A moan of bewilderment swept around the village square. My body was pinned to the dais under Lord Ido's weight, but at the same time I rose above it, a huge presence that stared through the earth to the network of power in my domain. I was the blue dragon. I was the keeper of the north-northwest. I was wind and rain and light and dark. I was…
Another presence. My mind flooded with memory With ambition. With practised power, insatiable desire, dangerous knowledge. With the essence of Ido. Pain and twisted pleasure.
Pride and rage. I fought against the suffocating malevolence, struggling to escape his hold on my body and mind. I thrust the power back at him, but it clawed at me, dragging me down into the mire of his truth.
Let me go.
My scream was silent, but his silvered eyes widened and I knew he heard it in his mind.
His hand closed over my mouth and I gagged on the sweet metal of his blood. I sensed him draw more power, pulling up the earth's life force through the dragon, funnelling it through his power centres into me. The colour of his eyes deepened from silver to black. He tore into my I Inn, ripping through to the centre of my being. A moment of shocked stillness, a sharp grab of understanding, and then I heard the rasp of his voice in my mind.
You are mine, girl.
Splintered.
All at once I was soaring in the dragon heavens, flailing against Ido's mind, struggling under his weight on the stone dais. There was no centre. No self. Just a howling madness fuelled by fury, fear and loss.
Fight.
A voice. Familiar and comforting. It gathered me into myself. Curled me around a flicker of gold truth that he could not touch.
Find it.
Deep within me. A tiny reservoir of power that flowed into my fractured spirit.
Slowly my focus narrowed back into sanity.
But I was not in my body I was in the heavens, looking down through the blue dragon's ancient eyes. Below me, bright lines slashed the surface of the earth in surging currents.
Pulsing points of life force sat, walked, flew, scurried across the grids, drawing and shedding power into the land and air. I tasted the acid snap of raw energy on my tongue.
My focus slipped, plunging me back to the dais. I was standing. When had Ido stopped holding me down? When had he returned to his seat? Above us the circle of dragons waited. I felt the wind fill my eyes and mouth and the first monsoon rain shiver across my skin. My arms rose to gather power. But I was not the one moving them.
A huge chasm had opened up between my mind and body
My eyes moved, forced to the left until I was staring at Ido. He smiled and lifted his hand, gently pushing back on it. Immediately, my left hand bent backwards; sinew, bone and tendon straining to breaking point. But I felt nothing. Understanding seared through me.
Tclo was controlling my body.
He had taken my will.
I screamed, but my mouth did not open and my throat made no sound. Cruel exhilaration caressed me as he released his hold on my wrist. There was no way to shed tears, but in my mind I sobbed with fear and fury.
It will he worse if you struggle. His mind-voice lilted with false sympathy.
My body lurched forwards as my legs stiffly walked to the cent re of t he dais. My damaged hip ground in its socket from his long, unfamiliar gait.
'Dragoneyes,' I yelled, and they were Ido's words moving my tongue and working my jaw. He could make me do anything, say anything, and I had no way to scream. No way to stop him.
'Send your dragons to meet the storm. Circle the centre.'
He was using me to shift the monsoon. Why? He already had the Council. Why was he doing this to me?
Through you I will have the Council and much, much more.
My mind flinched from the dark pleasure in him and the steel of his ambition.
'Lord Silvo, reduce your power,' he ordered through my voice. 'Move your beast back. We begin.'
Time slipped and stuttered as I was thrust between dais and dragon — a cycle of shifting focus that spun me between the glory of the Rat Dragon and the horror of Ido's control. I raged against him in silence as he used my body and voice to direct the Dragoneyes. I felt his fierce joy as his power joined with mine, draining me. I watched, helpless and in awe, as the huge circle of beasts slowly contained the energy of the storm and moved it over the dam.
Then, suddenly, through ancient eyes, I saw the clouds drop their wild weight of water into the earth hole. Like the echo of an old joy, I knew the huge beast understood the task was complete. That the familiar tethers from the below world would now ease and slip away.
I fell the dragon gather itself, ready to be free again.
And then, before I spun back to the despair of the dais, I saw the messengers.
Six men in the distance, riding towards the village at a hard gallop, wearing the Emperor's colours.
I slumped on the dais, gasping for air. Ido was gone. He was out of my head. I spread my hands on the cold stone, glorying in the movement, revelling in the return of my body. My left wrist ached from the strain of being bent, but even that pain was welcome. I had my self back.
But for how long?
I whirled around on my knees, fixing on the figure of Ido slouched on his seat. Very slowly he placed his finger over his lips and smiled. I shuddered. My body was my own — for now — but the press of his power still shadowed me.
Around the dais, the villagers were cheering and prostrating themselves on the ground. The other Dragoneyes, still hunched on the benches, were emerging from their trances. Tyron heaved himself up from his seat and staggered the few short steps to me.
'Such an exhibition of power, Lord Eon. Amazing.' His haggard face was vivid with relief and victory 'You have truly earned your place on the Council now' He looked challengingly across at Lord Ido.
'I have no argument, Tyron.' Ido held up his hand in surrender. 'The boy has shown us his worth as both Council member and Co-Ascendant.' His eyes flicked to mine; a moment of unwanted collusion.
Tyron turned his attention to me. And are you all right, Lord Eon?'
I could not look at the kindness in his face — I was betraying him. I was betraying them all by my silence. 'I'm tired,' I said.
He nodded and offered me his hand, pulling me to my feet. 'And no wonder. Your control of the monsoon was astounding.'A small cheer of agreement rose from the circle of Dragoneyes who had clustered around us. I felt a few hands clap me gently on the back.
'But 1 think we are all feeling the strain,' Tyron continued. 'The loss of Hua was staggering.'
Beside him, Lord Silvo nodded. His face was grey and drawn. 'Never had so much taken from me before,' he whispered.
Tyron patted his shoulder. 'We must all rest. Our celebrations can be resumed after we have slept and restored our Hua.' He bent closer to me. 'Acknowledge the thanks of the villagers then we can all get to our beds.'
I faced the crowd of village men pressing around the edge of the dais. Their roughened faces had relaxed into joy The solid bank of bodies jostled and separated into a pathway for Elder Hiron.
'Lord Eon,' he said, bowing low. 'Lord Dragoneyes.' His bow deepened. 'We thank you all humbly for saving our crops and our village once again. You bring us great good fortune.'
'Your thanks are accepted, honoured Elder,' I said, mustering a smile. 'We must all rest now, but we look forward to the celebrations you have planned for this evening.'
The elder bowed again and, arms wide, ushered his people away from the dais.
'Clear the way for the Lord Dragoneyes. We will show our appreciation in the banquet tonight. Go and prepare.'
Tyron waved Hollin over. 'Take me to my quarters, boy I have never felt this bad before. I must truly be getting old.'
The other apprentices were being called to help their weakened masters.
