Mentored in Fire by K.F. Breene

Fifteen

He had me all wrong.I didn’t want the most fearsome dragon; I just wanted any old dragon. I didn’t care if it was the scrawniest dragon in this whole place.

They were more spread out now, the beasts we passed larger and more robust. They stared us down, many taking a few paces forward. Strange presences touched me, like fingers jabbing my chest, but they all felt wrong. Annoying, as any finger jabbing your chest would be.

That was when I realized I’d been fooling myself—not just any dragon would do.

“I’ll fall back now,” Lucifer said, and he did, leaving me to walk alone. No druid by my side this time. No safety blanket.

I didn’t need it. Didn’t want it.

I picked up my pace, because that was my jam. I’d prefer to run at danger than from it, more often than not. And this was dangerous, I could feel it. The dragons’ exploratory touches were harder now, packing more force and power.

At the end, way at the back, I saw the big black dragon that I knew was Lucifer’s. I remembered that thing chasing me out of the Underworld, burning everything in its path.

It trumpeted out in pleasure, feeling its—her—rider. A big pile of bones sat to her side, and trees and foliage covered her area, Lucifer obviously taking great pains to make her as comfortable as possible. He hadn’t been lying.

She was taken, though.

To my left I spied a few others of equal size, all standing now, looking my way. Annoyance flared through them. Surprise too, though. Could they feel my magic or power scale even from this distance?

They waited near their nests, the nearest a good fifty yards out.

I eyed them all, not sure what I was looking for.

The closest to Lucifer’s dragon held its wings tightly to its body, the faux-sun glistening off its forest-green hide. Two white horns rose from its otherwise smooth head, and its wide chest was currently filling with air. It was readying for battle.

Magic shoved my middle, like an opened hand slapping my chest.

I rubbed it away and looked at the next dragon, a stunning metallic gray-blue with a metallic purple chest and underbelly. Its wings rested loosely against its sides, shimmering like gems, with curved claws at the ends. It also had horns rising from a spiked head, these in onyx. Its burst of magic dug into my chest, rooted around, and squeezed my freaking heart. I sucked in a startled breath.

It didn’t let go when I tried to mentally brush it away. It didn’t give me a chance to look at the sparkly dragon next to it. Instead, it held on, daring me to act. To push back. To tear its hold from my body.

I did, ripping through its hold with my magic, slicing like I had with Lucifer’s. Its hold fell away, and I felt its shock. It didn’t trumpet, though. It didn’t give any outward sign that I’d surprised it.

The last dragon waited, somewhat tense. I had no idea why I knew that, but I could sense it as plain as day. Its white scales glistened, each outlined in dusty gray. No horns crowned its head, and its touch felt like a beautiful day at the park, welcoming and lovely. It ruffled its wings, and I took that as a gentle come-hither. The thing was incredibly beautiful, and I knew it would be sweet and kind and made for Penny. It probably liked rocks and killing things over its shoulder while it ran away.

I refocused on that steel-blue-gray dickhead who’d tried to push me around. It needed a lesson in politeness, and I was going to give it.

Lucifer’s laughter followed me through the grass as I charged at the blue-gray dragon. An air sword filled my hand, and suddenly fire was spurting down on me. I brushed it away as the magical hold filled my chest again, pounding now, trying to distract me with its intense gust of power.

“Two can play at that game, you bastard.” I sent my own shock of power, punching for its middle.

It fly-lumbered at me, its wings barely skimming the air just to make running a little less awkward for it. These creatures weren’t meant for ground combat, their true prowess soaring through the sky. This dragon, though, had figured out how to reduce the handicap.

Male.

The thought reverberated through my mind. Its shape loomed over me, at least twenty feet at the shoulder.

“Yeah. That’s what I said—dickhead. Same thing.”

He spun at the last minute, his tail whipping around. I’d seen this trick. I jumped over before cleaving one of his legs with my air sword. Power reverberating off him, he hastened to turn back. I copied Cahal and ran under him, but it didn’t work out quite like I’d planned.

I was about to slash my sword upward at its belly…and suddenly the ceiling was falling.

“Holy—” Sword forgotten, I pushed air up with all my might, stopping the dragon from squishing me beneath him. “Good call, bud,” I ground out as he thrashed, trying to break my hold. “Smart thinking.”

I gave a big shove and rolled out from under him, jumping to my feet and lighting the grass all around him on fire.

He lit an even larger area of grass on fire.

“Fine.” I punched him with air and, for good measure, sent an air spear under him before shifting its trajectory so it cut upward. I didn’t have to deliver the pain in person. I kept forgetting about that.

The dragon howled, and blood poured down from his belly in a steady gush.

“Oh shit—” I grabbed him in a vise of air and ran under him, the strain from holding him in place covering my forehead with a sheen of sweat. He roared, and I felt his anger, pain, and surprise. “Let’s remember who started this.”

The blood was only dripping now, the cut already healing. Good—dragons healed like vampires. I closed the gash with air before running back out, releasing my hold on him but leaving my air bandage. It probably didn’t help all that much, but it was all I could think to do.

His head, half the size of my body, dipped until his eyes were even with mine, fifteen feet away. Too close, but I didn’t want to look like a coward and back up.

Deep yellow eyes with black irises surveyed me, his focus beating into me, his magic now warming me from the inside out. He huffed, and steam washed through the air between us. His head dipped a little more.

Your magic is unknown to me, he thought, and I nearly peed myself.

A dragon was speaking to me!

Dragons could speak, and one was speaking to me!

I grinned like a lunatic and nodded like a fool. “I’m different.”

The dragon had washed away every ounce of cool I possessed. Now I knew what Penny always felt like.

He didn’t move, and it seemed like he was waiting for something. I remembered what Lucifer had told me about the bonding, something I’d witnessed with Cahal and his dragon, and hoped I hadn’t hurt the dragon too badly for what came next.

Barely able to contain my excitement, I ran and jumped, using my hovering abilities to keep me airborne for longer. I landed on his shoulders and quickly turned, slinging my legs to the sides of his neck and hoping he didn’t call out psych! and kill me on the spot.

The great wings pumped, lifting us up immediately, leaving the ground.

“Oh my God, is this really happening?” I giggled like a little girl as we climbed up and up, zooming into the air faster than I would have thought possible.

I am Archion. I have been waiting for a creature worthy of my flight.

The air whipped around me, and I was so glad I’d fixed that glitch. This wouldn’t be the same without wind making my eyes water. I fashioned air glasses.

I’m Reagan. Reagan Somerset. Of the Brink. If I didn’t get a hold of myself, I was going to punch myself in the face. Unicorns were cool, but unicorns didn’t want to give people rides and they didn’t talk. Or fly.

This was blowing my mind. Cahal missing this? He was so going to say, You told me so. Maybe I was still going mad, but that didn’t change how right I was about the dragons.

What are you, Reagan Somerset? Archion asked. I know your magic, and I also do not. It is incredibly powerful. I think I have gotten lucky with your choice in me.

I might’ve preened a little at that.

I’m only half from the Underworld, on my father’s side.

Lucifer.

Yeah, good guess.

Not a guess. Part of your magic is just like his. It is the other part, the one that makes you more, that I do not know. Is it Brink magic?

He banked hard left, and I caught sight of a sparkly pink spot up ahead.

Oh. I leaned forward and pointed even though my finger was still mostly behind his great head and he wouldn’t be able to see it. Can you catch up to that one? My friend is riding it. Her. The pink dragon. With my friend.

That was it. Punch in the face warranted. How did Penny get through life?

Her name is Coppelia. And it would be my pleasure.

He straightened out like an arrow, and if we’d been in a movie, he would have shouted, Hold on! as he darted forward. His wings beat fast and hard, incredibly powerful. My grin was so wide that it stretched my face.

It’s godly magic, on my mother’s side, I thought as we blasted through the air. Another dragon, yellows and oranges, almost lost to the sky, glittered way off to the right.

Godly magic. I am not familiar with that. It is jarring, the feel of it. I like it.

Yeah, I liked the warmth seeping into my middle from his magic, too. Comforting and energizing and so freaking cool. I was riding a dragon!

We came at Cahal from behind. Directly behind, so the pink dragon—Coppelia—wouldn’t be able to see us. Archion slowed to her pace, still creeping up on her, then darted forward once more and bent to nip the underside of her tail.

My kind of dragon.

Coppelia yanked in her tail and dipped. I barely heard Cahal’s “Whoa!” He hadn’t been expecting that.

We dove down with them, Archion larger, stronger, and much faster, gaining on her and then pulling to the side. She hit the brakes, Cahal holding on for dear life, and Archion continued on, banking softly in a big circle before heading back around. That must’ve been the sign of just messing with you!

Coppelia slowed the harried beating of her wings, waiting for us to catch up.

“Good, right?” I gave Cahal a thumbs-up when we soared alongside them, Archion needing half as many pumps of his wings to stay in flight.

Cahal’s smile matched my own. I thank you for this.

“Ha!” I pointed at him. “I told you.”

Incoming, Archion thought, giving no notice before diving.

My smile turned into a grimace as I scrabbled with my hands to find purchase. My legs slid. I definitely shouldn’t dare looking down…

Oh crap, that was a long way to go splat if my hovering skills went on the fritz.

What’s happening? I thought desperately, finding the edges of his wings with my feet and bracing myself.

Your father would like to test you, which means testing me. Grip me tightly. Trust in my ability to keep you on my back.

The smile dripped off my face. I chanced a look back this time.

The large black dragon was coming up fast on our heels, Lucifer braced on its back, a grin on his face.

Let’s do this. I found a ridge along Archion’s shoulders and squeezed my knees in close, which was as good as it was going to get. This might be like riding a bike, but the first time doing that wasn’t fun either. Not without training wheels.

Archion banked hard, then dove, gaining speed. The force flattened my cheeks, but I pushed up like a jockey on a racehorse. We curved right, and then Archion was pumping those incredible wings, not gaining height but going faster, so fast the ground was a blur, much too close now, the treetops skimming his belly. I didn’t know if I’d have the presence of mind to hover if I fell off. I’d probably freeze up and go splat. Lucifer was still on our heels—or tail, in this case.

How do we win this? I thought as Archion left the dragon territory and sailed out over the green landscape.

I do not know. I can evade Tatsu on my own, but you are a new rider, and I fear you might fall off if I—

Go for it, I thought, bracing myself. Don’t evade, though. Attack. Just get higher so I have more room to catch myself. It wouldn’t be the first time I fell off a dragon.

I felt the surprise in that, and up we went. Higher and higher, Lucifer still on our tail, his smile somewhat less satisfied. He had to know the lengths I would go to in order to win. It was a problem. I was not working on it.

Give him hell, I thought as Archion kept climbing. And climbing.

I was almost having second thoughts. In a moment, I knew I would be.

Archion straightened out, curled up his wings, and curved back over himself. The force of the turn nearly yanked my right hand and legs from their hold, but I tightened my muscles and held firm, moving across his back and lowering until my front nearly touched his back.

Lucifer’s eyes widened as we bore down, and I bet no one had ever dared attack him before. I added a little injury to the insult, smacking him with air as we hurtled by, Archion just barely clipping his dragon’s tail with sharp teeth.

I looked up as we dove, but the little push of air didn’t seem to have displaced Lucifer. I gripped on tightly again, swearing as Archion rolled.

Well done, he thought as he pulled out of it, and then my stomach dropped out. He was diving, the other dragon rushing to clash with us.

Holy…balls! I dodged a very aggressive swing of a spiked tail before a blast of fire rolled over us, Lucifer probably afraid to knock me off the dragon. I wouldn’t begrudge him that fact.

Archion was hurtling downward one minute, then soaring up the next, and the force of it ripped me loose.

“Ooohh shiii—”

I fell through the air, back pointed at the ground, watching as Archion raked the underside of the black dragon’s belly with his claws, opening up deep red scores that immediately started dripping crimson.

“That is some dirty fighting right there,” I mused, still falling through the air, amazingly not worried about it.

It was probably panic. Panic had made me numb.

I awkwardly spun and pulled my magic around me, putting on the brakes slowly at first, and then more quickly, seeing the ground rushing toward me. A couple of football fields to go. I had time.

Almost there, I heard. Archion was trying to be everywhere at once, clearly battling the handicap of a new rider all on his own.

Sparkly pink caught my eye, coming closer on the right, Cahal rushing to save me. It was then I noticed the sky around us, glittering color everywhere. What must’ve been every dragon in the area was currently flying, probably watching the mock-battle between Lucifer and me. That, or they’d taken to the air to impress the boss.

Slow yourself a little more, I heard. Cahal’s dragon banked, leaving the air clear for Archion to rush in.

I did as he said, my energy draining rapidly, although I had plenty left to get down if I needed to. But I didn’t.

Metallic blue-gray slipped right below me before putting on the brakes for a brief moment. I released my magic and fell the rest of the five feet, hitting his back and latching on tightly.

Sorry about that, I said as he immediately climbed, no time lost. Beginner’s foibles.

Do not be sorry. He straightened out, heading for Lucifer. That was masterful. Not many would allow that move, knowing they would need to fall.

I didn’t realize what you were doing, or that I would fall, actually. But it’s not like I can’t catch myself. I’d do it again, no problem. I shrugged.

You are courageous. Your father must be very proud.

I didn’t mention that I was just an heir to Lucifer, or that I felt like preening again because a dragon, a dragon, was complimenting me. Instead, I leaned forward, gearing up for another attack.

Lucifer pushed up until he was basically standing on his dragon’s back. He held his palms together in front of him and then pulled them apart, his gesture of peace.

Archion slowed, and Lucifer glided past us once, and then again, a smile on his lips. Cahal trailed us.

Fantastic, Lucifer said, and gave me a thumbs-up. Excellent! You are a natural. You were born for your post.

Pride welled up in me and I shrugged, still not accustomed to praise.

Let’s go for a ride, shall we? he said. Let’s grace the skies with our presence. It’s time we officially show you off as the rightful heir and princess of the Underworld.

I tried to ignore the thought: You’re entering the point of no return.

Instead, I focused on my dragon, and how completely at home I felt on him. This was a good day, regardless of what tomorrow would bring.