I am Rikyava Andersen, Hög Skjaldmær of the Blood Dragons of Norway and Sweden, I say now, giving it my title in my Lineage as I squint inside my mind to see the white drakaina better.
Lies!The ancient drakaina snarls at me now, as the brightness increases tenfold. I cry out, feeling like my body is about to boil from the inside out from my very own blood, as I writhe to escape that infernally bright power.
But I can’t, as I understand how all these dragons died now, those who came here for their Trial of Truth.
Boiled alive for telling this ancient drakaina lies.
Lie to me one more time, blood-daughter, and I will incinerate you from your lifeblood out.The ancient drakaina snarls at me.My ancient Truthstone helps me tell inner truths from falsehoods. I ask again: who are you? No more lying to me—or to yourself.
Suddenly, I understand what this ancient creature wants. It needs to take my measure, and only speaking from my truest heart will do. I refocus and tell it the deepest truth of what I am now.
Certain to my blood and bones it’s right.
My name is Rikyava Andersen,I say as a snarl of instinct surges inside me now, bolstering me for this fight.I was born a Blood Dragon of Sweden, but my real home lies at the Red Letter Hotel Paris, a place I was adoptedinto twenty years ago and where I truly feel I belong. I am the lifemate of Bjorn Magnussen and Ström Eriksson, two incredible drakes I want by my side, always. I love them to the roots of my being, though I am a warrior, through and through, and battle is always the song in my blood. Fuck with me, and pay the price, ancient one. By my very blood and bones, I swear it.
I feel the vast dragon pause in its blinding brightness.
And then it laughs, ringing with incredible harmonies all through its magnificent voice.
8
FOUND
As vivid white eyes penetrate me from the ancient drakaina’s blazing aura inside my mind, I get the feeling she’s grinning. I’ve just challenged her with words like a spitball to the face; I thought perhaps I’d be dead meat now, but that drakaina lowers her gargantuan, blocky head.
The surrounding brightness dims, and I see I face the largest Blood Dragon I’ve ever met. Beautiful, she’s magnificent with her serrated white scales, each tipped in gold.
Massive spines shoot from her back like golden spears upon her brightness, as she rakes gold-tipped white talons at me like a cat. Her mantle is glorious, with ancient gold runic patterns shining through the white. Her eyes blister battle-brimstone red now from their previous opal white as she regards me.
Eyes just as brimstone for a fight as mine, staring back at me.
You have guts, drakaina, challenging me. I like that,she says now as she shows herself to me in all her glory.For this, and for your truthful words, I will spare your life. But you have neglected to add that you are a Bloodwalker, like the ancients.
I pause now, knowing this drakaina understands far more about me than I’ve told her. Probably why she can judge whether I’m speaking the truth.
I am a Bloodwalker, yes,I say now as I regard her,though I have deep inner conflict about what I am and how to use my power, or how it may use me. I’m not just a puppet for my Ancestors. I’m not a puppet for anyone.
Righteous. I like that, too.She smiles more gently at me now as I somehow feel her understand my conflict.I used to share your fear that this power would use me, rather than me using it. All our ancient kind must face this truth about our magic; that the usefulness goes both ways, in order for us to be what we are. We are Bloodwalkers since time immemorial; we are the true rulers of the skies among the Dragons of Blood and Bone… now known only as Blood Dragons. For once, we were a balanced people, containing both sides of this magic. Then, a great schism happened, and the War of Blood and Bone split us apart… the Bone Dragons forever lost to the tides of myth and hate.
The War of Blood and Bone.I know to what she refers, a terrible time in our past five thousand years ago that goes by many names.Were you alive then?
I died in that war.She peers at me.But you have far more knowledge about all that than any of your kind who have come to me lately. You are investigating this war, studying it. You are…I feel her search my mind now, as a warm wind whispers through me,hunting something related to it. Tell me. Speak the truth. I will know if you don’t.
I hunt the Black Dragon, once called the Usurper,I say as I regard her frankly, now that her menacing light has diminished.That big, bone-dead fucker killed a dear friend of mine, though we had our problems. Now, I’m going to kill it.
You wish to kill the Usurper…she whispers now, as I feel her truth-reading wind sweep through me again, deeper this time. Her massive, blocky head lowers, until those searing red orbs look right into me.
Deep into my very soul.
Three things you have sworn to my ancient talon tips, she says now, as she watches me.First, is that you hunt the Black Demon of Unhaemmerten for your King. Second, is that you are trying to stop this heinous creature, rather than control it to use it for yourself. And third, is that you had nothing to do with the attack on your beloved mentor, and the manner of her death. Tell me: are these true? Or false?
I know we’ve come to it now, my moment of truth. I have to tell this ancient dragon everything, right from my heart, if I want to save myself.
Along with both my drakes, currently in separate conversations with her.
The first point is false.I say now, baring my heart, plain as plain, to her.
How so?She cocks her massive head at me.
