Page 63 of Damned and Broken Gods
But then your friend would be dead.
I balked, almost losing my thigh grip.Are you reading my mind?
He chuckled again.You were thinking loudly, child. If you wish to shield your thoughts from me when we fly, you must do so with intention.
I have no idea what that means.
Then I will teach you during your aerial training.
But I was already bonded…Did that mean I’d passed?
Technically no,he replied, reading my thoughts once again.Every demigod must take the dive with their thunderbird, but you have succeeded in calling to you the most powerful of the thunderbird race, so in that manner you win.
I bit back a smile.Arrogant much?
It is not arrogance when it is a fact.
Good point.So…why me?
You resonate, child. At a frequency that calls to my ancient heart, that urges me to protect you. To serve you. It is a primal instinct in my kind, and that is all I know. From this day forth, I will come when you summon me. And when we are together, in the skies, you will never need to use your voice to speak with me.
So you can’t just drop into my head whenever you like?
No, I cannot.
So how do I summon you?
You will be given a sigil once you return to Prashikshan. All you need do is trace it in the air and speak my name. I will come. Now focus. Do not lose your grip. We have a way to travel yet.
Silence fell for a while, just the whistle of the wind and its icy kiss. I leaned lower to bask in the heat radiating off Pakshiraj. My mind whirred. I’d almost died. Zarael had dropped me.
Forgive me.
Why had she said that?
I guess I’d never know, not unless I met her again and had the chance to ask, and now…Now I was riding a thunderbird to the coast. I guess this had been the plan all along. To have us travel with our drohi on thunderbirds. The Vayujaari had been a test. A dangerous one if the drohi failed to catch us. Wait…had all of us survived the fall? The sky behind me was clear, the others either too far behind, above us, or below or…Or dead? Dharma, Joe, and Vick were alive, but the others? My stomach contracted in fear.
Your friends are safe, Pakshiraj said.
How do you know?
The others have informed me as such. You need not worry. The journey will be uneventful now. There are certain regions where air travel poses risks, where the primordial evil’s devouring force’s influence is overwhelming, but this route is known to be safe.
I’d seen revenants, pishachas, and the spider-like mutations on the ground, all connected to the devouring force, but we hadn’t been given any details about the flying minions.What are the devouring force’s aerial minions like?
Ah, now that is a question. There are many types, from small vicious beings who attack in swarms to larger minions with rough, scaly skin who breathe fire.
Wait…are you talking about dragons?
I do not know that word. The creatures I refer to are called nagrata.
I suppressed a shudder, scanning the skies around us.
A low chuckle filled my head.Do not fear; the skies here are safe.
How come? Why don’t they come here?
Oh, you are an inquisitive one. It will serve you well. Let us think on it…Maybe there is nothing here of value for them to reap, or maybe they have been beaten back too often to risk their numbers. These skies are ours, and we will protect them with wing and claw.
