“How the hell are we supposed to find her? The river goes for miles!” Kieran exclaimed.
The wind screamed in my ears — sharp, insistent.
Not miles. One place.
My pulse spiked.
“Slow down,” I said. “She’s close. The wind can feel her.”
I had my head practically hanging out the window, as if the air was an extension of me. But the land was so dark.
From the car I could see the rapids of the Aurelion racing downstream.
If Seph fell in there –
“Seph can’t swim,” Kieran said, his face pale.
I was already moving.
I tore the door open and launched myself from the car while it was still rolling. I hit the road hard, rolled, came up running.
“Ash! You stupid—” Dev yelled behind me. Brakes screamed.
I crashed through the trees, branches whipping my face, mud sucking at my feet. I lost my shoes. I didn’t care.
The river roared ahead.
Then I heard it.
A roar.
“Sy.”
I ran downstream, lungs burning, heart trying to break out of my chest.
At the bend, I saw him.
The dragon thrashed at the river’s edge, water churning white around him. An iron bolt pinned his wing to the riverbed. Every movement tore the wound wider, locking him in place.
And Seph was nowhere to be seen.
“Stay there!” Dev shouted behind me.
Sy roared — furious, pained — his golden eyes snapping to us like we were the idiots here.
I didn’t hesitate.
I hit the water.
Cold slammed into me, stole the air from my lungs. The current dragged at my clothes as I fought toward him.
When I reached him, my hand closed around the bolt.
Sy snarled, snapping toward me in pure, blinding pain.
“I know, I know,” I gasped, bracing my feet against the riverbed.
I yanked.
