Page 73 of Tailwind

Gottyk took us back to the start–finish line. The cliff edge thronged with people despite the vicious rain. Volitant staff and team crews tried to make space to receive the returning dragons. In the midst of it all I could see the white Mirendi dragons being corralled by their riders, their white scales and white armour reflecting the bright floodlights that lit the mountainside.

My heart pounded, my blood rushed in my ears.

I directed Gottyk towards them.

‘Thorne, return to team base.’ Hector could see me diverting from the Kiestral crew.

I continued our descent towards the Mirendi team. They wouldn’t get away with it.

‘Thorne?’

They could bully me all they wanted, but they’d targeted a dragon. No. I wasn’t going to let this slide. My career was about to be over anyway. Thorne was waiting in the wings ready to expose me. So why shouldn’t I go out on my own terms?

The crowd scattered when they saw us. Gottyk landed and skidded on the frost, sending grit flying. I dismounted, my boots cracking on to the ground.

‘Gordi!’ The voice-changer made me sound like Thorne, but it didn’t hide my tone.

Both of the Bolls turned around to face me. Their dragons watched too, rumbling at the challenge. The media casting teams pointed towards us, leaning as far over the barriers by the finish line as possible.

I strode across to the Bolls, seething. Everything they’d done this whole season built up, pulling me across the space towards them. They’d raced dirty, they’d bullied Colly and now they’d taken out Rosinder and Bach. I wouldn’t let it go. I couldn’t let it go. The score needed to be settled.

‘Thorne! Back to base!’ Hector had done away with being calm.

My fingers found the catch under my helmet. It hissed upon release. The cold air bit at my ears as I hauled it off my head and threw it to the ground at their feet. I was done with being told what to do.

‘You want to mess with a Kiestral rider, you mess with me!’ I stalked towards them, getting up close to the tall and broad idiots.

Their helmets were still on, faceplates down. Hidden and protected. I grabbed one of them by the lip of the chest plate, I didn’t care which, and yanked them forward. The height difference felt like nothing. In that moment I could have crushed the Kuramines with all the rage I had.

Next to us, the other Boll popped his faceplate up. Mac. His dirty blond stubble warped around a grimace.

Gordi spoke from inside his helmet: ‘Who the fuck are you?’

‘I’m the rider you were trying to pick a fight with just now, but you missed.’ I jerked him down to my level, so close that the rain from his helmet dripped on to my face. ‘Let me help you with that.’

I shoved him back and raised my armoured fist. A Ballenir rider appeared and blocked me, the number seven painted on his shoulder and helmet. Theo. He used his whole body to move me back, gripping my shoulders.

‘Not worth it. So unbelievably not worth it, Paldon.’ His voice was harried, talking directly into my ear.

It was too late though. Gordi was ready for the fight I’d started. He surged forward, Mac following him and trying to grab his arm. He swung for me, ignoring the fact that Theo was between us.

I shoved Theo out of the way, swapping places so I was the one to take the hit. The full force of a Volitant suit of armour cracked across my face. My head sang a note I’d never heard before. My cheek felt hollow and a faint trickle of warmth danced down my face before being washed away by the rain. I skidded ass first on the ground, my armour taking the impact.

I licked my lips. Blood. I rose up and looked right at Gordi. I smiled.

‘You want to try that again while I’m not being held back?’

All hell broke loose.

Gordi and I went for each other’s throats. Mac charged forward too, but Theo launched into him, taking him to the ground with a body slam. The Mirendi crew hemmed in on us all, pulling at armour and pushing us both together and apart. Dragons roared, though from a distance. Someone had the sense to rein them back.

My left eye blossomed with pain, my right saw nothing but Gordi’s hand as he dug his fingers into my face. All until a streak of blue flew into Gordi’s side. I dropped to the floor.

‘I’ve got your back, Lena!’ The words cracked into a high pitch. It was Colly.

Why and how I had no idea. He bounced off the side of the much bulkier Gordi, but it didn’t stop him. He reached out a hand and pulled me up from where I lay on the floor.

My feet slid on the slick stone, the riding boots not doing much for my grip. Colly stood shoulder to shoulder with me. Or as close as he could with nearly a foot of extra height. Gordi rallied and swung another fist at me. I ducked, Colly caught his arm and I dived for the waist, tackling the Boll down.