Page 9 of Tailwind

‘Get out of my way.’ He wasn’t slurring his words. As much as I wanted to vanish in that moment, to escape his attention, my first thought was that he didn’t sound drunk.

I stepped back and forced myself to look at him. He braced one hand on the workbench, leaning towards me. There was tension in his shoulders. The tendons of his neck stood out just from trying to stand still.

My hands flexed and closed into fists. It didn’t do anything to stop the shaking that began in my legs. I wasn’t in a position to consider if it was fear or anger, let alone grab on to a coherent thought.

So I did what I knew best. I swept up the nearest augment to start prepping Gottyk for the race. My limbs felt traitorously stiff and awkward. He met me at the low wall that surrounded his stall. I was only as tall as his shoulder, so he lowered his head and neck down for me, his big snout nudging my face.

His nostrils flared open from their usual thin slits, sending a wash of hot air at me as he huffed. I uncurled my free hand and patted the side of his sweet scaly face, my palm mottled in red and white patches.

Thorne tossed the contents of the bench aside, the bronze plates sending ringing echoes around the aviary, before digging through the waste crate.

‘Where is it?’ He gave up on his search and spun, spitting his words out towards me.

My heart leapt at his voice. I ducked on instinct, shrinking away from him. My knuckles whitened around the augment I’d taken. A jagged, colourless piece of arcanite, a mess of copper wire and a modified pain-relief augment. I realized what it was.

Before I had the chance to think better of it, I looked back up at Thorne. I could tell my mouth had dropped open and my eyes were wide, but I couldn’t control my shock.

‘Give it to me!’ He strode towards me, staggering, hand outstretched.

His wrist extended out of his sleeve, showing the red welts that confirmed exactly what I thought the augment was. Now I knew.

Thorne wasn’t just drinking. He was using raw arcanite augments on himself.

I backed away. Thorne would be risking more than his own life, he would be risking Gottyk’s. Deep inside, beyond the hollow darkness I’d been living with, I could feel heat building.

‘No.’ My feet planted deep in the copper pellets.

Thorne stumbled to a stop at the entrance of the stall.

‘What did you say?’ His voice rasped, sounding as intense as his bloodshot eyes looked. ‘You think you can say no to me? I can get rid of you any time I want. You’re here because I enjoy seeing you put in your place, little girl!’

My jaw trembled, so I clamped it shut. I fought against all of the rising fear and looked at Gottyk. His big brown eyes watched me in return, the ridged scales arching above them making him look so innocently surprised. I couldn’t let Thorne hurt him.

‘Pathetic.’

His words didn’t hit as hard as usual. I wasn’t protecting myself this time.

‘I wasn’t just talking about you. You’re nothing, that would be too easy.’ Thorne came closer, grinning enough to flash his uncannily white teeth. ‘One word to Moss and I can get rid of the beast too.’

He placed a hand on Gottyk. My dragon flinched.

I erupted.

My feet skidded on the copper pellets as I ducked low. I twisted and slammed into Thorne’s stomach. He doubled over, letting out a gasp of air.

He grabbed at me, losing his balance. I hit down on his arm to break his grip. He crashed back on to the pellets, scrambling.

I placed my boot on his chest, putting all of my weight into pinning him down.

‘Every day you have tormented me, every opportunity to make me feel small, you took it. I don’t know why you’re like this, and I don’t care.’

Behind me Gottyk was pacing, his deep growls vibrated my bones.

‘I put up with it,’ I continued, leaning over so my face hovered above his. ‘I let it happen. Do you know why, Thorne?’

His face contorted with rage, his bloodshot eyes bulged.

‘Because of him.’ I nodded to Gottyk. ‘You made a mistake today. You touched my dragon.’