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The sky-trader would either take the egg or throw it out the window. Whichever way, Melprin would lose it. But the minute the sky-trader headed for the door Melprin would be on her, so she couldn't afford to risk running.
    How long had this stand-off been going on? Tab wondered.
    Melprin let out a metallic, grating growl that sounded like a barrel full of broken glass turning over.
    >>>Hours
    Tab could reach the egg – snatch it out of the skytrader's grasp. She shuffled further into the narrow window, stretched forward. She almost had it, just a hand-span more. Her shadow danced on the wall.

     
    The sky-trader spun around. She saw Tab and let out a barking laugh. ‘The armada has arrived at last! You want the egg? Here, take it!’ She thrust the egg at Tab, pushing with all her force. Tab curled her arm around the egg. She tried to keep a grip on the wall with her other hand, but she was slipping. She scratched at the stone wall with her fingernails, but the momentum was too great. She was falling. Her legs flailed at the air and she let out a shriek.
    Above her Tab heard a heavy crunch. Stone blocks split and flew as Melprin launched herself through the wall and into the sky. The dragon shot straight down like an arrow. The wind whistled through her scales as she picked up speed.
    Tab held out her free hand and Melprin tucked in underneath her. Tab scrabbled at the dragon's scales, trying to make purchase. The egg slipped under her elbow.
    ‘No!’ she shouted, squeezing with her arm, but it was too late. The egg slithered out from under her arm and dropped away into the dark.
    With two hands free Tab hauled herself onto Melprin's back, gripping with her knees. ‘Hurry!’ she screamed at Melprin.
    The dragon whipped and spun this way and that way, searching for the egg. She let out an anguished howl.
    >>> Where?
    But Tab couldn't see it either.
    As they got closer to the ground Tab prepared herself for the worst, but as Melprin set her down, there was no broken egg on the ground underneath the tower.
    ‘I'm so sorry,’ Tab said to her friend, tears welling in her eyes. ‘I couldn't hold on. I tried, but …’
    Melprin said nothing. She growled again, a deep thrumming sound that rattled in Tab's chest and set her hair on end. The dragon shot up into the sky pulling at the air with long strokes of her wings, heading towards the sky-traders’ city.
    A moment later Chak burst out the door. Her head swung around. She saw Tab and cursed, then she turned on her heel and ran towards the harbour. Tab followed her. Her legs ached and her head throbbed. Her chest stung with guilt and regret, but she ran, pumping her arms.
    They passed a dark alley and the sky-trader skidded to a stop, and then backtracked. Tab stopped not far behind her and they both stared into the gloom.
    The sky-trader cursed again.
    There in the alleyway a man in a hooded cape was leading a pony. It was a sad, old, sway-backed looking creature. Its ribs stuck through its coat like corrugations on an old road. He turned his head and in a shaft of moonlight Tab saw his face. His eyes widened when he saw the two people at the end of the lane.
    ‘Fontagu!’ Tab gasped.
    The pony stumbled as he hurried it along. Tab could see its colouring was similar to the other two equens, Talisman and Trinket, who had arrived that morning. It had the same tattoos running down its legs.
    The equen's ears flickered in her direction.
    >>>Tattoo
    ‘Yah! Giddy-up!’ Fontagu snapped the lead rope over the equen's rump, and the animal winced.
    The sky-trader hissed – an incredulous, outraged sound, as Fontagu and the equen slipped around the bend and into the darkness. Chak cupped her hands around her mouth and tilted her face skywards. ‘ Alarm !’ she roared. ‘ Alarm !’



Fracas
     
    Throughout the city Tab heard the distress signal repeated, Alarm! Alarm! Followed by the crashes and bangs, breaking glass, snarls and yelps of brawls breaking out in the streets