Page 46

46

Rhea

W e fly southwest, ominous clouds seeming to follow our progress. Below, the fertile ground soon gives way to craggy terrain, a desolate land too barren and dangerous for any Embernians to settle on. The Screechclaws have been a threat for a thousand years—at first a minor one because we were powerful, protected by many dragons. But with the centuries, they have chipped away at that strength, methodically killing dragons that will never be replaced if Heratrix doesn’t return.

I don’t like that Vaylen isn’t with us, and that Prime Emberstone wouldn’t tell us why. She just said he would join us later.

Restless, I keep looking backward, trying to make out Fragor’s shape in the distance. An hour passes before I see something. But it isn’t one shape. It’s two. Also noticing their approach at the front of the formation, Prime Emberstone slows down marginally, and the newcomers soon catch up with us. The other rider is Dakar Cloudwalker, a powerful addition that can only strengthen our effort. He rides his silver dragon—a creature with a pointed snout by the name of Notos—with great confidence.

As he flies beside me to take his spot at the front, Vaylen’s gaze locks with mine. The vibe I get from him makes me wonder if he isn’t happy with me. But I must be misreading his energy. I haven’t done anything wrong.

Some time later, the Flametop Mountains come into view. We continue flying east of them, following a straight line that defies the range’s twists and turns. The farther south we move, the taller the mountains grow, until they loom above us. Their presence is intimidating, feeling like that of sleeping giants that might, at any point, awaken from their slumber to bare their jagged teeth at us. We see no signs of life, no signs of our enemies, whose territory lies on the other side of the range.

After another hour, Vaylen finally starts a sharp descent toward a clearing nestled at the foot of one of the less imposing peaks, a small, mirror-like lake positioned next to it. The plan he outlined this morning involves stopping on the opposite side of the peaks encircling the small valley where the town lies. Here, we will rest while a small party scouts and assesses the situation from a distance.

In moments, everyone Drops to the ground one by one as their dragons swoop down and away. As silent as butterflies, the nine dragons that form our task force find places to perch on the ragged terrain. Vaylen waits for everyone to join before issuing orders.

“We’ll rest for fifteen minutes,” he says. “Drink and eat, but don’t get too comfortable. Be ready for anything.”

“Yes, High Prime,” everyone responds in unison.

Vaylen spares me a moment, meeting my gaze, but too quickly, he turns to Dakar and starts discussing something in hushed tones. The calm he exuded this morning is gone. Whatever kept him from leaving with us seems to have shattered his composure.

My eyes rove around the clearing and meet Silas’s gaze. His upper lip curls as if he’s smelled something foul. Grand! I turn my back on him and spot a rock. I sit, facing the lake, wishing Phoebe, Nate, or Adelaide were here. But Vaylen only selected one unseasoned rider from the Skysingers, Skyblazes, Skybolts, and Skydunes.

I pull out a piece of jerky out of my satchel and chew on it.

Someone appears to my right. “Mind if I sit?”

It’s Omari Reefsong. Her last name suggests she should be a Skytide, but she’s actually a Skybolt. Her hair is neatly pulled back into a perfect bun as is expected, and she looks just as beautiful as when she lets it loose to form a cloud around her rich brown face. Three small jewels line the underside of each coffee-colored eye. We shared many classes at the Academy, often pairing up to work on team tasks. At Sky’s Edge, she preferred the company of the Skyforges, however, but they’re not here now.

“Sure don’t,” I mumble, then wash down the jerky with a mouthful from my canteen.

She’s Scaleborn from the Scale Coast, a territory that borders the Tide of Embers Sea or just the Embers Sea for short. Tiny bioluminescent dragon-like creatures live in the water. They say, at night, the waters light up, giving the impression that an enormous city lies under water… hence the name.

“I had to get away from Silas,” she says. “He won’t shut up about how wonderful he’s going to be when he finally kills his first Screechclaw.”

“Ha, I honestly don’t know how I put up with him at the Academy.”

“Oh, he wasn’t so bad then, but he’s definitely gotten worse. He acts like a boastful adolescent, and not the man he’s supposed to be.”

Omari has always been the kind of person who speaks with honesty. I like that about her. I never have to wonder what she thinks because I know she’ll tell me.

“How did training treat you,” I ask. “I hate that we haven’t had much time to catch up.”

“Me too. The last two weeks have been demanding, to say the least. I’m still working on increasing the accuracy of my Bolt Strike, but I’m getting better all the time.”

“That’s good.” I nod, staring at the ground and thinking of my own difficulties… the barred door Zephyros found inside my mind. I shiver.

“Don’t look so glum. You’ll get it. Don’t worry.”

“Thanks, Omari.” I force a smile on my face.

I’m not so sure I will—not when the idea of uncovering what’s blocking me makes me want to curl up and die.

“What do you think we’ll find in Hearthdale?” she asks.

“Honestly, I have no idea.”

There’s a long silence, then she says, “I’m afraid.”

The admission takes me aback, though I don’t know why it should. Omari is honest about everything , even her vulnerability, which I think makes her strong as all Seven Hells—not weak as some would think.

“I’m afraid I may never see my family again,” she adds.

A pang of guilt hits me. The possibility of never seeing my father again isn’t something I think about.

“My oldest sister had a baby a month ago.” Omari smiles fondly. “They think he’s a Bolt, like me. We’re rare in the Reefsong family as you might imagine.”

What I can’t imagine is what it would feel to have a family as close-knit as Omari’s. My family died with my mother. She had an older brother, who hated father for a reason unknown to me. I never met him and only found out about him when he sent flowers for her funeral. My father tore up the card that came with them and called him a selfish bastard. When I asked about him, he said never to think of him as family. That was the extent of my mother’s relatives, as far as I know. And in my father’s case… well, my grandfather disowned him for abandoning the farm.

“You’ll see them again,” I assure Omari—not knowing where my statement’s certainty comes from. Perhaps I can’t conceive the idea of Omari or her family going through what I have.

When the time for our allotted rest has passed, Vaylen asks us to gather.

“Hearthdale lies across that peak.” He hooks a finger over his shoulder. “I will take Silas with me to observe what we can. Prime Emberstone will stay with the rest of you.”

Silas looks smug as he joins Vaylen, but it’s not like this is some big accomplishment. A Skysinger and a Skyblaze just happen to compliment each other well. As long as the latter is able to spew some fire, the former can feed air into it to create a Fire Storm . Nothing special. I cross my arms, frustrated. Of course, it’s special. I’m just jealous that I don’t get to go.

Creating a Vortex Lift under him, Vaylen begins to rise, taking Silas to Fragor, who already circles above. In concept, I know how Vaylen is able to lift someone else to his dragon. He has created a normal Tether that joins him to Fragor, a Tether that midpoint wraps around Silas’s waist. Once that’s in place, Vaylen can rise first, hauling Silas with him. Sounds easy enough, but it’s something that requires lots of practice to accomplish. Tethers are preferred over vortices in these instances for safety reasons.

They’re using one dragon rather than two to reduce the probability of being spotted. Silas doesn’t look so cocky as he leaves the ground. He seems unnerved about having to rely on Vaylen’s Tether rather than his own fire spiral and shield.

Vaylen doesn’t even look at me as he ascends. Something is definitively off with him.

* * *

VAYLEN

Fragor flies upward, staying close to the peak’s face. When we’re close to the top, he circles tightly, making sure to stay hidden behind the pinnacle to avoid being detected from the other side.

Silas is Tethered securely next to me, yet he keeps stealing peeks at the ground, fearful. I don’t blame him. Relying on others isn’t easy, and this is his first time.

“Trial by fire, huh?” I say.

He nods and straightens, trying to look more confident. He’s a good Skyblaze, I am told by his Prime. I just hope he’s smart enough to avoid his brother’s pitfalls.

“I’ll lower you there.” I point at a relatively flat ledge. From there, it’ll be easy to climb to the top to spy on the valley below.

Pushing on the Tether, I lift Silas, then start lowering him. He looks pale as the chilly wind tosses his short hair about. Once he’s reached the bottom, I jump off, plummeting quickly and creating Vortex Drop under my feet only moments before hitting the ground.

Silas looks impressed. This is the type of maneuver most Skyriders dare not attempt, but I’ve never been afraid to push the limits of my physical skills combined with my wind power. I have a feeling Silas will attempt the stunt soon enough. I just hope he doesn’t get himself killed.

It isn’t hard to scale to the top, even as the wind roars in our ears. We’re even able to walk up a natural ledge rather than scale as I thought we might.

We meet a sheer drop on the other side of the peak, a veritable wall smoothed by the fierce winds that hail from the west. Beyond that, the small valley lies cocooned inside the mountain range, a settlement that remained unscathed for centuries despite its proximity to the Blighted Arcs.

Hands numb from the cold, I dig a spyglass from my satchel. Silas follows suit. We peer down at the valley, and as I sweep across its length, I feel as if my chest will cave in.

“Dragon’s breath!” Silas exclaims in a whisper the wind carries away.

Hearthdale is no more. Yet, that isn’t what pains me the most.