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Soon, they were back in the boats, slicing through the water. This time Vero led them to another landing platform not far from his home. Nearby, Dakota saw a low, squat building. She frowned at it. It didn’t match the beauty of the other architecture of the city. It was far more utilitarian.

Vero called out, and a man came out of the building, holding the lead of an animal. A second later, a giant creature followed him out.

Dakota gasped. “Oh, no.”

It was an enormous bird-like animal. It was the size of a two-man shuttle, with long wings and a sharp beak. It didn’t have feathers; instead, it had tough, leathery skin in a shade of dark gray that shimmered with a sheen of different colors in the sunlight—blue, green, pink.

“This is a rikoo beast. He’ll fly you right to the mountaintop.”

Dakota’s heart was pounding in her head. She saw two saddles on the back of the beast, and it had some sort of high-tech goggles over its eyes.

“The controls are here.” Vero pointed to a small box mounted on the side of the back saddle. “The controls are linked directly to the beast’s mind. It makes him docile, pliable. Otherwise, they are very strong-willed, sometimes vicious.”

Dakota’s stomach cramped. Something else on Sulla that had had its free will taken away by the men of the planet.

Dare moved forward and stroked the creature’s neck. It made a small sound, leaning into his hand. Then Dare climbed up, settling into the seat at the back of the saddle. The animal shifted a little and flapped its giant wings.

He waved her into the seat in front of him. She hesitated, her palms sweaty and her heart pumping madly. “When he said beast, I imagined a horse.”

“This will be quicker,” Dare said.

“But we have to freaking fly. In the sky.”

Dare reached out and dragged her closer, looked intently at her face. “Problem?”

Dakota fidgeted. She hated displaying any sort of weakness. “I…have a dislike of heights.”

His brows shot up. “You’re afraid of heights.”

“I didn’t say afraid.”

“Dakota Jones afraid of something?”

“Shut up,” she snapped.

He gripped her chin. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” He spoke in that sure, confident tone of his. “Climb on and press back against me.”

Reluctantly, Dakota did. Think of the treasure. Think of the treasure. She settled into the saddle, and when the bird moved again, she barely swallowed a squeak.

Then Dare’s arms wrapped around her from behind. She leaned into him, and she hated to admit it, but it made her feel better. She felt her pulse calm down a little.

“Thank you, Vero,” Dare called out.

“You’re welcome, my friend. See you when you return.”

Dakota heard quiet beeps as Dare touched the controls.

Instantly, the animal lifted off, with a powerful flap of its wings. In one second, they were airborne, and the bird turning sharply to the right.

Dakota looked down—saw the ground rushing away—and screamed.

CHAPTER NINE

Dare hadn’t believed Dakota was afraid of anything. Clearly, he was wrong.

They’d barely gotten off the ground when she spun in the saddle and clamped her arms and legs around him.

He wrapped his arms around her. “You’re fine, Dakota.”