Page 131 of Tailwind

I stayed by Taicasso’s right side as Theo worked on the left. It was easier to talk with a dragon between us.

‘I sent a message to your parents’ place. I wasn’t sure if you’d already left though.’ I was being honest. After signing Hough’s contract I’d gone directly to the Comms Office and sent two – one to Cam and one to Theo. Then I’d gone back to the ranch and had the joy of telling Josie in person.

‘I got it. You landed a sponsor, I’m glad you got what you wanted.’ His words held no warmth, making the open-air room even colder.

My heart picked up speed as I tried to decide whether to take the bait. I should have figured out what I wanted to say.

‘Yeah, she’s in fashion … the clothes you got me actually. She’s the grandmother of one of the kids at the drake track. Netti, the little girl. I couldn’t believe it …’ I trailed off. He kept his head down, working on Taicasso, who was either not picking up on the tension in the room or couldn’t care less about it.

‘Great. Now you have a sponsor, you don’t need me anymore.’

I clamped my lips together and took a deep breath. He wasn’t making this easy. I tried to remember what Josie had said about getting answers, about clearing my head before the race.

My silence at least got Theo to look at me. He tugged down the bandana, letting it fall loose around his neck. His jaw had a layer of stubble across it.

‘If you have nothing to say, Paldon, why are you here?’

‘Oh, really? You’re sulking?’ Any and all patience was discarded, I was well and truly provoked. ‘I didn’t have to come here, you know. I have a career-defining race in a couple of hours, so I’d appreciate it if you could wrap up the grumpy shit.’

He held his arms open, being dramatic as always. ‘Oh, forgive me for thinking moping was allowed. I’ll just get over it and not hold it against you for five long years, shall I?’

So, that’s how we were broaching the topic? Fine. I used the rising adrenaline and swept under Taicasso’s neck – the barrier that had been keeping us apart.

‘Vaspre, you don’t even have anything to be mad at me for! Don’t even try to compare this to what you did!’

He balked. ‘You wanted something and used me to get it. How is that different?’

My head nearly exploded as all the arguments tried to get out at once. ‘I asked you for a favour and you said yes. How is that in any way comparable to what you did? You didn’t just fly dirty, Vaspre, you used me. There was no other rider you’d have dive-bombed like that. But you knew I’d pull back to avoid the wyverns getting hurt.’

I heaved in a breath. ‘Yeah, I was mad that you won. I was mad that you got the Ballenir job. I was mad that my chances were screwed over, but I knew that could happen. It’s racing, Theo. There’s only ever one winner. The reason I’ve hated your guts for the past five years isn’t because you won. It’s because of how you won.’

Theo winced. His familiar brown eyes softened slightly, before he blinked and rolled his head, rubbing at the back of his neck. ‘I will … concede those first two points.’ His jaw flexed. ‘But the reason I could take a risk like that is because I could trust you, Lena. I know you won’t push if it risks the wyvern or the dragon – but it also means we can race side by side without limits. If our positions had been reversed, you’d have done anything to win too.’

The frigid wind bit at my fingers as I stared at him.

‘You don’t even regret it, do you?’

He wrung the bandana in his hands, twisting it round in frustration.

‘Of course I regret it.’ His voice rasped. ‘I lost my best friend over it. I lost you. You don’t think the guilt has been eating away inside of me this whole time?’

‘So guilty that you’ve avoided me for five years? I know why I didn’t want to be around you. What’s your excuse?’

He had the audacity to laugh. ‘At first I thought you needed time to cool off. There was no way you’d have let me back in if I’d rushed it. Then … When I started with Ballenir all I wanted to do was tell you about it. Every detail. But each time I went to send that first message I just felt like I’d be rubbing salt in the wound. I couldn’t find a way to do it without—’

‘Without admitting you were in the wrong?’ I cut in, unable to contain the knot growing in my chest.

He didn’t rise to my taunt. Instead, he nodded.

‘And without making it worse, Lena. Why do you think I jumped at the chance to blackmail you into hanging out? Into speaking with my parents again? You’d gotten a taste of flying in Volitant and would have done anything to keep it, even spending time with me.

‘I’ve done what I can to repair things, to make up for what I did. If that doesn’t result in us being friends again, then fine. I’ll be content knowing you got what you wanted – what you actually deserved five years ago.’

‘Such a noble sacrifice …’ I’d wanted to sound strong, to scoff at his words, but the tightness in my throat gave me away.

He sighed. ‘Yeah, actually it is. Our friendship means everything to me. It always has. But if this time we’re choosing to let it go then I understand why. But I’m allowed to be disappointed, Paldon. I know you don’t owe me anything and I’m not going to ask for more, but the past few months … yeah, I was hopeful. That’s on me.’

‘You’re finally right about something, I don’t owe you anything.’ I swallowed my pride, hating that I had to say it. ‘But you still owe me.’