He made to sit back down but a growl had him spin on his heel. Coffee splashed over his gloved hand. Thraun was crouched, staring at him, his yellow eyes cold and malign. Hirad met the stare, forcing a smile on to his face.

‘Hey, Thraun, it’s me, remember?’

Thraun growled on, hackles rising. He shifted back, resting on the raw power of his hind quarters. Nearest to him, Will stirred and woke.

‘What’s up?’ he asked blearily.

‘I don’t know,’ said Hirad. ‘He—’

With a half-bark, the wolf sprang away into the darkness. And then the pain gripped Hirad. Brief and intense, it swamped his senses and brought him to his knees, contents of his mug draining into the dirt in front of him.

‘Hirad Coldheart, hear me.’ Hirad didn’t know why but the voice of Sha-Kaan was close this time. And it had a different quality. Not as strong and commanding. Pained.

‘I hear you, Sha-Kaan.’

‘I must open the portal. The Raven must hear me. Are you in a place of safety? Your rhythms and signature tell me you are at rest.’

‘Yes, Great Kaan.’

‘Excellent. It will be done.’ And the pain was gone.

A few paces directly in front of Hirad as he remained on his knees, and a short way down the shallow incline, a line of flickering light traced a rectangle from the ground up to a height of ten feet, across seven and back down. Inside the rectangle, all was black but to either side and above, the landscape stayed in view.

Hirad climbed to his feet, glancing around. Will was staring wide-eyed at the light, with the remainder of The Raven all stirring, sleep interrupted by an unknown quantity that bled unease over their resting minds.

‘Don’t be scared, Will, it’s Sha-Kaan.’

‘It’s all right. I’m all right.’ Will’s voice had a quaver. ‘How is it Sha-Kaan?’

‘Hard to explain right now but he’s travelled from his dimension to ours to talk. Wake the others.’ Hirad’s eyes returned to the light. Inside its frame, the dark sparkled gold like a sudden snowstorm, and then slid left, revealing a brazier-lit passageway that led to a small bare chamber Hirad had seen before.

‘What is that?’ asked Will. Hirad turned to him, smiling.

‘The path to the Great Kaan,’ he said.

Sha-Kaan’s voice whispered across his mind.

‘Well done, Hirad Coldheart, your signature is strong. Come, bring your companions.’

Hirad wasn’t quite sure what he was experiencing but it was something akin to euphoria. His head felt light, his limbs empowered, his heart thumping its joy. He quashed the worry that immediately surfaced. Sha-Kaan was here.

‘Here again, are we?’ said Ilkar’s voice at his shoulder. It held no surprise but more than a little weariness.

‘But this time the meeting will be easier and happier,’ said Hirad.

‘Well, nothing will be stolen, I’m sure,’ said Ilkar. The Raven were not long in waking. The Unknown came to Hirad’s other shoulder, silent, face drawn, eyes flat.

‘Just like old times, eh Unknown?’ Hirad smiled.

‘No, Hirad, not really.’ He led the way inside. Hirad paused, watching Denser and Erienne walk around the back of the portal.

‘Fascinating,’ said the Dark Mage. ‘I can see you from the other side but I can’t put my hand through to wave at you. It’s as if it only really exists as you see it.’ He rejoined Hirad. ‘Will you try something?’

Hirad shrugged and nodded. ‘If I must.’

‘Walk around like I’ve just done. I’ll stand here.’

Hirad raised his eyebrows and began walking, stopping after only a couple of paces.

‘Hold on,’ he said. ‘That’s not right.’ The opening had followed him, he was still in front of it.

‘Yes it is,’ said Ilkar. ‘We’re behind it again, if behind is the right word.’

‘You’re Dragonene now,’ said Erienne. ‘That portal only exists because of you and your link to Sha-Kaan.’

‘Oh, I see,’ said Hirad. He hadn’t a clue what Erienne was talking about.

‘Any chance of the rest of you coming in?’ The Unknown’s face appeared at the portal. ‘Come on.’ He turned back inside.

‘Will, what about Thraun. Will he come?’ asked Hirad.

‘I’m only just convinced of going in myself,’ said the wiry little man, black hair shot through with grey, the legacy of a terror that still plagued his nightmares. ‘But I guess he’ll follow if he’s still keen to protect me. I think your dragon’s presence scares him.’

‘He’s not alone,’ said Erienne.

‘Come on, Raven, let’s meet the Great Kaan,’ said Hirad, adding, ‘Swords sheathed.’

It was like walking back inside a memory. Hirad could recall with complete clarity his blind pursuit of Denser the first time they had been inside Sha-Kaan’s melde-corridor. That time, he hadn’t stopped to look around him. Now he did, albeit briefly.

The passageway was short and The Unknown waited at its far end, inside the small bare chamber. He hadn’t opened the door. The Chamber itself had benches down either wall, a stone-flagged floor and dark green painted murals depicting fire and jungle.

Through the door was the first hall, the only part of which Hirad remembered was the fire that Sha-Kaan had blasted through the twin doors to the right. These had been replaced, any scorch marks removed and a log fire burned beneath the Dragonene crest that hung on the wall above the grate opposite him.

Hirad walked towards the crest, drawn by its symbolism, two claws beneath the open maw of a dragon breathing flame. A ghosting within the crest toyed with his eyes. He moved closer and what he saw swelled his heart. It was the crest of The Raven, blood-red background behind a silhouette of a raven’s head and wing. It sat within the Dragonene symbol, proud yet subordinate. Hirad had no quarrel with the chain of command it implied.

‘Well, well, well,’ said Ilkar, whose eyes had picked out the credit to The Raven very early. Hirad smiled.

‘One in, all in,’ he said.

‘Which way to Sha-Kaan?’ asked Erienne. Hirad pointed right and led The Raven onward.

Through one of the twin doors which flanked a second fireplace they faced the crest-emblazoned, rune-carved doors that Hirad had seen destroyed what felt like a lifetime ago. But they were whole, the gold of the crest glinting in the light of the hall fire and the braziers hung around the small antechamber.

‘Push it open,’ said Hirad and The Unknown did so, revealing the Dragon Hall, its tapestries, fires, heat and Sha-Kaan, lying flat at rest, neck stretched out towards them, tail coiled behind the vast bulk of his body. He spoke for them all to hear.

‘Welcome, Hirad Coldheart, Dragonene. Welcome The Raven.’ Sha-Kaan was immense. It was a fact Hirad had never truly allowed his conscious mind to accept, not since their first meeting, and it was clear to him why. His size alone was terrifying but to accept that something getting on for one hundred and twenty feet long also had mental powers and knowledge far ahead of his own was a step closer to madness. And that in addition to the physical power and strength that oozed from every pore.

But looking at Sha-Kaan for the first time as a Dragonene, the mists were parted for him. Now he could see past the bulk into the mind within. He could feel the thoughts and fears. And he knew the Great Kaan was hurt.

Hirad led The Raven forward across the tiled floor towards the damp mud and earth on which Sha-Kaan rested. Ten fires burned in grates on three sides of the dragon and the hall was full of heat and condensation. They fanned out in a natural defensive formation, The Unknown at Hirad’s right shoulder, Will at his left, the mages in a line behind, Denser, Ilkar and Erienne left to right. Of Thraun, there was no sign. As they closed, Hirad could see the fire-damage marks on the dragon’s neck.

‘Tell me what to do, Sha-Kaan,’ he said.

‘There will be time for that later, or no time for any of us at all,’ said the dragon. ‘There is great trouble in Julatsa. Your mages there have unleashed a power they are unable to contain, though I fear they do not know it.’