We came at Cahal from behind. Directly behind, so the pink dragon—Coppelia—wouldn’t be able to see us. Archion slowed to her pace, still creeping up on her, then darted forward once more and bent to nip the underside of her tail.
My kind of dragon.
Coppelia yanked in her tail and dipped. I barely heard Cahal’s “Whoa!” He hadn’t been expecting that.
We dove down with them, Archion larger, stronger, and much faster, gaining on her and then pulling to the side. She hit the brakes, Cahal holding on for dear life, and Archion continued on, banking softly in a big circle before heading back around. That must’ve been the sign of just messing with you!
Coppelia slowed the harried beating of her wings, waiting for us to catch up.
“Good, right?” I gave Cahal a thumbs-up when we soared alongside them, Archion needing half as many pumps of his wings to stay in flight.
Cahal’s smile matched my own. I thank you for this.
“Ha!” I pointed at him. “I told you.”
Incoming, Archion thought, giving no notice before diving.
My smile turned into a grimace as I scrabbled with my hands to find purchase. My legs slid. I definitely shouldn’t dare looking down…
Oh crap, that was a long way to go splat if my hovering skills went on the fritz.
What’s happening? I thought desperately, finding the edges of his wings with my feet and bracing myself.
Your father would like to test you, which means testing me. Grip me tightly. Trust in my ability to keep you on my back.
The smile dripped off my face. I chanced a look back this time.
The large black dragon was coming up fast on our heels, Lucifer braced on its back, a grin on his face.
Let’s do this. I found a ridge along Archion’s shoulders and squeezed my knees in close, which was as good as it was going to get. This might be like riding a bike, but the first time doing that wasn’t fun either. Not without training wheels.
Archion banked hard, then dove, gaining speed. The force flattened my cheeks, but I pushed up like a jockey on a racehorse. We curved right, and then Archion was pumping those incredible wings, not gaining height but going faster, so fast the ground was a blur, much too close now, the treetops skimming his belly. I didn’t know if I’d have the presence of mind to hover if I fell off. I’d probably freeze up and go splat. Lucifer was still on our heels—or tail, in this case.
How do we win this? I thought as Archion left the dragon territory and sailed out over the green landscape.
I do not know. I can evade Tatsu on my own, but you are a new rider, and I fear you might fall off if I—
Go for it, I thought, bracing myself. Don’t evade, though. Attack. Just get higher so I have more room to catch myself. It wouldn’t be the first time I fell off a dragon.
I felt the surprise in that, and up we went. Higher and higher, Lucifer still on our tail, his smile somewhat less satisfied. He had to know the lengths I would go to in order to win. It was a problem. I was not working on it.
Give him hell, I thought as Archion kept climbing. And climbing.
I was almost having second thoughts. In a moment, I knew I would be.
Archion straightened out, curled up his wings, and curved back over himself. The force of the turn nearly yanked my right hand and legs from their hold, but I tightened my muscles and held firm, moving across his back and lowering until my front nearly touched his back.
Lucifer’s eyes widened as we bore down, and I bet no one had ever dared attack him before. I added a little injury to the insult, smacking him with air as we hurtled by, Archion just barely clipping his dragon’s tail with sharp teeth.
I looked up as we dove, but the little push of air didn’t seem to have displaced Lucifer. I gripped on tightly again, swearing as Archion rolled.
Well done, he thought as he pulled out of it, and then my stomach dropped out. He was diving, the other dragon rushing to clash with us.
Holy…balls! I dodged a very aggressive swing of a spiked tail before a blast of fire rolled over us, Lucifer probably afraid to knock me off the dragon. I wouldn’t begrudge him that fact.
Archion was hurtling downward one minute, then soaring up the next, and the force of it ripped me loose.
“Ooohh shiii—”
I fell through the air, back pointed at the ground, watching as Archion raked the underside of the black dragon’s belly with his claws, opening up deep red scores that immediately started dripping crimson.
“That is some dirty fighting right there,” I mused, still falling through the air, amazingly not worried about it.