Page 74 of The Ryder Of the Night
“Yes, Sol, and I’ve carried that memory of you all these years.”
“And you are sure I’m the one? Your ryder?”
“Certain,” he said resolutely, making a turn to fly us over the lake. “You just have to trust me.”
I did. I knew it in my heart. I just needed to prove it to myself and to him.
Before I could change my mind, I took hold of the spikes around his neck and raised myself to a crouch on his back.
“Sol! What are you doing?”
“Trusting you,” I breathed.
And then I leapt.
A roar drowned out the rushing wind as I fell.
His scream of “Sol!” in my mind was gut-wrenching, and fear rushed through our bond.
I'd jumped over the water. If he couldn’t catch me, I hoped I would survive the fall, but there was no guarantee, and it was going to hurt.
I twisted and turned, not knowing which way was up, my limbs wheeling. Then I caught sight of the water rushing toward me. It was suddenly so close I knew I’d made a mistake.
I braced for the water, closing my eyes, and holding my breath.
A crushing grip closed around my torso, snatching me from the air, and my descent abruptly stopped. A taloned claw held me, inches from slamming into the water. I jerked with the change of direction, and groaned at the pain it caused. It had not been the gentle dive and catch I’d imagined. But he had me.
I opened my eyes, and the shore was upon us. It was too late to land.
We were going to crash.
Everything went dark, and we rolled. I could hear the sounds of impact on shale, and we rolled and bumped. It all happened so quickly.
Then… silence.
TWENTY-EIGHT
NYX
Iblinked and found myself looking at the sky. The rocky beach beneath my back was a reminder of the horror that had just happened.
Sol!
I unwrapped my wings from around my body and revealed her, looking dazed but whole in my tight grip.
I eased my claws open, and she sat up, her eyes shooting to mine.
Relieved she was okay, I let my head fall back to the ground and let out a sigh that carried with it a stream of smoke.
“Are you okay?” she gasped, sounding terrified, and somewhere inside, it pleased me to know she was worried after what she just put me through.
When I didn’t answer right away, she scrambled up to clasp my huge face in her tiny hands. “Nyx, talk to me. Are you okay?”
Was I okay? Was she kidding me?
I blinked, then rolled. The movement was so fast, she was under me before she knew what happened. I towered over her, nostrils smoking in rage. She scurried back, and I advanced until we were nose to nose.
“Are you out of your mind?” I bellowed into her head before I pushed away, stalking across the shore, then turned and advanced on her again. “What were you thinking? You could have DIED!”
