Page 141 of Flameborne: Chosen

Both men now held four banners, while I still only had three. I’d been so busy trying to get around these two, I hadn’t had time to watch the others. It was possible they were all on their fifth as well.

I would be the last one in unless there was a miracle.

‘Akhane—’

‘I’ll get you through this, Bren. Don’t worry.’

‘I’m not worried about you, I’m worriedI’mgoing to fuck this up.’

Just seconds before we were given the command to launch, I’d made my final decision—to aim for the furthest rope first and work my way back. Because the ropes were spread wide around the area, I’d hoped that the time I lost while others slowed to catch their first banners would be regained in having a shorter flight back to the clearing, sweeping through all the ropes on my return.

I’d been the last to make it into the sky, but only by seconds. And I grabbed my first two banners before I even had to think about the other dragons—but by that time, they all had three, and Faren was on the same east-to-west course as me.

Now, for the last two ropes I’d been forced to avert disaster, and slowed. Meanwhile, both Faren and Lorr were ahead of me and flying for their final banners.

I wanted to scream!

‘Stay calm, Little Flame. Focus your heart on victory, not vengeance.’

As Akhane lined up with the next rope I took a breath. Everyone else had removed their banners from this rope already, so no one was competing for it. My already racing heart sped faster and I urged Akhane on, but there was no choice but to slow as we grew near, Akhane back flapped and dropped her tail to slow our passage and then virtually hover next to the rope—keeping herself close without tangling it in her wing.

I’d just grabbed the short end of the banner, yanked it out of the slip knot, and was shoving it into the satchel-bag attached to my harness as I turned to look for the final rope.

Three of the Flameborne were already on their way towards the clearing to land. Two were on the other side of the flying area and wouldn’t have time to reach me before the next rope, even if they wanted to.

But Faren was now ahead of me and flying furiously towards the same final rope as me. I couldn’t see Lorr, which made me nervous, but I urged Akhane to close in on Faren if we could, only easing back to give him room to get his banner. We weren’t going to beat him to the rope, but once he had his, he had to leave me alone to get mine. I’d only be seconds behind him, and even if I was last to land, at least I could have completed the task and be eligible to be passed.

That thought hit me, and for a moment I forgot about the men.

We hadn’t been pulled from the Trial. We were eligible. One more banner and we might pass if our evaluation came back high enough.

Holy shit.

My heart was in my throat, and strangely, tears pinched my eyes.

It was only by the grace of God that there was a change in the wind and ahead of me, Faren’s dragon rose on a gust—to reveal Lorr and his dragon, who’d been hidden from our sight by Faren’s dragon.

Lorr was headed straight for me, hunched over his gray dragon’s neck and crowing, one fist in the air. Faren shouted to him as they passed, while I mentally screamed at Akhane to climb and bank so we wouldn’t collide, heart in my throat.

But it was the wrong instinct. I should have told her to dive. Ascending required greater effort and as Akhane immediately tipped her head up to give me what I’d asked, I saw my mistake.

Her momentum slowed as she tried to climb, but it left us in their path longer—and Lorr coming at us a great speed.

His eyes went wide and a curse echoed across the clouds.

“Fuckingidiot!”

Then we were on top of them. Lorr’s dragon screamed and took the dive at the last possible second. Akhane shuddered. I gasped worried that we’d collided—but we flew on.

The only sound was my pulse in my ears as I stretched, pressing my entire body weight against her neck, leaning into the turn as Akhane undulated, fighting to rise and twist, rolling to her side to avoid Lorr’s dragon.

‘Hang on, Bren!’

The world tilted. I was gripped by a giant’s hand, grabbing me, pulling me towards earth. I gripped Akhane’s neck strap so tightly my arms shook and I screamed. The wind buffeted me from every direction at once, and there was another curse from Lorr. But every sight, sound, and sensation braided together.

I didn’t know which way was up, or have any thought beyond not colliding with that dragon.

Then, just as it seemed that giant would tear me from Akhane’s back, she turned again and this time I was pressed flat into her body as she corrected to keep me in my seat.