Trip sensed not only anger but compulsion in that command.
Telmandaroo flew toward the battle, coming in behind Shulina Arya.
Look out! Trip warned her, then piloted his flier toward Drivortia’s back.
As Shulina Arya whipped around to face the threat of the bronze, Drivortia got her barrier up again. Trip had been about to fire, but he released the trigger. Red lightning streaked from Azarwrath’s scabbard, snapping and flashing all around the dragon. Trip sensed her magical barrier flickering and could tell Drivortia was wounded, but she might recover if he didn’t do something.
Shulina Arya hurled flames at the bronze dragon as Bhrava Saruth came in from behind Telmandaroo, battering him with a wave of power. The bronze was hurled to the side, head over tail as he tumbled through the air.
With the others temporarily busy, Drivortia spun away from Trip, her tail snapping toward his flier. He threw all his energy into strengthening his barrier and had the satisfaction of seeing the snake-like appendage bounce off. A jolt went through the dragon as Azarwrath hurled more lightning at her.
Trip met Drivortia’s eyes, yellow reptilian eyes the color of her fire, and clenched his fist and launched another mental attack. Her head whipped back, much as his had earlier, and she screeched like a dying pig.
She’d finally had enough. She hurled one final desperate attack that Trip and Azarwrath deflected, then flew downward, toward the ocean. Drivortia spiraled out of control, and Trip’s first thought was that she was already dead. But he sensed life from her, sensed the pain rolling off her. She struck the surface of the ocean and disappeared, plunging into the dark depths.
Her magic protected her as she sank quickly, reaching the bottom and crawling beneath a rock ledge. She must have tamped down her aura because she seemed to disappear from Trip’s senses.
That dragon is playing possum, Shulina Arya said. Shall we go down and finish her off, Storyteller?
Rysha looked over at Trip. Ahn and Grady flew closer, also looking at him. Hells, maybe he was leading this mission.
“She’s not a proven enemy of Iskandia,” Trip said, “and she’s clearly given up. I think we can leave her. As the colonel pointed out, this isn’t truly our mission.”
He looked around for Bhrava Saruth, expecting him to have an opinion.
Have no fear, Bhrava Saruth said. I have removed the threat of the dastardly bronze.
He was behind Trip’s flier, flapping his wings enough to hover while he gripped the bronze dragon by the throat. Telmandaroo hung limp, his long neck trapped in Bhrava Saruth’s jaws.
At first, Trip thought him dead, with his spine broken, but he sensed life from the dragon.
I did not wish to attack, he told them, his voice meek.
He is cowardly and easily manipulated, Bhrava Saruth said. Shall I slay him?
“You don’t think he’d like to become one of your worshippers?” Ahn asked—apparently, the dragons were sharing their telepathic words with everybody.
Dragons make poor worshippers. They do not know how to be affectionate and appealing.
Let him go, Trip said. He’s no further threat.
Hmmph.
Based on that dubious response, Trip wasn’t sure Bhrava Saruth would actually listen. Trip met the dragon’s green eyes, gazing steadily into them, and tried to convey that this was his mission and he’d been put in charge, at least when it came to dealing with other dragons.
To his surprise, Bhrava Saruth opened his maw. Telmandaroo tumbled out, falling dozens of feet before he recovered, flapping his wings and regaining his altitude. Blood dripped from the crushed scales of his neck, and Trip felt sorry for him, even if he’d been involved in pirating. He hadn’t truly wished to attack this group.
Telmandaroo looked down toward the ocean, perhaps checking on the gold female, then over at Trip.
Human, you have saved my life. Telmandaroo sounded puzzled, either at the idea that his life had been in danger or at the idea that a human had bothered intervening on his behalf.
You’re not going to offer to make me a high-level minion again, are you?
No. You are not a minion. I see this now.
Trip lifted his eyebrows. He wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve such esteem, but he would not object.
We’re going to stop the attack on the airship, Trip said. Will you come?
Telmandaroo hesitated. You wish me to fight against Drivortia’s mate? He is surly, grumpy, and has bad breath.
I had no idea dragons were concerned about such things.
You are a strange human, Captain Trip, Shulina Arya said. You believe dragons don’t bathe, and you also believe we like our breath smelling foul?
Well, I didn’t know. Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t know any dragons at all.
That is odd, given your heritage.
There’s much odd about me. Trip caught Rysha’s gaze and smirked wryly. He almost added his familiar statement, that he was glad Rysha liked odd men, but the dragons probably wouldn’t understand.
I will accompany you, Telmandaroo said. I do not wish to battle Drivortia’s surly mate, but if you slay him, I can return to my islands and rule there again. I could become a great ally to your nation in the future.
Telryn, Azarwrath said. That bronze dragon wishes to use you.
Yes, it’s not the first time. So long as he doesn’t attack us, I’m content.
Hm.
“Let’s go,” Trip said, speaking aloud as well as telepathically, so everyone would be sure to hear. “That airship could be in splinters by now.”
Shulina Arya pumped her wings and took the lead. It is a beautiful day to save lives, she announced. And also to valiantly slay enemies.
Rysha patted her on the neck.
Bhrava Saruth picked up his pace so that he could fly beside Shulina Arya. Telmandaroo flew beside Trip’s flier, with Ahn and Grady on the other side. They were an odd little squadron.
She is sleek, Telmandaroo spoke into his mind.
What? Trip glanced around, wondering if that comment had been sent directly to him or to everyone. Neither the other dragons nor Ahn, Rysha, or Grady reacted.
That female dragon. She is sleek and young. And supple. And she didn’t call me an imbecile. Will you tell me her name?
Shulina Arya.
Is she the mate of Bhrava Saruth? I’ve heard of him.
I don’t believe they’re mates, no.
Excellent. Perhaps I will invite her to my islands when I get them back. I could have my minions rub her and polish her scales.
I’ll wish you luck with that. So far, she hasn’t appeared impressed by dragon wiles.
Bhrava Saruth spun in the air ahead of them as he flew. As far as Trip could tell, Shulina Arya didn’t notice. Or noticed and didn’t care.
That dragon is foolish. Even bronze dragons know him to be so.
It is possible that a different style of courtship would impress her more.
Telmandaroo fell silent after that, contemplating courtship styles perhaps. Trip was glad. He wanted to complete his mission and help his country, not help dragons get dates.
Trip stretched ahead with his senses, looking for the airships, but he needn’t have bothered.
“Smoke ahead,” Ahn said.
Trip nodded, spotting it. The airships were lower than their fliers, only a few hundred feet above the ocean, and one was losing altitude as the squadron approached. The faint booms of cannons reached Trip’s ears, and a gold dragon swooped back and forth above the balloon of the damaged craft.
The smoking airship was painted in the blue and gold colors of Iskandia. Trip had been afraid of that. It wasn’t a military craft, but it had clearly come from their shores.
“Colonel Grady says we’re going in,” Ahn added.
“I’m ready.” Trip hoped they weren’t too late.
12
Rysha sat astride Shulina Arya’s back, her sword resting on her thighs as the team flew closer to the smoking airship. After th
e first battle, she felt confident they could handle another dragon, but seeing the armored pirate ship harrying the ponderous Iskandian air freighter made her uneasy. Dozens of cannons and shell guns lined the pirate ship’s deck, and Rysha could make out dozens and dozens of men with rifles, most of them near the railing and firing across the gap.
The Iskandian ship, its balloon torn and losing gas, wasn’t putting up much of a fight, not anymore. Fires burned in numerous spots on the deck, and several ragged holes gaped on both sides of the hull. If the vessel was forced to land in the water, it wouldn’t float, not for long. Even if Rysha and the others managed to drive away the dragon and the pirates, could Trip fix a mess like that to save the ship?
She glanced over her shoulder. Shulina Arya had outpaced the fliers, but Rysha could still see his flier—and the bronze dragon soaring beside it. She knew Trip had talked to that bronze back on the Pirate Isles and could understand why he’d wanted to spare his life, but she didn’t trust Telmandaroo. She suspected he would say anything to save his life and would betray a new ally as quickly as befriend him.
The gold dragon has seen us, Bhrava Saruth announced. And he called me a delusional and overstuffed gold turkey. I do not like him.
“There are a lot of injured and hurting people in that airship,” Trip said. “Our airship.”
“Let’s have our dragons focus on the gold dragon,” Colonel Grady called from the back seat. “Ahn and Trip will take down the pirate vessel. We’ll have to wait until after we’ve dealt with the threats to help the crew and see if we can save the ship.”
“Yes, sir,” Ahn and Trip said.
Rysha patted Shulina Arya’s back. “It looks like we’re fighting another dragon.”
This is what I enjoy. To prove that my mother was wrong and that I am not a weakling. I am a strong dragon and am good at protecting those who are not strong.
Rysha smiled. She hadn’t heard Shulina Arya explain why she liked helping humans before but could see why the dragon would feel prickly toward those who used their power to pick on the weak.
Shulina Arya headed straight toward the male gold—he was busy bathing the Iskandian airship’s envelope in flames and did not look at the newcomers. That was surprising. Did he not yet know that his mate had been grievously injured? He had to.
I can sense a few of his thoughts, Trip spoke into her mind. He’s distracted. He knows his mate was injured, but he’s focused on something else. He wants what’s inside the Iskandian airship.
Which is what?
I’m not sure. Food, I think. Pods? Beans? And some long sticks.
Sticks?
Canes? Maybe it’s lemongrass.
Rysha snorted. Catnip to dragons, I’m sure.
Shulina Arya arrowed toward the male dragon and was almost close enough to breathe fire when he lifted his head and glared at them with icy green eyes. They weren’t a deep emerald like Trip’s but a chartreuse, more akin to the light flaring from Dorfindral’s blade.
The male roared, and fire roiled from the depths of his pink throat. It shot a hundred yards, directly at Shulina Arya.
She didn’t flinch. She erected a barrier and flew straight into the flames.
Be ready, Storyteller! You can drive your sword down his gullet.
I’m ready.
Rifles fired from below, startling Rysha. They were close to the airship battle now, and she’d almost forgotten about the pirates. Some continued firing across to the Iskandian freighter, but more men pointed their rifles upward, shooting at Rysha and Shulina Arya.
The bullets bounced off Shulina Arya’s invisible shield, again manifested in a way that it protected Rysha even though she wielded Dorfindral. She gripped the hilt, smiling as they closed on the male gold, starting to feel that no single foe could stand against them.
Shulina Arya attempted to fly her close enough to strike, but the male must have sensed the chapaharii sword. He twisted in the air, flapping quickly away and lashing at them with his tail. Shulina Arya snapped her jaws to the side, catching the very tip of that tail and clamping down.
Rysha crouched, ready to join in the skirmish as soon as she was close enough. The male hurled a mental attack at them. Even protected by Dorfindral, Rysha winced, feeling something that felt like a hurricane gale knocking around inside her skull.
Shulina Arya cried out, letting go of the tail and shaking her head. She stopped flapping her wings, and they dropped. Rysha’s heart sprang into her throat, and she dropped to her belly, afraid of falling off.
Shulina Arya recovered just short of landing on the Iskandian airship’s smoldering envelope.
Machine guns fired behind them, Ahn and Trip taking a run at the pirate airship. Most of the crew ran for cover and to return fire as the fliers passed, but Rysha spotted a woman in black glaring in her direction. Next to her, a man in a pointed blue hat raised a bow.
Rysha almost laughed. What was a bow when everyone around that man was firing shell guns and rifles? Then she remembered that she was using a sword.
Bhrava Saruth flapped past after the fliers, breathing flames at the pirate ship and lighting its envelope on fire.
Brace yourself, Storyteller. Shulina Arya flapped her wings to take them back toward the battle, but there was a wobble to her flight that hadn’t been there before. The male is very powerful with mental attacks. I was not completely ready for that. Here he comes, aiming for us again.
Rysha crouched again, hoping to get a chance to injure the gold so he would be less of a problem. But she kept an eye on that archer, suspecting he was more than he appeared. The man no longer faced her and Shulina Arya. Instead, he focused on one of the fliers. Trip’s.
Trip flew his craft straight into the airship, between the deck and the envelope, its wings tipping left and right to avoid supports and cables. He fired all the while, driving the crew to dive for cover or run below decks.
The woman in black didn’t flee. She lifted a hand toward him as the archer at her side fired.
Rysha was too far away to see if there was anything special about the bow, but she blurted a, “Look out, Trip!” just in case.
He tilted his wings so the arrow clunked into the underside of his flier instead of hitting him, but he let out a startled oath. Red lightning shot from his cockpit, from Azarwrath. It streaked toward the woman and the archer, but did not strike either. Trip yelled in surprise and pain as if something had struck him.
“Sorceress,” Captain Ahn announced with surprising calm.
“Drop me off,” Grady ordered.
Now, Storyteller, Shulina Arya ordered, and Rysha wrenched her attention from the other battle as the dragon took her straight into another gout of fire.
Rysha couldn’t see anything but yellow and orange flames writhing around her, the heat palpable against her skin, even with her sword’s magical protection.
“Ready,” she said, raising Dorfindral.
They had to be closing on the male’s head. Shulina Arya banked hard, and a pale green eye came into view, far too close for comfort. But close enough to strike?
Rysha lashed out and felt the popping of a magical barrier, but she couldn’t quite reach that eye. Then the dragon’s neck whipped toward her, and its maw opened wide, flames licking past its spear-like fangs.
Rysha almost shrieked in terror as those fangs lunged at her, and she realized she was the dragon’s target. But she clamped her mouth shut, gritted her teeth, and jumped up as the jaws snapped at her. She drove her sword upward, the blade glancing off a front fang and sinking into the top of the dragon’s mouth.
The gold jerked his head back, yanking the sword from her grip but not before pulling her from Shulina Arya’s back.
This time, Rysha couldn’t tamp down her alarmed cry. She tumbled through the sky as the male dragon shrieked, the noise battering her brain as well as her ears. Pain pulsed through her as she fell, but she twisted, trying to making sure her feet would hit the water first, though she feared she was so
high that it wouldn’t matter. The landing could break every bone in her body—or kill her.
She hit something far sooner than expected. The envelope of the Iskandian airship. It gave a little, and she bounced off. She glimpsed a fiery inferno on the deck of the pirate airship as she flew upward and then started dropping again, this time to the side of the freighter. She spotted the ocean, hundreds of feet below, as she picked up speed, plummeting like a boulder.
Then some invisible power grasped her, slowing her descent. She stopped altogether, hovering and looking up at the bottoms of the two airships. They were both smoking now, dark gray clouds hazing the air all around the battle.
Something huge fell past Rysha, startling her. A gold dragon. For a sickening second, she thought it was Shulina Arya. But it was the male, falling limply toward the ocean below.
I have you, Storyteller, Shulina Arya announced, flying into view, but I was not able to extract your magic-hating sword, I regret.
Extract? Rysha stared down as the male hit the water with enough force that he instantly plunged below the surface. She groaned as she realized Dorfindral must still be thrust into the roof of his mouth.
We will get it back. Shulina Arya sailed under Rysha, and they were reunited, dragon and rider.
Rysha was glad, but she also grimaced, realizing she had nothing to contribute to the battle until they could retrieve the chapaharii blade. She tried not to think about what would happen if the ocean was far, far deeper here than the Lagresh harbor had been.
Your officer has engaged the sorceress, Azarwrath said.
Good.
Trip was glad he didn’t have to speak out loud, since he was panting with pain. He’d been shot in the arm, and agony blazed from the wound. He made himself continue to manipulate the flight stick, taking them back around so he could help Grady.
The colonel was down on the pirate ship’s deck, battling a sorceress and someone with a chapaharii bow, neither of which Trip had sensed. The aura of the gold dragon glowing so brightly dulled everything nearby. Besides, he admitted with chagrin, he hadn’t expected mages and chapaharii weapons out in the middle of the ocean with pirates, so he hadn’t thought to look for more than the dragon.