Page 48 of Wild Bond

He looked at me, and I fought to keep my eyes on his face as he explained, “I have business there, and since it is several hours’ flight from here, I thought it would be a perfect way for you to gain experience on the way.”

“And the spare?” I motioned with my head to Zade on my other side.

“I need his help,” he said, again being purposely vague.

I glanced at Zade.

“Not just a pretty face, Button,” Zade grinned, swiping a hand through his wavy golden locks.

I rolled my eyes again as he laughed, and in the next second Valla beat her large wings and dove off the edge. I couldn’t help but catch my breath as she and her rider swooped down and then arrowed back up into the sky.

Turning my attention back to Rake, I asked, “And what exactly do you need his help with in Itrain?”

Rake stared at me, then finally decided to give me something. “Itrain is home to one of the largest black-market trades in Baldor. So, if there has been an influx in the dragon trade, my contacts there will know about it. Zade is . . . talented at getting information.” Before I could comment, he asked, “Are you ready?” I nodded as he instructed, “Take it slow until you both get used to the saddle.”

I nodded again, and he took off on Naasir. Skye and I both watched Naasir bank and rise in the air, headed towards where Zade and Valla were circling above.

I urged Skye forward and let out a whooping cry as she leapt off the ledge. It felt as if we were free-falling for a moment. Then, with what seemed like no effort at all, she pumped her wings, and we changed direction, shooting up towards the two dragons waiting overhead. Deciding to test out the leg straps, I leaned back and let my arms fall behind me as Skye made an almost vertical ascent. I couldn’t help the exultant laugh that burst from me as her smaller form shot right between Valla and Naasir where they hovered in place.

I couldn’t be sure, but I swore I saw a full, dazzling grin on Rake’s face as he watched Skye and I disappear into the cloud cover.

Even after the few times I had flown with her, I was still amazed at Skye’s exhilaration in the bond and the sheer enjoyment she felt from flying. There was absolutely nothing like it.

As we kept climbing in the air, I was surprised at how quickly the temperature dropped, even on a warm spring morning like today.

With only the hint of a warning by way of a teasing thought, I just managed to lean forward before Skye was diving downward and twisting in the air.

Take it easy, Skye,I thought to my overly excited dragon,or I’m going to lose my breakfast.Skye was immediately contrite, and I couldn’t help but laugh as we came out of the spin. We quickly rejoined the others where they were still waiting for us. Both males had smiles on their faces, and I swore I even picked up a hint of amusement from their dragons.

Zade let out a whoop from his place on Valla’s back. “Realms, that was some incredible flying! I’ve never seen a dragon come out of a tailspin and change direction that quickly!”

I grinned, and Skye preened.

“Speed is obviously a strength of yours, Skye,” Rake commented, but his grin was now gone, and his all too familiar admonishing voice was back. “But you need to be careful. Give Rin time to get used to the saddle and how to navigate it before preforming any more drastic maneuvers. Rin could easily be injured without the proper training.”

I could feel Skye took the reprimand to heart.

“Let’s get going,” Rake said. “I would like to get to Itrain before midday.”

“Which way?” I called to them. Having never been outside of Dessin before, I couldn’t say I was the most knowledgeable about geography. I knew the streets of Dessin, and especially the lower city, like the back of my hand but when it came to having a sense of direction, I was hopelessly lost.

“South,” Zade yelled back, pointing off to our left.

Left it was.

I found myself unconsciously leaning lower against Skye’s neck and gripping the saddle with my thighs as she banked, changing course slightly.

Over the next little while, I learned that I needn’t have worried about my sense of direction, or lack thereof. Skye knew where we were going.

I relaxed into the saddle as we flew, letting Skye take the lead. Skye was indeed fast, and I could tell it was a struggle for her to restrain herself and keep pace with the other dragons. She performed a few more spins and twists, being much more conscious of me and my safety as she did so. Rake and Zade shouted out pointers and suggestions along the way, sometimes even illustrating which way to lean into a spin or how to situate myself in the saddle so Skye could more easily maneuver beneath me.

Eventually, Skye was able to goad Valla, who—like her rider—was a little more playful, into a race. Skye won, but from what I could tell, the other dragon didn’t seem to mind, although Zade immediately wanted a rematch.

Less than an hour into our flight, the dragons suddenly became more subdued, and I could tell Skye was uneasy. Before I could ask her what was wrong, Rake brought Naasir alongside me, his face more serious than usual.

“For the next several miles, we will be flying over the griffin nesting grounds,” he warned, “until we reach Dividian Pass. This time of year, the pride will be congregated in the caves and trees below us. The younger, unmated griffins are vicious when protecting the mated pairs and their nests, so we have to remain out of sight and absolutely quiet as we pass over. Loud noises draw them out. When we get a little closer, we’ll fly up into the higher cloud cover so as not to be seen.”

I nodded in acknowledgement. “I’ve never seen a griffin before,” I confessed, unable to keep some of the awe and excitement from my voice. I knew from my studies with Gemma that the half-eagle, half-lion creatures were fierce and deadly on their own, and that if you ran into a group of them, they were some of the few creatures in Palasia that could be deadly to dragons.

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