Page 90 of Tailwind

A few long low buildings were nestled around a clearing. It looked natural at the bottom of a hill, with the vegetation almost completely covering the human-made structures. We circled downwards and landed in the centre of the clearing. The buildings were arranged in a large circle around us, their fronts all pointing inwards.

I pulled off my helmet and slid out of the saddle, scanning the buildings for dragons. I saw none.

I did, however, see Bach walking towards us, accompanied by an older man. He was taller than Bach, with greying hair and tanned skin. His nose and chin were both pointed, which would have given him a severe look if his smile hadn’t been so contagious.

‘Try to act normal, Lena. Wouldn’t want him to think you’re a stalker, would you.’ Josie spoke far too loudly for my liking, given that Bach was closing in on us.

I shot her a glare before schooling my face into something polite. Inside, my heart was racing. All of the talk of where Bach disappeared to between races and during the off-season … I was there.

‘Welcome,’ said Bach as he reached us. He gestured to his companion. ‘This is Laurent. He’s Head of Estate. If you need anything or have any questions, he’s the man with the answers.’ Then, he pointed to me. ‘Laurent, this is Lena, our new trainee.’

Trainee. To be trained by my mentor Bach Lotiere. I clenched my hands in place of pinching myself.

Laurent, still smiling, shook my hand. ‘A pleasure to meet you, Lena. Your bags will be taken to your accommodation while you get to work.’

We were really going to start right away. No wonder Bach was as good as he was. He wasted no time at all. ‘Thanks, Laurent. Nice to meet you too.’

Josie drifted towards the longest building. ‘Have a good afternoon, Lena. I’ll see you at dinner.’

My spine went rigid. ‘You’re not coming too?’

She shook her head. ‘It’s all yours!’

I wasn’t sure what she meant, but she turned and set off to the long house before I could ask. Laurent went to the smaller one next door, lined with a wrap-around porch. My accommodation.

In no time at all I was alone with Bach Lotiere.

‘Come with me,’ he said, and set off towards a gap between the buildings and into the dense jungle that surrounded us.

I followed in awed silence and tried not to think about how much Josie planned to make fun of me later. Working one on one with Bach Lotiere might be normal for her, she’d been his keeper for five years already, but this was still a big deal for me.

So I paid attention to the path, stepping over the loose stones and jumbled roots so I didn’t go flying without wings. I picked my way through, noting the odd copper pellet pressed into the soft earth. With my attention so fixed on the ground I didn’t see what we were walking towards until Bach stopped, forcing me to look up.

A huge building had been constructed on to the side of the valley. Treetops leaned over it from every angle, disguising it from above. The stone giant had a suitably sized entrance for dragons, a gaping archway two storeys high. No doors.

I entered behind Bach and had to catch my jaw before it hit the floor. The Volitant aviaries were nothing compared to this place.

It was double the height, but not for more stalls, because there were none. The whole aviary was one open space. Balconies jutted out from the walls at intervals where, in some cases, dragons dozed on them. Tails hung over and dangled into the open space. Heavy dragon snores echoed around the huge building. Others prowled the floor, their feet making sloshing noises as they sifted through the layer of copper pellets.

I had assumed incorrectly that this place was built up against the valley slope, but the darkening tunnel that beckoned at the far side of the aviary suggested that the stone building was only the beginning.

No doors, walls or bars in sight. Also, a wide open entry. It was as free as dragons could be. It was no wonder they had chosen to stay.

Once I’d recovered from the initial shock, the wonder set in. There were two Kiestral oranges, two Prevere blues and two golds, one with bright yellow gold scales and the other with a rosy tint – his Volitant Forge Victrolia and Adviant metallic dragons. These dragons went back at least ten years, some of the oldest on record – if anyone knew they were here. I itched to say something, to reel off the history, but doing my usual excited spiel to Bach himself didn’t seem like a good idea.

I craned my neck for a better look at them all. Some of these remaining dragons could be championship winners. One of the Prevere blues and possibly the Adviant rose. Not only that, but the Prevere could well be the winner of the Decennial held eight years ago.

I exhaled slowly. My Lotiere obsessed brain was going fast, too fast while in the presence of Bach himself.

‘So,’ I said, breaking the silence I hadn’t been paying attention to. ‘Which one am I flying?’

Bach’s stubble creased as he smiled. ‘None of them.’

He pointed to a human-sized doorway I hadn’t noticed to the side. A section of the aviary had been cut into to form a single-storey room. Through the open door I could see an all too familiar sight.

‘Keeper gear,’ I muttered to myself, but Bach answered anyway.

‘No one flies until they’ve done their time looking after the dragons.’