‘Every dragon, I meant. The opinions of insects barely count.’
They saw Broadwing and Deepblue circling as they reached the halfway point between the two sides of the wide valley. The small blue dragon looked scared. Sable knew that she had never ventured to the far side of the valley before, and it had taken all of Sable’s powers to persuade her not to back out. Her mind was relatively pliant, for a dragon, and she was one of the few in the Catacombs that had proved susceptible to her powers. Next to her, Broadwing was enormous, as large as Sanguino, but much sleeker, his silver body glimmering in the early morning light. Despite his size, he had a reputation for avoiding confrontation, and was known to have backed down before much smaller challengers.
‘Here you are,’ he said. ‘I thought perhaps that you had changed your minds.’
‘That’s what you were hoping, wasn’t it?’ said Ashfall. ‘Your presence surprises me, as does Deepblue’s. What do you hope to gain by coming along?’
‘Sanguino asked us to be his witnesses,’ said Deepblue, her voice almost lost in the wind.
‘I gathered that,’ replied Ashfall; ‘I’m just amazed that you both said yes.’
‘Where are the others?’ said Broadwing. ‘I had assumed that Deathfang and some of his council would be joining us today.’
‘He sent me,’ said Ashfall. She stared at him, as if daring him to ask why, and he looked away.
Sable could guess the reason, but she kept her mouth shut. Deathfang was afraid of Grimsleep; they all were, and she knew that Sanguino’s stock had risen considerably in the Catacombs by his mere act of challenging him.
They set off eastwards, Sable happy to melt into the background, to ensure that Sanguino was the focus of attention. This day was all about him, and she needed to make sure that he took the credit if they were successful.
The rivers of lava stretched for miles before slowing and hardening into dark basalt, and they flew over the cracked and broken ground as the mountains ahead of them grew larger. Deep ravines cut across the valley, along with ridges and ragged cliffs, where lava poured into basins. The heat rose, as did the thick vapours, which swirled around them. In the distance, Sable caught sight of a pair of dragons flying over the mountains.
‘We’ve been seen,’ she said to Sanguino.
‘Indeed. Look at them, fleeing back to their caves. No doubt Grimsleep will soon be informed that Catacombs dragons are on their way.’
She sensed a flicker of doubt in his mind.
‘Are you going to be all right with this? Patricide is taken very seriously among humans.’
‘And among dragons also, my rider, but Grimsleep is no longer my father.’
They flew until the mouths of the caves where the outlaws lived became visible, then they paused for a moment, circling.
‘I shall remain here,’ said Ashfall. ‘I will witness what occurs.’
‘I think I will stay here too,’ said Broadwing. ‘I will come to your assistance, Sanguino, if others get involved.’
Ashfall snorted. ‘I wouldn’t depend upon that.’
Deepblue hesitated. While Sable was linked to Sanguino, she wasn’t able to go into the small dragon’s mind to reassure her, and she looked terrified.
Tell Deepblue she can stay too.
‘Deepblue,’ said Sanguino, ‘please remain here with the others. I shall press on alone.’
‘Are you sure?’ said the blue dragon. ‘I mean, I will, if you say so.’
‘I do.’ Sanguino moved ahead, then turned to face the other three dragons. ‘What I am about to do, I do to redeem myself, and to bring peace and security to the Catacombs. If I am victorious, I shall return with the head of the tyrant who seeks to oppress us; and if I fall, I would ask only that you honour my name.’
‘We shall,’ said Ashfall. ‘Two months ago, Sanguino, you were a blind and feeble dragon; yet today you prove your courage. I wish my father were here to see it, but in his absence I wish you good luck; may you tear out the throat of that vile beast, and leave his flesh for the worms to devour.’
Sanguino tilted his head, then turned and sped off, his speed surging as he raced over the last two hundred yards towards the caves.
I know the part you fear most, said Sable in his mind. Be brave; it is the victory that matters, nothing else.
Twenty yards from the caves, Sanguino halted, hovering over the ruined ground, which was covered in the scattered bones of hunted animals.
‘Where is Grimsleep?’ he bellowed. ‘Will the coward known as Grimsleep emerge, or is he too scared to face me?’
A green dragon swooped down from the mountains, then darted into a cavern, its head turning to watch. Other heads poked out from the row of caves, all staring at Sanguino. Sable readied the leather sheet, getting ready to burrow beneath it.
‘I must assume,’ Sanguino called out, ‘that Grimsleep is too craven to face me. Or perhaps he is feigning deafness, pretending that I am not here. That would not surprise me. Everyone knows he is a snivelling coward; nothing but a bully who takes pleasure in tormenting the weak. Why do you all put up with such a worthless leader?’
A low growling laugh came from one of the caves, and Grimsleep’s head emerged from the shadows.
‘I thought for a moment I was dreaming,’ he said, his eyes glowing, ‘but no, it really is my former son, come to die.’
‘Come out and fight,’ cried Sanguino, ‘and we will see which of us is to die.’
Grimsleep yawned and stretched his forelimbs. ‘I heard Blackrose has run off; did she tire of your pathetic and feeble ways?’
‘You told me I would never fly again, yet look at me. You were wrong then, and you are wrong now.’
The huge black and red dragon eased his massive bulk out of the cave, and unfurled his great wings. He glanced around at the other dragons.
‘This won’t take long. Watch and learn.’
He beat his wings and rose up into the sky, then
