Draq

Chapter Eight

Draq couldn’t believe the sheer size of the city. It had looked huge from a distance, but it was even bigger up close. The grass died away to just plain dirt after a while, and then the dirt became paths of concrete, which quickly became roads of asphalt. The air was filled with an unpleasant reek of greasy metal, harsh chemicals and artificial structures, and the strong, filthy scent of too many humans living too close together. The sky was hazy, although there were no clouds, and every few blocks Draq could see another column of thick, black smoke pouring into the air from a building like the water of a rushing stream until it dispersed. He was both appalled and amazed by the overwhelming life of the city, all his senses flooded and all his nerves strained with a mixture of excitement and fear.

Arlena kept pace at his side, resting a hand on his shoulder. Hardly any of the humans gave them a glance as they went by, all caught up in the bustle of their own lives. Only several children would stare every now and then, and point and hide behind their mother’s legs.

He had questions. Millions of them. They singed the tip of his tongue like his own fire, demanding to be asked. What was that thing? Where were those things going? Why were those humans doing that to each other? A few times he felt his mouth twitch, and Arlena pressed her hand against him more firmly. There’ll be time for that later, she seemed to be trying to say. Everything will be explained once we’re safely alone.

He couldn’t wait until they were alone.

“Hey, that’s a cool dragon.” Draq struggled to keep himself from whirling in the direction of the human voices. His instincts screamed at him to keep tabs on his surroundings, but his brain knew that to do so would be lethal. He was forced to remain still while Arlena confronted the humans herself.

“Yes, he’s a work-in-progress,” she laughed. “I’m just taking him back to the lab.” She waved, which was apparently a human’s way of being friendly, and they continued on their way. She was approached several times by different groups of people, but none of them suspected the truth. Arlena seemed very satisfied with his acting.

She had explained that no humans would specifically recognize her. Draq had foolishly asked her if it was because all humans looked the same. She had laughed, until she realized he wasn’t joking, and then went on to explain that any humans who knew her lived in a completely different part of the city. She would not pass anyone she knew.

This sounded like a good thing to Draq, because it seemed only natural that the humans who personally knew her would not buy their bluff. They would be expecting her back from her excursion into the valley in any case.

Fortunately, she wasn’t due back for several more days. Which would hopefully be just enough time to get him to the other side of the city so that he could continue on his own toward the land of dragons.

He hadn’t told Arlena, but he was quite worried about his home. Just knowing that his brother had taken over it by force, rather than tradition, simply burned him up. Leaders were supposed to prove themselves to be worthy; they weren’t supposed to beat the rest of dragon society into submission. He wanted to return as quickly as possible to set things right again.

After a time, Draq began to feel lost. The city stretched on and on around them, impossibly large. Buildings rose up in every direction, narrowing the sky to a tiny strip over their heads. The urge to leap into the air and fling himself through that strip became almost overwhelming, as if his instincts were afraid he might be trapped down here on the reeking ground if he did not escape immediately. Dragons were not claustrophobic creatures—but at least when they were curled up safe in their caves, they knew the open sky was right outside for them to enter.

Arlena kept a reassuring hand on his shoulder the whole way, the only thing that truly kept him from insanity. He knew that she knew what she was doing. Somehow, that was enough.