Determine the Future (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 10)

by Sarah Noffke

  The whole thing reminded Sophia poignantly of Lord of the Flies. Whoever the leader of the Rogue Riders was, he seemed to govern with emotions and individuality. It was quite different than Hiker’s collective approach of using rational strategies.

  The Rogue Riders weren’t useless at creating though. Maybe they weren’t building nice structures for their homes or had paved roads on the island that the elves had tried to leave as untouched as possible, living amongst the trees rather than cutting them down.

  Besides knowing how to create the pits for punishing the dragons and erecting towers around the island, the Rogue Riders had also built and acquired weapons. A large trebuchet sat at the back of the island and was aimed straight at where the Dragon Elite had entered. Sophia had to give it to the leader. He’d accurately guessed where an invasion would come from.

  Next to the trebuchet was a large cannon that the Rogue Riders had no doubt stolen, as well as a tank. These weren’t the weapons of angel dragonriders. They used their swords and their hands, but more importantly, their minds and their words. Guns were for cowards, as Hiker had often said.

  “If you’re going to kill a man, then you need to know what you’re doing—feel the full implications,” Hiker once told Sophia. “If you simply pull a trigger, you don’t have to mean the death. But to thrust a sword into a man’s chest, well that means you know you’re doing something that can’t be undone. You’re committing to that death, and hopefully, it’s because you have a good reason and no other options are available to you.”

  Sophia spied the distant chaos as word spread that the Dragon Elite had passed through the barrier onto the island. Dragons rose into the air before diving back down again, mostly because chains tethered them to the ground. The sight of it made Sophia’s stomach rumble with disgust. Dragons weren’t pets to keep on leashes. They were the other half of a rider. They were equals.

  Sophia hovered on Lunis beside Hiker on Bell with Ainsley at his back. Behind them, the other dragonriders did the same and took in the sights around them, no doubt feeling the same disgust as Sophia.

  The disapproval was heavy on Hiker’s face. “It’s worse than I thought. I’ve seen a lot from demon dragonriders, but this is despicable.”

  Sophia agreed with a solemn nod. “The leader of the Rogue Riders is crafty enough to create a group that governs the criminal world while also embracing and promoting chaos.”

  “It reminds me of Thad.” Hiker’s words sounded hot. “Total disrespect for authority, chivalry, or order, but even he knew not to chain or abuse his dragon. That’s like cutting yourself.”

  “This generation is from the modern world,” Sophia remarked. “That has created a different breed of demon dragonriders.”

  Hiker shook his head. “They only know immediate gratification and believe that the world is as easy as restarting your video game.”

  Sophia was impressed. The same man who had never used electricity a year ago had made a modern-day video game reference. However, this new knowledge and change in lifestyle hadn’t altered the way Hiker Wallace conducted himself. He still believed in the old ways—and they weren’t all bad. There was a time and a place for them. When mixed with Sophia’s modern thinking, they often worked well.

  A ship materialized on the ocean and sailed through the barrier. Sophia recognized it as King Rudolf Sweetwater’s boat, but the fae wasn’t on it. He had his hands full at the moment, but he’d been nice enough to loan the ship to Liv and Stefan so they had a way to cross the barrier. Now here they were, ready to help the Dragon Elite.

  Sophia nodded at Hiker. He’d seen the arrival of the Warriors for the House of Fourteen. He returned the gesture and wordlessly, they directed their dragons for the shore below where they’d start the next part of the plan.

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three

  Lunis glided onto the sand in a perfect landing, his once-injured leg healed. Hiker and Ainsley landed beside them, followed by the others.

  Liv and Stefan joined them on the beach after anchoring the majestic ship. If five dragonriders trespassing through the barrier didn’t get the Rogue Riders’ attention, then the large ship did.

  “This place is a dump,” Liv observed while looking around.

  Hiker nodded. “The Rogue Riders don’t believe in taking pride in their home.”

  Liv glanced behind her. “That barrier is some rudimentary magic I hadn’t seen before. Funny that it simply takes a stone to pass through.”

  Sophia agreed. “Yes, not the most foolproof of systems. Do you think you can bring it down?”

  Liv pursed her lips and leaned closer to Stefan. “With this guy’s help, we’ll have it stripped in no time now that we’re on the other side.”

  Sophia smiled, grateful that she enlisted the help of her sister and brother-in-law. Kicking the Rogue Riders off the elves’ land was the prime goal that day. However, reuniting the elfin population with their island would be impossible unless they pulled down the barrier since there were no more soul stones. Not only that, but Sophia and Hiker had a final card up their sleeves they were planning to pull if needed, and it would require the barrier to come down completely.

  “Then we’ll leave you to it.” Hiker turned his attention to Ainsley. “Are you ready? It appears that Sophia was right and we’ll need you for that stealth mission.”

  Sophia leaned in. “I heard that! You said I was right. I’m writing that down.”

  “I have something else I’d like to say about you later too,” Hiker threatened with a smile hiding under his beard. “Maybe you’ll want to write that one down too.”

  “Oh, you and your name-calling.” Sophia put her hands on her hips and pretended to be offended. “You’re so immature.”

  “Yes, I’m ready,” Ainsley said after a laugh. “I know what needs to be done and I think that S. Beaufont is usually right on these things. Why fight completely fair when we can use strategy to get the upper hand, especially against heathens like these?”

  Hiker nodded, but there was a heaviness in his eyes. “Be careful.”

  Ainsley gave him a reassuring look. “You’re all the ones who need to be careful. I’ll be fine. No one will know I’m there.”

  She turned at once, probably knowing that she needed to get out of there before Hiker changed his mind. Ainsley waved over her shoulder as she strode down the beach to make her way around the island and slip into the back part of the Rogue Riders’ camp.

  Hiker turned his attention to the Dragon Elite. “Are you lot ready?’

  “I’m sort of sleepy,” Evan stated. “Do you think there’s a Starbucks we can pop into real quick?”

  “I think I can pop you on the face and that will wake you up,” Hiker warned.

  Evan straightened. “No, sir. I haven’t forgotten that your twin power would make it so you sent me to a neighboring island with a single blow. I’m awake.”

  Hiker nodded again with a twinkle in his eyes. “Well, mount up. We ride into battle. Look alive and watch each other’s backs. Angels above know that the Rogue Riders will probably try and attack us from behind.”

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four

  To say that Liv Beaufont was proud of her little sister was a severe understatement. As she watched Sophia climb onto her dragon and lift into the air, she suddenly was overwhelmed by sentimentality.

  There had always been something unique about Sophia Beaufont, but no one could have predicted that she’d go on to be the first female dragonrider and the first new rider in a hundred years. Even more remarkable was how it seemed like she’d been doing this for a few hundred centuries. Alongside the other dragonriders, Liv would never guess that Sophia was the youngest because she fit her role completely. She was a born leader, and that much was clear.

  Liv pulled her attention away from the dragonriders soaring into the sky and headed toward the impending battle. Yes, she’d worry about her little sister. That never really stopped. But Sophia was a dragonrider, and she fought f
or justice. That’s what she was made for, and all Liv’s worrying wouldn’t help. So she simply did as she always did and reassured herself that Sophia would be okay because she was brilliant, talented, and full of pure love.

  “Ready to do this?” Stefan asked at Liv’s side, sensing her emotions and reluctance to turn her back on her sister.

  “Yes,” Liv said with a wide grin. “Let’s tear down this stupid barrier so our friends can join us.”

  Stefan returned the smile and took Liv’s hand. It wasn’t because he wanted to hold her, although he probably did. It wasn’t a romantic gesture. Barriers were powerful magic, and usually only the one who created them could take them down. That meant it would require two strong warriors that day to destroy the barrier. Thankfully, there were two available and more than eager to help the Dragon Elite.

  As a bonus for Liv, then she could return the elves to their homeland, and they’d stop killing her brain cells with their hippie requests.

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five

  Ainsley hurried down the beach to the other side, not at all worried about being spotted but rather about making it in time. She’d shapeshifted into a cheetah, knowing that was the fastest land animal and would bring her to the other side of the island in minutes. She had considered choosing the fastest animal, a peregrine falcon, but she knew that the skies belonged to the dragonriders on that particular day.

  Most would be looking up right then. Ainsley was moving so fast that she was mostly a blur, sprinting at over seventy-five miles per hour.

  It had been heartbreaking to see what the Rogue Riders had done to her homeland. The elves were rudimentary people. They didn’t build lavish structures like the Gullington or the House of Fourteen. They were about connecting to the Earth and bonding with it by promoting peace.

  However, the elves weren’t cut out to defend themselves when it came to bullies. Not well, anyway. That’s why Ainsley was grateful that the Dragon Elite were in this world, fighting the battles for the little guys—defending them.

  She’d always respected the Dragon Elite, hence the circumstances that made her an advisor to them and introduced her to Hiker. Ainsley couldn’t imagine her life without the leader of the Dragon Elite now. So much had changed, and they’d suffered and worked for it.

  Ainsley felt a tightness in her throat as she thought of it all, feeling so grateful for where she was and where she and Hiker were. She only hoped that he and the Dragon Elite would be safe today so they could ride another day…hopefully centuries.

  Upon arriving at the back of the camp, Ainsley halted swiftly behind a palm tree. She shapeshifted into another form that was less pleasant than a cheetah. She’d prefer to be a cockroach rather than this person, but it had to be done.

  She glanced up at the sky and said a silent prayer, wishing her dragonriders well as they entered the battle.

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six

  The ground was chaos as Rogue Riders hurried to release their chained dragons or open the pits, freeing the ones that were getting punished. Men in the towers waved to those on the ground and yelled orders.

  Hiker gave Sophia a sturdy look as they slowed like a procession riding into enemy territory to take it back. She nodded, and they progressed to fly over the main area.

  When she looked down, Sophia spotted the green dragon that Evan had faced and his rider Nathaniel. The redhead ran out of a hut while shrugging on a leather jacket as he went to climb onto his dragon.

  Weapons weren’t the only things the Rogue Riders had stolen. Littered everywhere were objects that didn’t belong on the Hawaiian island: a Rolls Royce, a brand new Bentley, piles of electronics, furniture, and crates that were probably stolen from a cargo ship.

  Scattering on the ground and trying to mobilize their efforts were various dragonriders. There were at least ten or so, which was what Sophia had guessed. Many were running for the weapons. Some were getting onto their dragons. That was all expected.

  What wasn’t expected, and the biggest shock of the day, was when a woman appeared from the large hut in the middle of the island. Sophia shivered at the sight of the woman as though ice water suddenly ran in her veins. She was tall, lean, and had jet black hair with orange streaks through it, but it wasn’t her physical appearance that intimidated Sophia. It wasn’t even the realization that Sophia was no longer the only female dragonrider.

  It was the authority the woman exuded. She stared up at the Dragon Elite, who were now only a half-dozen yards from the center of the camp. There was palpable defiance in the woman’s eyes as she glared up at the dragonriders in the sky.

  Sophia had been so wrong. So very, very wrong.

  The leader of the Rogue Riders was calculated and dangerous and had organized a group very quickly and created a huge ripple effect across the globe. The leader wasn’t a man who was diabolical and rash. It was a woman, and Sophia instinctively knew that she shouldn’t be underestimated.

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven

  So the Dragon Elite had found a way through the barrier, Versalee thought bitterly as she glared up at the five dragons in the air, hovering there like they were waiting for the Rogue Riders to make the first move.

  Their leader Hiker Wallace was in the front and stared down at her with a penetrating hostility in his gaze.

  Versalee knew that they’d have a confrontation soon. She’d hoped that they’d have accumulated more weapons, but regardless, they outnumbered the Dragon Elite.

  The leader of the old riders probably wanted to talk. To negotiate power lines. That wasn’t going to happen. Versalee knew that the Dragon Elite didn’t approve of the Rogue Riders’ methods. They were above the law, looking down and dictating how others would act. That wouldn’t do for the leader of the Rogue Riders. She was going to run things the way she wanted.

  Beside Hiker was the girl—the one that Tanner had told her about. The only other female dragonrider in the world, as of now anyway. She probably thought she was hot stuff, but she’d had her time in the spotlight. The only thing that Versalee enjoyed more than power and dominance was attention. Being the only female dragonrider in the world was a title that better suited her. Thankfully, the child dragonrider had brought herself today as a sacrifice. It was so thoughtful of her to recognize that her time was up and offer herself for Versalee’s purposes.

  She’d address Hiker Wallace when she stood over his dying body. But for now, she wasn’t wasting her time with talks. There was simply nothing to say. She knew why they were here, and maybe this was for the best. The Dragon Elite had served themselves up for her to pick off. All five of their members were right there, waiting to be blasted from the sky.

  Versalee laughed to herself. This was all too easy. She turned her attention to her men at her back.

  “Nathaniel, get into the sky and fry one or all of those guys,” Versalee ordered, looking over her shoulder at her second in command. “Just get up there already and make them regret every crossing our barrier.”

  “You got it, boss.” The redhead strode for his green dragon, Bolt.

  She pointed at two other dragonriders who looked slightly petrified by the five riders in the sky. “You two, man the trebuchet and cannon. Where the hell is Tanner?”

  Versalee’s third in command, a short guy with mousy brown hair, popped out from behind a tree. “I’m here.”

  “What are you doing over there?” She’d wondered where he’d been for a day or so.

  “I’m taking a piss,” he answered. “Is that okay?”

  She scowled at him and wondered how he’d gotten so bold. Versalee would have to knock him down a peg after this battle. Keeping her dragonriders in check took effort, but the result was that they did everything she said and never doubted her dominance.

  “Where is Coal?” Versalee looked around for the black dragon. She also hadn’t seen him in a while.

  “He’s in the trees.” Tanner nodded toward the thick cluster of palm trees they hadn’t cut down
yet.

  “Well, go get on him. I want you in the sky. Take out the girl.” Versalee snapped her fingers, and the large orange dragon that had been released from its chains by one of the men flew over to Versalee and landed beside her, his head down in submission.

  “You got it!” Tanner exclaimed and ran for the trees.

  Versalee climbed onto Ash and yanked hard on the reins once in place, commanding the dragon into the air.

  It was time to teach the Dragon Elite that their reign was over.

  Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight

  Ainsley doubled back when the woman on the orange dragon rose into the air and hoped she didn’t notice. She played Tanner as well as she could based on what Sophia had told her about the newbie dragonrider. S. Beaufont was so very clever to come up with this part of the plan. Not only was Ainsley not going to go after the girl in the sky, but she was also going to help the Dragon Elite from behind enemy lines. It was genius.

  After picking up a large stick, Ainsley strode over to the tank where a young demon dragonrider was pulling up his pants, about to mount the vehicle.

  He glanced over his shoulder at Ainsley with confusion on his face. “Hey, the boss told you to get in the air. What are you doing?”

  “Plans changed.” Ainsley moved fast, but apparently, the guy had no clue what was going to happen next. He no doubt underestimated Tanner and didn’t sense the approaching danger.

  “Okay, whatever.” The guy crawled onto the tank. He sensed Ainsley when she was almost upon him and looked over his shoulder as she raised the club-like weapon.

  “What are you doing?” he yelled in a rush.

  His eyes widened with horror. She was glad he turned at the last moment. Like Hiker, like the Dragon Elite, she didn’t want to strike someone with their back turned. But also, Ainsley didn’t plan to kill him. That wasn’t in her blood. She was protecting her own, as she always would, until the end of her time.