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Chapter Eight

Part Nine

Lydia leapt from Aratt’s back as soon as he landed and  ran over to Hreid. Her stomach lurched when she she saw the huge fire at the other end of the cave. It looked like a funeral pyre and she could see a figure lying at its heart. What if it was Karen?

“Did Karen arrive? Is she okay?” she asked frantically.

“Queen Valeria got her here in time,” he reassured her. “Ambassador Alaryia is tending to her. She’s very sick, but the Ambassador seems confident she’ll survive.”

Lydia sighed in relief and felt the tension drain from her shoulders as Andrew joined her.

“Can we see her?” she asked and then looked over at the fire. “Did somebody die?”

Hreid shook his head. “No, not yet. Hopefully she won’t, but it isn’t looking positive.” He pointed to the figure. “The dragon who nearly killed Karen drained that fire nymph to the point where she can’t recover her own energy.”

“So the fire’s to replenish her lost energy?” Lydia asked.

“Yes, but I think she’s too far gone. She’s been in the fire for a couple of hours and isn’t warming up.” He shuddered violently. “Essence drain is a terrible, slow way to die. Dragons are horrible creatures, but at least most of them will finish off their prey rather than leave them in this state.”

“And you’ve no way to transfuse energy into her?” Lydia asked.

“Tranfuse energy into her?” Hreid looked confused for a moment before shaking his head. “Oh, no. We can’t transfer energy that wa-” He broke off and hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. “But goblins can.” He swore angrily. “We can’t do it, so it just never occured to us to ask. I don’t think they’ve even been told.”

“I see.” Lydia shrugged off her rucksack and handed it to Andrew. “Look after this.” She started towards the fire. Andrew grabbed her elbow and pulled her back.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m going to help, of course,” Lydia replied calmly. “If we wait to talk to the goblins it might be too late.” She pulled her arm loose and stepped forward into the flames before he could protest.

It felt for all the world like stepping into a bath of warm milk. Her shield came up without her thinking about it and deflected the burning logs which tried to fall on her and she clambered up to the nymph. She took the nymph’s icy hand in her own and began to imagine her fire travelling through her hand into the nymph.

She jerked in response and mumbled something unintelligible.

Lydia chose to take that as a good sign. “Come on,” Lydia whispered. “You can do this.” She looked towards Hreid. “What’s her name?”

“I think Queen Valeria said it was Ignifer,” he replied.

“Thanks!” She summoned a globe of silver fire from within her. “Come on, Ignifer.” She pushed the fireball into Ignifer’s chest and saw it spread out under her skin.

Ignifer jerked again, her eyelids fluttered and her hand warmed a little in Lydia’s.

Lydia waited until she was sure the nymph really was starting to warm up and then climbed back down. Only then did she realise just how much energy she’d given to Ignifer. The cave spun a little and she sank to the floor wearily. “That should help, I hope.” In spite of the fire at her back she was shivering and she pulled her cloak around her more firmly.

“Yes, I think it will,” Hreid said. “Look.”

Lydia looked back at the fire. It was swirling around Ignifer as the nymph drew it into herself. “Ah!”

“I think you’ve saved her life,” Hreid said. “I just hope she appreciates it when she wakes up. Are you okay?”

“I will be,” Lydia said. “I just need a moment.”

“Let me help you.” He offered her his hand.

“Thanks!” She took it gratefully and he pulled her to her feet.

“Come on then, I’ll take you to your sister.”

Hreid continued to support Lydia as he led them through the corridors. Which was good, because her legs felt like jelly.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Andrew asked. “You don’t look okay.”

“I’m fine,” Lydia replied. “But she needed a lot of energy to kickstart her recovery system.”

“Yes, she would have,” Hreid said. “You need something to eat and a sleep after that I imagine.” He paused. “One more thing before I forget. “Queen Valeria is there with Prince Alban as well. He knows that it will be hard given her attempts to kill you, but King Dariad asks that you at least try to treat her civilly.”

Lydia nodded but Andrew ground to a halt.

“What!” he exploded. His face flushed and he looked like he wanted to say more, but couldn’t articulate it. Lydia sighed to herself and let go of Hreid long enough to slap her brother sharply across the face. Hreid had to grab her again as even that efford made her dizzy. It wasn’t as bad as the unnatural fatigue she’d felt before she found her bracelet, but it was bad enough.

“Calm down, Drew! Getting worked up won’t help anyone.”

“B-but she hates us for no reason,” he spluttered. “It’s not fair.”

“Oh I suspect she has reasons. Just not reasons that relate to us personally,” Lydia said. “If you explode at her you’ll just reinforce her prejudices.” She turned back to Hreid. “We’ll be polite as long as she is, won’t we, Drew?” When her brother didn’t agree immediately she summoned up the energy to kick his ankle. “Won’t we, Drew?”

“Well, I’ll try,” he allowed finally. “But I really do want to knock some sense into her.”

“I know.” Lydia sagged against the tunnel wall. “Can we hurry up and get there? I want to sit down.”

“Of course!” Hreid led them through a few more corridors to a carved wooden door and knocked on it.

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