full of questions and her eyes full of shock. “Were you flying?” She seized Tauran by the shoulders as if she expected him to be a mirage.
Tauran gave her a smirk, although it wasn’t as confident as he had aimed for. Jumping off a mountain, flying for a couple hours and coming face to face with Ibi-shao herself had left him more than a little shaken. At least the events of the evening hadn’t given him much time to stop and think, or he might have embarrassed himself in front of both Catria and Kalai.
They sat on the grass in the descending twilight, ate and talked. When Tauran told Catria about his improvised leap of faith, she wrapped her arms around him tight, and Tauran had to push her away before emotion overcame him and he’d lose control for real. Kalai steadied him with a hand on his knee.
“If you can succeed at moving the nesting site somewhere safer, that really would give me a lot of peace of mind.” Catria groaned, guilt flashing in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’m dragging you away when you should focus on the dragons. This is awful timing.”
Tauran shook his head firmly. “You and Emilian are the reason we’re even here. I’ll always have time to help my friends, and I’m not letting that absolute shit licker put a noose around Emilian’s neck.”
“But what of Leyra?” Catria asked. She looked to where Leyra lay sprawled on the grass, already asleep. “She worked hard today, and now we’re making her fly back to Valreus. That’s a long stretch, and she’s only half a year old. I don’t know, Tauran. That could really damage her.”
Tauran braced an elbow against his leg and rested his head in his hand. “We’ll… take more breaks.”
“The execution is in three days,” Catria reminded him.
“You could take Arrow,” Kalai said. “He’d let you fly him.”
Tauran shook his head already before he finished talking. “I don’t want to risk bringing him anywhere near Valreus.”
“What other option is there?” Kalai pressed, but Tauran could see the whites of his eyes in the darkening twilight. The thought scared him, too. Arrow wasn’t exactly tame. Tauran could tell him to stay away from the city and the Sky Guard dragons, but there was no guarantee he would listen.
A sound like thunder made them all look up. Even Leyra woke from her slumber and turned her head to the sky.
A massive shadow obscured the moon, casting them all in even deeper darkness. Catria gasped and leaped to her feet. Sorcha was at her side in an instant, drawing Catria under her wing and growling at the sky.
“It’s all right!” Tauran stood, hands outstretched. “She’s not aggressive!”
“But we fought her in Valreus! What if she remembers?” Catria’s voice was tense. She wrapped her arms around Sorcha’s neck. Sorcha seemed to consider taking flight, then decided against trying to get past Ibi-shao’s huge form, filling most of the space above their little clearing. Leyra, on the other hand, called out and broke into a run, through the trees and into the meadow on the other side. With an impact that shook the ground, Ibi-shao landed.
When Tauran looked at Kalai, Kalai was already looking back. An understanding passed between them.
“Do you think it could work?” Tauran asked.
“She knows the way to Valreus,” Kalai said. “Maybe all you have to do is hitch a ride.”
“I still don’t know how to communicate with her.”
Kalai looked thoughtful for a moment. “You did it with Itana.”
They emerged into the meadow, Tauran and Kalai striding forward while Catria hung back.
Ibi-shao bowed her head, placing a large silverhorn before Leyra, then stepped back, content to let Leyra feed.
Tauran stroked Ibi-shao’s front leg and looked up. How was he even going to get up there? He’d need a ladder.
Kalai moved around to her head, and Ibi-shao shifted her attention from Leyra to Kalai. “Hey, big lady. I know this is a lot to ask, but we need your help.”
The large dragon blinked slowly, resting her head against Kalai’s chest. He stroked her face. Even she enjoyed chin scratches, and though Tauran knew she couldn’t know what Kalai said, it was as if understanding still passed between them. Kalai’s beautiful hands really could work magic into everything. He kneeled, patting the ground between his feet. Ibi-shao lowered her head to his hand, and then the rest of her body followed. She lay flat, wings relaxed on the grass.
“No way.” Catria’s voice sounded from behind Tauran. “How