Shae looked from Tom to the other falnir, then stepped in front of the cave. The dragons roared at each other, then took to the air, spewing fire down on the cave. Tom hurriedly started the anti-spell, while Shae sheltered him with her wings. Seeing the lack of effect, the Falnir then stooped on Shae, who jumped to catch the first in her talons. They rolled down the mountain, pursued by another. Tom had nearly finished the spell, but the third Falnir had changed direction and was bearing down on him. It took a breath and then a hammer bounced off it's scaly head. Killburn, Isabelle and Kael came running up the path.
'Scarper you daft bastard!' Yelled Killburn.
Tom ignored him; he was so close. The dragon swept it's paw around just as he finished saying the last words. There was an immediate effect - the paw and the arm it was attached to began to shrink. The wings and tail disappeared back in to the body and the skin became lighter and more delicate. Within thirty seconds the Falnir was no more than a naked teenage boy. Tom took a cloak of the warlock's out to him.
'Here, wrap yourself in this he told the boy.'
Tom turned to look down the mountainside.
'Killburn, we must go after her.' He said.
Kael was already making his way down the slope. Killburn nodded and took off after him, closely followed by Isabelle.
Tom went back to the boy.
'Are you alright?'
'I'm. I don't remember.' The boy glanced up at Tom. 'I'm just a bit cold.'
Tom shepherded the boy over to the fire.
'You were magically shape-shifted in to a dragon by the warlock here.' He explained, indicating the black cocoon. 'I just changed you back. Unfortunately the amnesia is a side effect of forcing the change but it's temporary.'
'Where am I?' The boy was scared.
'It's ok. Your on Snohode. I'm here with Shae.'
At the mention of her name the boys face brightened.
'Shae's here? I haven't seen her since I was little. Where is she?'
'My friends are just getting her. Try and keep warm.'
Tom left the boy staring in to the fire and walked out to look down the slope again. After a little while, he could see some figures lit by a faint glow moving back up the slope. A few minutes later, Kael helped Shae up on to the path. He had draped his cloak around her, but she was still shivering. Tom embraced her and then he and Kael ushered her over towards the fire. All of a sudden, the boy started screaming. Tom ran to him.
'What's wrong? Are you hurt?'
The boy would not calm down, Shae tried to comfort him, but nothing worked. In the end Tom put him under a sleep spell as they were joined by Isabelle, Killburn and the two other Falnir, whom Tom assumed to be Shae's parents.
'He's remembered hasn't he?' Shae asked Tom, cradling the boy's head in her lap.
Tom nodded, noticing the tears on the faces of the parents.
'So have they.'
'Oh Shae. It was horrible, we k-, we killed...' Shae's mother retched and fell to her knees. 'How can we go on?'
'It wasn't you.' Shae pleaded.
Tom knew it was no good.
'Unfortunately it was them who killed all those people.' He said, quietly. Shae shot him an angry look, which he ignored. 'They were in there, Shae. It was them that told the muscles to move, the jaws to snap. The longer you spend in dragon form, the more you act as a dragon would.'
'On more thing: you are all Falnir now. I changed you back, but it's like a barrier has been broken; you can change between human and dragon at will.'
'I'm never changing back.' Shae's father said, numbly.
'That is probably for the best.' Tom agreed.
After they had warmed slightly, Shae and her family found some robes to dress in and they all started off back to the camp.
'Will he ever be ok?' Shae asked Tom, looking at her brother who Kael had over his shoulder.
'I don't know.' He replied, honestly. 'I hope so.'
The pale fingers of dawn tickled the peaks as the party started the final leg of their journey to Oesterin. They had talked in the night and decided to take Shae's family with them, to start again as best they could if the Jotnar would have them.
They were trecking through the foothills, the mouth of Oesterin's valley no more than ten miles distant, when a masked man stpped on to the track in front of them. From the undergrowth on both sides of them, masked faces appeared above crossbows and swords.
'Hello and well met good travellers' The first man began.
Tom sighed.
'We haven't got any money to give you.' He shouted; it was almost true.
The man shook his head.
'Then we have a problem.' He said. 'See, this is a toll road and we can't let you through unless you can pay the toll.'
'Then we will have to find another way to Oesterin.'
Bandits stepped on to the track behind the party as Tom turned to go.
'Don't be too hasty, kid. I'm sure you have something of equal value.' The bandit leader leered at the women.
Tom was angry, he was tired and he was cold. He was also fed up of the obstacles getting between him and the book, in other circumstances he might not have done what he did next. He clicked his fingers and sheets of flame shot from the ground between the party and the bandits, eliciting yelps of pain and surprise. Tom walked deliberately towards the leader, who backed away and then ran.
'You're using your magic too much, lad.' Killburn observed as they continued on to Oesterin. 'What happened to staying low key?'
'We keep getting in to unforeseen circumstances.' Tom was still smouldering. 'Do you think I like having to resort to magic? It leaves me feeling empty.'
'Alright, lad.' Killburn soothed. 'I was just saying.'
Oesterin sat at the head of the Skelvkild valley. A set of nine wide terraces had been cut in to the hills, the high grey walls giving rise to the city's nickname: God's steps. The fast running Skelve flowed through the middle of the valley, it's source feeding the fountains and reservoirs of Oesterin.
'It's big.' Tom marvelled at the sight. The city was maybe three times the size of Harrowden.
'Well they are bigger than us.' Killburn said.
Shadow had crept almost to the top of the valley walls as the group reached the massive gates on their side of the river. Burning torches lit the gate area well, but it still came as a shock when what Tom had assumed were guard satues either side of the gate stepped forward to challenge them. The Jotnar guards were around twice as tall as Killburn, who was not by any means short himself. They were well armoured in close-fitting plate mail. They carried spears as tall as they were and as wide around as a drainpipe.
'What business have you in Oesterin?' One asked. His voice sounded like a lump of granite being dragged over gravel.
'We have come to see the Queen.' Killburn declared.
'Who are you to have such business?' The guard asked.
'I am Prince Thomas of Harrowden.' Said Tom, stepping forward. 'These are my companions.'
The Jotunn took out a crystal sphere and spoke in to it, explaining the visitors' request. When he received a response, the guard stepped aside.
'Queen Greor expected you sooner. She has finished holding court for the day, but you can see her in the morning.'
The guard handed Tom a circular crystal token.
'You and your companions may stay in any lodgings in the city tonight, complements of the Queen. Just give them this token.'
Tom thanked the guard and the group made their way in to the city.
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