Page 2 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg
Abraxis tightens his hold on me slightly, his wings flexing to shield me even further. I close my eyes again, letting the steady beat of his heart and the murmured sounds of home anchor me in this fleeting moment of peace.
Later that night…
“I’m not tired,” I say, crossing my arms under my chest as I lean against the sink. The silence in the room feels heavy as everyone stares at me, waiting for something I’m not ready to give.
“Do you need to go for a flight?” Vaughn asks, his voice low but steady.
“You can’t keep up,” I whisper, avoiding his eyes. Avoiding Callan’s too. They don’t need to see the ache hiding in my chest.
Callan doesn’t give me the luxury of avoidance. His fingers grip my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Neither of us can keep up with you, and we know it. But Abraxis can. And if he has to, he will. The rest of us?” His lips curl into a mischievous grin. “We can always hitch a ride on one of your dragons. Maybe race?” I narrow my eyes at him. That glint in his gaze? Trouble. Always trouble.
“Oh, this I have to hear,” Leander says, dragging his stool closer with a scraping sound that sets my teeth on edge.
Callan smirks. “Alright, so here’s the deal. One of us rides with you, the other rides with Abraxis. Whoever wins the race gets to share your bed tonight.”
“You do realize,” I say, arching an eyebrow, “that if Abraxis wins, there will be two of you in my bed at once.” My eyes dart to Vaughn. His expression shifts from curious to alarmed as his eyebrows shoot up.
“He hasn’t shared a bed with me or either of you yet,” I add quickly, realizing how that sounded. Behind me, Vaughn chokes on his drink, sputtering as Balor slaps his back, trying not to laugh.
“You misunderstand,” I say, raising my hands in a placating manner. “They don’t sleep together. Only with me.”
Vaughn coughs again, finally recovering. “Oh, okay. I was gonna say … I’m not down with that.”
“Ziggy, you and Balor figure out who’s with who,” I say, waving them off. “Abraxis and I will go shift and wait.”
I don’t stick around for the deliberation. Instead, I retreat to my room, placing the egg carrier carefully on the pillows. Iris, my faerie dragon familiar, flutters down, curling protectively over the egg.
“Stay here,” I murmur to her, brushing a hand over her iridescent scales. By the time I have her settled, Abraxis is waiting at the door, tall and imposing as ever, his dark eyes flickering with something I can’t quite place.
“I’m sorry I’m not a good sleeper,” I say as we walk hand in hand through the dimly lit corridors.
He squeezes my hand gently, his voice soft and full of weight. “You don’t need to apologize, Mina. We all have our ways of coping. Yours just involves the sky.”
A ghost of a smile touches my lips, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. “The sky doesn’t ask questions.” The visions are always worse when I sleep, so in a sense I am trying to avoidsleeping.
“And I won’t either,” he says, his grip tightening briefly. The quiet promise in his words pulls something loose in my chest, but I keep walking, the cool night air ahead calling to me.
We make our way out to the flight field, the air crisp with the promise of freedom. My scales on the back of my neck prickle in anticipation as I feel the shift coming. My bones lengthen, reshape, and in a burst of magic and power, I’m in my true form. Stretching my wings, I relish the sensation, muscles burning in the best way as I extend them fully. I raise and lower my frill, the sharp edges catching the light, then stretch each wing one at a time, feeling the satisfying pop of tension releasing.
The guys follow behind us, their boots crunching on the dirt. Callan veers toward Abraxis, the two of them already exchanging sharp words laced with their usual competitive edge. Vaughn approaches me instead, his expression calm, though I catch the flicker of a smirk as he looks up at my towering form.
I lower myself to the ground and stretch a wing out, creating a smooth incline for him. “Climb on,” I rumble, a low vibration in my chest, knowing full well he can’t understand my dragon. He hesitates for just a second, then starts his ascent. I use my maw carefully to steady him as he steps along the curve of my wing bone, the weight of him oddly grounding.
“Where do you want me to sit, Mina?” he calls out, his voice carrying over the rustling wind. I twist my neck to look at him, raising a talon to point at the ridge between my horns, just in front of my frill.
Each step he takes up my spine sends a ripple of unease through me, my instincts prickling at the vulnerability of it. I lower my frill to give him something to hold on to as he moves. When he finally reaches the ridge, he pats the scales in front of him. “All good!” he yells, his voicesteady, and I can’t help the faint sense of pride that he trusts me enough to be this close.
Balor’s voice cuts through the air, sharp and commanding. “Rules are simple. Fly from here at Malivore, across campus to Shadowcarve, then down to the Temple of Bahamut and back. Ziggy’s at one location; Leander’s at the other. First one back wins.” His gaze locks on Abraxis and me, the fire in his eyes daring us to let this be anything but a fight to the finish. “When I drop the torch, you go.”
I glance at Abraxis, his wings already twitching with anticipation, and he lets out a low growl. Everything with him is a competition, and this won’t be any different. The torch drops, and I don’t wait. I launch into the sky, wings beating furiously, my frill flaring as I cut through the air. The wind roars past me, and I push harder, determined to get far enough ahead before Abraxis tries to pull one of his usual tricks.
There’s one thing I’ve figured out that I haven’t told the guys: if I lower my frill, it increases my aerodynamics and reduces drag. It’s my little secret, and right now, it’s going to win me this race.
As Shadowcarve comes into view, I push harder, gaining altitude until I’m high in the clouds. Abraxis is still a good distance behind me, but I want to widen that gap even more. I bank sharply, muscles coiling and releasing as I turn after passing Shadowcarve. A victorious roar escapes my throat as I spot Leander waving his flag below. I surge past him, staying higher than necessary to prepare for what’s ahead.
The next stretch of the course sweeps over the ocean—a challenge and an opportunity. There are no thermals over water, no upward drafts to rely on. This is where I’ll lower my frill and dive. I glance to the right, catching a fleeting view of Velorian Hall, and then to the left, where the ancient castle ruins stand weathered and haunting.Ahead, the Temple of Bahamut looms, its spires reaching for the heavens.
I let out another roar, exhilaration crackling in my chest, and let a streak of lightning ripple from my maw. It arcs brilliantly over the temple before I pull up, banking sharply to begin my return toward Shadowcarve.
