277

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Joe felt dazed, clutching at his dragon, while Fidell whined miserably at being left behind. He stared down at the trampled leaves and grass below his feet. It all looked so ordinary. Just another morning. Only this might be his last. He couldn’t believe that all this might be destroyed in a matter of hours. He didn’t see how they could manage the task ahead. He just knew he had to try.

‘We’ll have to split up,’ he said, finally, choosing one idea from the jumble in his mind. ‘Conor and Amina, Tiago and Flavia, can you go down into the city? Tell them the news – get everyone into the caves. You have your maps still?’

‘Yes, but—’ Amina gulped. ‘They’ll panic.’

‘They mustn’t,’ Conor said grimly. ‘Or we’ll all be crushed.’

Joe had a vision of the narrow city streets packed with people, screaming and rushing.

‘We need more people,’ Tiago said. ‘We can’t reach every­one in time.’ 278

Joe’s gaze fell on the palace, where an uneasy stalemate held. The remaining Brotherhood had retreated inside. Vigo’s army and the dragonriders now surrounded the palace. If they needed more people to help, there was an obvious place to start.

‘I’ll ask them,’ Joe said, pointing. ‘Wait for me, just a little while. Keep Fidell with you. And Yannic? Hang onto your black jacket and stay out of sight. I am going to need you soon, when the Brotherhood are distracted.’

With Ren by his side, he ran towards the palace, ignoring the weariness in his legs.

Vigo’s soldiers swarmed the palace steps, filling the tiled courtyard, entirely covering the ancient black dragon mosaic. Heral and Petra were right on top of the palace, like heraldic beasts, up among the stone struts and gargoyles that decorated its roof. The other dragonriders kept watch in a wide circle dotted all around the palace grounds.

Joe saw a flicker of movement inside the palace, and he knew that the Brotherhood would be watching it all from inside. What about Tarya? Could she see him? Where were they keeping her?

He pushed through the mass of soldiers surrounding the palace, looking for a face he knew – his sister’s second-in-command. ‘Rosa Demarco!’ he yelled. ‘Where’s Rosa?’ She’d known him all his life. The last time she’d seen him was at the hatching ceremony. He prayed she wouldn’t hold it against him now.

Two burly soldiers grabbed his arms before he got 279anywhere near Rosa, reunited with her fierce orange dragon Ando. ‘What do you want, kid?’ one demanded.

‘Ouch!’ Joe yelped in pain. ‘There’s no time for this. Tell her Jowan Thornsen is here. Tell her it’s urgent.’

Ren started attacking the men, biting their sleeves and earning a sharp cuff from one of them.

‘Ren! No! Stop,’ Joe cursed. ‘Please, you have to listen. And leave my dragon alone!’

She ducked out of reach, hissing loudly.

‘Yeah, who says? Look at him. He’s one of them! Did the Brotherhood send you?’