Page 83 of The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps

Eden’s head snapped in my direction. “How?”

“I have to ride the Wretch.”

* * *

“This is a bloody crazy idea,” Matty said, shouldering his way through the blacksmith’s forge.

“I’m aware.”

The air was heavy with choking smoke. It clung to us, coating everything in black soot, tasting of charcoal. Dalton couldn’t stop coughing. I ripped a strip of fabric from my tunic, handing it to him to cover his mouth.

Matty rifled through the blacksmith’s tools, metal clanking.

“Find anything?” I asked, covering my nose with the crook of my arm.

“Yes!” Matty held up a massive pair of bolt cutters. “These should work.”

“Hopefully,” Dalton muttered, his eyes watering.

“We’re gonna need a lot more than hope.” I took the cutters from Matty, testing them to make sure they worked.

He paused, picking up a pile of spears from a nearby bench. He handed half the bundle to Dalton. “We should probably take these, too.”

“For what?” Dalton asked as Matty led us back through the forge and into the alley.

“In case the kingsguard gets any more bright ideas about fiery arrows,” he said. “This is their mess, and all they’ve done so far is make it worse.”

“We all know half those soldiers have already fled by now.” Part of me hoped Trystan was one of them, but I knew he’d still be here somewhere, doing what he could to help the townsfolk. I couldn’t worry about him now, though. I had to focus on the task at hand.

If not, there’d be nothing left of Ember Ridge to save.

Eden and Min were waiting for us further down the alley. Dalton scrambled up Min’s back while Matty passed him the spears.

Eden caught my hand, tugging me aside, her eyebrows colliding in the middle of her forehead. I could feel her trembling where she held me. “Why does it have to be you?” she asked.

“Because I’m a wrangler,” I said simply. “This is what I do.”

I desperately wished there was another answer. But the only other choice here was to let the entire town burn to the ground. Ember Ridge would be no more. And how many lives and livelihoods might be lost in the process?

“I know,” she said, giving a humorless laugh. “I was just hoping you might have told me plans had changed.”

I squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to be a part of it.”

“I’m coming.” She put on a brave face, catching her lower lip between her teeth to keep it from shaking. Then she nodded. Determined. “Someone needs to be your eyes in the sky.”

I kissed her forehead. “I’m glad it’s you.”

I gave her a nudge then, and we climbed onto Min, the four of us holding steady as she rose into the sky. I could hear the wheeze of her breathing with the added weight, but it wouldn’t be for long. I gave her a reassuring pat.

“Remember,” I shouted above the roar of the wind and the crackle of flame, “the moment I make contact, the Wretch is going to try to throw me. I’m going to need you three to keep it distracted. The scales are going to be almost impenetrable. Dalton, Matty, aim your projectiles for the nostrils or under the throat if you can. Eden, you and Min bother it from above. The goal is to keep the Wretch so busy it doesn’t have time to unleash fire.”

Everyone nodded.

Min swooped down, flying through coiling smoke, and we dropped Dalton into position on the upper balcony of the bakery. We soared around the other side of the Wretch, dropping Matty on a low-lying rooftop. Min darted toward some cloud cover, hovering above the Wretch in the darkness.

“Okay,” I said, turning to Eden. “She’s going to have to drop altitude quickly to let me off. Make sure you hold tight to her when she shoots off again.”

Eden’s eyes glistened. I didn’t know if it was from the smoke or the hasty goodbye, but I pulled her close, lips pressed next to her ear. “Some dragons were never meant to be ridden,” I said. “And some people were never meant to work. But we do. And this will work, too. Trust me.”