and Hualiama knew she would treasure his trust forever.
She slipped down to the doorway to the outer gantry. A tiny squeak of the hinges made her freeze, and then the cool night air tickled her neck.
Grandion’s muzzle turned. Hualiama?
I’m bored, she said. Want to fly ahead to scout?
I’m here and you’re over there, said the Tourmaline Dragon, his eyes burning like living coals as they fixed upon her with an intensity that sucked the breath clean out of her lungs.
Lia’s throat closed up, strangled by the tempestuous flow of emotions in her breast. As if drawn to the mad rush of her heart, Grandion drifted closer. This would be the ultimate negation, she realised, a symbol that Ra’aba had no hold over her. For if she made this particular gesture of her own accord, that would say more than all the words in the Island-World.
She climbed over the gantry’s edge, right beneath the lowest of the turbines.
Wait, I’m coming, said Grandion.
Catch me if you can.
She leaped to the winds. Laughing. Spreading her arms to catch the breeze. A hundred leagues shy of Fra’anior, a Human girl flew and a Dragon dived after her, spouting words in Dragonish she did not know, but were surely uncomplimentary, even wrathful. Her clothes fluttered madly against her body, while the wind roared in her ears.
Grandion caught Lia’s tumbling body on his right wing. Are you quite mad? His eyes flashed as brilliantly as stars, bemused, admiring, even shocked. Flicker rushed after them, visibly flaming at the mouth. For once, even the dragonet was lost for words. All she heard was the spitting of his fires.
Maybe, said Hualiama, smiling at the Tourmaline Dragon. This is how much I trust you, Grandion. A low gasp at her own idiocy escaped her as Lia rolled suddenly off the trailing edge of his wing. I’m flyeee-eee-iiiing!
Next she knew the Dragon flapped beside her, forepaws folded in a typically Human pose–one she had used on him on more than the odd occasion, she realised. His expression was priceless. And if I don’t catch you, Human girl?
You’ll catch me.
He winked at her across the fifty feet or so separating them in the air. Never trust a Dragon–isn’t that the Human saying? Perhaps I might easily rid the Island-World of an insolent, sassy, trouble-stirring Fra’aniorian royal ward who has shamelessly ignored her lonesome Dragon for four nights and three days?
Waving her arms and cupping her hands, Hualiama tried to swim through the air toward Grandion. By orienting her body differently … smack! She thumped headfirst into his stomach.
Oh, I’ve been attacked by a deadly flying beast of unknown species! laughed the Dragon, flying on his back now–how he managed that, Hualiama had no idea–while shielding her with his cupped talons.
Wriggling to her feet, she began a mad, capering dance on his belly. Lia yelled, Tickle, tickle!
Oof, you pest, get off!
Making a standing backward somersault over the lazy swipe of Grandion’s paw, Hualiama discovered the power of the wind as it snatched her away from the Dragon. He tagged after her with languid wing strokes, chuckling, You really don’t want to be caught, do you, she whose hair blazes like the fires of a twin-suns dawn?
Save me–she tumbled head over heels–o dread master of the skies.
Grandion slowed to allow Flicker to catch up, before replying, I remain unconvinced that you wish to be saved. Even the prettiest Humans are not meant to fly.
Hualiama tried to bat her eyelashes at the Tourmaline Dragon, but the wind’s blast only made her eyes water. Perhaps blatant flirtation was best. She called, Oh most fearsomely fiery fiend, pray succour this Isles maiden to thy scaly bosom.
Flicker snorted, Bah! Leave her to fly, say I.
The wind pummelled Lia’s body, snatching her laughter away and bringing on a coughing fit. In a trice the Dragon scooped her out of the sky and cradled her against his shoulder, much as a Human might coddle a baby.
The Tourmaline Dragon growled, Now will you behave? Never mind. Stupid question.
She squirmed free and clambered rapidly up to her customary seat between Grandion’s spine spikes.
Flicker said, I imagine you missed us, then?
The dragonet sounded wounded. How could he? Who had been missing whom? Lia wanted to slap him, but when Flicker thrust his muzzle beneath her arm with an imperious growl, demanding affection, she could not resist. She gathered him into her lap; a heartfelt sigh escaped her lips. I’ve missed you like a Dragon would miss one of its hearts, she admitted.