by Naomi Sparks
"Yes! I can hear you. Where are you?" I stand and step out of the tent and into the hot desert sun. I don't see any sign of her, but she must be close if we're able to communicate. Telepathy isn't her power, so I don't even know how she's doing it. It could be a trick of some sort, but deep inside, I can feel our connection.
"I have Faith," she tells me. I hear the panic in her mental voice. "We've left the compound and are heading toward the camp. We're still a ways out, and the Clutch are behind us. We won't be able to get to you before they reach us."
"I'll be there," I promise. Closing my eyes, I explore the bond, and I know exactly where she is. "Stay safe."
Immediately, I rush to find Lex and the others. He's wary when I relay everything Saphira told me, rightfully so, I guess. "It might be a trap," he says, frowning as he paces around his tent. Everyone else is watching him. They all have similar looks on their faces. "Amasis might be using her to lure us out again."
I nod, knowing that's a possibility, but I don't believe it. "Please, Lex. Trust her. Trust me," I plead. It may be a trap, but I can't turn my back on Saphira. She means too much to me. If there's even a chance I can get her back, I need to take it. "I'll go alone if I have to, but I'm hoping you'll come with me."
"You won't be alone," Jerrick says, stepping forward. Fire still flickers in his eyes. "If there's a chance she has Faith with her, then I'm going. No question about it."
"Thank you," I say with a nod, already feeling a bit of the tension leave my shoulders. I don't want to fight against the Clutch by myself, but if I must, I will. Having Jerrick beside me will help.
Finally, Lex lets out a sigh and nods. "We'll go," he says, looking and locking eyes with each of the Riders. "You all came with me when we rescued Hannah. We owe Jerrick and Bren the same support."
It's a flurry of movement after that. Galen and Lex go to speak with Lysandra and Surem. The Fae warriors will stay here to defend the camp, just in case it is a trap. They should be strong enough that. If it is a trap and Amasis tries to attack the camp while we're out, they can hold the attackers back long enough for us to return.
While they do that, Jerrick and I walk outside of the protective barrier the Fae have erected around our camp. Looking at each other, we nod, sharing a small smile. We both have the same mission to protect our mates. Nothing will stop us from doing that. Even if Amasis and the entire Council is there, we're going to retrieve them.
"Let's do this," I say to my dragon, letting it burst free all at once. It doesn't need any prodding, coming to the surface immediately, ready for battle. I may prefer to settle things peacefully, but I am still a dragon, and battle is what we're good at. With our mate in jeopardy, we're ready to scorch the entire earth if that's what we need to do.
Jerrick and I both take flight at the same time, soaring high up into the sky, heading in the direction I'd gotten from Saphira. We're in the air, and soon after, we're flanked by the others. They're all here now, prepared for battle. Even Katia is riding on Galen's back, an arrow knocked in her bow, looking like she's ready to shoot down Amasis himself.
We can do this, I think to myself.
It doesn't take long before the scene comes into view. There's a Jeep driving erratically across the desert, and four dragons are right above it with a convoy of black SUVs not far behind them. Immediately, I feel Saphira's presence, and then I recognize one of the dragons flying above the Jeep. It's her, fighting off the other three, trying to buy Faith time to escape from them.
Jerrick lets out a roar that echoes across the emptiness. No doubt he can sense Faith down there. He puts on a burst of speed, darting ahead of us, going straight for the cluster of dragons harassing the Jeep. They split apart at the last moment, and Jerrick continues toward the convoy. As the rest of us reach the now scattered dragons, Jerrick roars again as his frost breath shoots out at the line of cars.
I don't pay attention to what happens after that. I dive toward a dragon that is following Saphira. With a roar, I slam into it, putting all of my strength into the attack. I latch on with my claws and bite into the dragon's neck. It lets out a roar as the two of us tumble out of the sky, heading straight to the ground.
Somehow, I can sense Saphira heading toward me, but I shout to her, hoping that link still works. "Go! Make sure Faith gets out of here safely."
She hesitates for a moment, hovering above me. But, I see her dart off toward the Jeep. Lex swoops in overtop the Jeep and grabs it in his massive claws, lifting it off the ground. Saphira flies next to him as they head back in the direction of the camp. Galen and Katia circle around them, acting as a protective barrier, just in case one of the dragons attempts to stop them.
That moment of distraction is all my prey needs to push me off him. He rights himself up, then roars at me, no doubt hoping to frighten me. He's big, but not as big as I am, and I roar back. If he thinks I'm going to back down after he attacked my mate, then he's dumber than a leather trunk.
He doesn't back down either. I watch as he focuses his strength into his hind legs. He really is stupid, and I quickly read his movement. When he pushes off and launches himself at me, I whip my tail around, slamming into his side and sending him flying across the desert. Large clouds of dust billow up into the sky as he tumbles away, unable to stop himself.
Before he can get his bearings again, I'm on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He struggles against me, but he's not nearly strong enough to dislodge me this time. He roars the entire time, the sound begins to grate on my nerves. Without warning, my head lunges forward, and I latch my teeth into his neck. Then, I yank my head backward, ripping his throat out. His roars die out in gurgle as the life leaves his body.
Once his body goes limp. I launch myself back into the sky. My left wing aches from our rough landing, but I ignore it for now. I head toward Jerrick. He's taken out most of the cars, but now the dragons inside are pouring out, a few of them shifting. Jerrick uses his frost breath, but they are too many and scattered about.
With a roar, I swoop down, picking up one of the SUVs and hurling it like a bowling ball at a group of pins. They try to scramble out of the way, a few of them get burned as the car explodes when it hits the ground. One of them is able to shift and launches up into the sky after me, latching on to me. The two of us claw at each other in mid-air, doing our best to stay aloft.
He lashes out with his tail, hitting my injured wing, and the two of us start to drift back down to the ground. I won't let him win, not after Saphira has made her choice. I go with the fall, and let him think he's winning, then, just before we hit the ground, I put all of my energy into my wings and turn, pushing us down into the ground with the other dragon beneath me, dragging his body against the hard desert.
By the time we stop sliding, he's gone limp beneath me. I'm not sure if he's alive or not, and I don't care either way.
I launch myself back into the air, biting back a howl of pain as my vision goes white from putting the pressure on my injured wing. But I don't care about that either. I won't let myself give up. I'm going to keep going, no matter what.
When I can see again, most of Amasis's soldiers seem to be fleeing. Those of us that remain circle for a moment, and when we're sure they're not coming back at us, we take off toward the camp. My wing feels like it's being ripped off each time I flap it, but I don't have the time to land and shift back. If I do that, I'll be a sitting target.
I can do this, I tell myself. We're not that far. I can do it.
My vision goes white around the edges, and I grit my teeth, fighting back the pain, trying to focus on Saphira waiting for me at the camp. For her, I'll push through the pain. Even if my wing falls off, I'll fly with a single wing if I need to. All I know is nothing will keep me from making it back to camp. Nothing is going to keep me from Saphira.
Bo matter how much I try to force through the pain, with each wingbeat, I drift lower to the ground. Bit by bit, the desert gets closer and closer. My heart is hammering, my breathing ragg
ed. I'm not sure how much more I can take, but I refuse to give up.
Then, slowly, I'm rising again, the lift of wind makes soaring a bit easier beneath me. I blink a few times, trying to get the fog in my head to clear. That's when I realize Jerrick is beneath me, using his strength to keep me up in the air. I can feel his power flooding into me, pushing the whiteness back to the edge of my vision, giving me just enough to keep me going.
It's not a lot, but it's enough. And soon, we reach the barrier, and the defenses drop just before we crash into it, allowing us to enter before going right back up. If it wasn't for Jerrick supporting me, I would've crashed into the ground as the last of my strength gives out. He brings me down as gently as he can.
The landing hard, I end up face down in the dirt, struggling to breathe. My vision is fading again, and I can just barely make out a shape coming at me at a run. It's Saphira I realize, but I'm not sure if she's really there or if I'm seeing things. I try to smile, trying to stand and greet her, but my body refuses to move.
I'm glued to the ground. No matter how much I try to move, I can't even lift my head. I'd used every last bit of my strength to get back here. Even with that, if it hadn't been for Jerrick's help, I'd have crashed in the desert a while back.
"Bren!" Saphira's voice rings out inside my head. It takes me a moment to realize she's actually speaking now, not just mind to mind. She's right here next to me, her hands on my head, stroking my scales. My vision is fading even more now, and I can barely hold on. "You need to shift back. Please, Bren."
Her voice is higher pitched than normal. It takes me a moment to process what she's saying. Shift back. Yes, I need to do that. If I can shift back to my human form, it will help me heal. But as I try to draw my dragon back inside me, it fights against me. I can't do it, I realize. I don't have enough strength left to shift back. I've used it all up.
"You can do it," Saphira says. This time, I hear her speaking, but I also hear her inside my head, too. She leans her head forward, pressing it against mine, and I feel her energy slipping into me. "Come on, Bren. Do it for me. Please...."
I can feel her mind touching mine, feel the energy pouring into me. That connection with her gives me the boost I need to stay conscious, to focus on the task at hand. I can do this, I tell myself for her.
It takes more effort than ever before, but somehow, I pull my dragon back inside me. I collapse onto the ground at Saphira's feet, staring up at her as the world around us spins. I try to focus, but I can't. Everything around just spins and spins, making my vision waver.
"I love you," I tell her, unable to stop myself. I need her to know, need to get it out. I'm not sure if I'll ever get the chance to say it again, so I need to tell her how I feel. I can't keep it hidden anymore, can't deny it anymore.
Saphira giggles, the sound echoing inside my head. "Sleep, Bren. You're starting to sound crazy."
I open my mouth to protest, to tell her I'm being serious, but as I do, the world fades away as I slip into the blackness.
11
Saphira
Time goes slower and slower as I sit in Bren's dark tent, watching him sleep. Every once in a while, I touch his mind... feel the confusion and stress, and I know he's healing. He scared the crap out of me, crashing down into the camp like that. I about had a heart attack.
It's been a few hours since then, and I know it'll take a little longer before he's awake again. My back aches from sitting hunched over him, watching him for any signs of distress, and I know I should go stretch and find something to eat. It's hard to leave his side, but I force myself to stand and slip out of the tent.
The light is starting to fade in the distance, and I let out a sigh, stretching out and feeling my tight muscles already beginning to loosen. My nostrils flare as I look around, and I spot a small pile of gold sitting on a table in the middle of the Rider's tents. Not seeing anyone else around, I slip over there and grab a piece, closing my fist around it and closing my eyes.
Instantly, my body starts to absorb its essence. The tightness in my muscles vanish, my weariness fades. When I open my eyes again, I feel more refreshed than I have in a long while. I'd need that.
I grabbed another piece and go back to Bren's tent. He still hasn't moved, so I squat down next to him and place the gold in his hand, closing his fingers around it.
Then, I slip back out of the tent, looking for Faith. It doesn't take long to find her, and when I do, I smirk. Her clothes and hair are disheveled, more so than when we'd left the compound. It looks and smells like she was thoroughly welcomed back by her mate. I won't deny feeling a spark of jealousy at first.
"Glad you made it back safe," I say with a smile. It felt good to have been able to do something to help her. And it felt amazing to defy Amasis.
Faith nods, smiling sadly at me. "How long will it last, though?" she wonders. "He's never going to let me go. I know that now. He's not going to stop until he has me permanently."
I nod, agreeing with her assessment. Faith is too valuable an asset for Amasis to lose. He will try again, no doubt about it. But, hopefully, this time, we'll all be ready for him. "I don't know if he'll come for me," I admit. I don't think I rank high enough for Amasis to care much about. "If he does, it's only so he can force me to marry Meroe."
I shudder at the thought. I'd rather die than marry that creep. But since I've learned that Amasis doesn't care about me as a person, I've had no guilt about going against him. He may have been the one who sired me, but he's not a father. I am just his pawn, another tool in his war chest. If he can use me, he'll come for me. Otherwise, he'll just forget I ever existed.
"Let's get some food," Faith suggests, and I nod, following her toward the smell of cooking meat. My stomach rumbles at the suggestion, and Faith snickers. It's hard to believe how much our relationship has changed in such a short time. Never would I have expected her to invite me to get something to eat with her.
People nod to us as we pass, but few say anything. There have conflicting emotions it seems, some people are happy to have Faith back in the fold and that a few more of Amasis's men have been taken out. Others are still anxious since we still haven't recovered the Fae Amasis has taken.
I'm sorry I didn't get them out also, but there hadn't been time. It was either try and find them or get Faith out when I did. I chose her, and while I wish I could've gotten them all out, I don't regret my decision. If I hadn't gone directly to Faith, they'd be torturing her right now, doing everything possible to break her.
Faith and I grab some food, then find a quiet place to sit and eat. Everyone leaves us alone for the most part, and I can't say I'm disappointed. The quiet gives me time to think, to try and make right with everything that's happened. I betrayed the man I called my father. That's bound to have repercussions. I doubt he's done with me just yet.
I also need to figure out what's going on with Bren. He'd said he loved me before he passed out. Did he really mean that? Or was it just a fever dream? I want to believe he meant it, but I can't be sure. Nor am I sure it's a good thing if Bren meant it. I still very much remember the last, and only, other relationship I was in.
Sadness washes over me. Is this relationship any less doomed? Bren is a dragon, not a human, but he's still an outlaw. Zachariah had been a slave, a man I'd fallen in love with the moment I'd laid eyes on him. He'd been standing in the middle of town, being whipped by a large, overweight white man.
Back then, I'd been so young, so impulsive. Before I'd known what I was doing, I'd been up there, on the stage, and had thrown the man across the crowd. There had been pandemonium as I'd broken his shackles and convinced him to come with me. He'd been too scared to even move his legs, and I'd had to use my power to convince him to do it.
We'd fled the town together that day, keeping on the move for a couple months. A black couple wandering around on their own caught a lot of attention, and we had to stay on the move, lest people got ideas about selling us to the highest bidder. It was then that I met Am
asis. At that time, I'd only met a handful of other dragons, and they had always kept their distance. Amasis latched onto me right away, recognizing me as his daughter instantly. The moment he told me I knew it was the truth. I'd felt the connection between us. Back then, I'd been so happy to have someone else in my life. But that happiness hadn't lasted long. A few days later, Zachariah was killed by a dragon who'd been stalking me.
Amasis showed up, killing the dragon and saving me.
Now though, I wonder if that's really what had happened. I was so immersed in my grief, I hadn't questioned the timing. But now, I can't help but wonder why that dragon would come after me. And how Amasis just happened to arrive in time to save me.
"You're probably right," Faith says, making me jump. I frown at her, but she just shrugs. "Sorry. I can't always turn off. I heard what you're thinking. It wouldn't be the first time Amasis has staged an event to make someone grateful to him, and come into his fold willingly."
I nod. With her powers, no doubt Faith has seen into the thoughts of many of Amasis's inner circle. She knows their tricks and plans. It's one of the reasons he's so desperate to get her back.
But if it is true, that just makes it even worse. If he really is responsible for having Zachariah killed, then what's stopping him from doing the same thing to Bren?
"We will," Faith says, her voice full of conviction. She reaches out and takes my hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. "We all look out for each other. None of us will let him come for you or Bren."
"Thank you," It's all I can think of to say. I've never had people in my life like this, people I can lean against and trust. People who care about me, and not because of who I'm related to or what I can do.
"Mind if we join you?" I'm lost in thought, and I don't even notice Hannah and Lex approaching. Hannah smiles at Faith and me.