Dragonbound: Blue Dragon (17 page)

Kanvar shuddered at Dharanidhar's memory of the feel of Abhavasimha's claws in his chest, curled around his heart, and Dharanidhar's outrage that the younger dragon had attacked him without the traditional challenge and out of sight of the rest of the pride. Abhavasimha would pay for that.

Dharanidhar soared up and up, rounded a mountain peak, and flapped down to land on a high precipice overlooking a fertile valley.

They'd come up high into the mountain range and left behind the dense jungle for sparser vegetation. Tall grasses, dotted with wildflowers, spread out across the rocky ground. Only a few stubby trees with twisted branches grew here, leaving nothing to block the blue dragons' flight. An emerald lake sat at the edge of the basin, reflecting the cliffs that towered above it. Dark slashes in the rock face marked the caverns claimed by members of the blue dragon pride.

Dharanidhar rolled his shoulders and stretched his wings. The left one still ached where it had broken against the mountain. But it had healed well, and Dharanidhar was pleased that it had not been permanently damaged.

"I wish human bones healed that fast," Kanvar said.

Don't they
? Dharanidhar questioned.

"By the fountain, no. It would have taken a couple of months for my arm to heal if I'd broken it like that." Kanvar remembered how quickly Devaj's wounds had healed after Dharanidhar had attacked his gold dragon. "Well, maybe I'll heal faster now. More like a dragon. Do you think?"

I certainly hope so
. Dharanidhar scraped his front claws against the cliffs to sharpen them.
Abhavasimha won't be that easy to defeat. He's had plenty of practice in battle, and he's watched my fighting style for years. Are you still secure? If you fall, we're both doomed. I won't be able to see straight to catch you.

Kanvar checked the vines that held him to Dharanidhar's back. "Yes. I'm tied down tight. Where is everyone?" Kanvar could see dragon tracks down by the water, but other than that the valley seemed empty.

Sleeping off dinner
.  Dharanidhar's stomach growled
. A good time for us to fight while we're lean and hungry. Not so good for Abhavasimha who has likely fed just a few hours ago and will be full and lethargic. Well, it's time to interrupt their morning nap.

Dharanidhar lifted off from the cliff and flew across the meadow to a ledge above the lake. He directed Kanvar's eyes to a hole in the rocks near the topmost reaches of the largest cliff. That's my home.
Abhavasimha's up there.

"And Devaj?"

Most likely
. Dharanidhar stretched his front claws, cracking the knuckles and preparing to call Abhavasimha out.
I wish you were invisible, my little friend. It could prove interesting explaining your presence to the other dragons. Your plan to rescue Devaj this way only works if they don't think Rajahansa has sent us.

Kanvar gritted his teeth. Abhavasimha had threatened to kill Devaj instantly if Rajahansa sent someone to rescue him.

Don't worry. We'll get this started quickly and not waste time with a lot of words. Once the fight begins. Everyone's attention will be on us, not Devaj
.

Dharanidhar reared up on his hind legs, spread his wings, and let out a guttural roar that shook his whole body and rattled Kanvar's bones. The roar rolled away across the valley and echoed back from the mountaintops.

Kanvar sensed a hundred dragon minds snap awake.

Dharanidhar roared again, and the pride of dragons came out. The older ones lumbering to the entrance of their caves, blinking in the sunlight. The young ones zipping out of their holes like a flock of blue bats.

The entrance to Dharanidhar's cave stayed dark and empty.

Dharanidhar roared again.
Abhavasimha, I have returned. I challenge you for rightful leadership of the pride.

Kanvar felt the surprise of the dragons around him. Their thoughts tumbled through his mind.
He's returned. Abhavasimha said he was blind. Why does he have a Naga with him?

An answering bellow came from the high cave, and Abhavasimha swooped out. He perched on the top of the cliff looking down at Dharanidhar.

Dharanidhar growled deep in his throat, assessing his opponent.
The higher ranking dragon always gets the advantage of height at the beginning of a fight
, he told Kanvar.
Few young dragons ever figure out how to use the lower ground to turn the fight their own way
. Abhavasimha looked splendid and invincible with the morning sunlight reflecting off his chest. He had few scars compared to Dharanidhar and none on his chest.

It is not customary or comfortable for blue dragons to battle in the morning
, Dharanidhar told Kanvar.
Like attacking humans at night. But see, from Abhavasimha's high position, the sun is in his eyes. We have the sun at our backs. Note his chest. He's good at guarding it. It is almost impossible to kill an enemy from the flank. Deadly strikes must go to the neck, chest, or gut. In that order of preference. No one has come even close to those marks on Abhavasimha. But then he has not fought me before.

Abhavasimha reared up, spread his wings, and roared.
Dharanidhar, you blind fool. You'd have been wise to stay in exile. Now I will kill you. I accept your challenge.

Kanvar had read in Raza's book that the blue leaders could not refuse a challenge unless they wanted to give up their position in disgrace and leave the pride.

Then we will fight
. Dharanidhar dropped down to all fours, tensed, and pulled his wings in to his sides.
This is where the young ones make their most fatal mistake,
he whispered to Kanvar
. They launch themselves into the air to start the attack. But from the ground they cannot attain the same momentum as the higher dragon.

Abhavasimha dove from the cliff toward them, but pulled up mid-way and circled when Dharanidhar did not rise to meet him.
What is this . . . human?
Abhavasimha demanded.

My eyes
. Dharanidhar remained hunched down, ready to launch himself. He stayed in place, not turning to watch Abhavasimha circle above, but Kanvar kept a close eye on him.

He shuddered with rage.
You've betrayed us and
joined the enemy! You've come here for Rajahansa. You've allowed a Naga to ride you?

That whipped the other dragons into a fury. They spread their wings and leapt into the air to join the attack on Dharanidhar.

No!
Kanvar shouted into their minds.
Dharanidhar has not betrayed you. I have betrayed Rajahansa and Amar, my father. They wanted to force me to bond with a gold dragon, but I escaped them and have bonded with Dharanidhar. The power of the Nagas has come to the blue dragons.

Kanvar felt a rush of fear and denial hit Abhavasimha.
A prince of the royal line, bound to you?

Yes
, Dharanidhar answered.
Are you having second thoughts about accepting my challenge. Since you so kindly granted me exile, I will give you the same option. Fly away now, and I won't kill you
.

Abhavasimha let out a furious roar and dove at Dharanidhar.

Dharanidhar chuckled.
I love fighting them when they're in a blind fury.
He stayed hunched and tense while Abhavasimha sped straight down. His great jaws opened wide to sink into Kanvar and tear him from Dharanidhar's back.

Still Dharanidhar waited.

Kanvar ducked as Abhavasimha's teeth came toward him.

He's moving too fast
, Dharanidhar's thoughts flashed through Kanvar's mind.
He'll have to flare back, or crash.

Abhavasimha flared his wings just as his jaws snapped shut. In that flash instant, instead of taking to the air, Dharanidhar rolled onto his back, jerking Kanvar out of Abhavasimha's jaws and almost crushing him in order to rake his great hind legs down Abhavasimha's chest with a horrible sound of shattering scales and tearing flesh.

Abhavasimha wheeled aside before the claws could sink in deep enough to kill him. His sudden movement tilted him into the ground, and Dharanidhar leapt on him. Closing his jaws on Abhavasimha's throat.

Kanvar gasped as he whipped back upright after being rolled so close to the ground. The thought that Dharanidhar had finished the fight so quickly and easily exalted him. He was wrong.

Abhavasimha used the momentum of his fall to whip Dharanidhar off of him, before Dharanidhar's teeth could do more than graze the scales that protected his throat. The unexpected movement, so close after Dharanidhar's first roll and leap, left Kanvar dizzy and disoriented, and Dharanidhar lost sight of Abhavasimha.

Abhavasimha launched into the air while Kanvar blinked and tried to get his bearings.

Dharanidhar let out a frustrated growl. He'd had his enemy in his clutches and could have finished it if Kanvar hadn't faltered. Dharanidhar leapt into the air. The battle would be harder to win now.

Shaken, Kanvar clutched the vines that held him to Dharanidhar's back. He was not used to twisting and turning and fighting dragon style. Human bodies just didn't move like that. Dharanidhar rumbled his understanding of Kanvar's difficulty. But it couldn't be helped. If Kanvar could not adapt, Abhavasimha would triumph.

Dharanidhar jerked into another spin as the two dragons met in mid air. Their claws raked each other, but neither could hit the death points.

Abhavasimha broke off, went higher, and circled again. He sucked in a deep breath, igniting his fires.
What's he doing?
Dharanidhar's mind flashed.
It's a fatal waste of energy to breathe fire on a fellow blue dragon. It would bounce harmlessly off my scales.

Spin!
Kanvar screamed at him. Dharanidhar's body responded instantly to Kanvar's command. He spun away, and the flames licked his shoulder.
I'm not fire proof. My armor isn't good enough to repel blue fire up close,
Kanvar corrected him.
Abhavasimha's figured out he doesn't have to kill you. He just has to kill me.

A shock of fear went bone deep through Dharanidhar. He hadn't realized it, but it was true. He had a new death point. One unguarded by scales or claws. Mounted on the back of his neck, Kanvar was an easy target. Dharanidhar cursed as Abhavasimha dove at Kanvar.

Chapter Thirteen

To protect Kanvar,
Dharanidhar had to roll again. Abhavasimha anticipated his move, and struck as Dharanidhar's chest came up. He clawed for Dharanidhar's heart, tearing the scales from Dharanidhar's chest and digging into flesh. Dharanidhar pushed Abhavasimha off him and flapped clear.

Kanvar felt a burn in his chest and blood seep under his jacket.

Abhavasimha blew another burst of fire, forcing Dharanidhar to retreat farther, licking his chest while keeping Kanvar away from Abhavasimha.

Abhavasimha came at them again while Dharanidhar's head was down staunching the wound. Dharanidhar flared back and lifted his back legs to tear at Abhavasimha. Abhavasimha turned at the last moment and threw his whole momentum against Dharanidhar's left wing.

The newly healed bone snapped.

Dharanidhar spun around and started to fall.

Kanvar screamed.

Dharanidhar let out an echoing roar. He put all his strength into a last huge flap of his right wing. This spun him in range of Abhavasimha. He reached out with both his foreclaws and hind legs and latched onto Abhavasimha, pulling him down with him.

Abhavasimha clamped his jaws around Dharanidhar's neck.

Kanvar gasped. He could only breathe in the barest trickle of air.

Abhavasimha flapped to slow their fall. He had a death grip on Dharanidhar now. Though Dharanidhar struggled, Abhavasimha's jaws were locked in place, and Dharanidhar could not break their hold. In turn Dharanidhar refused to give up the grip he had on Abhavasimha, knowing Abhavasimha could not keep both of them in the air for long.

You'll die first
, Abhavasimha's victoriously smug voice sounded in Dharanidhar's mind.

Dharanidhar did not respond. His oxygen-starved mind slipped beyond rationality into livid bloodlust. He twisted his body to try to tear out Abhavasimha's guts, though it put pressure on his trapped neck.

Kanvar's left leg slammed into Abhavasimha's chest. The scent of dragon blood gagged him as it seeped from the cuts Dharanidhar had made in the opening throes of the battle. Kanvar put his hand on Abhavasimha's chest and shoved, hoping to free his leg, but neither dragon felt it. Both had forgotten for a moment about the frail boy riding Dharanidhar.

Kanvar looked down. Though Abhavasimha's wings slowed their descent, the ground continued to rise up to meet them. Kanvar tried to breathe, but the great pressure on Dharanidhar's neck threatened to break it.

I will not die like this
, Kanvar fumed.

If he died, Dharanidhar would die, and so would Devaj.

Kanvar reached over his shoulder and unlatched his crossbow. Such a flimsy wooden weapon in the face of the massive dragon. He leaned over and got his right foot in the stirrup and the gaffle on the string. Then leaned back, cocking the bow.

Spots fluttered across his eyesight, his lungs burned for air, and a ringing filled his ears. Holding the crossbow with his right hand, he forced the clumsy fingers and thumb on the stub of his left arm to pull one of the bolts from its fastening. His arm refused to move at first, and Kanvar realized it had broken along with Dharanidhar's wing. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Kanvar managed to force his left arm up over his back anyway and his fingers and thumb pinched hold of one of the bolts.