Page 59 of Tailwind

‘It doesn’t matter, keep—’

‘It does, Josie! Is it him?’

‘Yes, it’s Vaspre.’

My eyes narrowed, my gut clenched and my hands tightened on the reins.

‘Good.’

Gottyk and I pushed down the long route, aiming for the lofty canopy. An arsenal poked out of the branches, several hilts available. I reached out, ready to grasp at the weapon, when my proximity sensors went wild.

Theo had caught me.

As we arced over the branch, Theo drew up beside us on his dragon, a mirror to us. In tandem we snatched at the weapons and lit them up. My bright orange battleaxe next to his purple longsword.

Our sweat-drenched sparring match barged into my thoughts.

‘For fuck’s sake.’

‘Lena, what’s wrong?’ Josie’s steely resolve was back.

‘Just some intrusive thoughts,’ I replied, ducking low to pick up speed.

‘We can get you some therapy.’ I couldn’t tell if she was serious.

‘I don’t need therapy,’ I said, knocking the haft of the axe on my pauldron. ‘I need to fly.’

The next time the arcans dive-bombed us I was ready. I smashed into them, slicing and throwing to get them away from Gottyk. Time and again, lap by lap, we improved. When the arcans landed on Gottyk I didn’t even have to think. I used the underside of the axe blade to hook under them and haul them off balance. Once they staggered they were easy pickings for a follow-up.

Time blurred as I sank into the rhythm of the race. I ignored the aches and pains from the attack and training. I ignored the thoughts of how long was left. Everything that wasn’t me, Gottyk and the circuit ahead fell away. Josie’s voice became my consciousness – external thoughts that had me reacting before she’d even finished.

We crossed the finish line less than a second behind Theo. So close.

‘Fifth! Lena, fifth!’ Josie’s professionalism was gone, her voice warbled, sounding like she was jumping.

I chuckled, enjoying having something to celebrate and someone to celebrate with.

‘Thank you, Josie.’ I slowed Gottyk down, soaring around the circuit one more time before landing. ‘I think you might have been right about the whole teamwork thing.’

‘I’m right about everything. You should know that by now.’

Her confidence was back and so was mine.

The night sky was black beyond the glass roof, a mirror to the empty gym carriage. The punching bag absorbed my hits without so much as a tremor. The same absorption augments that ran through my flight suit were being used in the squat box too. It was satisfying to feel the padded thump as I spun into it again, this time with the flat top of my foot.

I wasn’t working out anger and bitterness this time. There was no need. I’d come fifth in the race. This workout was pure celebration. Josie had rolled her eyes when I’d asked to borrow Bach’s pass card, but handed it over anyway.

Thump. I replayed the overtake of Omar Wilver in my head. Thump. I sliced through the arcan and sent it spiralling back at Theo. Thump. I revelled in the feeling of crossing the finish line in the top half of the pack.

An hour later I was drenched in sweat and feeling like my limbs were made of wet noodles. I rested against the punching bag.

As much as Josie had encouraged me to train with Theo again, I couldn’t bring myself to hunt him down and ask. Not after our last conversation. So I’d opted to wait to use the squat box at night when everyone else was already asleep.

Bad for my sleep pattern, good for my emotional stability.

I wiped my face with the absurdly soft towel – no longer having to hide how much I loved the luxury – and grabbed the bag I’d brought with me. Another benefit of being here alone was that I got to use the spa.

I ducked into the changing room, wrapped in a fresh towel. I sighed, pushing open the frosted glass door to the steam room as the soft material flowed over my bare skin. It was another level of bliss to have it all over my body. The heat of the spa sank into my muscles, loosening the tightness that had built up over the past hour.