Always - Moonbli

17. Chambers and Trapdoors

Moonwatcher

Moon sceptically regaled Qibli while he carefully eased a patch on the floor from its original position, trying hard not to sneeze and avoiding a suspicious-looking object lying a while away from her that looked rather like a mouldy, rotting fruit buzzing with flies and worms.

Disgusting.

She leaned forwards, slightly hopeful, when he lifted the old trapdoor up and peeked into the room below. Moon saw a glimpse of a pinkish-red snout and slanted yellow eyes when Qibli quickly shut the trapdoor.

'No,' he confirmed, and her spirits plummeted. 'But it might be helpful,' he added, 'considering we're right above the throne room.'

Moon blinked.

'What?!' whisper-shouted Kinkajou, her eyes wide. 'Yeah,' said Qibli, a grin unfurling on his snout. 'Really?' asked Winter. Moon could see he was impressed, though he didn't show it. Qibli nodded. 'Unless there's another room with an obsidian and diamond throne, yeah, it is,' he told Winter seriously.

Winter scowled.

'Careful, if you make faces they might stick,' warned Qibli, opening the trapdoor an inch again. 'Learned that from experience, did you?' retorted Winter, coming over to stand by Qibli so he could also see.

Qibli didn't seem to have a reply for that, so conceded defeat.

Moon crouched on Qibli's other side to peer through the small gap between the trapdoor and the floor. She saw the same pink-red snout, and realisation hit her. 'That's Eagle!' she exclaimed softly. Winter nodded sagely. 'Yes. We noticed.'

She ignored him, her gaze probing the place. Nightmare was sitting on her throne. She wasn't lounging casually like she had when the dragonets visited her - she was straight-backed and attentive, apparently listening to an unseen speaker.

Honour's voice drifted to them. 'Your Majesty, the prisoners are well under our control. Cobalt should be returning any moment now with the one you requested - Mightyclaws, was it?' 'Mightyclaws?' drawled Nightmare lazily.

Honour nodded. 'The dragonet who attended Jade Mountain Academy,' he said, and Nightmare nodded. 'Yes. That one.' 'And,' continued Honour, 'we have been searching for the escaped NightWings.'

Moon's heart lurched.

They were talking about her mother.

'We think we might have a lead,' added an unknown voice, and a slightly built IceWing came to stand beside Honour. He was vaguely familiar, with very white scales. Moon narrowed her eyes, trying hard to remember. She considered taking off her skyfire to read the dragons' minds, but went against it, just in case Nightmare realised they were there.

Winter gasped.

'That's Changbai!' he said, clearly shocked. It clicked in Moon's memory - Changbai was an IceWing student in Jade Mountain Academy. Nightfrost elbowed past Turtle and gaped at the dragons. 'You're right!' she said, wide-eyed. 'Didn't he go to Jade Mountain Academy? Why is he here?'

Winter shrugged. 'No idea.' 

He continued watching the scene playing out in front of them. Moon strained to listen to what Honour was saying. '- and my guards checked any place where they could've gone - for example, to that volcanic island where they used to stay,' the vicious NightWing said. 

Nightmare nodded. 

'When do you think -' she began, but she was cut off by a loud knocking on the door. 'That must be Cobalt,' said Honour curtly, and Nightmare's annoyed expression cleared. 'Of course. Changbai, if you could let her in -?' she asked, in that sickly-sweet tone of hers she used when she was trying to be polite.