6.0 - Raptor (9 page)

He’s heading toward us
, Jaxi said.
Toward Tylie, I think.

“Duck,” Ridge said. “Can you still hear me?”

“Yes, sir.” Duck’s voice sounded fainter than usual, but it came over the crystal clearly.

“The dragon might take special interest in you and your passenger.”

“Uh?”

“Mostly your passenger. We’re going to do our best to make it to the mines. You’ve never been out there, right? Stay on my tail.”

One of Ridge’s shoulders hitched as he dug into his pocket. He fished something out. From behind him, Sardelle could not see it, but she knew what it was, his lucky dragon charm. He slid his thumb over it, then glanced back and reached his hand over his shoulder.

“Want to rub my dragon?” he asked.

Sardelle smiled. She felt silly participating in his superstition, but she gave the wooden figurine a pat. “Always.”

Ridge returned her smile as he tucked it back into his pocket.

The dragon came into sight, his huge winged figure appearing more brown than gold in the drab daylight, dulled by the thick clouds. His presence pressed against Sardelle like wind blowing at her from all directions. She couldn’t believe the dragon had flown so many miles so quickly.

They’re faster than the mechanical fliers,
Jaxi said.

That’s not good for us.

No.

Rain spattered the windshield in front of Ridge. Even nature was against them today.

“The coordinates you gave me are still fifty miles away, sir.” Duck glanced back at Tylie.

“Then you’ll have a good long time to admire my backside.”

“I think that’s more of an interest to Sardelle, sir.”

“What are you saying, Duck? My allure doesn’t have universal appeal?” Ridge dropped lower to skim across a lake. A flock of ducks protested and flapped out of the shallows.

“Yes, sir. No, sir. Should we be flying this
low
, sir?”

“Just follow.” Ridge guided them up a river heading roughly east. The clouds had lowered, a thick mist coming in, and Sardelle couldn’t see the mountains anymore, but she knew they were there. They had gotten closer, but as Duck had pointed out, the mining outpost was still nearly an hour away.

“Yes, sir.”

The two fliers soared up the river, scaring more birds as they buzzed through, following the winding waterway. Maples and oaks lined the banks, their ancient limbs stretching outward, fresh young leaves offering camouflage, but only against opponents that relied upon eyesight. The dragon had disappeared from their view, but Sardelle doubted Morishtomaric would have any trouble finding them, despite Ridge’s attempts to hide. Just in case it would help, she used her magic to muffle the sound of the propellers.

He’s coasting around up there
, Jaxi observed.
I think he’s here for us, but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to engage.

Good. Why don’t you tell him about the delicious elk that live in this forest?

It’s been a long time since I’ve sampled the elk from this forest. I’d hate to promise him something that might not be true.

I think lying to the enemy is allowed as a legitimate war tactic.

Not when the enemy can melt you with his mind.

The river narrowed to a stream as the miles passed, though Sardelle barely noticed when Ridge left it to travel through a valley. Her gaze was riveted to the sky. She couldn’t see the dragon, but sensed that he was closer than ever. Perhaps three miles away. He could cover that distance in seconds if he wanted to.

Wind gusted through the valley, and the flier wings shuddered. Heavy droplets of rain splashed Sardelle’s face. The wings provided some protection from the weather, but not much. Before long, their clothes would be soaked.

Don’t worry. You’ll be warm soon enough.
Jaxi finished her words with an image of a stream of flames shooting toward them.

Thanks for your—
The dragon cruised into view, much closer than he had been before, and Sardelle forgot her words.

The flier had reached the end of the valley, and Ridge took them up, climbing into tree-covered foothills. They were getting closer to the Ice Blades, but not close enough. They must still have thirty or forty miles to the mines.

Massive, golden wings flapped lazily as the dragon turned to follow them. It kept up easily, then gained ground. Sardelle considered the terrain around them, searching for inspiration in the trees. Here and there lay a road or a hunting cabin with a moss-covered roof, but she didn’t see anything that could be useful to them. She imagined throwing a gust of wind at the dragon, the way she had at the giant owl familiar that had attacked Ridge the last time she had been in these mountains, and laughed without humor. What would that do against a dragon?

She was going to have to try
something
, but she feared nothing she could do would matter.

Speak for yourself. I’m warming up for some pyrotechnics.

Good.

“Do we have a plan, sir?” Duck craned his neck to peer backward.

“Swoop through the trees.” Ridge led by example. “We’re smaller than he is. Should be able to maneuver in tighter spaces.”

The dragon was less than a mile behind them. Tylie had sunk down deeper in her seat, so that only the top of her head was visible. It wouldn’t matter. If the dragon wanted her, he knew exactly where she was. Still, Sardelle couldn’t give her up without a fight.

As they swung through the treetops, branches skimming by inches above them, she sensed some of the wildlife she had mentioned earlier. Not elk, but deer. Maybe the dragon was hungry. Using her mind, she broke off a dead branch near the animals. Startled, they scattered, racing through a meadow where the dragon was sure to notice them.

Laughter filled Sardelle’s mind, rattling around in her skull like a marble in a tin can.
Do you think you’re dealing with a dumb animal, human?

The voice carried such power that Sardelle’s already existing headache elevated to throbbing pain. The dragon soared just above the forest, tracking them easily as the fliers weaved through the treetops. Ridge cut his route so close that Sardelle ended up with broken branches in her lap and leaves beating her face.

I know what I’m dealing with, Morishtomaric,
Sardelle responded, even if it was a lie. Her only experience with dragon battles came from reading history books. When humans had won in those ancient battles, they’d had dragons on their side to help.

You know my name.
The dragon sounded pleased, and like he expected nothing else.

Sardelle wished Phelistoth would show up to help them, but she assumed Morishtomaric would sense it if the other dragon got close. He didn’t seem worried.

Actually, I think he might be out there
, Jaxi said.
It’s hard to sense anything with Behemoth Breath hogging up so much aura space out there, but I thought I caught another powerful entity at the edge of my range.

There aren’t that many dragons left.
Sardelle directed her thoughts toward their pursuer.
It’s easy to know the names of them.

Is your strategy to make him angry?
Jaxi asked.

I’m hoping he’ll pine with loneliness so intense that he forgets about us.

Yes, that’s definitely going to happen.

The dragon pumped his wings a few times and overtook the fliers. He sailed past Duck’s craft and matched Ridge’s speed. Sardelle braced herself to make a shield around them, even as she hoped her defenses could withstand the brunt of his attack.

Morishtomaric opened his jaws, and flames roiled out, an inferno of orange that shot straight toward the flier. Sardelle threw up her barrier as Ridge veered sharply to the right. She was flung sideways, the craft twisting onto its side to fit between two thick oaks.

Startled, she almost lost her concentration—and their shield. With Jaxi’s help, she kept the barrier up. Ridge’s wild flying took them away from the core of the attack, but flames still hammered into the back of her shield. Her invisible wall of energy deflected them, but more than fire lay behind the assault. Sheer power accompanied the flames, and it drained her strength far more than simple heat would. If the attack continued unabated, Sardelle wouldn’t be able to keep the barrier up for long.

Fortunately, Ridge continued weaving and darting through the forest, and they escaped the attack. Behind them, trees burst into flame. Wood snapped and charred, and leaves went up in smoke.

“You going somewhere, Duck?” Ridge asked, his voice stern.

“To shoot that ugly—” The crystal cut out.

“Duck, just fly to evade. Unless Jaxi has something special up her sheath, I don’t think we can do any damage.”

Either Duck did not hear the order, or he chose to disobey it. Sardelle twisted in time to see his flier shoot out of the trees and veer toward the tail of the dragon.

What do you want with us?
Sardelle asked, hoping Morishtomaric would focus on her instead of noticing the other flier.

I’m taking the girl.
The voice sounded smug. He knew they had no way to harm him.

Why?

Ridge left the trees, looked toward the mountains, then grumbled something and turned back toward Duck.

She pleases me.

Tell Tylie to stop being so pleasing,
Jaxi advised.

Machine guns opened up in the distance. Duck had found a spot he liked, sailing right toward the dragon’s backside. Bullets pinged into the giant creature’s scales and bounced off, as if they had struck a metal wall.

Why?
Sardelle asked, speaking quickly. Morishtomaric was banking, turning to address the other flier.
She’s just a human, like the rest of us. She can’t be of any use to you.

Duck stuck to the dragon, staying behind that tail. He knew better than to let that smoking snout point at him, but that hardly mattered. The dragon could attack with his mind as easily as he could with his maw. Duck kept firing, but Morishtomaric gave no indication that the bullets hurt him, or that he even felt them.

Sardelle?
Tylie whispered into her mind.
What do I do? I tried to make him go away, but it won’t work.

I’m having the same problem. Wall off your mind, the way I showed you, so he doesn’t know your thoughts. We’re coming to help.

As Ridge took them closer, Duck stuck to the dragon. He kept firing, but he was like a mosquito buzzing around a wolf, unable to bother the creature through its defenses.

At first, Sardelle was pleased that the dragon didn’t seem to be able to turn quickly enough to face Duck and Tylie, but then the tail lashed out. It had been streaming behind the creature, but it snapped toward Duck’s flier so quickly, Sardelle barely had time to react. More on instinct than conscious thought, she threw up a barrier around the other flier. At this distance, it wouldn’t be as strong as one she could craft around herself, but she held her breath, hoping it would keep the blow from landing.

Duck dipped below the tail, but he would have been too late. The sinewy appendage snapped toward his head. At the last second, it thumped off Sardelle’s barrier. The physical blow wasn’t as energy-draining as the magic-fueled flames, and her shield held. Duck flew away, the craft undamaged.

Before Sardelle could exhale with relief, an invisible force struck Duck’s flier. The craft was thrown sideways, rolling several times as it spun out of control toward the treetops. The propeller sputtered. Had the crystal been damaged?

Ridge was close enough to fire at the dragon now. “Look at us, you bastard,” he growled as he unleashed bullets.

Sardelle wrapped her shield around Duck’s flier, cushioning it, this time from the treetops instead of the attacks. Duck’s face was twisted in a rictus of concentration as he struggled with the flight stick. The rolls slowed, but Sardelle did not know if he would be able to regain control of the craft. What if it had been too badly damaged?

As Ridge flew closer to the dragon, aiming for its eyes with his bullets, Sardelle found Jaxi in her hand, though she did not remember drawing the blade. Jaxi flared to life, glowing red, then shooting out a crimson beam of energy. She, too, aimed for Morishtomaric’s face. For good or ill, the attacks got his attention.

“Duck?” Ridge asked. “Can you hear me? Can you get out of here? Head for the mountain.”

“Yes, sir, but I can’t leave you.” Duck had righted his flier, but it flew with a hitch, like a fishing bobber being tugged at from below.

“You can’t do any good. Get out of here. Get to the mountains. See if Tylie can look for a cave, a small cave.”
Can she do that?
Ridge added to Sardelle.

Maybe.
She didn’t have time to explain Tylie’s current list of capabilities.

Sardelle let her shield around Duck’s flier fade as it limped away—she and Ridge would soon need that protection for themselves.

Jaxi’s beam should have burned into the dragon’s eyes, but Morishtomaric had shields of his own. Unlike the bullets, Jaxi’s power must have been more of a threat, since he addressed it instead of ignoring it. His shield, an invisible barrier similar to Sardelle’s, deflected the attack. The beam shot back toward them. Sardelle gasped, and she felt Ridge’s alarm, too, as he flew abruptly upward. Jaxi stopped the attack before the beam reached them.

Silly humans
, the dragon said, sounding bored.
You amuse me. But I will have the girl now.

Sweat dripped down the sides of Sardelle’s face, her head felt like someone had been beating her skull with a cast-iron pot, and their adversary was bored. Not comforting.

There’s nothing in the terrain to help
, Jaxi said, firing another beam at the dragon as Ridge took them past it at an angle.
Maybe in the mountains we can do more. Drop some giant boulders on his head.