Page 281 of Burn Her They Said
“You would certainly be a worthy opponent if we were to ever compare our level of stubbornness.”
Wind displaces my hair faster as we drop down, and treetops blur as we near a thick layer of fog obscuring everything below the peaks of the tallest pines.
“How can you navigate in these conditions?” I think, pressing on our link.
“You can create a shield with your mind, yet you admire my ability to recognize the difference in topography,” Minea retorts, jostling me as his chest rumbles beneath me.
I pull in a breath of frigid air and try to take Minea’s words along with the message Imperial Dragon Master Sonya left and do my best to draw from their confidence in our plan—and my abilities.
Because Tasch is my world.
My reason. My purpose.
And I will not fail her.
I will not allow it.
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Waella
Tasch
The deep brown Dragon’s snout pierces through the fog, and my heart restarts as I squint to make out any details. But I’m too far away, so I take off running.
Every muscle in my body quakes as I slide over the slick blades of grass until I come to a stop next to Fray. We each stare up at the sable Dragon as she careens down, shifting until Lars can be seen lying over her back.
Shuddered breaths weave in and out of my chest as Dranea’s paws land with a thud, and Fray’s eyes crinkle in the corners as Lars grunts. Then concern billows through both of us as it seems he is struggling to disentangle himself from the restraints.
I open my mouth to ask if he needs help when Fray pats my shoulder for me to look up again. A grin spreads across my face when Lucrea’s deep red talons pierce through the mist, pulling our collective attention until Malin is detected. My cheeks wobble with emotion when Fray knocks his shoulder into mine as we wait for the other three Dragons to arrive.
Malin drops from Lucrea’s back while Lars fights to free himself from one of the leg restraints. Fray and I share a fleeting look of concern, as I don’t think we’ve ever witnessed Lars have a problem with his harness before.
“You okay over there?” I call out as Malin rushes over to help him.
“Yeah!” Lars yells back as he’s freed. “But only because your healer and telekinetic Guards saved my life after your broody soulmate tried to crush my chest with a boulder!”
I open my mouth to ask what he means when Malin backhands Lars’ shoulder, saying, “Varic can explain when he gets here.”
“When did you last see him?” My heart launches into my throat as I await their response.
“He was securing himself into the harness when we took off,” Lars says.
“They will be here soon,” Lucrea’s gravelly voice booms in my mind.
I nod my thanks to the ruby Dragon, while Fray squints and leans forward, seemingly studying the black leather packs Lars and Malin have tossed to the ground. He takes a step, and I gasp as the unmistakably amethyst scales along Sutrea’s tail whip through the pillowy fog. I plod ahead and grab Fray by the wrist with one hand while excitedly pointing where her talons and snout are visible with the other. His smile widens beneath his mask as he takes off, tearing across the field to be reunited with his blood-bonded Dragon.
Her paws thud to the frozen ground just as Fray arrives by her side. Sutrea tucks her wing and turns to him, and his toothy grin encourages me to mirror his expression. Their reunion tugs on my heart, and the amount of emotion surrounding me is oppressive, even with the hopeful energy.
Fray steps on Sutrea’s bent knee to grab hold of the black leather pack secured over her back. Then he turns back to me once he’s pried it open to peer inside.
“What is it?” I ask, equally curious and concerned.
“It’s—” His voice breaks off, his throat bobbing as he swallows.
“Your sketchbooks,” I yell, equally choked up as he shakes his head.
“Just the most recent one I used, and…”
