Savvas and the other man.

"News from Zantiala," Savvas said. "The Red Dragons have heard that Matthias Stone is looking for you. They suspect you might turn up in the city, so they've put a bounty on your head. They'll be searching our ship when we arrive."

"What about you?" Ari asked.

"The Red Dragons won't try to sell the Water Dancer to Lombardia," the young man said. "They know that half of Vastier will revolt if they try it. But they're happy enough to sell you for what they can get."

"What if they find Jinni? He's not strong enough to fly," Ari said.

"We'll have to find another way," Savvas said. "The Red Dragons have muscle, and we won't be able to fight them off if they decide to take you."

"You can shave your head," Olatuja said. Ari hadn't noticed him approaching, and she whirled to face him. "You can dress as a boy. You're short enough that you'll pass as a ship boy, if you're wearing the right clothes."

Ari opened and closed her mouth. She knew there was no point arguing.

"We can do it now," Olatuja said. "Better to do it now in case they find us before we dock."

"What about Jinni?" Ari asked again.

Olatuja and Savvas exchanged a look.

"We'll say the tiger's my claimed prize," Savvas said. "A trophy from Lombardia."

Ari followed Olatuja below deck, to the captain's cabin that he shared with Savvas. He lit the lanterns and then handed Ari a small mirror. She clutched it and saw her own reflection for the first time in days. Her hair was a tangled mess, but it was hers. It was hers, and it was also Bell's. The two of them had the same dark curls. When she looked in the mirror, she saw her sister.

Olatuja took a knife to her hair first, and Ari watched as thick clumps fell to the deck at her feet. His large hands were surprisingly gentle. Then he used a razor to cut it close to her head, leaving her almost bald. She ran a hand over her hair, feeling the soft fur of her head.