by Sarah Noffke
Sophia lowered her chin and gave the giantess an annoyed look. “Why does this sound like it’s a deathly adventure?”
“Because it is, Sophia. The giants don’t allow outsiders on their land. They kill at first sight because the laws are plainly written with no exceptions. None are allowed on our property.”
“Liv went there once,” Sophia contradicted.
“And they nearly killed her,” Bermuda said. “I was there and witnessed it. Remember, you also disguised her as Decar, a magician that the giants fear, and gave them pause. Not only that, but she had to use brute force to get them to back down, something I know she didn’t like having to do, but sometimes that’s the only way.”
Sophia thought for a moment, hoping that strategy rather than violence could come to her aid. “Will you go there and tell Rory I need his help? Or better yet, be the giant I need for the final part of the challenge? It really would be best if delivered by a giant. You all have a no-nonsense way that really hits home with messages.”
Bermuda narrowed her eyes. “I have no idea what you mean. No, I can’t help with either task. I’m deep in research mode with these new technical species and can’t break away. This is critical information I’m studying.”
Sophia nodded. “Okay, so risk my life to get Rory to help me. Got it. Any other tips or tricks?”
Bermuda thought for a moment. “Take your dragon. Giants don’t like them, but they’re still deathly afraid of them. The key to staying alive won’t be anything short of intimidation.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“I’m not sure it’s a good use of your time,” Sophia shouted to Lunis to be heard over the building winds as they flew over the Irish Sea toward the Isle of Man—the homeland of the giants.
The blue waters below were as choppy as Sophia had ever seen them. A wind storm approached them as they neared the shores of the island.
“I went into farming, and you didn’t like that,” Lunis complained.
Sophia laughed. “Those were digital fruits you were harvesting.”
“Then I tried fishing, and you threw shade on that one,” the dragon went on, using his hip lingo that Sophia rarely understood.
“Again, things you do on Animal Crossing don’t count as bona fide ways of generating an income.”
“Yet, I have like a million bells,” Lunis argued. “How many bells do you have?”
“Technically—”
“How many?” Lunis interrupted.
Sophia giggled and shook her head. “I have none.”
“That’s right because you don’t sell seashells by the seaside.”
“I’m thinking of selling my dragon at the Isle of Man,” Sophia threatened.
“Then how will you get back?” he challenged. “You can’t portal to the island with the new restrictions the giants put on their land.”
“I’ll buy a jet ski…”
He laughed. “And cross the Irish Sea on that? You snapping.”
“And that means?” Sophia asked, lately having Lunis intepret his modern slang.
“It means you’ve reached your breaking point,” he explained.
She sighed and nodded. “I wonder who drove me there…”
“Rogue Riders,” Lunis answered.
“And…”
“Wilder.”
“And my hipster dragon.” Sophia looked over Lunis’ side at the choppy waters. He was right. She wouldn’t survive on the Irish Sea for long. She was starting to wonder how much longer they would be able to fly at that altitude. The winds were violently rising, making it even difficult to navigate to the Isle of Man although they could see it not too far off in the distance. “I think we need to chance conditions a little lower.”
“Huh?!” Lunis exclaimed, like an old man hard of hearing. “Speak up youngin’. I can’t hear you over all this racket.”
Sophia giggled and switched to telepathic communication with her dragon. The winds seem to be getting worse. I think we’ll do better if we descend a little.
Lunis scoffed in her head. You doubting my mad flying skillz?
Sophia was about to laugh in reply, but the gale-force wind that sent them suddenly sideways cut off her reaction. She clenched the reins in an immediate act of desperation to not fall off her dragon and sank low, holding onto Lunis. His wings were vertical, and Sophia was close to falling out of the saddle.
Big yikes, the dragon exclaimed, stress marking his tone.
Sophia knew it wasn’t on Lunis to save them from the wind storm that was suddenly making their flight incredibly dangerous. A dragon was only as good at flying as their rider was at navigating.
With her eyes watering from the piercing wind, Sophia set her sights on the waters below, silently steering Lunis in that direction. He was smart to use the momentum of the oppressive wind to propel him toward the surface of the choppy seas.
The blue dragon dove sideways and coasted on the currents, racing so fast that the wind made Sophia’s cheeks hurt, as though someone had abruptly thrust her into a wind turbine.
She’d ridden her dragon in many harsh conditions—sideways rain, tornadoes, water spouts, and hail storms. However, she’d never experienced winds like this. They hit the pair from several different angles, creating a wall-like effect that made it difficult to progress toward the island.
To Sophia’s relief, the winds let up when they neared the surface of the water, although they were still a force to contend with. She made an impromptu decision and steered Lunis to the left in a sudden sharp turn. She’d caught sight of the edge of a coastline connected to Luce Bay and thought that was the perfect place for a respite. Then they could reconvene on the plan and figure out how to get to the Isle of Man safely. The last part was the key because if they stayed in these winds, Lunis risked breaking a wing and that wasn’t a chance Sophia was willing to take.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sophia knew Lunis wouldn’t admit it, but he was enormously grateful to be on the ground. They both knew he was incredibly worried that the fierce winds would take him down hard and fast. As powerful as dragons were, the elements of the Earth always had powers over them.
The winds weren’t extinct on the sandy beach of Luce Bay, but they had greatly diminished with the hills providing some shelter for Sophia and Lunis. Sophia looked out toward the Isle of Man, wondering how they would get there. Even in Luce Bay, the waters were white-capping and assaulting the beach where she stood.
“So, what are your thoughts?” Lunis stretched out his wings and checked them over.
Sophia stuck her hands on her hips, her hair whipping her in the face. “I don’t think that higher will get us out of the wind.”
“I was referring to my idea to make money.” Lunis sighed.
She glared at him. “Why are you suddenly obsessed with getting a job? You’re a Dragon Elite. Our job is fixing the world’s problems.”
“That’s your job,” he argued. “I simply volunteer to be your Uber dragon. You can’t live my life for me. I need my own thing.”
Sophia shook her head but was secretly grateful for the comedic break since the sudden wind storm had gotten her adrenaline racing. “I don’t think going on the game show network is a viable way to make money.”
“You also don’t know,” Lunis argued. “I mean, I’m not sure that I’m Jeopardy or Chase material. I think I’d clam up under pressure and probably even forget my name.”
Sophia laughed. “Yeah, those trivia shows stress me out.”
“Do you think they’d pick me for Nailed It?” Lunis referred to a popular Netflix competitive show where amateur bakers made masterpiece cakes way beyond their skill level. When they presented their very awful final product that rarely looked like what they were trying to replicate, they sang, “Nailed it.”
Lunis gave her a pleading look, as though he was counting on Sophia’s endorsement. “I mean, I think I stand a chance of getting on the show. My baking skills are pretty bad, and I have a winning smile.
”
“You’re a dragon,” Sophia stated dryly.
“So, they need diversity on these shows!”
“You’re a dragon,” Sophia repeated. “I don’t think you’d fit in the studio, let alone be able to navigate around their kitchen.”
Lunis shot her an expression of mock offense. “You know, the next time you have a dream, I’m going to call you fat and show you how it feels.”
Sophia giggled. “You know I’m not calling you fat. The reality is you’re too large to go on the show. How do you even hold a whisk anyway?”
“Very carefully.” Lunis sat back on his hind legs and crossed his arms. “It’s not fair. The Amazing Race show disqualified me from auditions because I apparently have an unfair advantage on contestants since I can fly.”
“Imagine that…” Sophia muttered and narrowed her eyes at the angry sea, trying to figure out their options for crossing it.
“Survivor was a similarly lame excuse,” Lunis continued. “The producers told me that I could withstand the elements easier than the weak humans and my hunting skills would make me the clear winner. I think it’s pretty sad that I suffer prejudice for being stronger and all-around better.”
“You’d definitely win the award for modesty,” Sophia teased.
“Maybe now that there’s a good amount of dragons, I’ll start a game show for us,” Lunis mused. “Although I’ll still have an unfair advantage since the elders are a bunch of fat old farts. And the new generation doesn’t even know how to wipe their butts.”
Sophia blinked at her dragon. “Do y’all wipe your…wait, nope. Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
“What do you think my chances of getting on Wheel of Fortune are?” Lunis asked quite seriously.
“Zero.”
“The Price is Right?”
“Nope.”
“How about Family Feud?” Lunis asked. “You and I and some of the dragonettes could go on there.”
“I don’t think the world has progressed that far with including dragons in these things,” Sophia answered.
He let out a breath, steam issuing from his nostrils. “Oh, hurry up, world. Get with the twenty-first century already. I’m going to start petitioning for dragons’ rights in Hollywood. We’re good enough to fix disputes and battle monsters to protect mortals, but I ask to go on Big Brother and get laughed at.”
Sophia glanced at Lunis. “You’re not going on a show where you get locked away from me for weeks on end.”
“No, you’re right, I’m not because they didn’t pick me, did they?” Lunis whined. “You should have seen my audition video. It was total gold. It seems the producers prefer boring humans who can hardly spit a couple of feet, let alone breathe fire.”
“Do you mind if we discuss your stardom and job efforts after we figure out how to get to the Isle of Man?” Sophia shook her head at her dragon.
He looked across the waters. “For as awful of a creature as Coral is, she might have taught me a trick we can use.”
“Oh?” Sophia was suddenly intrigued. “What’s that?”
Lunis strode forward, nearly entering the waters. “Looks like we’re going to have to swim. By we, I of course mean me.” He extended a wing, giving Sophia a way to mount his back. “Hop on, and I’ll be your jet ski. We’ll motor across the Irish Sea, avoiding the wind.”
Sophia grinned at her dragon. “You know, Lunis, you do deserve to go on one of those game shows. You’re truly brilliant.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The frigid waters of the Irish Sea sprayed Sophia in the face as Lunis motor-boated toward the Isle of Man. The dragon was very clever to think of swimming. Sophia knew that he could swim but had never seen him do it quite like this.
Lunis had extended his wings over the undulant waters, and he floated quite easily—like a boat. Under the surface he was kicking hard, propelling them at a good speed. The dragon made a surprisingly aerodynamic boat, his wings serving as sails and his legs the paddles.
Sophia cruised along atop her dragon. The ocean mist hit her in the face, but she didn’t mind at all. They were moving forward after encountering the wind obstacle. She truly believed there wasn’t anything that she and her dragon couldn’t overcome together.
They were making fast progress even though the waters were turbulent and the wind still a factor. In a way, it aided them, pushing Lunis along, although making the waters tougher to navigate.
So do you think we can sneak onto the Isle of Man, unnoticed by the giants? Sophia asked telepathically.
I’ll give you one guess. Lunis nodded toward the landmass ahead. Due to the constant spray of water, Sophia had mostly kept her head down. Straightening, she tried to make out what Lunis was indicating. Still, it was difficult to see the scene up ahead as wind and saltwater assaulted her face. However, her eyes focused and she made out what the dragon was referring to.
Sophia groaned and leaned down again but kept her gaze trained ahead. Standing on the banks of the Isle of Man’s northern tip were dozens of giants, all of them looking out in their direction. Worse, they all carried bows and arrows and looked ready to use them.
How did they know we were approaching? Sophia wished they could catch a break.
Maybe it was that whole tumble I took in the air that caught their attention, he reasoned. Or the large wake I’m creating as a large vessel.
Or they have wards on the island that tell them when something or someone is about to trespass, Sophia offered.
Yeah, it’s probably that one.
Well, we don’t want to fight them, Sophia began. However, Bermuda was clear that intimidation is the only way to get past them.
Yeah, giants don’t like cowards, Lunis stated.
Or dragons, Sophia remarked.
Can you blame them? We refused them as riders long ago due to their size. Gnomes, fairies, and elves didn’t seem to mind getting disqualified, but giants know how to hold a grudge. It’s like their superpower.
Sophia laughed. Why did dragons refuse elves and fairies? I’m guessing the gnomes were because of their size too.
That’s correct, he answered. Fairies can fly so that didn’t make any sense and elves have bony butts so you see the issue there.
Another chuckle fell from Sophia’s mouth.
Honestly, Lunis continued. We knew that it was best for us to magnetize to only one race. Magicians are simply more powerful and intelligent than elves, so they were the natural choice.
I think our conversation is distracting us from the matter at hand. Sophia realized they were almost within range of the giant’s arrows.
Giants lined the dramatic cliffs along the shore, most of them men by the looks of it. There weren’t any structures close to the ocean, but farther inland, Sophia made out a sprawling village of modest buildings and behind that, farmlands and orchards. Liv had explained that the giants’ village was very primitive since they didn’t believe in glamouring their homes or overindulging in appearances. Since their element was Earth, they preferred to put all their efforts into agriculture, which showed in the intricate design of the crops in the distance.
This could be challenging, Lunis observed. We need to intimidate them, but it would probably be best if we didn’t cause any casualties.
Yeah, the last thing we want is to make enemies of the giants, our neighbors to the south, Sophia agreed.
Well, seatbelt in, Lunis stated. We’ll have to take flight to avoid what I suspect is about to be a barrage of arrows. My wings should serve as fairly good shields for you, but anything you can do to protect yourself, I encourage. The last thing we need is you getting shot and ruining the day. There probably isn’t an Urgent Care close by.
Sophia giggled and prepared herself. This act of intimidation? Did you have any bright ideas on that one, Smarty Pants?
I thought we’d take a two-pronged approach, Lunis explained.
I’m listening…
Well, those giants look like they haven’t ba
thed in a long time, Lunis stated.
Sophia grinned, knowing exactly what her dragon intended. I’m always happy to clean them up.
Great, Lunis retorted. I’ll do my coolest party trick. Either they appreciate it and welcome us with open, wet arms, or they’re intimidated and afraid to be squashed and welcome us with shaking, wet arms.
It’s a good plan, Sophia commended. Do you have enough magical reserves for that? There’s no full moon.
The full moon is tonight, Lunis countered. And just like it’s five o’clock somewhere, that full moon is hanging clearly over the planet somewhere right now.
You can pull on that energy, then?
I can and I will, Lunis stated with confidence.
Sophia smiled, hoping that this plan worked. She didn’t want to start a feud, not when her goal was to stop wars worldwide. She held up her hand and prepared to use her wind magic as Lunis lifted into the air, flapping his wings and gaining height, soaring high above the Isle of Man.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Thankfully the winds around the island weren’t as bad as they’d been in the Irish Sea. However, that was all about to change.
Hold on, Lunis said in her head. It’s about to be a bumpy ride.
As they’d suspected, the giants didn’t offer a warning or appear interested in talking to the rider and dragon that approached them unarmed.
The giants all wore angry expressions and simple clothes made out of leather and animal fur. They were all men, Sophia observed from the closer vantage point, although Lunis was mostly shielding her as they pulled back their meaty arms, about to fire their bows. The giants all had long hair, making them look very cave-mannish with their flat noses and small eyes. They weren’t a pretty race—although Rory and his girlfriend Maddy were the exceptions to this, being somewhat attractive.
A giant wearing more armor than all the rest and standing several yards behind them held up a large bone horn and blew it. Sophia had a feeling that didn’t cue a parade or a drum circle.