“You don’t have any kids,” Tri says. “Sorry. Also, you’re a surgeon, which could come in handy on the battlefield.” Again with the drama but he’s right.
“I’m in, then.” Lyre rolls his shoulders. “We should probably get out of here.” He looks up.
Maddox nods. “We should. I’m happy for you, West.” He smiles. “For both of you.” He glances at Tri, who is grinning.
Samuel grunts. He looks exhausted.
“I’ve always wanted a brother,” Tri laughs. “I have sisters…plenty of sisters.” He laughs harder. “Welcome to the family.” He hits West on the back. “My mom is going to fucking love you. You’ll have to come to dinner this weekend.”
“I’d love to.” I’ll be fucked, but West looks happy. He’s smiling.
“Let’s make it through the next few hours,” Maddox says, sounding gruff. “I don’t mean to be a downer, but… I’m just pointing out the facts, is all. Let’s focus and get through this.”
We all nod, taking off the rest of our clothes. Then we’re taking to the sky and flying. We go steady and easy. We want to save our energy. Not that it will do us much good, mind you. Still! I note that Trident and West are turquoise in their dragon forms. Another giveaway, if the birthmark wasn’t enough. I don’t know another dragon with coloring quite like that.
We fly for what feels like forever. I’m hopeful that we make it before dawn. I’m worried about what morning will bring for Raven.
I’m starting to get the feeling that we are close. There are dense forests below us. The same ones that Raven and I holed up in.
We hear wingbeats. Then there are shrieks of warning. Loud and shrill. From our left. From our right. We ignore them and follow the formation leader. We follow Maddox. He has taken the lead on this. He knows where we are headed, Raven is his sister and he knows this weyr.
“It’ll mean sure death for all of us.” Maddox’s words ring through my head as we fly. The sky is changing color on the horizon as the sun starts thinking of rising. It’s beginning to lighten a smidgen, hinting at the pinks and oranges to come.
We start to descend as they surround us. Five…ten…then as many as thirty-five. We remain calm and docile. We are not here to wage war. Clearly! That would be stupid since there are only twelve of us. Only twelve. I’ve been told that we’ll be outnumbered by twenty to one. Maybe more. We’re going to try to barter for Raven’s release. We’re going to talk. To have a fucking chit chat. Somehow, I don’t think that Tarek is a listening kind of guy. I don’t think he’s one for negotiating either. He makes the rules. He enforces them. It’s all black and white to him. This is his kingdom. His domain. We’re pretty much fucked, but still we fly. The drum of our beating wings is loud. It’s ominous. We have to try.
Maddox is going to offer himself up for his sister. His life for hers. I plan to do the same, even though I’m not part of this weyr.
Jarrod and Forge told our weyr what was happening and of our plans. Several of the men offered to join us. Colton, Forge’s brother, was among them. There were a couple more. Since this is madness – sure death, if Maddox is to be believed – we turned them down. It would have been different if a hundred men offered. We got seven…seven out of a weyr of hundreds. There’s still no love lost for us. That’s where the weyrs are all in agreement. Dragon demigods aren’t worth much. They won’t help us save the life of a single dragon shifter woman. Why? Because Tarek’s weyr doesn’t give them any trouble. They stick to themselves. Our weyr don’t want to rock the boat to help a bunch of misfits. Fuck them! We’ll find a way to do this ourselves.
A group of men has gathered in a large clearing in the middle of, what looks like, a village. I agree with Raven. I don’t see any indication that there’s any kind of technology here. They look completely off the grid. To the right are fields of corn. To the left, vegetable gardens. I see a large chicken coop. I think they must hunt for meat because there is no livestock. Farm animals tend to get nervous of us. Dragons are predators, so that makes sense.
We keep descending. I have to bite back a roar when I see Raven. She is flanked by two shifters in human form. She’s wearing a t-shirt, like the one she had before. Her hands are bound with rope. I think it must be silver-infused. Otherwise, she looks okay.
I realize that I’ve shot forward. I’m slightly ahead of the group. I note that West is also out front with me, his eyes on Raven. People deal with things differently. You can take two people and give them a tough start to life. Throw in obstacles along the way. One person will work harder, fight harder, live harder. They’ll end up better than they ever would have been. All the terrible events and obstacles will give them wings to fly. Another person will internalize and blame. Anger and resentment will end up being all they know. Their back will end up breaking under the weight of all they carry. A chip so big they can’t function.
West catches me looking at him, and growls. His eyes glow. His tail thrashes. He just can’t see it.
I fall back, my gaze on Raven. Her back is straight. Her chin tilted up. Her mouth is set. She smiles for a heartbeat as we land.
The sky is now well and truly streaked with oranges and yellows. There’s some pink, and then, of course, blues and purples. Stars still sparkle within the darker shades, slowly fading as the sun rises higher.
People are spilling out of their homes. Men, women, and even children. They’re wearing cotton clothing in rudimentary designs. Garments made for easy removal. Many of the children are naked. I think they must shift often. That their dragon form is the main mode of transport, so it makes sense.
Tarek is at the front of a large group of men. I count around twenty. He is smiling and looking calm. We are nothing to fear. He’s making that clear.
The dragons who flew in with us have landed around us. They don’t shift back into their human form. They’re all facing towards us.
“Ahhhhh,” Tarek’s smile widens. “Welcome back, brothers.” I’m going to assume he is talking to Maddox and the others. “It seems that you missed the shelter and stability of our weyr and that you wish to return to us. I see that you have brought friends. Welcome to all of you.” He looks my way and holds my gaze for a moment.
I haven’t forgotten how badly they blindsided me, injuring me. To rub salt in the wound, they threw me in a locked room, left me bleeding on the cold, hard floor. Now he has Raven bound in ropes.
Tarek can stick his warm welcome. He’s a snake.
“We don’t wish to return to the weyr,” Maddox states. “I’m here for my sister. You captured her and brought her here against her will.”
“Will…what will? As a sister of this weyr, she has no will. My will is hers. I will for her to live amongst us. To be a part of us.” He opens his arms like he is the second coming. Dickhead!
“Why?” Maddox is trying to keep his voice even. “You see her as an abomination. You—”
“One of our males has agreed to mate with her. To make an honest woman of her. I have agreed. That, too, is my will.” He smiles. It’s maddening.
I want to fly at him and remove his head from his shoulders. I know I won’t make it five steps before being felled, so I hold back. I won’t be able to restrain myself for too much longer. Not if he keeps spouting this bullshit.