Chapter Twenty-Seven

The air was chilly as they flew over the mountains. Arabella leaned down over Denrisi's back and cuddled Stig close. She was almost sorry that she decided to use her cape for a seat. The wind whipped around them, but at least Stig was keeping her hands warm. The sky behind them was lightening as the morning approached. It seemed as if Denrisi was chasing the moon down. The forest sped by underneath them. He turned southward and Arabella could see the desert in front of them.

Arabella's heart leapt with excitement and anticipation. She knew that Cardew's black towers would be before them soon. She was unsure what was waiting there but she suspected that this was where he mother and Koaner had fled. The sun suddenly made an appearance and the desert air began to heat up. Arabella sat up straight. The wind still held a chill, but there was a promise of warmth there as well.

Once they had reached Cardew, the air dragon circled the castle twice. Arabella thought he was looking for Koaner. He landed before the skull before the gate. Stig jumped down and examined the ground. Arabella slid off and found that her legs felt weak. She stumble a couple of steps, but then Denrisi's claw went around her to steady her.

"Careful sweetheart," he said. Arabella opened the sack.

"We are home," she said to Mavie.

The little bird flew out of the sack and perched on the horns of the skull. She fluffed up her feathers and preened her wings. Arabella removed her cape. Carefully she put the sack and cape beside the entryway. When she turned back, she was face to face with Denrisi in human form. This time he was not naked. He was wearing the same black outfit that he wore when she first saw him. He put one hand around her waist and the other held head. He leaned her backwards and planted a deep kiss on her lips. When he brought her up, it seemed as if the world was spinning. Arabella could not tell if it was the kiss or just the speed with which he set her upright that caused her to feel dizzy.

"I love you," he said still leaning close to her lips. "Well now, shall we pay your mother a visit?" Arabella nodded. Together they walked into Cardew.

The courtyard was empty of life, but that seemed normal to Arabella. The difference was that there were large splotches of dragon blood spread about the area. The blood trail led into the castle. She glanced at Denrisi. He was smiling at the blood, but it was a very serious smile. He offered his hand to her and escorted her up the steps. Once in the hall, voiced reached her. She wondered why she did not hear them before. The three fairies were standing before her mother's door. They screeched and smashed spells against the iron bound wood.

“Stop this right now,” Arabella demanded. Her voice sounded a little shaky. The fairies desisted, and turned slowly to face her.

“So the spawn of evil has returned to her den,” the white fairy spit out.

“Careful,” Denrisi growled. The fairies’ eyes widened with the realization that they were in the presence of a dragon.

“You,” the green fairy stuttered, “you’re the great dragon of the air. You disappeared centuries ago.”

Denrisi shrugged. He stepped forward and the fairies stepped away from him. He led Arabella to the door. Arabella knocked on the door. There was no answer. She knocked again.

“Mother,” Arabella said. “It’s me. Please answer.”

“Arabella,” Orinda whispered through the door. “Are those witches still out there?”

“We are not witches,” the white fairy seemed to swell up with indignation.

“Yes mother,” she glared at the fairies, but Denrisi was between them and her. “Is Koaner in there with you?”

“No,” Orinda whispered. “He went to the tower.”

Denrisi shivered and looked around. Arabella grabbed his arm.

“You,” she pointed at the fairies. “You just stay here and do not harm my mother.” The white fairy snorted and Denrisi smiled at her. She jumped back and landed on the blue fairy who shoved her away. “Stig, can you and Mavie watch these ladies for me?”

“No problem,” he replied. “Make one move towards this door and I’ll gnaw off you ankles.”

Arabella led Denrisi up the staircase leading to the tower. Near the top she motioned him to stop. She peered around the corner. Koaner in human form was sitting on the window sill.

“Come in my dearest,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for you.” Arabella stepped forward with Denrisi close behind. “So you did survive. I was hoping you were lying dead under a pile of ashes.” He frowned in Denrisi’s direction as if he could not see him clearly.

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Denrisi replied. He stepped in front of Arabella. Koaner suddenly stood up and stared hard.

“You,” he hissed. “Your power is back. How?” He demanded.

“Arabella found the sword,” he said.

“Damn you girl. Why are you always working against me,” he stepped forward. “I see now that I should have disposed of you before I went after him.” He pointed at Arabella.

“You will not be able to touch her ever again,” Denrisi snarled. Koaner’s expression turned even uglier and he opened his mouth to speak. “Choose carefully what you do with your last breath, fire dragon.”

Koaner laughed. The sound shocked Arabella. She had been expecting some sort of threat from him not laughter. Koaner leaned back and let himself fall out the window. Denrisi and Arabella both ran to the window. Denrisi dove out the window after Koaner. Both men changed in midair and where soaring above the desert. Denrisi blew lightening at the fire dragon who dodged and rolled. Koaner gave another tremendous laugh. It sounded as if he had gone mad.

Koaner dove straight down towards the desert floor. He threw liquid fire out before him. The sand below him bubbled and glowed. It liquefied into a pool of lava. Koaner lunged into the pool. He disappeared below the surface. Denrisi hovered above the lava pool. Arabella breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that he was not going to fallow Koaner below the desert sands.

She ran down the stairs and was greeted by three fairies standing on chairs. Their skirts were hiked up to their knees with an irate weasel circling them. He would leap up and snap at them. They would let out small screams for help. Mavie was flapping around their heads.

“Bite them,” she squeaked. “Bite them really hard.”

“Mavie,” Arabella scolded. “Stop encouraging him.” She leaned down and picked up Stig. He made growling noises at the fairies. Arabella clamped a hand over his muzzle.

“We demand,” the blue fairy yelled, but Arabella unclamped Stig and held him out in her direction. He started snapping and growling again.

“Yes,” Arabella said. “You were saying?”

“Well, something needs to be done about your mother,” the blue fairy said politely this time.

“Yes I agree,” Arabella said. She tucked Stig under her arm. “Any ideas?”

The fairies looked at each other then stepped down off of their chairs.

“We should kill her,” the white fairy hissed. Arabella made a motion with Stig again and the green fairy covered her mother preventing her from speaking.

“Her magic need to be nullified,” the blue fairy said. “If we had her dragon gem, then we could stop her from doing evil with her magic.”

“What is a dragon gem?” Arabella said.

“It is a gemstone filled with magic from a dragon that lets a fairy use magic,” the blue fairy explained.

“I have never heard of that before,” Arabella said. They looked at her in disbelief.

“You have one,” they said. Arabella looked puzzled. “You are wearing yours around your neck.” She pointed at the crystal ball Denrisi had given her.

“But I can do magic without this,” she said.

“You can do normal magic without it,” The blue fairy said. “In order to do the greater dragon spells you need one of those.” Arabella’s mouth made a little oh. She understood now. This was why she could create a magic weapon and heal Denrisi. Those were dragon spells. The magic she used to stay clean with turned out to be normal magic. It made so sort of sense.

“So my mother has one of these gems,” she said. They nodded. “My mother’s whirlwind is dragon magic?” They nodded again. “So without this gem we can trap her here where she can not do any more mischief.” Arabella sighed. “I do not want my mother harmed. She is still my mother and I still love her very much.” The fairies looked at each other guiltily.

Something nagged in the back of Arabella’s mind. She placed Stig on the floor. The fairies huddled together watching him carefully. Arabella paced to the entrance and abruptly turned. She thought of the many times that she had seen her mother come in through those doors. She walked that path mimicking what she knew in her memory. Her mother would through her cloak over the chair her. Any necklaces would be tossed on the mantle piece. Her black pearls would be set on this shelf. Arabella walked to the shelf beside her mother’s door. She withdrew the long strand of pearls from the shelf.

The fairies watched her intently. Arabella examined the strand. One was different than the rest. It was smoother and rounder. It was black, but nearly see-through. Arabella held it close to her eye and watched the mist swirl around inside of the pearl. She turned and noticed that the fairies were crowding around her. She took the strand of pearls and wrapped it around her wrist. The blue fairy had stuck out her hand for the strand of pearls, but now withdrew it.

“I will not let you have them,” Arabella said. “This gem can not be destroyed until I am sure it will not harm my mother. If it can not be destroyed, then I will give it to the air dragon to keep.”

“How can we be sure that she will not just leave here?” the green fairy said. “All she has to do is just walk out of the desert.”

“I will make sure she stays here,” Arabella said with confidence. “I will also make sure that none will come to harm her.” She glared a warning at the fairies. “I think that it is time that you leave my mother’s house.” Stig began growling in his throat at them again. The fairies rushed out the door enmass. Arabella was sure that toes were stepped on.

“Mavie please make sure that my mother does not leave her room,” she said. “I need to talk to Denrisi.” Arabella and Stig went to the gate. Stig made snapping motions at the retreating fairies. They quickly boarded the blue fairy’s cloud and sailed off.

            Arabella shaded her eyes and looked for Denrisi. He was sitting on the sand with his wing out stretched. Occasionally he would fan himself with them.  Arabella grabbed her sack and went to him. She stood near him and looked at the pool. The top had hardened into black glass. Smoke still curled up from its edges. Deeper below the surface she could see flares of red. Koaner Rhakan was still alive and moving under the sand.

“He could still escape, couldn’t he?” she asked. The air dragon nodded his head. “This desert is ringed with rock. Can he melt through those?”

“Yes,” Denrisi said. “I would take centuries though. Those rocks go very deep.”

Arabella turned thoughtful. She opened her sack and pulled out her water bag. She stepped onto the glass.

“Careful,” Denrisi jumped to reach her. She stopped him with an upraised hand.

“Let me finish,” she said with a smile. “Then you can save me.”

Denrisi tilted his head; his eyes were full of questions. He watched her approach the middle of the glass pool. His wings were ready to propel him forward if he needed to snatch her to safety. Arabella knelt and opened up the water bag. Stig popped in beside Denrisi.

“What’s going on?” he asked but only got a shrug from the dragon.

Arabella ripped the seam open on the bag and laid it flat on the glass. Water puddle then covered the bag. The water did not stop but kept flowing out. Arabella rose and walked back to Denrisi. The water had covered the top of the glass pool. She found a handhold and swung herself up on his back. The water started flowing through the desert sand. Instantly the sand beneath the dragon turned to quick sand. Stig grabbed the sack and started teleporting for Cardew. Denrisi jumped into the air and flew Arabella back to the fortress. By the time they had reached the hill, the water was lapping at the base.

“I hope you know what you are doing,” Stig whined. “We will be flooded out if that thing doesn’t stop.”

“It will stop,” Arabella said. “Once the desert is full and all of the sand is covered. It will stop Koaner from melting the sand and escaping. We will not hear from him for a very long time.”