The Night Rider

Chapter 62

Celeste

The black dust between my fingers brings back memories I had buried deep. In my mind's eye I see my Nazu, the dragons being shot out of the sky and myself in the mirror. I did not know that this clothing still existed, that it was still a custom. After all these years, for the first time I feel the urge to put on the clothes, as if I am recovering something that has been deeply hidden for years.

'How did you get these?'. I don't look back, I just stare at the black fabric. My fingers slide over the smooth material in such a way that it seems fragile. 'It was given to me by the woman who gave me Reviri's egg'. With a jolt I turn around and stare at her in bewilderment. A woman in possession of a Nazu egg is something I never thought to hear. Nazu eggs are as rare as gold, as precious as diamonds. 'What is her name?'. Deep down I hope to hear a name but dare not believe it is true.

Rafiki sits up straight on her bed. 'I don't know the woman's name. I had sneaked out of the castle years ago and ended up in the village. There was a small shop full of old magic stuff. I ran into a black egg and bought it, she told me to take it with me'. This must not and cannot be a coincidence, I don't want to believe that. I want to believe that I am not the only Night Rider who survived the murders. Or was it an old fool who had taken over an egg on a black market somewhere?

I would like to ask Rafiki to put on the clothes. However, if anyone were to see her in those familiar clothes, we would be in for a lot more trouble. I keep thinking sensibly and fold the clothes. With a last look at the black fabric, I put it back in the back of the wardrobe. I grab a few other pieces of clothing and throw them at Rafiki. She starts to undress and dress until she is standing in front of me in a white dress.

'We're going,' I announce. I keep in mind that the insistent one just now was partly due to malnutrition. I will have to pass by the kitchen or dining room to get something to eat. Rafiki doesn't even seem to have heard what I just said; she stares ahead into the depths of the room. I raise my hand and pass it back and forth before her eyes. After waving it three times, she seems to wake up from her thoughts.

'We are going,' I repeat. This time she nods clearly. I open the door of her bedroom and leave the room, Rafiki follows. We walk through the corridors, heading for the exit. 'Moment'. Before Rafiki can say anything, I run into the dining hall. The table is set and some board members and guards are quietly eating their breakfast. Without saying a word, I snatch two sandwiches from the table and one back into the corridor. I feel the eyes of the confused people pierce my back.

Rafiki also looks surprised when she sees me with the sandwiches in my hands. 'We don't want a repeat,' I say. She smiles slightly and looks ahead in silence. She is clearly confused and shaken by the event. It reminds me of the moment I made that connection with Novak, it is a feeling that cannot be explained. As if a question you couldn't find the answer to had finally been answered.

I notice that Rafiki wants to walk to the stables but I have a completely different idea about that. I gently take her hand and pull her towards the dragon stables. 'Everyone is there,' she murmurs. I nod in agreement. 'They'll find out anyway Raf'. I don't use that nickname much. Rafiki's name has a meaning that she probably doesn't even know.

Rafiki stands for Raven, as in animal. Ravens were once the fellow keepers of magic. The animals had an instinct to detect black magic and, like dogs, point it out to us. Over the years and with the departure of the Riders, they lost that instinct. Fiki stands for the name of one of the very first mages in this world, the founders of our lines.

We walk into the dragon stables. Rafiki automatically runs to her dragon and frees it from its stall. It remains strange to see a Nazu in the stables. As soon as Reviri is outside Rafiki jumps on his back in an easy movement. I doubt for a moment whether I should take another dragon, but then I decide to jump on the back of Rafiki, thinking that Rafiki might not be able to fly again after this.

In one swift movement, we get off the ground. 'Behind the Andes', I give the instruction. The wind that blows through our hair seems to bring us closer together. We both know this feeling like no other, it is our nature. The white peaks pass beneath us at high speed until the huge blue lake appears. The lake is as big as a small village and as clear blue as the sky.

The closer we get, the more people we see standing there. Noa and Novak are standing on a mountainside at the edge of the lake. Chea is standing with Nuri next to the lake. Jamie is standing next to his wife at the water's edge. We land on the grass beside the water, both jumping off the back of the dragon. Nuri's look is priceless, surprised and shocked. She was the only one who didn't know yet that her daughter is a Night Rider. 'Let's get started' I pronounce to avoid a discussion.