Dragon Rider

The dragons congregate. The oldest dragon, Slatebeard, invites Rosa to share her news. Again, she explains that humans are coming: They are taking a path through the mountains. She says humans never feel that they have enough, and they are always expanding their reach. These humans plan to flood the valley.

One dragon suggests that they simply chase the humans off, but Sorrel says human beings are “[m]ore dangerous than anything else in the world” (11). She explains that humans have machines now, and the dragons would not survive against them. Another dragon suggests trying to live in peace with the humans. Rosa says that some animals can do that, but not dragons. They are too big and different, and humans destroy anything too different from themselves.

Finally, Slatebeard announces that they should return to the Rim of Heaven, the mythic home of dragons. Some dragons believe the Rim of Heaven does not exist, but Slatebeard says he was born there. He is now too old to remember how to find it again, but someone should try.

When Firedrake offers to search for it, the other dragons scoff at him. Nevertheless, Slatebeard asks Firedrake to visit him before he leaves, and he will share what little information he knows. Sorrel tries to convince Firedrake not to go. When he insists on going, she insists on going with him.

Before leaving, Firedrake visits Slatebeard’s cave. Slatebeard does not remember much but advises Firedrake to go east in search of the world’s highest mountain range. There, he should look for “a chain of snow-covered peaks encircling a valley like a ring of stone” (20-21). He also warns Firedrake to watch out for “the Golden One” (21).

Sorrel dashes off to pack a supply of mushrooms, the favorite food of brownies. Meanwhile, Rosa suggests the Firedrake look for her cousin, who makes maps. He is a white rat that lives in a human city, in a warehouse by the river. He may not know exactly where the Rim of Heaven is, but he will know where to start looking.

Firedrake thanks her for the advice just as Sorrel returns with her supplies, already complaining about the trip. Then they take off and head out of the valley.

Firedrake and Sorrel land in the big city, swimming along dirty canals to stay hidden in the dark. Sorrel fears that if they do not find some place to sleep soon, they will be caught in daylight and put in a zoo. Finally, they find an old warehouse along the canal. As they settle in, something moves behind a stack of boxes. A small boy emerges from his hiding place, gaping at the silver dragon. The boy exclaims over seeing a dragon, and Firedrake is surprised that he does not scream or run away. The boy, Ben, lives in the warehouse. Sorrel prepares to leave to find Rosa’s cousin, and Ben offers to help: If other humans catch her, they might put her on display in a museum. He even gives her human clothes as a disguise. Firedrake watches and is impressed by Ben’s kindness.

Sorrel and Ben search for the warehouse Rosa described. Soon, they find it. Inside, hidden behind a wall of shelves, is a small study with a rat-sized desk, chairs, and files, and even a laptop. Gilbert emerges from hiding when Sorrel says she was sent by Rosa.

Gilbert does not know the location of the Rim of Heaven but says that the highest mountains in the world are the Himalayas, and he can give them a map to lead them there. He draws his maps based on information he gathers from travelers and from the survey expeditions he directs. He shows Sorrel a large map, pointing out the Scottish mountains where the silver dragons live, and drawing a line to the Himalayas on the far side of the world. He warns that the trip will be long and dangerous. The best plan is to go south first and then turn east later. Though the route is not as direct, it avoids dangerous areas where the humans are at war or where other dangerous creatures live. He color codes the route: green for lowland, brown for mountains, red for humans at war, yellow for regions known for danger, and gray for safe places to rest.

He then asks for payment. Sorrel threatens to take the map by force, but Ben offers to trade the map for things in his pockets. Satisfied, Gilbert offers one more warning: Others have come to him looking for the Rim of Heaven, including several ravens who offered him gold. He found them threatening and suspicious, and refused to tell them anything. He believes the ravens are working for someone, but he does not know for whom. Sorrel suspects it is the Golden One about whom Slatebeard warned them.

Sorrel and Ben head back toward the warehouse, where Firedrake is waiting. Ben says their journey sounds exciting and wishes he could go on such an adventure. Sorrel, on the other hand, would rather stay safely at home with her mushrooms.

Suddenly, they find the warehouse surrounded by humans. Ben offers to cause a distraction and runs toward the humans. Sorrel slips into the building and wakes Firedrake. They hear Ben struggling against several men. Firedrake charges in and commands the men to leave the boy alone. He breathes blue fire, and the men run. Sorrel and Ben jump onto Firedrake’s back, and they leap back into the canal. However, they are soon forced to jump off Firedrake’s back so he can dive. They lose each other in the confusion, but Ben finds a small boat he and Sorrel can use.

Firedrake escapes down the canal until he reaches a large bridge. He hides beneath it and waits for Sorrel and Ben to catch up to him. He is surprised to realize that he is just as worried about Ben as he is about Sorrel. Shortly, Sorrel and Ben reach him in Ben’s rickety boat. Sorrel leaps out and hugs Firedrake. She shows Firedrake Gilbert’s map, claiming she can read it easily. Ben wishes them luck on their journey, but Firedrake offers to bring him along. Sorrel objects, insisting that they do not need a human, but Firedrake says Ben is their friend. Ben admits that he has no home or family and would enjoy going on an adventure with them. Sorrel relents, and they agree to travel together.

The group flies south through the night. Sorrel tells Firedrake to turn east, but Ben tries to tell her that it is too soon to change course. They are headed into one of the yellow areas Gilbert warned them against. Sorrel ignores him, so Ben gives up, and Firedrake turns east. At twilight, they land in the mountains, where a castle sits in the distance. Soon, Firedrake and Sorrel fall asleep.

Before long, several tiny fat men approach. Afraid, Ben cries out for Sorrel, who disdainfully says that they are only mountain dwarves. She warns the dwarves not to wake Firedrake, or he might eat them. But the dwarves know that dragons live on moonlight and are not afraid. The dwarves explain that the presence of other fantastical creatures makes their scalps itch, and they came to investigate. Something inside the distant castle also makes their scalp itch, but they do not go near it because “evil things happen up there” (77).

Sorrel asks the dwarves to help them find more food. They agree on the condition that Firedrake help them find treasure when he wakes, knowing that dragons can smell precious stones. No one notices when one dwarf, Gravelbeard, parts from the group and disappears among the trees.

Nettlebrand, the Golden One, sleeps in the underground vaults of the castle, longing for the old days when he hunted silver dragons. He is larger than the other dragons, with gold armored scales. He ate most of his servants decades ago. Now he only has his raven spies, and a single tiny homunculus (an artificially created enchanted being) called Twigleg, who polishes his armor.

Nettlebrand demands a story of his glory days. Obediently, Twigleg begins the story of “the mightiest and most dangerous being […] ever to set claw on this earth” (84), who was created by the great alchemist Petrosius Henbane in the year 1424 and set him to the task of eradicating dragons from the earth.

Before Twigleg can continue, Gravelbeard arrives with news. He says that a silver dragon landed on the mountain that morning. He asks for one of Nettlebrand’s gold scales as payment for this information. Instead, Nettlebrand orders Twigleg to ride a raven out to confirm Gravelbeard’s story while Gravelbeard takes over Twigleg’s job as armor polisher. Nettlebrand adds that Twigleg should contact him by water when he has news. As Twigleg flies away aboard a raven, Nettlebrand rejoices that the dragons may have returned.