Blackrose turned her head away.
‘What if Sable promised not to lie to you again?’ said Maddie.
‘Her promises are worthless,’ said Blackrose. ‘I believe that she could stand there and swear on all she holds dear that she would never utter a lie again, but she would not mean it.’
‘And you would be right,’ said Sable.
‘You see?’ said the black dragon, her tone almost mournful. ‘Sable is incapable of sincerity. Her only virtue is that she can admit it.’
‘Think how useful I would be to you on Dragon Eyre,’ said Sable. ‘I could help win your realm back, and you know it.’
‘May I speak?’ said Deepblue, her voice soft compared to Blackrose’s.
They turned to her.
‘Sable has been a good friend to me,’ the small dragon said. ‘In the Catacombs, I am treated with nothing but contempt, but Sable made me feel wanted, and useful. I know she lies, but as she said to me, humans have their lies just as we have our fire and claws. If you force her to stay here, Blackrose, then I will also stay. I will not betray my friendship with her.’
‘She has bewitched you all!’ Blackrose bellowed. ‘Damn the Holdfasts. All the curses in the world would not suffice to satiate my anger.’ She turned to Broadwing. ‘And you?’
‘I, uh, I will do as you say, Blackrose,’ the big dragon said, bowing his head. ‘You are the chief of the expedition.’
‘Thank you, Broadwing,’ said Blackrose. ‘That settles it. I shall leave with Maddie and Broadwing, and Millen if he is willing. I have no need for disloyal companions.’
Maddie looked panicked, her eyes wild. ‘Can I speak to you alone, please?’
‘I already know what you will say, rider.’
‘Even so, please?’
Blackrose sighed, then retreated into her cavern, Maddie hurrying after her.
Sable nodded. ‘That went better than I thought.’
Millen laughed as he walked over. ‘Do you ever back down?’
‘Not when I’m right, and I’m usually right.’
‘You have a stubborn streak, my rider,’ said Sanguino. ‘I sense it will get us into a lot of trouble. However, without your stubbornness, I doubt I would have flown again. I do wish you had made your apology sound a little more sincere.’
Sable lit a cigarette. ‘Thank you for what you said, Deepblue; I appreciate it. And Broadwing, your loyalty to Blackrose does you proud.’
‘What about the ton of gold?’ said Millen.
‘What about it?’
‘Is it real?’
Sable looked shocked. ‘Are you accusing me of making it up? That hurts, Millen. Of course it’s real. I didn’t weigh it though, so it might not be exactly a ton.’
‘How did you get it?’
She shrugged. ‘I had a Quadrant and my vision powers. I could make up a story about how difficult it was, but no, it was easy.’
He shook his head. ‘That day at the Southern Pits, when you talked me into leaving with you; you were using me, yeah? You didn’t care about me.’
‘I do now.’
‘But you didn’t back then?’
‘Sorry. I told you at the time that you shouldn’t trust me. Does it bother you?’
‘You changed my life; you turned it inside out, without a single thought for how it would affect me. All the same, I’m glad you did. I don’t regret a single moment.’
The light coming from the tomb entrance dimmed for a moment as another dragon landed. It was Ashfall. She folded her wings in and strode forward, taking care to ignore Broadwing and Deepblue.
‘Where is Blackrose?’ she said.
‘She is speaking to her rider,’ said Sanguino.
Ashfall turned her glance to Sable. ‘She hasn’t killed you, I see. Good. I’m glad my efforts yesterday morning were not in vain.’
‘Do you bear a message from your father?’ said Sanguino.
‘No. My father knows I am here, but he does not approve. The message I bear is from myself, and it is in response to a question your rider asked me. I was due to give my answer yesterday, but I thought it could wait until today.’
‘The message is for me?’ said Sable.
‘It is.’
‘Can it wait another few minutes? Blackrose should be out shortly, once she has made her decision.’
‘Very well,’ said the grey dragon.
Seeing them side by side, Sable noticed how sleek and graceful Ashfall was compared to Broadwing and Deepblue. Broadwing was bigger, but somehow seemed to carry himself in an ungainly manner, as if self-conscious, while Deepblue was the smallest adult dragon in the Catacombs, and had a defensive stance that bore testimony to the repeated bullying she had experienced throughout her life.
‘What a magnificent array of dragons,’ Sable said. ‘Sanguino, Broadwing, Ashfall and Deepblue. I’m proud to call you all my friends. Each one of you is different, but each also possesses their own talents. Courageous, noble, graceful and intelligent. We could do great things together.’
Ashfall laughed. ‘And is your talent to flatter dragons, witch?’
‘It’s one of them; I have a few.’
Maddie appeared in the entrance of Blackrose’s cavern.
‘Is she coming out?’ said Sable.
‘She is,’ said Maddie. ‘You owe me one, Sable. You’d better not let me down.’
Blackrose’s head emerged from the shadows of the cavern. She stared at Sable for a moment, then noticed the presence of Ashfall. She tilted her head in welcome.
‘Are you here to see me, Ashfall?’ she said.
‘I’m here to give my answer to Sable. Two days ago, she asked if I would like to join your expedition to Dragon Eyre. Today, I am here to say yes. If you’ll have me, I will come.’
Sable grinned. ‘That’s great news. Fantastic. I…’
‘Yes,’ said Blackrose. ‘It is indeed good news. I also have news. My rider has, against my own judgement, persuaded me to allow Sable to accompany us. I despise liars, and Sable is a proven liar. However, rather than risk the breaking of our company, I will tolerate her presence as Sanguino’s rider.’
Sable smiled again. ‘Thank you.’
‘I have a few rules.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘Firstly, the Quadrant will remain with Maddie. You are not to touch it without my express permission.
