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again nearly losing her footing completely, she did as he bade. Within seconds, she found herself whisked up beside the black Dragon onto a patch of grass. They were under an overhang of grey rock half buried under cloud bushes. Farn was pushed up by Kadi and herded towards the back of the natural shelter.
    Tika watched as the midnight blue Dragon gently touched brows with the black Dragon. Then Kadi went swiftly back down the slope they’d just climbed.
    ‘Rest Tika. Hold close to Farn. I will watch here. We will speak more when you are rested. Kadi will remove all trace of our passage. Do not worry,’ he added, ‘I have shielded all three of us from any other Dragons’ sight.’
    Tika woke with the sun just declining from midday and immediately checked Farn. He still slept but he seemed easier, less tense and fretful. The black Dragon was lying before them, his gaze on the lake.
    ‘Leave Farn to sleep on. I have begun the healing his mind needs. He will be better when he next wakens.’
    Tika rose but could see no way out of the shelter without actually climbing on Fenj. He laughed. ‘Lean on my back small one and look at the lake.’
    Tika looked, then looked harder. She shook her head in disbelief. There were Dragons in the water, quite clearly playing. They raced in circles, vanished under the surface, popping up unexpectedly close to others. They were obviously having tremendous fun. Several leaped from the water, scattering droplets from their bodies in brilliant showers. She couldn’t decide what colour they were – they seemed like rainbows now taking the blue of the sky, now the green of the lake and again the silver of the water drops.
    ‘They are of the Water Clans,’ Fenj said. ‘Only happy when they are in or near water in their family groups. They attend the Gatherings but are not really interested in anything unconnected to water.’
    Tika felt his fondness for these sparkling Dragons in his voice as he spoke of them. As they watched, other Dragons passed overhead, some singly, some in tumbling groups.
    ‘There is one more day before the Gathering begins,’ said Fenj. ‘And you and Farn will then appear before the whole Treasury. When Kadi returns, she and I will carry you to my cave. You will be unnoticed if you stay low between my wings.’
    ‘How will you get Farn in there? Surely he will be noticed flying with you or Kadi, however late you wait?’
    ‘Kadi will carry him as though he was a food animal she has hunted and killed. We can seal his mind so he will not be fearful or struggle. It is the only way for us to get you within the Gathering Place. You must be present for the Naming of Nula and her cohorts as Krea’s slayer.’
    ‘What will happen to them?’ Tika asked. ‘Will you kill them?’
    Fenj turned his head to look at her.
    ‘By the stars, no!’ he exclaimed. ‘We do not kill our own. Or we should not,’ he amended sadly. ‘She will be Forsaken by the Families, by the Clans and by the Treasury and cast out of the Dragon world.’
    Their conversation was interrupted by splashings and shrieks from the lake – the Water Dragons were lifting, rising higher, sunset light flickering over their bodies.
    ‘They’re magic!’ whispered Tika.
    ‘No, they are Dragons,’ corrected Fenj. ‘Magic is a very different thing.’

Chapter Four

    It went exactly as Fenj had planned. When Kadi returned, she woke Farn and explained how she would carry him into the Gathering Place. Tika was relieved to see that Farn appeared much calmer. He obediently lay as Kadi instructed him, and the dark blue Dragon lifted him with her feet. Her upper limbs also took some of his weight and his tail was curled between their two bodies. Kadi rose with her burden and Tika admitted it certainly didn’t look as though she was carrying a young Dragon.
    As Kadi began her flight, Tika climbed onto mighty Fenj and tucked herself into the hollow between his wings. He rumbled. ‘Do try not to wriggle small