Page 13

“Ah fuck,” I muttered. This was not the news anyone wanted to hear, even if it was also not unexpected. Even if we could fly out immediately, we wouldn’t get there in time to protect the city .

And with only three fire witches on drakkons, was that even possible?

Can call more , came Kaia’s comment. They will come.

But they have no defenses against the weapons of the gilded riders.

Are faster. Can distract.

It’s too dangerous, Kaia. I don’t want to be responsible for their deaths. Not when their numbers were finally in the healthy range after all our years of hunting them.

If mate give fire, we have weapon.

Magic isn’t always that easy . Nor is it always that successful.

You trust mate?

Yes . Because I instinctively did, no matter what his secrets or how dangerous they might be to me and mine. And it wasn’t just because Mom’s second sight said he meant us no harm. It was that deeper, an unspoken, connection, perhaps, or even a promise that had been silently made, and one that held trust hard to my heart.

I hoped he didn’t break it. I really did.

Get more flamers, magic give us fire, we kill gilded ones.

I couldn’t help but smile at her optimism, even if I didn’t share it. All of which we can’t do yet, so please don’t call in the cavalry until absolutely necessary.

What cavalry?

A large force of mounted warriors who ride to the rescue.

We fly to rescue.

We do indeed, I replied with a mental laugh and returned my attention to the scribe screen.

No, my father was replying, but you can give a sitrep. Hopefully, they have at least evacuated all citizens and relocated the remainder of the fishing fleet.

And, hopefully, the fiery, acidic spray the gilded riders used hadn’t caused carnage in the underground shelters Hopetown’s council had been creating for its citizens.

It’ll be afternoon before we get there. Which would mean it was going to be a very long day for our new drakkon riders.

I’ll be here.

And no doubt Gayl would be on the wall above, feverishly remembering all that was being said so she could tattle to Aric. I hesitated, then added, Can we send out a wider call for more fire witches? The more witches we can mount, the greater our chances of success against the riders.

Sent out messages yesterday, when you were still unconscious. Apparently your drakkon was nagging your mother.

What nagging? came said drakkon’s question.

Constantly asking the same question over and over.

Nag you, not mother.

I snorted and signed off, then tucked the quill and screen back into the pack and retrieved a light cylinder. After squeezing through the vent’s opening, I slung my packs over my shoulders and turned on the light before moving deeper. I made quick progress through the roughly hewn tunnel, reaching the first of the old lava tubes in good time. This particular one was spectacular, thanks to the forest of lava stalactites that hung from the roof and the thick black “high lava” lines that ran its length. The air was warm and still, smelling faintly of sulfur and damp earth. The latter came from the main tube, which was the oldest and biggest of all the tunnels and had long ago been reclaimed by mosses and string ferns.

Though there was no sign of the others yet, I could now hear the soft echo of their chatter and knew, through that nebulous connection between me and Damon, that they were only a few minutes ahead of me now.

I continued on until I reached the side tunnel that snaked up toward the old aeries. The heat gradually increased as I drew closer to the aerie, and sweat trickled down my spine. Though no one truly understood the reason why this section of the range was so much warmer than the rest, it was thought to sit above a deep but still active lava tube, and that this area, with its multiple fissures, allowed the overheated air to rise more easily. Which was no doubt why the drakkons had hatched their eggs and raised their young here for eons—that and the soft bed of sand covering the rock, a relic from the time when much of this area had been an ancient seafloor.

I caught up with everyone just as we neared the entrance into the aerie. Damon must have caught a wisp of my trepidation, because he stopped abruptly and turned around. “What’s happened?”

“Hopetown was attacked this morning. We’ve been ordered to fly over there and investigate.” I glanced at Kele and Hannity. “It’s going to be a long day, I’m afraid.”

Kele shrugged. Hannity looked even more excited by the prospect.

“No word of casualties?” Damon asked.

I shook my head. “The scribe quills went down, but hopefully most made it to the underground shelters they built.” Or even the damn caves that littered the Black Glass Mountains, although that range was a long way out of Hopetown itself and probably not viable in this sort of situation. I had no idea if the “leg” portion of the Black Glass was similarly pocked with caves, but surely if it had been an option, they would have used it rather than building new shelters.

“Hopefully.”

His tone suggested he held no more hope than I did that there wouldn’t be massive casualties and death. I motioned him on, and it only took us another five minutes to reach the barrier. As it flickered briefly in warning, Damon called a halt, then motioned Hannity forward.

“We’ve placed a magical barrier across the entrance to prevent unwanted intrusions into the aerie, so I’ll need several drops of your blood to broaden the spell and include you in the entry parameters.”

Hannity was shoving her hand at him even before he’d finished. Damon’s gaze met mine, and we both chuckled.

“What?” the younger woman said, her gaze darting between us.

“I believe our captain and her prince are laughing over the fact that I wasn’t so eager to have my life’s blood drained away,” Kele said dryly. “But I do assure you, it doesn’t hurt, and it is only a few drops.”

“Wouldn’t care anyway—there be drakkons ahead!”

Kele grinned and patted her shoulder. “There are indeed, and they are awesome.”

Damon retrieved a small container from his pack, then unsheathed his knife, whispered a few words, and lightly cut Hannity’s finger before turning it upside down to drip into the container. After half a dozen drops had gone in, he righted the finger. The wound was already healing.

“This shouldn’t take too much longer, but best you all step back, just in case something goes wrong with the adjustment.”

“Does that happen often?” Hannity asked curiously.

He smiled at her. “No, but it is always better to play it safe around magic.”

She immediately took several steps back, but her expression remained fascinated. I couldn’t wait to see how she reacted to her first close-up with a drakkon.

I leaned a shoulder against the wall and crossed my arms. Damon began to spell, his words rich and melodious, the language not one I knew but a sound I could listen to all day. Unlike the time he’d first raised the barriers here, he didn’t use his own blood, probably because this time it was simply an adjustment to the spell’s already existing rules. As the force of his spell rose and the small hairs at the back of my neck prickled in response, Damon thrust a hand into the wall none of us could see, then tipped the blood out of the small container. The softest of shimmers ran across the opening, then disappeared. Damon nodded, withdrew his hand, and finished the spell.

“Done.” He tucked the used contained into a side pocket of his pack, then slung it over his shoulder. “I shall leave you ladies to the business of drakkon riding.”

“You’re not coming with us?” Kele asked, surprised.

“No, I’ve business I need to attend to.” His gaze came to mine. “Fly safe.”

Come back to me . He might not have said that last bit out loud, but it nevertheless echoed through me.

I hesitated, then responded the same way. I will, for as long as you don’t betray me.

Something flickered in his expression. He’d heard me. This connection, whatever it truly was, definitely went both ways.

He nodded, though whether that was in acknowledgment of my statement or a simple goodbye, I couldn’t say, then walked away.

I watched him for several seconds then pushed away from the wall. “Shall we go meet some drakkons?”

“I think Hannity will bust if we don’t,” Kele drawled.

She grinned and once again didn’t deny it.

“Be prepared to be awed,” I murmured, then led the way in.

The barrier responded, its magic briefly pressing against us, then we were through and walking down the rest of the tunnel to the large main aerie cavern. The musky scent of drakkons filled every breath and the scrape of claws against stone echoed lightly as big beasts shifted in anticipation of our arrival. They were all here, all watching us, their eyes gleaming like jewels in the ruddy glow of the sands. Even though I’d now been here multiple times, joy still danced through me at the sight.

I turned to watch Hannity’s reaction. A mix of wonder, respect, and perhaps a little fear washed through her expression.

“They’re huge ,” she whispered eventually. “I wasn’t expecting?—”

She stopped abruptly, her eyes as round as plates as Gria hurried toward us—she was in desperate need of an eye scratch, apparently—then took a hasty, perhaps instinctive, step back.

“This,” Kele said, reaching up to scratch the young drakkon’s eye ridge, “is Gria, Kaia’s daughter. She loves a good eye scratch, and you’ll immediately win her heart if you comply.”

Hannity hesitated, then said, “May I?”

I motioned her to approach and sent to Gria, Go gently with this one. She’s young and not used to drakkons.

Gria lowered her head to the sand and eyed the young woman with interest. Hannity tentatively reached out and scratched the drakkling’s eye ridge; delight ran across the younger woman’s features while happiness rumbled through the young drakkon’s thoughts.

She flamer like you?

Yes.

I want.

That sounded so very much like her mother that I couldn’t help but laugh. When you’re much older, Gria.

Can fly now.

Grow first, came Kaia’s very amused response.

Gria grumbled something I couldn’t quite catch and stomped a foot. Sand flew lightly as Hannity jumped back. “What did I do?”

“Nothing. Gria’s just having a teenage tantrum over being told no.” I chucked the backpack containing the spare gear onto a homemade hook, then grabbed all the harnesses. “Follow me, and I’ll introduce you both to your drakkons.”

We moved deeper into the cave. Drakkons watched us from various positions near the wall, with Kaia and Yara taking the prime positions either side of the exit. Rua had tucked her butt close to one of the larger hatching caverns, her tail curled up around her rear legs. She didn’t move as we approached but she did lower her head. I reached up and scratched her eye ridge. “Hannity, meet Rua.”

“She’s gorgeous,” Hannity said, awe evident.

Am , came Rua’s reply. She smart .

I grinned. It wasn’t only the queens who loved a compliment, it seemed. “I’ll let you two get acquainted while I officially introduce Kele and Yara.”

“Can she understand what I say?” Hannity asked.

“When I’m here, yes, because they’re listening to you through my connection with them.”

“Does that mean you have to be here for us to even approach them?”

“No. They won’t attack; they just won’t have a clue what you’re saying to them.”

“But,” Kele added, “an eye ridge scratch is always understood and appreciated.”

“Good to know,” Hannity said and immediately began to scratch.

I smiled and walked on. Our younger queen watched our approach with interest, her thoughts filled more with the need to get flying and hunting the gilded riders than any real need to get acquainted with the woman who would be her rider. That might well change once the two had had more time together. After all, I’d haunted Kaia’s hunting ground for fifteen years, and that had given us time to build up trust. I couldn’t expect our other drakkons to so easily give to Kele or Hannity what Kaia and I had earned over long years.

Once the formal introductions were over, I reminded the two drakkons that neither woman could mind speak, only flame, and that orders would come through either me or Kaia. Then I moved over to Kaia.

“Right,” I said to the two women. “This is how we assemble the gear and mount up.”

I went through the entire process, showing not only how to harness up their drakkons but also how to mount and then attach themselves securely so that they didn’t fall to their death if either drakkon shifted directly suddenly.

“What happens if we do fall off?” Hannity asked, worry creasing her forehead. “I mean, we’d still be attached by the rope but how will our drakkons react to the sudden shift in weight?”

“They’ll no doubt grumble to Kaia and me about your lack of balance and how damn difficult you’ve now made things.”

Truth , came Rua’s thought. Better not to fall.

I repeated this out loud for their sakes, and they both grinned.

“Now, gear up, both of you.”

I watched as both carefully “saddled” their drakkons, providing guidance where needed before asking each drakkon to extend a front leg so that the two women could clamber up.

Kele sucked in a breath when she was finally seated behind Yara’s last neck spine. “Damn if the ground isn’t a long way down.”

“Wait until you’re in the clouds before you complain about that .” I glanced at Hannity. “You good?”

She nodded, her expression a mix of awe, determination, and fear. The latter was certainly natural, given how very new all this was to her. At least Kele had spent enough time around the drakkons now not to be overawed by them.

“I’ll use the usual hand signals to communicate directions when we’re in the air. Until you’re used to flying, it’s better we not risk losing the scribe quills. Kaia will, as I said, relay all directions to your drakkons.” I paused. “If we do come across the gilded riders, be aware that the stuff they spray is acidic, and they will aim for the wings of the drakkons in an effort to bring them down.”

“And if we get hit?” Hannity asked, frowning. “I’ve only a basic field medical kit with me and nothing in there will counter an acid-like substance.”

“Water will stop the damage, so if either you or your drakkons get hit, you’ll be ordered to a shoreline to soak in the sea. You’ll need to be in the water for at least ten minutes.”

“The sea water will sting like a bitch on any wounds,” Kele commented.

“Yep, it certainly will, but better that than the liquid shit eating through flesh, muscle, and bone.”

“Put like that, I’d have to agree.”

I grinned. “The launch out of the aerie can be somewhat... daunting. Just hang on and you’ll be fine. Oh, and if the wind gets too fierce, hunker behind her spine—it’ll deflect the worst of it.”

Both women nodded. I spun and strode over to Kaia, scrambling up her extended leg and onto her neck. After clipping my pack and quiver onto their D-rings, I attached my harness then glanced around. “Right, let’s do this.”

We test ? she asked.

I grinned. We should. It’s not right that I’m the only one to experience the terror that is that drop.

She chuckled and headed out of the cavern, her body rolling from side to side. When we reached the edge of the landing platform, she spread her wings and bellowed. Behind us, Yara joined in, and the sound reverberated sharply across the peaks. The queens were ready to fight, and they didn’t care who knew.

Then she leapt off the edge and flew—or more precisely, dropped—down the side of the steep, dark mountain, arrowing toward the barely visible valley floor far, far below. The speed of our descent shoved me back hard, snapping taut the rope holding me on, but a grin nevertheless stretched my lips. I’d been through this more than once now, and the initial terror had very definitely given way to exhilaration.

As the foothills started looming way too fast, Kaia spread her wings to halt our plunge and soared upward at a gentler pace. I twisted around to check the others. Yara and Rua were still plummeting, and Kele was grinning fiercely. Hannity was screaming, though it was definitely a mix of exhilaration and fear rather than sheer and utter terror.

They do , came Kaia’s comment.

Will , Yara agreed. Like this one. Fierce.

Rua didn’t say anything, and I had a feeling she was reserving judgment. That was fair enough given how little interaction the two had had.

We flew high along the spine of the Black Glass Mountains, cutting through wispy clouds that encased its various peaks, the darkly turbulent seas to our left and the foothills and plains to our right. Hours slipped by without sign of the gilded riders, and while that wasn’t unexpected given our belief that they avoided the daylight hours, tension nevertheless rode me. The riders would no doubt expect us—well, me and Kaia, given they’d not yet seen any other drakkon riders—and might well have set a trap for us.

As we neared the aerie in which Yara and her younger drakkons had almost been trapped, we got the first sighting of destruction. It was little more than a layer of ruddy-brown smoke darkening the low-lying clouds ahead, but the color suggested the fires feeding it had not yet dissipated.

Better tell Yara and Rua to keep alert, I told Kaia. The gilded riders might have set up sentry positions in the foothills sweeping down to Hopetown. Tell them not to react if we do see them until you or I say so.

I could have passed the message on myself, but it would hold more weight coming from Kaia.

Yara not happy.

Remind her just how easily their acid shit can burn a drakkon’s wing.

She did so. Still not happy.

She has an anger problem, doesn’t she?

She young. Not as controlled.

Tell her she must remain in control if we want any chance of beating these bastards.

Have. She considering.

Tell her if her actions damage my friend, I won’t be happy.

There was another pause while Kaia passed on the message. Won’t damage.

At least that was something. We continued to follow the mountains’ spine, then swept along the long left leg of the Sinopa Pass, remaining above the streams of cloud and smoke in an effort to ensure any ground sentries wouldn’t easily spot us.

The closer we got to Hopetown, the more that smoke seemed to smell of destruction and death. I had no doubt it was, at this stage, more imagination than reality. Even if the fishing port had been wiped out as thoroughly as Eastmead, the scent of death surely wouldn’t be evident this high up or this far away. I really hadn’t smelled it at Eastmead until I’d gotten much closer.

And even then only in the marketplace, where the bodies had been piled up on top of each other and semi burned.

Once we were near Sinopa’s toes, I ordered the drakkons to begin a sweeping descent to the right so that we could approach Hopetown low and fast from the sea. While there didn’t appear to be that much wind about—if there had been, the thick layer of smoke wouldn’t be hanging so stubbornly over the seaport—the fact it also wasn’t drifting out to sea suggested we’d be flying with what little there was at our backs. Coming in underneath it should also allow a clear view of what was happening in the port—if there actually was anything left of it, that was—and whether the gilded riders remained in the area, as they had at Jakarra.

We slowly angled down through the clouds and the haze, then hit clear air. As the drakkons swept around, it quickly became evident that the destruction, while bad, had been contained to the port, administration, and market areas, as well as the military encampment near the port. The main military section situated again the curtain wall had also been destroyed, but I couldn’t see any bodies, either human or courser, to indicate any sort of fight had occurred there. In fact, there was very little evidence of any sort of resistance anywhere in the main sector. There didn’t even appear to be a pile of burning bodies, as there had been in Eastmead.

Had the whole town simply walked away and let the enemy do as they willed? Had the arrival of the refugees from Kinara convinced the council that there was no winning against this foe? At least not with the weapons we currently had at hand?

If they had managed a total evacuation, that might well explain why the outlying living, schooling, and trade areas had basically escaped unscathed, although there were several fires burning that, if left unchecked, would soon change that. It didn’t explain the lack of any immediate sign of the gilded riders, although perhaps we were simply too far out to see them.

Not , came Kaia’s thought. Magic ahead .

My gut twisted. Is it the same magic that we came across in the blue vein tunnel?

Feel same.

I scanned the seaport we were fast approaching but couldn’t see anything that twinged my instincts, magic wise. But the certainty we were walking—flying—into a trap was definitely on the increase.

Where is the magic located?

Above grass.

Meaning the grass that lay behind the ruins of the administration buildings and accommodation wings. All I could actually see was a strange haze covering the area and a sea of building wreckage and glittering glass before it.

If that haze was the magic Kaia could sense, did that mean it was concealing something? Something like a regiment of tube-armed riders, ready to attack a drakkon intent on killing, perhaps?

We couldn’t discount the possibility. But, by the same token, we needed to know what had happened here and had no choice except fly on and see what eventuated.

Are you seeing or smelling anything to suggest those birds are near?

No. Wind at tail.

A statement that did not help ease the increasing tension within at all .

I flexed my fingers, trying to ease the tension. Sparks flew lightly, but were quickly whisked behind me. I twisted around, signaled to Kele and Hannity to stay alert, then returned my attention to the port itself. Three of the five docks had been destroyed, but there were currently two boats tied up at the remaining two and at least a dozen brown-clad men unloading boxes, sacks, and goodness knows what from the boats and carrying them down the pier to one of the few intact buildings in the immediate area. Hope rose that these boats had been tasked by the council with procuring vital supplies, but it almost immediately faded.

Aside from the fact that all the men visible on the dock had green hair, Kriton—the only other major shipping hub in Arleeon, and the one most likely to have all the supplies Hopetown would need—was at least a good day’s sailing away, even with the aid of an air witch and good winds, and both these boats bore flags that featured a long-clawed golden bird flying over crossed spears that sat on a blood-red background.