We Fight Dragons (Volume 2, Chapter 5) "Trust versus Prudence"
Several days later Jam, Zach and Oli were back at the creek, using that ramp they’d built last summer. Jumping the creek in late winter had the extra risk of landing in the freezing water, which they thought made it all the more exciting.
Jam paused for a moment to ask the question that was on all of their minds. ‘Anyone had any ideas on how to show Tobes that he’s a Knight?’
Unexpectedly, Tobes spoke up from out of nowhere. ‘What did you say? Convince me I’m a what?’ Tobes emerged from the rushes that lined the path alongside the creek. His usual confidence was absent. Instead he showed the reserve and passive-aggression that he had adopted lately.
The three boys looked at each other, unsure how much Tobes had heard, and not knowing how to explain any of it.
‘It’s nothing. Just a game we were playing,’ Oli offered in a friendly tone.
‘A game? You were playing without me?’ Tobes looked upset for a moment, then shrugged it off. ‘What do I care. Just another kids game, I bet.’
If anyone else had said that to them, the boys would have taken offence, but they knew Tobes well enough to see that he was hurting.
Jam was upset for his friend. Then he realised that this might be just the opportunity they needed. He looked to Zach and Oli, and implored, ‘Lets tell him!’
Zach and Oli watched each other for an indication of what to do next, but they said nothing.
‘Tell me what?’
‘Guys! We should do this!’ exclaimed Jam.
‘Stop talking about me like I’m not here!’ Tobes was getting upset.
Because Jam was fearful that things might escalate and concerned not to let the opportunity pass he almost yelled out, ‘You’re a Knight!’
The other boys looked at him like he was crazy, although for different reasons.
Tobes demanded an explanation. ‘Stop being daft! What are you talking about? My family doesn’t come from anywhere near the Royal line!’
‘Yeah, Jam,’ copied Zach. ‘What on earth are you talking about!’ It was less a question, and more a demand for Jam to return to reality.
But Jam was determined. ‘Okay, fine. If you’re both too scared, I’ll do it.’ He looked around for inspiration. ‘Tobes, pick something that you think I can’t do. Like lift a massive rock. Or throw you over the creek. Something like that, okay?’
‘Huh? What I really want is for you to start making sense.’
Jam was stumped, and he implored the other Knights with him. ‘Help me out here.’
‘You’re nuts,’ declared Tobes. ‘You all are. I’m going to tell my parents about this nonsense.’
‘No! Please don’t!’ Zach reacted. ‘We shouldn’t have told you that. We’ll get in serious trouble if they think we told you.’
Tobes huffed. ‘What! Nonsense. But yeah they might ground you, or give you duties for lying!’
The three Knights looked at each other and realised that they had limited options. Oli spoke first. ‘Okay, I think we have to show him now?’ Jam and Zach nodded in agreement.
Oli took out his dad’s amulet which he’d been allowed to carry ever since his parents told him that he was a Knight. He held it by the cord and made it furiously spin, like he had shown Zach and Jam.
‘Neat trick,’ said Tobes, unimpressed. ‘Can you do card tricks as well?’
Oli was non-plussed. ‘Alright, smart guy, check this out.’ He held the amulet out towards Tobes and focused on it intently. Static electricity built up in the air, and Oli’s hair stood completely on its end. He looked like a clown with a massive reddish wig! It was unusual, inexplicable, and hilarous.
‘Bl..ha!’ exclaimed Tobes. ‘Is that what that thing does? That’s stupid!’
‘Let me show him,’ said Zach impatiently. ‘Tobes, find a rock from the stream.’
‘Why?’ Tobes was suspicious because his friends were acting strangely.
‘Just do it. I’ll show you another trick.’
Tobes had to think twice about it, but Zach’s very serious face convinced him that it would be worth the effort. He found a flat stone, the size of his palm. ‘Is this one any good?’ he asked.
‘Let me see.’ Zach held his hands together, so Tobes could toss him the rock, which he did.
Instead of catching the rock, Zach yelled out as he punched it in mid-air. The rock cracked into fragments that whizzed and zinged into the rushes, but luckily none of them hit anyone.
Tobes was lost for words.
‘What? You think that was a trick too?’
‘But, how… it must have been…’ Tobes tried to make it make sense.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Jam. ‘It’ll all be clear soon.’ He picked up his bike using one hand, and Zach’s bike using his other hand, and jumped across the creek. And then he jumped back again for good measure, all without raising a sweat.
Tobes went from speechless to thoughtless. ‘What are you?’
‘The same as you, you moron. That’s what we’re trying to explain.’
‘But... I can’t do that!’
‘Maybe not now. But you will soon,’ Zach reassured him.
‘It’s super cool, right!’ Oli exclaimed, trying to get Tobes excited by the prospect.
‘Yeah, I guess,’ Tobes said, although he still had reservations.
‘And your dad, he can do all this too, and more,’ Jam explained. ‘You would not believe it!’
‘Yeah, i’m not sure that I would.’
Oli held out his amulet towards Tobes. ‘Here. Have a go.’
Tobes tentatively took the amulet, and held it how Oli showed him, but nothing happened.
‘This only started working for me in the last couple of months,’ explained Oli. ‘And Jam, he has no control of it at all. I guess you just aren’t ready yet.’
‘Ready? For what?’
‘To be a Knight,’ said Oli, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
‘What, like a… policeman?’
‘Nah, it’s not a job. It’s like a… all our families came to Blacken Green because they’re all Knights. They don’t talk about it. Most of us learned about it by accident.’ Oli shot a glance at Jam before continuing. ‘Unfortunately, it looks like there’s no way to show your parents that you are ready, so you need to keep it a secret for now.’
The idea seemed to deflate Tobes, but he nodded slowly in understanding. ‘That figures,’ he said sourly.
Jam tried to cheer him up. ‘Hey! At least now we can talk about it together. No more secrets. That’s a win!’
The others nodded in agreement. Things never went great when they had secrets between them. Spontaneously, they all put their right hands in together and yelled ‘Huzzah!’ which was something they hadn’t done together for a long time.
Nambodius had seen the whole exchange by the creek. Things were progressing just as it had hoped.
The boys appeared to be friends, but the Dragon was an expert at sensing underlying tensions, and it could tell that the time had come to interfere and exploit them.
It waited until the boys separated for the day, and then flew ahead of Jam’s path home and transformed into a human.
As Jam approached the start of his street he saw a strange woman in a high-necked coat and a dark red felt hat, wearing large sunglasses, looking furtively at him from the hedges that ran around one of the communal gardens. She saw him and beckoned urgently.
She appeared distressed, which made Jam want to help her, although he only approached close enough to speak, without going into the garden. ‘Hello? Is something wrong?’
‘Yes, unfortunately it is,’ her voice was high and breathy, like she was keeping a secret. ‘I don’t have much time. You’re a Knight, aren’t you?’
Jam was taken back, shocked that anyone would even know to ask.
‘It’s okay. I can tell that you are, because I am a maiden. You can call me Miss Agnes.’
This made intuitive sense to Jam, and he happily accepted her explanation that as a Maiden she could sense a Knight. ‘What are you doing here? Are you in danger?’
‘No. But you are. All of you.’
Jam didn’t say anything to confirm or deny if they were any other Knights around. There was such a thing as being too trusting. He still didn’t know if this woman could be trusted with such information, or even that she should be trusted with it!
‘It’s okay. You don’t need to say anything. I was on the train as it passed through, when I saw several Torquar in the town. I think they are searching for our people, that’s what they do. Can you think of anyone, an adult, who you can warn?’
Jam nodded.
‘Good. Go. Tell them, as soon as you can. In the meantime… don’t trust anyone. Understand?’
Again, Jam nodded his understanding. ‘What are you going to do?’
‘Me? I’m getting away from here as fast as I can.’ Then she turned and winked at him, ‘I still have my Knight to find. Goodbye my son.’ Without another look at him, she went off in the direction of the train station, trying to be discrete without raising suspicion.
As soon as Jam got home he didn’t wait for the day to end before he passed the warning about the Torquar on to Mum and Dad. At this stage he really only had one question, and he lowered his voice to ask it…
‘Dad. Mum. They sound scary, but what even is a Torquar?’
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