Chapter 37
ERANN
He’d woken from a disturbed sleep in the first light of morning when the pain had substantially lessened on his friend’s return.
But the arrival of Emma, the woman from his dreams, had caught him by surprise.
It had left him feeling wrong-footed. He’d assumed – wrongly, as it turned out – he was the only one of his people the dragon knew.
Emma’s soft voice and firm but gentle manner was comforting. She’d examined his leg, allowed him the means to relieve himself, and then slipped him a warm, mildly spiced drink that had left him feeling sleepy and pain-free. She’d instructed him to stay lying down, no matter what, and to sleep.
When he awoke again, some time later, whatever pain relief she’d given him had worn off.
He groaned through gritted teeth. Not that he minded when Sereh rushed to him and took his hand. She looked confused as well as concerned, although she covered it well. He briefly wondered why – until Emma shifted into his line of sight. Ah, yes. This wouldn’t be easy to explain.
His friend had given him no indication of how he was to account for Emma’s presence. But, Erann understood Sereh wasn’t to know about the dragon. He squeezed her hand in apology. He decided to act normally, acknowledging Emma’s presence, until he worked out what to do.
‘Good morning, Emma.’ The shock on Sereh’s face crushed him. He squeezed her hand again in mute apology.
‘How’s the leg doing?’ Emma asked.
He attempted to sit upright, but movement sent fresh waves of pain pulsing down his legs.
He grunted and slumped back down.
‘I’m sure I told you to stay lying down,’ Emma cautioned, passing him a bottle to relieve himself in again.
Sereh turned away quickly, but he saw the hurt in her eyes.
He felt swallowed up by agony. He wanted to tell Sereh everything.
The secret he must keep from Sereh could drive her away.
They’d only just found each other again, and yet already he’d begun to think more of her than anyone he’d ever known. He wondered how she felt about him.
Emma kept Sereh busy by the fire, and so neither of them saw his sorrow.
Hello, Erann. The calming presence of his friend returned.
Please do not worry. All will be well.
Abruptly, he was looking down on a scene of himself. He lay, weighted down under furs, with Emma, Sereh and Arrow loosely scattered around the fire burning brightly in the centre of the cave.
Erann smiled.
What else he could communicate to his friend was instantly assaulted by a stream of further images.
A cave filled with shifting translucent reflections.
Emma talking to his friend. The image blanked, leaving him alone for a moment.
He blinked in confusion before his friend returned apologetically.
For that brief moment alone, the pain had been intense once more.
Not just his legs but also his head, chest, and back – it had felt like he was being squeezed together.
Emma appeared at his side and offered him another cup of the warm, spicy tea. He sat upright carefully and took it, sipping slowly. The spice was less overpowering. He looked at her questioningly over the rim of the cup.
‘I thought you might like to be awake for a while. I’ll keep Sereh busy. You need to talk to Skaldi.’ Although she spoke under her breath, her tone brooked no argument.
‘Skaldi? Is that…?’
Emma nodded. She turned to go, and he reached out and held her arm.
‘Please, please be gentle with Sereh. I don’t understand what’s going on, and she has even less idea. Please. Please be kind to her. She… she means a lot to me.’ His voice trailed away, worried about what Emma would think. She took his hand and held it gently between her own.
‘I understand more than you can ever know. I’ll aid Sereh. You have my word.’
Emma scooped the wooden cup up and walked back towards Sereh. Erann was surprised by how much better he felt after admitting his feelings out loud. They felt right, and he felt comfortable with what he’d said.
As Emma strode away, he realised he still wasn’t sure how to talk to Skaldi.
He didn’t want to call Emma back to ask.
He didn’t want Sereh to think they were keeping something from her, but he still needed to work out how their friendship worked.
There was nothing for it. He couldn’t form coherent images of his thoughts for his friend to see, as he’d seen in his dreams. Feeling like a fool, he spoke quietly to himself.
‘Hello?’
Hello, Erann.
‘Who are you?’
I am Skald Drekki. You may name me Skaldi. The answer appeared to him, followed by an image of a dragon. The great gold-scaled beast Erann thought he’d seen before.
‘I mean, how are you? Um, where are you from? How did you find me? How can you be here?’
A wave of amusement from his friend reached him. Just one question at a time, please.
‘Sorry.’ Erann grinned and asked an entirely different question. ‘In that case, how are you stopping the pain?’
The pain is still there. You can’t feel it at the moment, because I’ve dampened it. Mostly. I don’t want to dampen it completely. I want you to know the pain’s there, so you don’t forget and do something that interrupts the healing which has already begun. Emma warned me.
The mention of Emma distracted Erann from the other questions he was contemplating asking.
‘Where did she come from? How did she get here?’
Again, he was flooded with a sense of amusement.
She’s from my home. She came here on my back. I think you saw it as you slept. It was a curious experience for both of us, I assure you. She’ll help you heal. She has food for you.
Again, the answer distracted Erann from the next question he intended to ask. Where was their home? He couldn’t keep his focus. Irritated, he concentrated.
‘Sereh, she can’t see you?’
No, none of your kind can.
‘Except me – I can.’
Yes, it’s most unusual.
‘So can Emma.’
She’s an individual case.
‘What does that mean? And why can I see you?’
I’m unsure. All I know is, we have a connection. I’ve known this since we first met at the steading. Erann was about to ask another question, but Skaldi’s words once more sent his thoughts skittering.
‘What steading?’
The one with the wolves. They were like your friend here. Erann turned to look at Arrow, who’d curled up by the fire. I burnt it. I made sure you didn’t burn.
Erann felt himself reel. His mind spun with the implications.
‘You… burnt the steading?’
The wolves were eating the dead of your kind. They would have eaten you. It seemed… wrong.
Erann felt himself trembling at the memory. That day. The night. It had sent him onto Vatna Jokull for the first time. It had almost led to his death, despite the dragon’s intentions.
I followed you the next day. You fell asleep outside. It was snowing and cold. That seemed… wrong as well. I kept you warm all night. I shielded you with my wings. Then the wolf and your friend came, and I left.
Erann could picture exactly where he was, follow the path he took, but this time from Skaldi’s eyes.
I stayed with you. You seemed so upset and confused.
The third steading you went to, was it important to you?
The one where the girl met you. A group of men came, but you had already left.
I scared them off when they tried to burn it.
What they wanted to do seemed… wrong. I followed you again.
I wanted to make sure you were safe. You saw me.
But you looked away. I left then – I wasn’t sure what to do.
None of your kind should be able to see my kind.
Not there. Not until you. I needed time to understand.
But then the avalanche came. I… I’m sorry. I should have protected you.
Erann sat back; his mind was reeling. None of this made sense. It didn’t feel real. Suddenly, all the strange things that had been happening seemed to fall into place. And yet, so many questions remained. He didn’t even know where to start. The voice in his head spoke again, soft and insistent.
Erann, please. You must rest. You must heal. Please sleep. There will be time for questions and answers later when you’re well and away from this dangerous place.
Erann nodded. An image entered his mind only to disappear as fast as it came. He blinked his eyes open. He knew without quite knowing how that it had come from – and been taken away by – the dragon.
There was something he didn’t want him to see.