Page 11 of Raven's Dawn

“Rule number two,” Laila talked over him. “If something looks too easy, it’s too easy. These fuckers are known for setting traps and ambushing when you least expect it.”

“Ye might see them coming, but don’t count on it,” Amara said. “To kill ye, to take yer soul, they have to be close. Either stabbing ye in the back, or looking ye in the eye. Don’t let them get that close. Run if ye got to.”

“Rule number three.” Jeremy’s expression hardened, becoming colder than stone. “Trust your gut. If something feels off, say so. You’re probably right.”

“Doesn’t everything feel off on a war ground?” I asked.

“Usually?” Laila asked. “No.”

“Most of the time, ye hear the birds chirping,” Amara said. “Feel the wind in yer hair. Smell the ocean or the sap of the trees. But when ye hear silence?”

“Subconsciously,” Luci began, “you’ll know something doesn’t feel right, but you might not be able to put your finger on what. That’s why we say follow the feeling. That gut instinct evolved in us for a reason. Don’t ignore it.”

An almost indescribable sound punctuated his sentence, kind of like a flag flapping on a windy day. It emanated from above while a large cloud seemed to overtake the sky, shrouding us in darkness.

But it wasn’t a large cloud. Above me, at least four car lengths in width, a dragon circled. Then another, and another, and another. Two were almost identical in size and shape. Black, with a purplish hue, just like the Elvan ore all over this dimension.

One by one, they landed with thundering thumps. All seven clustered in a circle, waiting patiently for us.

At once, I was both mesmerized and terrified. Those two dark-colored ones were easily the size of my home. And—not to be boastful—that was saying a whole hell of a lot. I’d yet to see their fangs, but one claw alone had to have been as big as my leg. It seemed that way as they fluttered to the ground, at least.

The other five were smaller, each unique. One, a pale shade of blue, not much bigger than a pickup truck. It reminded me of dinosaurs I’d seen at museums, almost like a pterodactyl. Long pointy snout, two bulging eyes, and front legs far shorter than the rear.

The green one was almost identical to the blue, but its snout was bulkier. As he landed, only a few yards ahead, I got a glimpse at his eyes. They were like those of a goat, slits cut sideways across glowing green irises.

An orange one came next, then yellow, then pink. They resembled birds, not only because of their wings, but because—like Rain’s ravens—their heads were small, chests broad and bulky, with a small rear, ending in long, pointy tales.

Much to my surprise, Rain’s ravens still circled overhead. For whatever reason, the dragons’ approach had not inspired a reaction. I don’t know what I’d been expecting, be it fear or aggression, but I’d expected something.

It never came, though. They merely drifted through the wind overhead.

“Jake,” Laila called, waiting for his attention. When it came her way, she waved him over. “You’re with me.”

“Rain, Ezra, Warren, and Graham,” Iliantha said, waving for us to follow her. Her blue dress floated behind her like a cloud, smacking me in the legs as we trailed her. “You will ride Kilyn.” She gestured to one of those massive, black and purplish dragons. “She’s a good girl. Peaceful, truly. Not aggressive in the slightest. She likes a gentle ride, which seems best for all of you who aren’t accustomed to flying.”

Practically bouncing with excitement, Rain hurried to catch up to Iliantha. “Can I pet her?”

“I’d encourage it before you mount her, yes.” Iliantha chuckled, stretching onto her tiptoes to pet Kilyn’s shoulder. Sure enough, that one limb was almost as tall as me. “It’s a long flight. While I won’t be with you for the entire trip, I won’t be far behind tonight in case you need me. That shouldn’t be an issue, though. Kilyn’s never given me any problems.” She turned to Graham. “Are you familiar with the lying saddles?”

“No, ma’am,” Graham said. “Only road with a saddle a few times, and they were all single rider.”

“Well, it’s quite simple. This way then.” Iliantha raised her hands at her side and floated as high as the dragon’s back, at least a story and a half off the ground.

Graham, Ezra, and Rain all followed behind her, simply floating onto the dragon’s back. I cursed under my breath when Graham dropped a rope ladder off of Kilyn’s frame for me to climb. He only smiled and shook his head at me.

Those two had picked up on Graham’s abilities so easily. I envied them for that. Although I was a Guardian, and it should have been easy for me to learn a new power, it just hadn’t come naturally to me. I supposed Rain had manipulated the elements many times as a witch, so I understood why she was a quick study.

But Ezra? He was only a Vampire. Didn’t even have powers to begin with, and he had accessed Graham’s seemingly overnight. I had managed to use them before, namely when we took down Dathor, but never with their expertise.

Climbing up the rope ladder, my finger brushed one of Kilyn’s scales. Pain pierced through it. Blood trailed down my arm, and I muttered another curse.

I should have expected that. While the dragon scales were shiny and smooth from a distance, up close like this, their overlap was like shingles on a roof. Only, these shingles were made of glass or sheet metal, it seemed.

“You okay down there?” Rain called, grinning over the edge.

“Just dandy,” I said.

When I made it to the top, the oddest site came into view. Rather than a single saddle like you would see on a horse, there was a carpet nearly the size of Kilyn’s back. Made of warm, brown leather, it stretched from her neck midway down her back. It had to have been ten by ten feet.

---