Zaarusha pulled above the thrashing wings. Only a few experienced masters were flying high above the crowd, until Ezaara heard a holler and Kierion shot above them, a few new trainees trailing him.
“’Atta girl, Riona,” he called out. “Come on, you lot, let’s show them.” Riona streamlined her body and they shot forward.
Zaarusha’s jaws flared with flame and she broke free of the other dragons, zipping ahead toward the forest. Smoke trailed from her jaws, enveloping Kierion.
Kierion spluttered and coughed. “Not fair.”
A bitter winter wind rushed through Ezaara’s hair. Tightening her hood, she glanced behind. Dragons were gaining on them.
“A purple one, coming in fast. It’s Aria,” said Zaarusha, “and she’s bent on catching us. Let’s show her and Sofia a trick or two.”
Ezaara melded fully with Zaarusha, letting their sathir merge in a stream of color. Fire licked through her. The snowy fields whipped by beneath them. Soon they were over the forest, heading toward the lake, the dark fir branches dusted with snow.
Behind, the sky was teeming with dragons. Zaarusha was right: Maazini’s orange scales stood out close behind, followed by Singlar, Ajeurina and Erob. There was a dark-haired rider upon Erob. Her breath caught. Shards, he looked like Roberto. He couldn’t be back, could he? Heart pounding, she asked, “Who’s flying Erob?”
“Tonio. He’s here for security. Erob offered to take him, because he’s fast.”
That explained it. They were both Naobian. Disappointment knifed through her. “Erob, the council have agreed to fetch Roberto tomorrow.”
“Good, because if they don’t go, I’ll go myself,” he sniped.
Erob was usually good-natured, often humorous. “I get it, Erob, I really do. The council have given their word.” If they kept it. Adelina’s doubts niggled at her.
A snort was his only reply. Erob plunged below Zaarusha and swooped up to come alongside them. Ajeurina mirrored his actions on the other side, then they were off, with Singlar and Maazini on their tails, Tomaaz yahooing.
A sudden flash of purple above them told her that Kierion had joined them. “We caught those sluggish old snails,” quipped Riona so Ezaara could hear.
Beyond the forest, the lake was edged with icy lace. Wings thrashed as they flew across the deep blue toward the snowy clearing. Zaarusha forged her way ahead of the others, aiming for the massive conifer. Denuded of needles, its branches were heavy with unshed cones.
Zaarusha wheeled dangerously close, snatching a cone in her outstretched talon, then veered up into the sky. Flapping wings and dragon snorts sounded against the muted snowscape as Erob, Riona and Ajeurina darted in to grab cones.
With a crack, a dragon knocked a branch off the tree, sending it thudding to the snow. More dragons snapped branches off in their haste to get cones.
“Lars is clever,” Ezaara melded. “They’re clearing the dead wood for him.”
Zaarusha rumbled, “Never underestimate Lars. Here, catch.” Zaarusha stretched her foreleg out, flinging the cone to Ezaara.
Nearby, Sofia caught a cone from Aria. Ezaara grinned at her, trying, yet again, to be friendly.
Without warning, Aria wheeled toward Zaarusha and roared, flames exploding from her jaws. Aria’s thoughts ripped through Ezaara’s mind. “Traitors. Anakisha’s heir has a right to rule.”
Fierce heat engulfed them. Ezaara hunkered down behind Zaarusha’s neck.
Zaarusha shrieked in pain, blasting Aria with fire. The queen’s shock slammed through Ezaara as they twisted out of Aria’s reach. Talons flailing, the purple dragon flew at them again, Sofia laughing on her back. With a glint of metal, Sofia threw her throwing knife.
“Zaarusha, duck,” Ezaara screamed.
The knife embedded itself in Zaarusha’s thigh. Her pain spiked through Ezaara.
Sofia threw another. Zaarusha batted that knife sideways, and it spun down to the snow.
“Oops, I slipped,” Sofia crowed. “Terribly sorry—it was an accident. That’s what you said when you gouged me.”
Aria slashed at Zaarusha’s tail. Wings bashing Aria’s, Zaarusha darted in, ripping a gouge in her foreleg. She flipped her tail around and whipped Aria across the snout.
Aria screeched and reeled back for a reprieve. But there was no reprieve. Riona dived and Kierion threw Roberto’s fishing net. It sailed through the air, landing over Aria. Maazini snatched a flailing rope at the end of the net and plunged under Aria and up the other side near Erob.
Suddenly, Kierion was near Aria, balancing upon the base of Riona’s outstretched tail. He thrust a rope through the top of the net and scrambled up Riona’s tail, back into his saddle, so Riona could fly around the net, tugging the rope tight. Liesar’s silver scales, Handel’s bronze and Erob’s midnight-blue flashed past as they darted in to grab ropes and pull the net taut. Handel, Liesar, Maazini and Erob held ropes in their jaws, the net suspended between them. Aria struggled, her talons tangled. She fought to slash her way free, only making the ropes tighter. Her roars drowned out the yelling riders.
“To the cage,” Lars yelled, charging past on Singlar.
Sofia screamed, “Let me out this instant.”
Erob melded, “Back to the race, Ezaara. Now, you have to win.”
Zaarusha wheeled, heading across the lake. Ezaara gripped the cone so tightly, it cut into her palms. White-coated trees blurred beneath them as Zaarusha and Ezaara raced toward the basket, Lars following on Singlar. Basket at their feet, Alyssa and Derek had their bows nocked, ready to protect them.
Ezaara melded with Lysika and Reko, showing them what had happened. “Aria and Sofia attacked us.”
Now, there were only two dragons blocking the direct route to the basket. The others must have lagged behind, confused by Aria’s attack. A cry sounded behind her. A blur of purple was coming up fast—Kierion on Riona.
She urged Zaarusha on.
When
