Page 33 of Tailwind

So I took the tunnel.

It was made for the railway, but on race day it was just for us riders and dragons. The copper rails flashed underneath us and we flew low, the lights above us strobing from the speed. My visor locked on to the arsenal. It was tucked into an alcove, blocking a maintenance door in the side of the tunnel wall.

A few hilts stuck out. I smiled. I dropped the great sword, the huge orange blade vanishing the moment the handle left my palm.

Gottyk tucked his wings in and rolled, my head a foot away from brushing the tiled tunnel wall. The hilt slapped into my palm, the haptic feedback stinging my skin. Copper rails rushed over my head for the half-second I hung upside down, then as soon as the roll was done Gottyk’s wings came out.

The light of the sun was waiting for us at the end of the tunnel. It was impossible to see what was beyond, the bloom was blinding even with the visor dimming to help.

I turned the dial on the hilt, but not to the sword. No, this time I was going to do it my way. Screw Thorne and his oversized sword. Screw acting like a washed-up old rider to disguise myself. Let the world believe he was trying something new.

The hilt connected with the glove. Orange light surged. Instead of a long, broad blade the handle extended into a slim haft that sprouted into wicked twin blades. My smile split open to match. It didn’t feel like racing if I didn’t have a battleaxe.

I held out my arm, arched my back and prepared for whatever lay beyond the light at the end of the tunnel.

We burst into the open street, converging with the other routes. My visor dimmed at the sudden light, barely enough for me to make out that yes, there were arcans waiting for me. No warning from the team. Fair enough, I’d been a brat.

I twisted, swinging my weapon forward to clear the air. It didn’t matter that I had to squint. I wasn’t taking any chances.

The axe made contact. My eyes adjusted. Arcans were everywhere.

I hauled the double-headed blade from right to left, slicing through an arcan. I brought it back, using the opposite side to bash into the next augment construct. Any fatigue I’d been feeling was gone in a flush of joy. My arms felt lighter, my attention sharper and my mind faster.

This was what I had been missing. This was what I needed to feel alive.

I swung to and fro, cutting through the arcans with the muscle memory from wyvern racing flooding through me. Gottyk didn’t even have to slow down. The smaller weapon was just as deadly in the right hands. My hands.

We rushed around turn one yet again. Gottyk’s talons crackled against the barrier, but it wasn’t a mistake this time – we were making the most of the space we had. Clinging to the edge of the circuit to make the most of a corner – that was the difference between flying and racing.

The street ahead of us was the harbour straight. Much more exciting when it was filled with ten dragons, ten riders and dozens upon dozens of arcans. I let out a laugh. My happiness couldn’t be contained any longer.

We sped into the fray. Omar was fighting off his own problems with his purple shortsword. I had Gottyk dive past as the arcans swarmed around him. Mac and Gordi were next on their white dragons. They worked in tandem to cover for one another – so much so that one of the riders wasn’t even facing forwards, instead watching their backs.

Ahead of them was Theo on another Ballenir purple. There wouldn’t be much space for me if I squeezed past the Bolls. There was a way though, to get past all three. Just not enough room for me and Gottyk at once. I’d done it plenty of times in the Wyvern Cup, but I’d never practised it with Gottyk.

What better time to try than in the middle of a race?

I unbuckled my safety lines.

‘Okay, buddy, keep an eye on me.’

The set of Gottyk’s shoulder blades shifted. I brought my feet up and out of the stirrups, holding on to the pommel of the saddle with my left hand and held the axe out with my right. As we approached the tail end of the Bolls I watched the arcans that harassed them. They flew between the brothers, buzzing around their white spears.

‘See you on the other side!’

I took a step forward between his shoulders, staying low. Then I jumped. I wrapped both hands around the handle of my axe above my head. I flew through the air untethered – until gravity took hold.

I slammed my axe into an arcan on my way down. The hook of the blade embedded into its body. My stomach dropped as it began to spiral downwards. It wasn’t as strong as I’d expected. We careened forwards and downwards – past the Bolls.

Gottyk flew underneath them, a flash of orange beneath the white and red. I shifted the hilt with my right hand to dissipate the axehead. I dropped down, landing feet first on Gottyk’s saddle. My joints flashed with pain, taking the leftover impact that my suit couldn’t absorb. I slid on to the seat and reconnected the axe to my glove.

Giddy energy surged through me. I twirled the axe in celebration and followed through with hacking another arcan down. We were neck and neck with Theo. Another laugh gurgled up from deep in my belly, I threw my head back and let it out.

It was glorious.

My proximity sensors went wild. I had Theo to my right and at least one of the Bolls behind. I chanced a glance over my shoulder as I fumbled to reattach my safety lines one-handed, but my eyes were caught by something else.

Theo was staring at me. He ignored the arcans, the blue glow from inside his purple helmet was locked in my direction.