Loska’s worry jolts Sei’s thoughts into motion again. He can hyperventilate about being abducted and watching Loska eat a man later. If Loska is worried, Marek must be in true danger.
“Will carrying me like that slow you down?”
Only a little.
“Then I’ll use the harness,” Sei decides.
Loska responds by crouching down. His wings sweep back to leave an easy path up his side. Sei takes a steadying breath, then begins climbing up the dragon.
He tries not to think about Radovan or wraiths. He needs to remember how Marek usually fastens the harness pieces. Figure out how he fits in the saddle without Marek behind him.
Even in his hurry, Sei grabs the helmet from the side-bag first. He can’t help Marek if he splits his head open before Loska even takes off.
I won’t be able to hear you as we fly,Loska notes, lowering his head. Alarming crunching noises fill the ashen clearing.You will have to listen to me instead.
Right. They aren’t bonded, and Loska can’t hear Sei’s thoughts. Sei would have to shout over the wind.
“We need to stop at the valley where you and Marek left us.” Sei slides his feet into the shielded stirrups, then starts tightening the leg-straps. “Destroy the devices Radovan set up. They’re summoning the wraith.”
Loska swallows again.Easily done. Then I will take you to Marek. If I land, dismount quickly. If I can’t land…
Sei fastens the waist-belt. “Tell Marek to take my magic.”
He might not listen. My bonded is stubborn.
“Tell him anyway.” Sei leaves the arm-straps looser than Marek usually does, because he may have to dismount by himself. “Ready.”
We will see about that,Loska says, and takes off. Sei falls back in the straps, hoping he did everything right.
He must have done well enough. The harness holds as they rush through the sky.
Sei can’t talk to Loska. Not mentally, because they aren’t bonded. And not out loud, because his throat chokes too tightly. Flying is far scarier without Marek’s reassuring presence behind him. Sei feels far too exposed, far too vulnerable, alone on Loska’s back.
Loska, however, keeps up a running commentary. The dragon never stops talking, not even as he swoops through the valley to knock down the wraith-summoning devices.
Lean back in the harness.
Lean forward.
Relax, this is hardly anything.
Brace yourself—diving now.
Time for a loop! Just kidding. You would definitely fall off in a loop.
So that’s where Yavran is!
Sei squints through the surrounding gray. He’s getting used to the flight, but he still doesn’t dare lean back enough to see past Loska’s broad shoulder.
I thought Yavran was slacking on patrol,Loska explains.But she and Kamil are fighting another wraith farther north. Are you still up there? Good. You’re much smaller than Marek. It feels like flying with an empty harness.
Sei would never point it out, and he’s sure Loska would never admit it. But Loska’s nerves are clear through the chatter. That worries Sei more than anything else—even more than the sky darkening around them. The shrieks piercing the rolling thunder.
Wyrmshit,Loska swears suddenly.Definitely no time for a dismount. There’s a second wraith. Hold on!
Loska dives into a dry storm—or it engulfs them. Darkness shrouds Sei’s eyes, except when electricity crackles around them. Loska weaves between lightning strikes with jarring precision, rattling Sei with every hairpin turn. Then silver fire streaks past Loska’s hasty evasion.
Cold blasts against Sei’s hands and throat, even though he’s far out of range of the icy flames. Silver light illuminates the nightmarish form of a wraith staring them down.
