As the dragons left the library, there was no avoiding being caught on camera, but Dirk knew he would have to worry about that later. The Turning Stone was more important right now.
They headed across the rooftops, out of town.
‘Which way is Skull Rock?’ said Dirk as they left the city lights behind them and entered the dark desert. Scraggy plant life caught on Dirk’s claws and dragged along behind him. He shook his leg free and wished he was fit to fly but his wings still throbbed from his dip in the Outer Core.
‘This way. It’s on neutral territory,’ said Kitelsky. ‘It stands between all of our territories. It’s where the three of us used to scuffle back when Mo was still out here.’
‘Why all the interest in Skull Rock again, anyway?’ asked Putz.
‘What do you mean again?’ replied Dirk.
‘It was around thirty years ago when the Dragnet came sniffing around asking about Minertia,’ said Kitelsky.
‘Minertia?’ said Dirk.
‘Sure,’ replied Kitelsky. ‘That’s where she breached the forbidden divide. We never saw nothing though, did we, Putz?’
‘Not a thing,’ said Putz.
‘And you never saw the Turning Stone?’ said Dirk.
‘The Turning Stone?’ said Kitelsky. ‘So that’s what this is all about. No, we never saw that.’
Dirk looked up at the sky. The moon was full and the stars seemed much brighter than they ever did in London. After they had been travelling a while, Kitelsky said, ‘Skull Rock’s just past that ridge.’
Dirk saw the pile of huge boulders he was pointing at rising high on the horizon. They drew nearer and scaled the stacked rocks, until they reached the top.
‘Keep down,’ said Dirk. In front of them was a large rock shaped roughly like a human skull. At its base were two dragons.
‘Kinghorns,’ said Dirk. ‘The Mountain Dragon’s called Jegsy. The Sea Dragon is Flotsam. They work for Vainclaw.’
The two Kinghorns were using their claws to scratch away at the dirt, digging holes. ‘They must be searching for the Turning Stone,’ said Dirk.
‘Well, if they think they can come strolling into our desert, scratching around, they’ve got another think comin’,’ said Kitelsky, standing up. ‘You ready to rumble, Putz?’
‘I sure am,’ said Putz.
‘No,’ said Dirk, but it was no use. The two Desert Dragons had already spread their wings, splayed their spikes and flown down the hill, Kitelsky landing on Flotsam’s back, Putz whacking Jegsy in the face. Bursts of fire shot from the Kinghorns’ mouths. Putz and Kitelsky dodged the flames and went at them again, fighting with claws and teeth.
‘Idiots,’ said Dirk, shaking his head, staying at a safe distance.
A bubbling noise behind him caused him to spin round.
‘Today I got no confusion. Today I know I got poison, so no funny business, Dirk Dilly,’ said Mo Sorrentino.
Dark grey smoke billowed from Dirk’s nostrils but he didn’t move, having no desire to be on the receiving end of a faceful of Desert Dragon poison.
‘Where is he?’ said Dirk.
‘Who’s the who you’re referring to?’ replied Sorrentino.
‘Don’t play games with me, Sorrentino,’ said Dirk. ‘You know who I mean – Vainclaw. I know those two are Kinghorns. I know Vainclaw’s looking for the Turning Stone. I know that it was last seen out here with Minertia and I know that you aren’t going to find it.’
‘He seems to know a lot, this one,’ said a low voice. ‘Perhaps I should have employed him rather than you, Mr Sorrentino.’
From behind a rock stepped a dragon who at first looked like a moving shadow, but, as he stepped into the moonlight, he revealed his yellow belly.
‘Fairfax Nordstrum,’ said Dirk, instantly recognising the yellow-bellied, coal-black Cave Dweller that he had helped escape from the Dragnet cell.
‘Dirk Dilly, the dragon detective. What brings you to the desert this evening?’ replied Fairfax.
‘So you’re working for Vainclaw too?’ said Dirk.
Fairfax smiled then slunk towards Dirk. ‘Come, let’s join the others,’ he said.
‘One move I don’t like and you’ll feel my poison, Dilly,’ said Sorrentino, remaining behind him as Fairfax led him down the hill to where Kitelsky and Putz had been clamped down by the Kinghorns.
‘Get yourself off of me,’ said Kitelsky.
‘Eh, Jegsy, I got spikes in my belly, like,’ said Flotsam.
‘They’re a prickly pair, ain’t they?’ said Jegsy, ramming Putz’s head against the ground.
‘Mo Sorrentino,’ said Kitelsky. ‘You double-crossin’, no good …’
‘It’s nothing personal,’ said Sorrentino. ‘It’s just business.’
‘Be careful with our spiky friends,’ said Fairfax. ‘I’m sure these fine Desert Dragons will join us once we explain the situation.’
‘What situation?’ demanded Dirk.
‘First things first,’ replied Fairfax. ‘What makes you so sure we won’t find the Turning Stone?’
‘I went to the Inner Core’ replied Dirk. ‘I spoke to Minertia. She told me it was safe. I believed her.’
Again, Fairfax laughed. ‘You see, Sorrentino?’ he said, prowling around Jegsy and Flotsam, who were still struggling to hold the Desert Dragons down. ‘Now that’s initiative.’
‘I didn’t need to ask. I know it’s here,’ replied Sorrentino sharply. ‘She had it when she arrived but not when she left.’
‘And yet it doesn’t seem to be here now. Maybe I should employ Mr Dilly to help me achieve my goal.’
‘I wouldn’t take your gold, Nordstrum,’ snarled Dirk.
‘What about power? Come and join the One-Worlders and you will be powerful,’ said Fairfax.
‘One-Worlders,’ said Dirk, remembering what Karnataka had said about the Kinghorn splinter group. ‘So you’re Vainclaw’s challenger.’
‘Vainclaw Grandin,’ sneered Fairfax. ‘That half-winged idiot will soon bow down before me.’
Jegsy looked up from his struggle with Putz. ‘Never,’ he said, leaping off the Desert Dragon on to Fairfax’s back. ‘Vainclaw is the true leader of the Kinghorns,’ he said, sinking his teeth into Fairfax’s neck. Fairfax howled and lashed out with his tail, sending Jegsy flying.
‘What are you doing, you idiot?’ I am your leader now,’ said the Cave Dweller, thick green blood trickling from his neck.
‘I don’t think so,’ said a thundering baritone voice from behind Dirk.
Dirk spun round to see three shapes come from the darkness. It was Vainclaw Grandin, smoke billowing from his nose, with the two Scavenger brothers, Leon and Mali, standing on either side of him.
‘Eh, it’s Mr Detective,’ said Leon.
‘So it is. Hey, Jegsy,’ said Mali, nodding hello.