Chapter 50
ERANN
Erann woke as sunlight and a draught of frigid air filled the cave. Skaldi was outside. He could hear him retreating over the disturbed surface, the clacking of his claws impossible to ignore. He must have slept against the cave entrance, using his bulk to block the worst of the wind and cold.
Ever since Skaldi had revealed himself to Erann, his senses appeared to have become acuter.
He could sense the dragon. The dragon could sense him.
Somehow, he’d even been able to see through Arrow’s eyes.
He could even make out the noise of something small scurrying right at the back of the cave.
He imagined Arrow would be darting after the creature soon enough.
Erann was grateful. Without that, he’d not have known of Sereh’s great peril.
He turned towards her. She’d slept by his side all night, but now the space was empty.
Rising on his elbow, he glanced around, but the cave was deserted, although he thought he heard her shouting, although not in alarm.
She must be outside, which would explain why Skaldi had moved away from the entrance.
Erann bit his lip. In the euphoria of yesterday, he’d not reiterated to Skaldi about his need to inform Sereh of the dragon’s existence.
He knew that today he must make some progress.
While Sereh had been content, just about, yesterday to be alive and fed, he understood her well enough by now to predict the questions would be coming today.
When they did, he wanted to be prepared, even if the solution in his mind meant that she’d have to wait a few days more.
He couldn’t lose her again.
Getting up from his sleeping place was, as ever, a struggle.
His leg was healing, and so were his bumps and grazes.
Still, he felt awkward and needed his crutches to get around.
After the events of the last few days, he didn’t want to push his luck any further.
They all needed to leave this place if he was to show Sereh the shield, and to do that, he needed to be able to walk without his crutches.
Once he’d done that, and earned her trust, he’d take her to his aunt and uncle’s.
It would be the closest steading to where he wanted to take her.
Yes, his sister should be there by now, but with Sereh speaking against Rankil, and with the knowledge he had about Rankil’s determination to burn his steading, Erann felt sure they’d be able to stop the Full Council meeting from confirming Rankil as jarl.
Although, it was possible Sereh wouldn’t take the risk.
The Library, then. They’d travel there, together, as originally planned. The Librarian could keep Sereh safe. He didn’t want to be parted from her, not again, but the Librarian was neutral. He could legitimately hold on to Sereh as the wrongs of the last eight rotations began to be put right.
He’d been liberally dosing himself with Emma’s herb.
He had no idea of the correct dosage and hoped he wasn’t making things worse.
He’d also been giving a smaller dose to Sereh.
While she had no outward signs of injury, amazingly, the stresses her body had endured in her days in the cold needed to be combated.
They were visible in the rawness of her face and in the gaunt look of her body.
He hoped Emma’s mysterious herb was a quick fix for everything and anything.
He hobbled to the cooking pot and helped himself to some of his stew and brewed himself another cup of Emma’s herb. He opened his mind to Skaldi. He may as well get this over and done with. At least, Skaldi might be more reasonable than Sereh.
Erann was pleased to find Skaldi in good spirits. From a perch above the cave, he was watching Sereh and Arrow play. Sereh was throwing balls of snow, which Arrow then couldn’t find once they’d landed in the soft snow. Skaldi broadcast his amusement at the wolf-dog’s antics.
Why can’t she find the snowballs?
‘She can’t see them, when they hit the rest of the snow. She doesn’t see how you do,’ Erann offered softly.
Again, Erann felt the dragon’s amusement and then that attention turned to him.
I see you’re improving day by day, Erann. Your pain seems much reduced. Are you nearly well?
As ever, Erann was a little startled by Skaldi’s attention to his well-being. After all, Skaldi was an enormous dragon. He wasn’t even the same species as him. Why did he care so much about Erann? Although, well, perhaps that was because of his connection to Emma. Which reminded him.
‘How is Emma?’
She will be well. Skaldi thought to him. The news cheered him. He still couldn’t understand what had happened to her.
‘I’m going to try without my crutches today. Maybe then we can leave this place once and for all.’
Skaldi let out a rumble of what Erann had come to understand was laughter.
Please try not to push yourself too hard, too soon. I think you’ve already done more than enough damage to yourself, don’t you?
Erann accepted that with a wry smile, which slipped from his face quickly. Skaldi had given him the perfect opening, but he felt hesitant as he spoke.
‘Of course, you’re right. But there’s Sereh to consider. I need to make her trust me. I know she has questions and I need to give her answers.’
Erann waited nervously as Skaldi considered his response.
‘Erann, I have looked inside her. I have looked for the differences in you. I cannot find anything. She is as you are, yet still, she cannot see me. There is something different about you. She felt my shadow move this morning but thought nothing of it. She has accepted my help but has not thought to question her strength in carrying you away from the avalanche.’
‘But she doesn’t know to expect it, does she? I knew it was you because I can see you. If she knew about you, wouldn’t she see a sign of you in what’s happening? You tried to help her when she was unwell. Didn’t she sense you then?’
She pushed me away, Erann, and so I do not know.
How can you explain to her or make her see when right now she can’t see?
The wolf can see me, or at least some approximation of me.
You can see me. Sereh, I fear, will never see me.
You will have to think of another explanation, Erann, for the things that have happened.
I do not know what it will be. I am sorry, my friend.
Skaldi’s voice rang with sadness.
Erann felt his heart sink. Skaldi was right.
Sereh was logical and pragmatic. She believed in what she could see in front of her, things that could be proven indisputably.
He thought quickly. While he could conjure up other explanations, they’d all be as equally fantastical as the truth.
All he needed to do was tell her the truth and then try to find a way to prove it so that Sereh would believe it.
Skaldi put his huge golden head inside the cave, drawing his green eyes level with Erann. Erann reached up and ran his hand over the bulbous eyebrows.
He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve to know a creature as magnificent as Skaldi but knew he was unaccountably blessed.
‘You’re a good friend, Skaldi. I thank you for everything. I have to try to make Sereh see. I have to try – you understand, don’t you?’
I do. I will help if I can, but I think it is unlikely. It is as I have been told. Your kind cannot see mine. Apart from you.
‘Thank you for understanding.’ With that, Erann leaned his full weight against Skaldi’s head and rested there a moment. Skaldi filled him with a strength he didn’t currently feel. He would need it.