The Ruby Quest (3 page)

The room was small, just a living and sleeping chamber with a little washing annex. It was furnished with a bed, a chair and a table – with her backpack and a bag of apples on it – a cupboard, and a small couch with cushions. Tia grabbed a cushion, bit open one end of a seam and pushed the bracelet inside. She put the cushion back on the couch.

She changed into the fresh clothes piled on the end of her bed and put her jacket back on. She was just pushing her feet into her boots when Frida poked her head round the door. ‘Come on, plodder!'

Tia picked up the bag of apples and followed Frida into the town.

Askarlend was a noisy, brash trading centre, near to the port of Roornhof on the coast of the Southern Sea. The town was full of merchants and visitors from over the seas, all dressed in brightly coloured clothes. Stalls selling every kind of goods were packed along the streets and in the squares. Tia and
Frida wrinkled their noses as they hurried past fish stalls. Further on they stopped to buy honey cakes.

As well as food, stallholders sold silk and leather, metalwork and costly gems. One stall sold sunstones from Kulafoss and another precious saffron from Stoplar. Smaller stalls sold cheaper goods such as trinkets and games while even smaller booths, painted with moons and stars, promised to tell fortunes if you came inside.

‘Don't bother with them,' Frida said scornfully. ‘Let's go and see the fire-eaters.'

‘Fire-eaters!' Tia liked the sound of that.

‘And jugglers and acrobats,' Frida said. ‘They're in West Gate Square.'

When they got there Tia recognised the square as the one she'd arrived in last night. Today it was packed with excited people gasping as acrobats performed impossible feats and fire-eaters breathed out streams of flame.

Tia was most impressed by the acrobats. She could make fire just by snapping her fingers, but she couldn't balance on one hand at the top of a pyramid of people.

She and Frida wandered through the noisy crowds until they found themselves near a gigantic statue of a troll.

‘This statue is very mysterious,' Frida said. ‘It appeared from nowhere last night.'

Tia tried not to laugh. She knew all about the troll because she'd brought it with her by accident from Iserborg. Once it reached Askarlend, the magic that made it live had drained away and it had turned back into an ordinary statue once again.

‘It is mysterious,' Tia agreed, looking up at the troll's snarling face. A black bird landed on the troll's head. Tia squinted. It was Loki.

Tia snatched off her cap and waved it, jumping up and down in excitement at seeing her friend at last.

The jackdaw hopped down onto the troll's arm. ‘There you are,' Loki squawked.

‘Put your cap on,' Frida hissed. ‘You'll be recognised if you're not careful!'

Tia tugged it back on.

‘Bet I can get that bird,' a voice said behind her.

Tia turned. A hulking boy at the front of a group of children was swinging a sling, his eye on Loki.

‘Go away, jackdaw,' Tia yelled. ‘You're in danger!'

He flew off, zigzagging through the air so that boy couldn't get a good aim. His stone went wide. Some of the children jeered but most looked away or said, ‘Bad luck.' He pushed them aside and marched angrily towards Tia and Frida.

The boy thrust his face in front of Tia's. ‘What d'you warn that bird for?'

Tia laughed and stood straight even though the boy was taller and heavier than her. ‘You think I can talk to birds?'

The boy flushed. Some of his gang tittered. ‘You know what I mean – your shouting scared it off.'

Tia shrugged. ‘You probably wouldn't have hit it anyway. You were aiming all wrong.'

‘What do you know?' he sneered.

Tia pulled her sling out of her pocket. ‘I bet I can beat you any time.'

The group of children gasped and Frida stepped up beside Tia. ‘Leave her alone, Kettil,' she said to the boy.

Kettil's face twisted in a sneer. ‘Why should I?' he said to Frida. ‘Just because you're apprentice Headwoman?'

‘Because if you don't I'll report you to Gunnar.'

Kettil's face burned red with anger. His fists bunched and his eyes bulged. Frida and Tia stood their ground. Kettil grunted and swung away, his gang huddled protectively round him.

‘I'm not sure I should've spoken that way,' Frida said. ‘He might want revenge for making him look silly.'

It was just like being back in Drakelow with the dragonets tormenting her for being a witchbrat. Kettil even reminded her of Torkil, the worst of the dragonet bullies. Tia sighed, then grinned. She'd always got the better of Torkil – she could do the same with Kettil.

‘Let's forget about Kettil and take Yufa the apples,' Tia said.

Frida agreed and the two of them made their way to the stables. By this time the other horses were stabled too but the hands had finished for the night and no-one else was about.

Frida looked warily at Yufa. ‘Won't she won't bite you?'

Tia shook her head and stepped up to the bars.

‘Hello, Yufa. I've brought you those apples I promised,' she said.

Yufa gave a whicker of pleasure.

Frida drew in a sharp breath of surprise and Yufa flattened her ears.

‘It's all right,' Tia reassured the horse. ‘That's my friend Frida.'

‘I don't want her to come in,' Yufa insisted, rolling her eyes.

‘She's a bit nervous,' Tia fibbed to Frida. ‘Why don't you wait over there?'

Frida stepped back several paces. Tia unlatched the box-stall door, confident that Frida was too far away to hear what she was going to say to Yufa.

‘Don't go in, it's too dangerous!' Frida called, clutching her hands together as if she were wringing out washing.

Tia ignored her and went inside. She took an apple out of the bag and offered it to Yufa. The horse's soft lips nuzzled at her palm as they picked up the fruit.

‘I'm going to be looking after you from now on,' Tia said. You'll let me ride you, won't you?'

The little golden mare agreed she would and finished off the apples.

Tia slapped her gently on the rump and left the box-stall. ‘I'll see you tomorrow,' she said through the bars and Yufa breathed a smell of apples and sweet hay over her.

‘How did you get her to behave?' Frida said, as they left the stables. Her eyes were wide with awe.

‘It's the Trader way.' And Tia refused to say any more.

When they reached the castle Frida said, ‘I'll show you around. It's easy to get lost in all the corridors and tunnels.'

Though Frida led Tia through the castle at dizzying speed she took care to explain the different levels. The ground floor was for daily living with places to eat, entertain, do business and sleep. Below that was a floor devoted to kitchens and food storage and under that, places for training soldiers. Under that again were more storage rooms.

Frida didn't mention the cavern of the red time bubbles.

Gunnar kept Tia busy for the next few days. She followed the daily routine: mucking out Yufa, exercising, feeding and grooming her. She rose early, did her jobs and ate breakfast with the other stable hands. She got on well with all of them, except for Kettil and his friends. They only glared at her without speaking as she went about her work.

She spent the evenings in the town with Frida and went to bed tired out. Tia badly wanted to give the sapphire to the jackdaw so that he could take it to Finn for safekeeping. And even more, she
longed for news of the little dragon. But although she spotted Loki several times they never had a chance to speak.

Gunnar observed her closely as she worked with Yufa. Tia was sure he had some plan in mind, and she was right.

One morning, when the horses had been walked back from their exercise, the Horsemaster said to Tia, ‘We'll try racing Yufa tomorrow.'

‘A race!' Tia's eyes sparkled. She'd raced against Trader children at Drakelow where she lived with the dragons, but never on a horse as swift as Yufa. She couldn't wait.

And neither could anyone else. The whole castle was buzzing with gossip about Yufa taking part in the coming race. Tia wasn't the only one who hardly slept for excitement that night.

The next day was sunny and crisp with a clear sky. Even the volcanoes were only smoking gently without rumbling and shaking the ground.

When it was time for Tia to walk Yufa to the cinder track outside the castle, the little mare danced in excitement.

‘Don't be too eager,' Tia said. ‘Remember what we planned – let another horse take the lead, stay close and then pass.'

Yufa tossed her head making her creamy mane wave. ‘I just want to run and run!' she said.

Tia patted the horse's neck. ‘I just want to win!'

‘You won't.' A boy on a chestnut horse sneered as he peeled off from the other riders and rode closer to Tia. It was Kettil. ‘At least, not if you know what's good for you.'

Tia ignored him. She was going to enjoy this ride.

They reached the starting line Gunnar had laid down with a thick stripe of white ash and lined up as best they could. A noisy crowd gathered round, watching the riders jostle their horses into position. Kettil forced his chestnut horse, Folski, next to Yufa. ‘I warned you, don't try and win,' he threatened.

At that moment Gunnar started the race. The crowd cheered and the horses shot away. Yufa flew ahead of the field. This wasn't the plan! But at least they'd left Kettil behind. Tia grinned. He wouldn't like that. She crouched over Yufa's neck and concentrated on the race.

They flew round the first of the two laps and started on the second. Yufa was still out in front, only two horses closing the gap between her and the rest of the field: Kettil's Folski and a white horse called Drifa.

The sound of drumming hoofs grew nearer, voices yelled. Tia risked looking round. Folski was gaining fast, Drifa not far behind.

Tia gripped her knees tighter, bent lower over Yufa's neck. ‘C'mon, half a lap – we can do it!' she shouted against the wind streaming in their faces. Yufa was too intent on hurtling to the winning post to answer.

‘Ow!' Something stung Tia's leg and she almost lost her grip. The sting came again, more fiercely this time.