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Chapter Seven
Part One

Daniel woke up to the smell of washing powder. It took him a moment of confusion to realise it was coming from his pillow and another moment to remember that he shouldn’t have a pillow. He opened his eyes cautiously and realised he was in his room back on Earth. The last thing he remembered was being pinned to a tree with his own spear. If he was home, his father must brought him here. Which meant…

“Mela!” he struggled to sit up but his arm wouldn’t obey him. “Mela!”

“Halia says you still have some nerve damage and you shouldn’t move without help yet,” his father said. He was sitting in the chair by Daniel’s desk. “Ebona’s in the garden in her resting form.”

Daniel scowled at him and sank back down to the pillows. “What have you done to Mela?”

“Your little mermaid? Why would I do anything to her?” He studied Daniel’s face and then sighed. “You don’t believe me.” He walked to the door. “Draylian, would you fetch Halia and Mela, please?”

“Of course, my Idan.” The white haired boy who appeared in the doorway looked like a scrawny young teen but his inhumanly green eyes marked him as a dragon. He didn’t feel quite like one though. He bowed briefly and was gone.

“Such an interesting child, that one,” his father said.

“You don’t have him collared? Is that safe?”

“I’m trying to figure out what he is. The collar would interfere. Anyway he does what he’s told as long as I feed him.” He gave a wry smile. “I thought you didn’t approve of what I did.”

“I don’t care what you do to dragons. They’re monsters and need controlling. It’s what you do with them that makes you one too.”

“Ah, Elapyron City.” His father walked to the window and looked out. “That place was rotten to the core in ways you can’t even imagine, Daniel. And thanks to you, I found out that some of the rot managed to escape.”

His father picked something up from the desk and dropped it on to the pillow. It was the remains of the control circlet Daniel had picked up when he confronted the others at the ice cave. “But that’s…”

“Not one of mine, no? Mine are a hybrid of this design and the collars I use on dragons. Do you know where I found this design?”

Daniel shook his head, although he had a sinking feeling he knew where this was going.

“The council in Elapyron city were using them on traitors. And by traitors I mean anyone who disagreed with them.”

“Just another symptom of the disease afflicting Talonyka,” a female voice he didn’t recognise said. Daniel looked up in time to see Draylian reappear with Mela and a female dragon with silvery blonde hair. Unlike  the boy, she was wearing an ornate torc and her green eyes simmered with resentment as she glared at his father. He returned her gaze with calm unconcern.

“Your kind are the only disease afflicting that world, Halia. Your patient is awake. Don’t let me down.”

“Not the only disease.” The dragon girl gave him a sideways look as she walked  to Daniel’s side and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “And I would never deliberately botch a healing. My mother would kill me if you didn’t.”  A strange tingling sensation spread through his arm. “Can you feel your arm at all?”

Daniel ignored her and looked over at Mela. She was dressed in slacks and a long blouse belted at the waist and had her turquoise hair bound up under a headscarf. Her outfit was made from a pale green fabric that made his skin tingle even at this distance. If it wasn’t for her eyes and her heartstone, she’d pass for human. And she could hide both of those if needed. He couldn’t see any sign of any kind of control device. “Are you okay?” he asked. “What are you wearing?”

“I’m okay.” She pulled a face as she sat beside him on the bed. “A bit confused. And this – I think it’s goblin silk. It stops me drying out.”

“Are you  sure? Has he done anything to you?”

Mela shook her head. “Not really. Scanned me a couple of times to try and find out what the dragons wanted me for, but nothing else.”

“Daniel-alran, please,” Halia interrupted. “I know you think I’m a monster, but you could lose the use of your arm if you don’t cooperate with me.”

“She’s right, Daniel. And she may be a dragon, but she’s an excellent healer. I could call one of my friends in, but Halia’s actually better than her and I really don’t feel like getting my ear chewed off right now. And she’ll definately be mad at me right now.”

“What use do dragons have for healers?” Daniel scowled at his father and then glanced at Halia briefly. “I can feel it, but I can’t move it.”

“Good! That’s very good. That means the damage isn’t as bad as I feared.” She really did sound pleased. “I’m going turn off the pain sensors in your arm for a few minutes. What I’m about to do would hurt a lot if I didn’t, but it’ll probably feel strange anyway.”

Strange was an understatement. In spite of the numbness, the tingling sensation increased and became unpleasant. He looked  down and saw glowing tendrils of silver light spreading under his skin. He tried to pull away with a startled exclaimation but she grabbed his arm.

“It won’t harm you,” she said. “That’s why I needed to turn your pain receptors off. Our primary affinities clash.”

“Let her do her job, Daniel. I know it’s unnerving but it’ll work,” his father said. “And then we need to talk with Ebona present.” He headed for the door.  “I’d better check on your mother. She saw me bringing you back but I don’t think she registered it. She’s getting worse.” He scowled and muttered something about wishing he could kill someone. “Come and find me once Halia’s finished. I’ll be in the study.”

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