Shadow (The Pendulum Trilogy) by Elliott Will

Author:Elliott, Will [Elliott, Will]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 2012-07-05T06:00:00+00:00

5

‘Tell us about Dyan,’ said Far Gaze. ‘What does he want?’

‘It’s a mistake to think all the dragons are of the same mind, any more than we are,’ she said. ‘Dyan does not hate us. He enjoys women very much. He enjoyed his spell play with you, found you a delightful novelty. He would never have killed you. Among the Major personalities, there is division. Four, I think, hate us with fury and poison we cannot imagine. Others – Vyin, Hyan – do not blame us for the crime of existing. But they are only two. And of those two, Vyin may be the only true friend we have among the great Dragons. The idea of the Favoured is a compromise between them all. Without Vyin, there would not even be that much.’

‘If Dyan could escape, why can’t the rest of them?’ said Eric.

‘You are asking me to guess,’ she said. ‘Dyan must have known he and I would part, for he did not tell me everything. I know nothing of the magic that holds the dragons in their prisons. They have not often tried to break out, fearing their Parent would wake and slay them. I would guess Dyan was instructed to try, to see if this would occur. Surely the Majors helped him do it. Perhaps he has tasks to perform for them. Perhaps he defied them and got free of his own will.’

Far Gaze said, ‘You hold something back. For which dragon does he work?’

‘For himself,’ she said, face in hands. ‘I tire of this interrogation!’ She took a few deep breaths of magic, muttered to herself.

‘What did you just cast?’ cried Loup.

‘Nothing! Ease yourself, you need not fear me. As for Dyan, he has had a taste of freedom. He’s revelling in it. He is supposed to watch us. For which member of the brood I am unsure, nor may you be certain he will do his duty. He is rebellious. And he does not hate us. He may be quite content for his kindred to remain where they are. Why would he care? He is free, and here in this realm he is mighty compared to us, beholden to no one.’

‘Would he help us, then?’ said Far Gaze. ‘Can you bring him to our side?’

She laughed. ‘Our side in the war among cities? Why would he care about that? Why would any of the dragons? Do Lords care about feuding neighbours in their realm?’

‘We aren’t beneath their notice,’ said Eric. ‘Your dragon friend followed us all the way from the castle to World’s End. If he’s spying on us for the greater dragons it means they’re interested in us, too. And I think we all know that means they’re very interested in me. Or should I say in Shadow?’

‘Everyone is,’ said Loup. ‘The Mayors, the dragons, even that foul-faced bastard Arch Mage.’

‘Enough!’ Aziel yelled, surprising everyone. She had seemed asleep throughout. She rose from her bed. ‘Don’t talk about Arch like that. You don’t know him.

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