Rhiannon - Dragonrider

Chapter Fourty Four - Ambush

At long, long last, spring had come. There was real warmth in the air and the cliffs were alive with birds as Jenko and I pulled the heavy meat carts up the hill from the village.

When we reached the bit of the cliff-top path that overlooked Psion's cave, I felt back into Jenko's mind. Even though I was still a bit shocked at what Psion had done, I couldn't help but admire his craftsmanship. Without, in any way, being aware of what he was doing, Jenko took a large lump of meat from his cart and casually tossed it over the edge, down onto the rocky beach far below. Then he carried on as if nothing had happened. If you'd asked him, at the very moment he threw the meat, he'd have been vaguely aware that he'd thrown something, but not what or why.

And a few moments later, he wouldn't remember anything about it at all.

I was so busy studying Psion's work that I completely missed the ambush. Kiernonda sprang out of the bushes on the forest side of the path and jumped on me and, before I knew what was happening, he had a dagger to my throat. Quaro-Deryn casually strolled out of the bushes and stood in front of us with a sword in his hand and a disgustingly smug expression on his face. I turned to face him and Kiernonda followed me round, his dagger still held to my throat.

"Stay out of it!" Quaro-Deryn snapped as Jenko drew the dagger I'd lent him. "My quarrel's with the bitch... not with the puppy!"

"So," he drawled, turning back to me, "throwing Zalibar's valuable meat off the cliff. I expect he'll get quite... excited about that."

"Mind you..." he went on. I mean... he was trying to stay all cool but he couldn't help sounding smug... "probably nothing like as excited as Rhiannas gets when he learns that his new neck guard has been consorting with a rogue dragon."

"Did I guess right?" he demanded, laughing at the look of shock that flashed across my face. "I guess that discussion could get quite... heated."

Kiernonda sniggered but I was only vaguely aware of it. I was too busy reaching down towards Psion's lair with my mind.

But he wasn't there!

"There are a couple of ways we can play this," Quaro-Deryn was saying. "My personal favourite is that I have Kiernonda carve your tripes out here and now."

Kiernonda simpered, menacingly.

"Unfortunately," he went on, "when I turn up with your dead body, there's a fair chance that they'll do a mind ream on us. That means that, as long as you do exactly what I say, I'm not going to have the pleasure of killing you myself. But don't forget... I'm just waiting for an excuse... just waiting..."

I lost focus on Quaro-Deryn's gloating as I flipped into the cerebral domain.

Where was Psion? Of course he wasn't down in his lair. He'd have never let Quaro-Deryn get so close without warning me.

I reached further out along the coast. Was he down in one of the coves, enjoying the spring sunshine? I reached out, straining against the limits of my will.

I was getting frantic as I dropped back into the base domain.

"So, what's it going to be then?" Quaro-Deryn was asking, menacingly.

I mean... I didn't have any choice. If Rhiannas got any sort of hint about Psion, I'd be reduced to charcoal before I could think. I needed help... and I had nothing to lose. So I flipped back into the cerebral domain.

I pictured Psion's bubbling blue cloud and poured my will into a wordless scream. The Edifice echoed with the power and, all around me, minds reached out, trying to work out what was going on.