Текст книги "Slathbog's Gold"

Автор книги: Mark Forman

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“You look much better,” commented Calysto, entering the room. “Though you will still be weak from lack of food.”

“I feel wonderful,” said Alex, sitting up and smiling at Calysto.

“After six days and nights of sleep you should,” said Arconn from the doorway.

“Arconn!” Alex exclaimed happily. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“I have never been far,” replied Arconn, smiling and bowing at Alex’s warm greeting.

“And he would have been closer, if I’d allowed it,” added Calysto, smiling at both Alex and Arconn.

“Only your word could keep me from his side,” said Arconn, bowing to Calysto.

“More like my word and a few threats,” replied Calysto with a happy laugh. “Though the threats were more for the others than you.”

“You are most kind, lady, and even your threats are music to my ears,” said Arconn, laughing.

“You may rejoin your friends,” said Calysto, handing Alex a goblet to drink. “They will be pleased to see you feeling so well.”

“Thank you,” said Alex, draining the goblet. “You have been very kind.” Calysto smiled and left the room so Alex was alone with Arconn.

“She seems so strange,” Alex commented, after Calysto had gone.

“How so?”

“I don’t know. It’s like happiness flows out of her.”

Arconn laughed and agreed with Alex’s comments. He helped Alex pull on his boots and walked close beside him as they left the room and the small house.

Alex was glad Arconn was close because he felt a little awkward on his feet. More than once he stumbled and Arconn had to catch him before he fell. Arconn led him slowly across a green meadow to another wooden house close by. Alex felt much better after the short walk, and even his legs felt stronger.

“Alex!” Thrang’s voice boomed as Alex and Arconn entered the house. “Thought we were going to lose you.” He rushed over and gathered Alex into a bear hug.

The rest of his companions crowded around, slapping Alex on the back and hugging him warmly as he moved into the room.

“Thought we’d lost you that time, little brother,” Skeld laughed, lifting Alex off his feet in yet another hug. “But our elf friends seem to have cured you.”

Alex felt truly happy as he returned the hugs of his companions and laughed with them. They all made a great fuss about making him comfortable and then rushed around the room, bringing out food and something for him to drink.

“That was close,” said Bregnest, sounding relieved. “We were lucky to find Arconn’s kinsmen so quickly.”

“You all seem to know what happened to me, can you tell me what happened to you?” Alex asked as he started to eat the food Thrang placed before him.

“On the night you fought the shadows, we were all overpowered by sleep,” said Thrang, eager to tell the story. “Even the noble Arconn succumbed to the wraith’s spell. That’s why there was no watch when you woke up.”

“I wonder why they didn’t use the same magic on me?” Alex questioned, slightly puzzled.

“I think they must have tried to put the spell on you as well,” said Arconn, taking a seat across from Alex. “But for some reason you were able to shake it off.”

“How many wraiths were there?” Andy asked. “I mean, if you can remember and don’t mind talking about it.”

Alex closed his eyes and thought for a moment. “I’m not really sure. At first I only saw one, but the voice kept saying, ‘join us,’ and, ‘ weare your friends.’ After I touched Moon Slayer, I saw there were several of them—maybe a dozen? I didn’t take the time to count.”

Andy looked surprised. “I’ve only ever heard of one or two wraiths together.”

“I would have been much happier with only one or two,” Alex said, shuddering at the memory.

“Once you’d defeated them, we all woke up,” Thrang went on. “We found you pretty quickly, but your body was stone cold. We were worried we were already too late.”

“I remember hearing you call,” said Alex, looking at Arconn. “I could hear your voice calling from a long way off.”

“If your spirit had traveled much further, you wouldn’t have heard me or been able to return,” said Arconn. “You were nearly to the wall, and I was afraid you wouldn’t answer.”

“The wall,” said Alex, thinking back to his dreams. “Yes, I remember the wall and the soft gray lands around it.”

“We’re all glad you did not cross that wall,” Thrang said. “If you had, we wouldn’t be talking now.”

“What did you see beyond the wall?” Tayo asked in a slow, quiet tone, his expression troubled. “Did you see people there? Friends? Family?”

“I don’t remember seeing anyone on the other side of the wall,” Alex replied after a short pause. “I only remember feeling that if I crossed the wall, all my troubles would disappear.”

“We should not speak of such things,” said Bregnest. “It will bring worry and darkness to us all.”

“I don’t know,” said Alex, thinking about it. “The wall didn’t seem like a place of worry. It was more like a place to start a new adventure.”

Tayo’s troubled look seemed to fade a little at Alex’s words.

Alex continued to eat. The food tasted wonderful and he could feel his strength returning with every bite. He could see how happy his friends were that he had recovered and that reassured him the wraiths had been lying to him.

“Once you had answered my call and had come partway back, we rode as quickly as we could toward the dark forest,” said Arconn, continuing the story. “I knew that when darkness returned, you would be tempted to go back to the shadowlands. I had called you back once, but just barely. I feared I would not be able to do so a second time.”

“I remember you saying something about the forest being near,” said Alex. “But everything was dark, and all I wanted to do was sleep.”

“Yes, the sun had gone down and you were returning to the shadowlands and the wall,” replied Arconn. “Luckily, we found some of Calysto’s people as soon as we entered the forest. I explained what I could about your battle with the wraiths, and they rushed you to Calysto without asking questions.

“At first they tried to put you on one of their own horses, but Shahree wouldn’t let them,” Arconn continued. “She was determined to carry you herself, as though she was afraid they would not get you here fast enough. In the end, my kinsmen took Shahree’s reins and led the two of you here as quickly as they could.”

“And it was lucky they did, because you were almost gone when you arrived. You were speaking softly in your dreams about the gray land and wanting to see what was beyond the wall,” Thrang interjected.

“And then Calysto called me back,” Alex said quietly.

“It was more like a demand than a call,” said Arconn, looking suddenly grim. “I have never seen so much power used to call someone back from the wall. For a time . . .”

“For a time, what?” Alex questioned.

“For a time it seemed that you would take Calysto across the wall with you.” Arconn’s face was grim.

“I almost did,” Alex said, remembering his insistence that Calysto come with him.

“Indeed you did. I do not know how it was possible,” Arconn said, his eyes distant, “but it seems that in the end you wanted to come back and Calysto seems happy that you did.”

“As are all the elves,” said Thrang with a laugh and a smile. “Gives them a reason to hold a feast.”

“There’s going to be a feast?” Alex asked happily.

“Tonight,” Arconn replied. “In your honor.”

“My honor? Why?”

“You defeated the wraiths,” said Thrang, refilling Alex’s mug. “You’re something of a hero around here. Not to mention the elves are all impressed with your sword.”

“But you’ll need to take a bath first,” said Skeld, laughing. “Or the elves will be disappointed in their hero, and the rest of us will need to stay upwind of you.”

Alex laughed and threw a bit of bread at Skeld before asking where he could take a bath. Skeld led him to a smaller room at the back of the house where a huge tub was already filled with hot water. Fine new clothes and polished boots were sitting to one side of the tub.

The hot water felt wonderful and Alex relaxed, alone with his thoughts. He wondered how Calysto had managed to call him back, and why Arconn had said that her call had been more like a demand. The food and the bath helped clear his thoughts, but he couldn’t seem to remember exactly what had happened after the company reached the forest. He felt like he should remember, and the fact that he couldn’t troubled him.

The sun was sinking into the forest when Alex returned to his friends once more. They all seemed excited for the feast to start, and pleased that the feast was in Alex’s honor. Alex was slightly embarrassed by it all, thinking that he hadn’t really done anything worthy of a feast. As shadows covered the meadow, a tall elf appeared in the doorway of the house. He smiled and asked them to follow him to the celebration.

“It will be a grand feast,” said the elf as they walked into the woods. “Our people have been arriving all day. From what I hear, the kitchens have pulled out all the stops as well.”

Alex laughed at the elf’s excitement, which reminded him a great deal of his young friend, Thrain. He wondered how old this elf might be, before remembering that elves did not age like men or dwarfs. He glanced at Arconn who was walking beside him, remembering how old his friend had looked after calling him back from the wall the first time.

“Are you troubled?” Arconn asked, noticing Alex’s glance.

“Not really,” Alex replied. “I was just wondering why you looked so old the morning after the wraiths attacked me.”

“It was not age you saw,” said Arconn with a faint smile. “You saw me after a great effort, an effort that took me to a place few elves ever go.”

“I am sorry I took you there,” Alex said softly so only Arconn could hear him.

“Do not be,” said Arconn. “I have long wanted to see the wall, and now I have. Though having seen it, I would not willingly return. Enough of this talk, we have arrived.”

They walked into a vast meadow lit by hundreds of silver lamps. The meadow was crowded with elves sitting at long tables or carrying serving trays. Off to one side, a choir of elves sang happily, while more elves appeared from the trees around the clearing.

“The lady Calysto bids you all to her table,” said the tall elf, bowing.

Alex and his companions followed the elf through the crowded meadow toward Calysto’s table. As they walked, many of the elves stopped what they were doing and bowed to the company, while others simply smiled and nodded.

Calysto’s table sat above the others on a raised wooden platform so that it overlooked the other tables. Chairs ran alongside one side of the table, and in the center chair sat Calysto, smiling as her guests approached.

“Welcome, my friends,” said Calysto in her musical voice. “We are pleased you could join us.”

“The honor is truly ours,” replied Bregnest, beginning to bow but then stopping himself.

Alex barely had time to wonder about Bregnest’s unfinished bow before he and his companions were shown to their places at Calysto’s table. Alex sat on Calysto’s right; an important-looking elf sat to his right. Calysto introduced him as Delinus, the chamberlain of the dark forest.

“Let the feast begin,” said Calysto as soon as Alex had taken his seat.

The feast was as good as any he’d ever attended, and it was not only the food that took away his troubled thoughts and worries. The happiness on the faces of the elf host, mixed with their singing and fair voices laughing, left Alex feeling like nothing bad could ever happen again.

Looking along the table, Alex saw Skeld joking loudly with the elves beside him. Andy was trying to sing an elfin song, and even Tayo smiled as he sat listening to the elf choir singing. All too soon the feast ended, the plates and food cleared away, and the elves grew quiet.

“A final toast,” said Calysto, rising from her chair. “To he who vanquished the shadows!”

“To he who vanquished the shadows!” the elf host shouted, raising their cups and drinking.

Alex turned bright red at the toast, but managed to hide his embarrassment by drinking from his own cup. The elves all cheered again and started to sing as the feast ended. Alex remained seated, listening to the happy voices all around him and wishing that this night could go on forever.

“Will you walk with me?” asked Calysto, leaning close so that only Alex could hear her.

“As you wish,” said Alex, rising from his chair.

Calysto smiled and, taking Alex’s hand, led him away from the meadow. They walked in silence for a time, and the happy voices faded behind them.

“You are still troubled,” said Calysto softly as they walked through the trees. “You feel that something is missing. That you have forgotten something important.”

“You see much,” answered Alex, looking at Calysto.

Her face seemed to shine with an inner light, as though a hidden fire or power burned inside of her.

“So, it seems, do you,” she replied. “Do you remember what has passed between us?”

“Do you mean after I woke, or before?” Alex asked, afraid of what her answer would be.

“Before,” said Calysto, her smile still in place.

“I do not remember everything,” answered Alex. “Though I feel that I should.”

Calysto stopped walking and turned to face Alex. For what seemed like a long time there was no sound at all, just Calysto looking deeply into Alex’s eyes. Then Alex felt as if a light had suddenly been turned on inside his head, a light that showed him the darkest corners of his own mind.

Alex blinked several times before speaking. He felt like he’d just woken up, but he knew he had not. He looked at Calysto’s face, remembering her as he had seen her before, when she met him at the edge of the shadowlands.

“Your memories have returned,” Calysto said at last, breaking the spell of silence. “I hope they will not be a burden to you.”

“I am sorry I forced you to come there,” said Alex, shaking slightly. “I did not . . . I did not mean for that to happen.”

“It was a near thing,” said Calysto, smiling again. “Almost you convinced me to cross the wall with you. But it seems your bonds here were stronger than your desire to leave.” She placed a gentle hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Do not be troubled. I came of my own free will, and place no blame for what happened on you.”

Alex nodded his thanks, unable to speak.

Calysto took his hand again and began walking. “You have great power in you, my young friend,” she said at last. “Greater than of anyone I have ever met.”

“A power I can’t control,” replied Alex. “And as long as I do not control it, it is a danger to others, as it was to you.”

“Then you know the path you must take,” said Calysto. “A wizard’s path is often a lonely one, but know that you will always find friends here.”

“May I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Calysto answered, smiling, her face beaming in the moonlight.

“Why did Bregnest stop himself from bowing to you?”

“Oh,” said Calysto, and laughed softly in surprise. “Your friends have forgotten to tell you—you have all been named elf friends. And as elf friends, there is no need for bows, though I think Bregnest finds this practice troublesome.”

“Among adventurers, bowing is a way of showing respect,” said Alex, smiling.

“Among elves and elf friends, respect is already known so there is no need for the show. Though as you saw, some of my own people have adopted your custom. I think your friend Bregnest was trying to show his respect by not bowing tonight.”

They walked in silence for a time, Alex’s thoughts less troubled than they had been since the start of his adventure. He knew now exactly what he had to do, and what he had to become. He also knew that, with time, he would make his friends proud.

“I will leave you here,” said Calysto. “Your friends are waiting for you inside.”

Alex noticed for the first time that they had come back to the wooden house the company was staying in. He smiled at Calysto, trying to think of a way to thank her for all she had done.

“I am in your debt,” he said at last. “If ever you have need, I will always answer your call.”

Calysto bowed slightly, a smile in her bright eyes. Then looking up into the star-filled sky, she said, “You are more like an elf than any human I have ever met.”

With a last look at Calysto, Alex turned and entered the wooden house.

* * *

How long the company remained in the dark forest, Alex was never sure. He remembered many feasts and long nights of singing and laughing with the elves. He remembered walking and talking with Calysto several times, but the days seemed to blend together and he could not count them. When at last the company prepared to leave the forest, the trees were changing color. Summer had passed and soon fall would be arriving.

“We have stayed too long,” said Bregnest the night before they were to leave. “Though it is difficult to say good-bye, we must press on.”

“Sad will be the parting,” said Arconn softly. “Though the return will be more welcome for it.”

“You’ve become more elfin again,” said Thrang in a disgruntled tone. “We need to get you away from here so you’ll speak plainly again.”

Arconn laughed at Thrang’s comment, though Alex could see the deep sorrow in his friend. He knew how Arconn felt, leaving the dark forest behind and facing an unknown future. It would be a sad parting for them all, but Alex knew that they all had hopes for a quick return.

The next morning as they were saddling the horses, Calysto came to say good-bye to them. She was smiling, though Alex could see that she, too, was sad to see them leave.

“May good fortune ride with you,” Calysto called as they rode into the trees. “And may you return safely to our happy land.”

chapter seventeen

Slathbog

None of the company looked back as they rode into the woods. They were all sad to be leaving, and even the hope of successfully finishing their quest did not brighten their thoughts. They followed the path the elves had told them about, a path that would lead them quickly to their final goal.

As the days passed, Alex noticed that the trees had completely changed color from lively greens to bright yellows and reds. There was a chill in the air as well, and each morning seemed a little colder than the one before.

“It will be difficult to cross the wastes in winter,” said Tayo one morning.

“It would be difficult at any time,” replied Halfdan grimly. “The wastelands around the dragon will test our resolve.”

“Then let’s make sure we pass that test,” said Bregnest as he climbed into his saddle and led them forward.

Slowly the thick forest changed back to meadows, then to open grassland. After a week of hard riding, the grasslands ended suddenly in front of them. The land was bare, empty of grass or trees; only gray rock and brown dirt could be seen.

“We will have to leave the horses here,” said Bregnest, unhappy. “We do not have enough food for them, and there is little or nothing that grows in the wasteland.”

“I have spoken with them. They know where we are going,” Arconn replied. “They will remain close, waiting for our return.”

“I hope their wait will be a short one,” said Skeld with a smile.

The mood around camp that night was grim and solemn. Now that they were so close to their goal, everyone’s thoughts seemed to be on the danger that waited for them, a danger they could almost taste. Even Skeld found little to joke about so close to the wasteland of the dragon.

“We should each add some dry wood to our bags,” said Thrang softly, taking his seat next to the fire. “We may need it before we return.”

“A fire in the wasteland would be dangerous,” said Bregnest. “Though, with winter coming, we may have to risk it.”

“And when we slay the dragon, we’ll need light to sort the hoard,” added Skeld in a positive tone.

“Cold food from here to Varlo,” commented Halfdan, picking at his dinner. “Not a happy thought, even for Skeld.”

“It need not all be cold,” said Arconn, glancing at Alex. “Our young wizard has learned to conjure up fire. If we use his magical fire only in daylight, we should be safe enough.”

Alex smiled weakly. Since they’d left the dark forest, he had been practicing spells from his magic book. He was surprised how easy some of them seemed to be. One of the spells could conjure up a bright blue flame, and he was already good at working the magic.

“We should rest,” said Bregnest. “Tomorrow we will gather wood and fill our water bags. Then we will begin our journey into the wastelands.”

The next morning, Alex spent some time with Shahree. She didn’t seem to like the idea of being left behind.

“It’s only for a short time,” said Alex soothingly. “And I’ll be happier knowing you’re safe. I know what you did for me in the dark forest, and I will return for you as soon as I can.”

Shahree whinnied loudly and nuzzled Alex’s shoulder. His words seemed to pacify her, though he could still see a sad look in her eyes.

They put their saddles inside their magic bags, letting the horses wander freely on the open grass. Arconn whispered something into each of the horses’ ears and they seemed to understand what he said. Then, with one look back, Alex and his friends walked into the wasteland of Varlo.

Their road was not a difficult one to follow because no plants had grown over it. In fact, Alex couldn’t see anything growing at all in the wasteland around them. The land for miles around them appeared completely dead. Alex felt a great sadness inside as he walked through the barren and empty land.

“Dragons usually destroy everything for miles around their lairs,” said Andy as he walked beside Alex. “It makes it difficult for anyone to sneak up on them.”

“Like we’re trying to do,” replied Alex with a half-smile.

“It has been many years since anyone has dared bother Slathbog’s rest,” said Skeld from in front of them. “Perhaps he has grown less watchful over time.”

“And perhaps he has grown more,” replied Tayo, looking unhappy as he walked beside Skeld.

“If he is watching, perhaps he will meet us on open ground,” said Skeld, with a note of hope in his voice. “That would be to our advantage.”

“Why?” Alex asked, shifting his bag on his shoulder.

“Slathbog will know the tunnels and ruins of Varlo well,” replied Skeld. “On open ground, our chances would improve.”

“Time will not have made him so foolish,” said Tayo in a grim tone. “He will wait for us in a place of his choosing.”

“Wherever he is, we will find him soon enough,” said Andy, sounding worried and nervous.

They quit talking and continued to walk. The dead land seemed to press in on them, and their movements seemed loud in the overpowering silence. Alex caught himself looking at the road ahead several times, as if expecting to see the dragon waiting for them. He wasn’t the only one. They all seemed to be nervous and watchful, even though there was nothing to see for miles around.

For three days they walked, but there was no sign of the dragon. At mealtimes, Alex would conjure up a bright blue fire for Thrang to cook on, putting it out as soon as the cooking was done. There was little talk as they traveled, and no laughter at all. On the fourth day into the wasteland, it began to rain softly, turning the road into a muddy stream.

“We should turn south,” said Bregnest as they slipped and sloshed along the road. “We are near the city. If there is any truth to old Eric’s tale, we should look for it.”

Alex knew that even if Slathbog knew about the secret passage and was watching the tunnel, a surprise attack was better than waiting for the dragon to find them.

The next morning, they left the road, moving south and east through the empty fields. The fields were far muddier than the road had been and their progess slowed. It was hard work for them to keep moving forward, and they had to stop and rest several times during the day.

As they made their way across the muddy fields, Alex thought that Varlo would have been a pretty land if not for the dragon. Low walls neatly divided the fields, and here and there the burnt stumps of what had once been orchards could still be seen. Alex spent the day thinking about how the land might have looked—before the dragon came.

That night, the rain turned to snow but the fields did not freeze. The company continued to move south, slowed by both mud and snow. It was cold and wet, and even the hot meals Thrang prepared on Alex’s magical fire did little to warm them. Alex wondered how many more days they would have to trudge through the sloppy fields of an endless wasteland.

As darkness closed in on the seventh day of their march, Alex heard running water. They soon came to a stream, moving swiftly over broken stones. In the stillness of the wasteland, the sound was incredibly loud.

“This must be the stream the old man told us about,” said Thrang as they approached the water. “If ever a stream ran from a dragon’s lair, this is it.”

Alex agreed. The water in the stream was a sickly pale green, and it looked oily. There was also the nasty smell of rotten fruit in the air, and it turned Alex’s stomach. Bregnest ordered them to make camp away from the stream so they wouldn’t have to sleep in the stench. Alex walked away from the stream, thinking that there had been some truth to Eric Von Tealo’s tale after all. Alex knew that soon they would have to find some way to enter the dragon’s lair.

“We will follow this stream to the mountain,” Bregnest said the next morning. “Though I don’t think any of us like the idea of swimming in its filth to get inside the mountain.”

“Perhaps the stream has worn away the stone and we will not need to swim,” said Skeld, a note of hope in his voice.

With no other path or plan to follow, they walked beside the smelly stream toward the mountains. They marched all day and most of the next before finally reaching the mountainside. As they approached the mountain, they could clearly see a dark, partly caved-in tunnel next to the spot where the stream emerged. Their spirits lifted when they saw that Skeld’s hopes had come true.

“We should rest,” said Bregnest as they gathered around the dark opening. “Tomorrow, we will seek our fate in the dragon’s den.”

The weary adventurers nodded and began setting up camp. Alex conjured up fire for Thrang to cook on, but nobody except Skeld seemed to be hungry.

“If I meet my end tomorrow, I’ll do it on a full stomach,” Skeld said with a smile.

Alex wandered around the camp feeling uneasy and nervous. He had felt all day that they were being watched. His companions must have felt the same way because they would often glance up at the mountain or out into the wasteland, looking for something that wasn’t there.

As the sun sank into the west, its last rays broke free of the clouds. Alex watched the sunbeams with a smile because they lightened his worries and reminded him of the sunny meadows of the dark forest. Alex let his gaze follow the sunbeam’s path to the ground. Growing where the light hit the ground was the first plant he’d seen since entering the dragon’s wasteland. He looked at the plant in wonder and surprise for several minutes. Partly covered with snow, the small plant seemed odd and out of place growing in the hard soil. Brushing the snow away to get a better look, Alex caught his breath. The plant’s broad, dark green leaves were covered at the base with blood-red flecks—Dragon’s Bane. Alex was sure of it; he recognized it from Iownan’s book.

As carefully as he could, Alex dug the rare plant out of the rocky soil. He filled a large empty sack with soil and gently placed the plant into it. The Dragon’s Bane looked like it was barely alive, and Alex feared it might die. He hoped it would not because the next morning they were going inside the dragon’s lair. He might need the plant and its healing powers soon.

That night, as the rest of the company slept, Alex kept watch with Arconn. If the dragon caught them unawares and asleep, there would be no chance at all to fight or escape.

As the darkness became complete, Alex felt a small twinge in his mind. It was more than his nervous feelings of being watched. There was something about his feelings that made them more real to him, something he couldn’t find a name for. He pondered on his feelings for several minutes, and then he spoke.

“He is close,” Alex said softly to Arconn. “I can feel him.”

“What?”

“The dragon,” Alex replied. “I can feel him.”

“You can sense what he is thinking?” Arconn asked in a slightly surprised tone.

“Confusion. Dark thoughts. Hate, and a terrible longing for . . . for something.”

“Turn your thoughts away,” Arconn warned. “If he sleeps, you may wake him. If he is awake, he may sense you and try to find you through your thoughts. His thoughts may drive you to madness.”

“Madness,” Alex repeated softly. “That would be a good way of describing what I’m feeling.” For a moment, he felt like he was inside the dragon’s mind.

“Close your mind to him,” Arconn warned again. “Think of happier things.”

With some effort, Alex forced himself to think of other things. He focused his mind on the camp and Arconn sitting beside him in the darkness.

“Are dragons mad?” Alex asked after a few minutes had passed.

“I do not know what you mean by mad,” answered Arconn. “If you mean, are they mad like a man who does foolish things for no reason, I would say no. But there is something in them, something that drives them to be the way they are.”

“You told me once that some dragons weren’t evil.”

“That is true. Some of them are free of evil and greed. I have met only one that seemed to be free, and that was long ago.”

“You were friendly with a dragon?” Alex questioned.

“We spoke of many things, but I do not think I could call him a friend,” said Arconn softly as if remembering something from the distant past.

“What happened to him?”

“I do not know,” Arconn sighed. “Perhaps he found a place to live away from the known lands. Or perhaps he has simply hidden himself from all who seek him.”

“Could Slathbog hide himself from us?” Alex asked.

“I do not think so, but then, I do not know all the ways of dragons.”

They sat in silence for a long time, looking into the darkness around them.

“Go to sleep,” Arconn said eventually. “You will need your strength.”

Alex walked to his tent, wondering if he would ever meet a dragon that was not evil, before he remembered that he had never met any dragons at all. That would change in the morning however, and he had to be prepared.