Page 42

“We’ll be fine,” Kian says. It feels weird to think of him as Kian. He doesn’t look like a Kian.

“What if we fall? Is this a good time to mention that I don’t like heights?”

“You will be fine,” Orion says. “Just close your eyes. It is a quick flight, even though Delphine will take it slow. Youronly other option is to stay and risk capture. And you will be captured, McColl.” His eyes turn solemn.

“You need to come with us,” Alaric – not his name – urges. “Please, McColl. I will get you home, I swear. Right now, we need to get to safety before it is too late.”

“If you say so,Kian.”

His eyes seem to darken, and he gets a sheepish look for all of a few seconds.

“How do I even get up there?” I ask, looking up at the huge dragon.

Orion taps his dragon on the leg, and she crouches down as low as she can get, smoke curling from her nostrils.

Even though her chest is practically on the ground, it’s still very high. Impossibly so.

Using her leg, Orion is up in two graceful leaps. He sits astride his beast, grinning. Then he reaches down his hand to me.

“Your turn,” he tells me.

All three of us look up as we hear them…the sound of horses approaching fast. It’s now or never.

“I’ll help you,” Alaric tells me. “On three.”

I nod, not trusting my voice.

Alaric puts his hands on my waist and lifts me with ease. I grasp Orion’s hand, and he pulls me up behind him. I scramble into place behind Orion. The dragon’s scales are surprisingly smooth and warm beneath my touch. I quickly work to get a good hold, my heart pounding. Alaric…Kian…follows suit, climbing up behind me. His strong arms wrap around my waist, securing me firmly in place. I can feel the steady beat of his heart against my back.

Orion leans forward, murmuring softly to Delphine. The dragon spreads her massive wings and, with a powerful downstroke, launches us into the air. My stomach lurches as weascend, the ground falling away beneath us. I squeeze my eyes shut, holding on to Orion more tightly, feeling the wind in my face.

The dragon flies up and up and up until I feel the sun on my skin. I open my eyes. The sky is blue and the sun bright. I look down for a second; all there is below us are thick white hazy clouds for as far as the eye can see.

“Are you okay?”Kiansays into my ear.

“I’m fine,” I push out.

The dragon is careful. When she turns, she does so gently so as not to displace us. As exhilarating as it is to be up here, I long to feel solid ground beneath my feet.

Eventually, Delphine begins her descent. The dragon dips below the cloud cover, revealing a desolate landscape below. It’s sad to see from up high just how bad the realm has become. Everything is dead or dying for as far as the eye can see.

Although in the distance, I spot a small belt of green. It isn’t lush, but it is still stark against the devastation. It looks like a fertile valley between a mountain range. In the far distance, I spot the Regana Mountain range. My home. We’re closer than we were. That is something, at least.

As we draw nearer to the green belt, I see birds flying; there is a flock of them moving from tree to tree. Birds, out here. That is almost unheard of, save for small pockets like this one.

The grass looks green in patches instead of the usual yellow or brown. The trees have more leaves, as well. Most of them are alive; some are even thriving.

There is a large wooden cabin and what looks like an even bigger barn beside it. Behind the homestead is a big, glittering lake that still looks blue. I think there might be ducks or geese swimming on its glassy surface. It’s incredible. My mouth falls open as I take it all in.

As we get closer, I note that there are, in fact, waterfowl present, as well as several horses grazing in a large field. It’s picturesque, like nothing I have ever seen outside of the Courts and our own mountain sanctuary, which is sustained by magic.

It really is something to see life again. I almost forget where I am as I lean a little to the side, looking down.

Kian tightens his grip on my waist. “Careful,” he says; there is mischief in his voice.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. My words are blown away by the wind that rushes at us while we make our descent.

“It certainly is.”