The land of Damorica spread before us, verdant and green and only occasionally pocked by civilisation. The discarded lumps of the ruins of the Briginitian Empire seemed to overshadow all subsequent development, great, grey, chunks of stone of mysterious origin. The wind tore at my hair and roared in my ears, something I could’ve stopped, but never did. It was as if all my worries, frustrations, irritations of the week were being pulled out of me, though my hair was a bitch to brush afterwards. I raised my arms up in the air with a whoop. I had to hold on tight with my legs, something that would never have occurred to me when I occupied the body of a dragon rider. They were trained to run up and down the spines of dragons, fighting while flying with only their balance and grip to keep them from falling to their death and for a short time, I had been able to do just that.
Where should we go? Miazydar asked.
You choose. Somewhere sheltered, it’s bloody cold today.
We’ll go to the Stone Circle.
“By all the gods, I’ve forgotten the cold of travelling a-dragonback,” Merlin said when we landed. I slid from Miazydar’s back, giving him a pat on his flank. He curled his neck around towards me, me stepping into the curve and resting my head against it. For a moment it was just him and me; the rest of the world could go fuck itself.
All will be well, he said.
It is, here, away from everyone else. Maybe we should just run away.
Isn’t that how you met me? You have the heart of a dragon, my love, you need not run from anything.
This is what I’d imagined it was going to be like, going through the portal. I looked around at the standing megaliths in front of us, at some time raised by someone for a purpose that escaped me. I thought it would be pastoral landscapes and friendly people and exotic animals.
Well, we’ve managed two of the three today.
My eyes moved to where Merlin was conjuring a range of human comforts. Soon he had a few wingback chairs, a side table with a pot of steaming tea and several fine china cups and saucers set up.
You don’t think Merlin friendly?
I don’t trust ones such as he. Their motivations are rarely transparent, and if you’re able to deduce one layer of their games, you miss the others. Why is he here?
I’m avoiding asking.
Hmm…
I took the other seat and picked up the teacup once Merlin had poured, dropping sugar and a little milk in it.
“This was a predecessor to your grandmother’s portal at one point,” Merlin said. “We have our own in Wiltshire. Fallen out of use, of course, but for a time it was the only means of travelling between the dimensions.”
“So people travelled from England to Damorica?”
He smiled, his teeth blinding white. “Between all of them. Fancy some tea?”
“Um, sure.”
I’m going to go and catch some breakfast. Be careful of the wizard, M said.
No pinkies, yeah?
Of course not.
Or anything sentient.
He sighed. I am going to have to spend all morning interviewing what I catch to meet your criteria.
Love you and good luck.
“You communicate telepathically,” Merlin said, looking out at the landscape beyond over the rim of his teacup.
“Yes. I’m sorry, that was probably rude. We don’t have to do it here, but it’s become such a habit.”
He shook his head and smiled. “No matter, I have had many such conversations myself. It can be a great pleasure, to be able to share exchanges without the threat of being overheard. It seems somehow more intimate. Is that what you find?”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding, feeling my body go limp for what felt like the first time in forever. “Yes. Sometimes he’s that childhood friend I always wanted. I was sure that if I spoke the right words, my teddy bear or my dolls would become animate and be my secret friend, but they never did.”