Riders (Riders, #1)(103)

“Daryn, wait,” I say, before she leaves. I take Riot’s reins. He jerks his head up, his amber eyes glowing with defiance. He wants to stay with me, but I can’t let him. Not with blood hissing from the gashes on his thigh. “Go, Riot.”

Daryn rides, and my horse goes with her, the fire rising over his legs.

Then I’m alone, surrounded by war.

Ready.

I see that Jode and Marcus have taken Ronwae down together. The red scorpion has no stinger. It’s been severed, along with both claws. Jode is pumping arrow after arrow into her body as she shrieks. After what Ronwae did to Sebastian, it’s not ruthless enough for me.

In the sky, Ra’om is easily contending with the two F-22s that have finally arrived. He twists and dives through the air, more agile than the planes. A perfect aerial predator.

I watch him as he sails down, blowing fire over the cabins, and I try to find his weakness. His eyes … his nostrils … the underside of his body … his joints …

You’re mistaken, Gideon. I’m protected there, too.

“You’re lying,” I reply, watching him high above. “But that’s okay. I’ll find a better way to kill you.”

He tucks his wings and plunges. In just seconds, he pulls up in the clearing in front of me with a thud that shakes the earth.

Ra’om unfolds himself, drawing up to his full size. There’s a challenge in his red eyes. Pride, in his erect posture and the curve of his long neck.

You should have accepted my offer when you had the chance.

I walk toward him. “You’re nothing without Samrael. He was stronger than you. What have you ever done but hide? You just show up for the glory. But there is no glory now, is there?”

Ra’om unfurls his neck and lifts his head high as he shuts his eyes. Fire tumbles from his mouth, rolling into the sky like a glowing orange wave. The sound of his anger penetrates through me, shredding across the woods and shaking the mountains.

I keep walking. “You know what I think, Ra’om? Samrael was never going to take you with him. He thought you were weak. He told me so.”

No. He’s my kin! Samrael is waiting for me. I’ll join him and when I do, I’ll take you with me. You’ll bow to me, Gideon. I will break you. You will be mine.

Pride, I think, as I keep approaching him. That’s his weakness.

Earned pride, Gideon. My pride is earned. You think you can defeat me with your sword and your one hand?

“Yes.” I lift my sword. “I don’t even think I need this,” I say, calling it back. “You’re just a giant lizard with wings. Except butt-ugly.”

Ra’om lowers his head and extends his long neck. I know what’s coming. It’s what I wanted.

Grabbing Bastian’s scales from my arm, I firm my grip on them—and run.

The fire comes like a wave and I keep running blindly through the flames. Run toward where I last saw him. Toward where I need him to still be.

Run.

Head down. Eyes closed. Feet digging.

When I’m through the fire, I’m almost at his lowered wing. I step on it and jump, throwing myself onto his neck as I whip the scales out, holding on to one end. The chain loops around Ra’om’s neck and locks. I jam my handless arm under it—then my face slams against dragon scales as Ra’om surges into the sky.

I grab the chain and hold on with everything I have as he shoots higher, higher, and my stomach isn’t with me anymore. It’s somewhere hundreds of feet below.

Ra’om makes a sharp turn and I twist, almost falling off. He makes another, trying to throw me. I hold on tight and catch a glimpse of the clearing far below. The cabins are just burning points. Ra’om thrashes and turns. Cold wind pushes against my face and my eyes water. His scales are smooth, impossible to hold on to, and I know I only have seconds.

I call my sword. I can’t reach Ra’om’s eyes and his scales are too thick where I am.

You should’ve thought of that beforehand.

He rolls into a shallow dive.

Do you remember, Gideon, sitting in the truck while your father fell? Do you remember how you felt as he looked at you in that last moment?

He levels his flight and banks to the left, and the mountainside shoots past, a blur of trees and snow and rock.

Do you remember how you felt when he struck the ground? How you felt as you stood over him, watching the blood pool in his ear and then spill onto those red bricks?

“I remember,” I say, adjusting my grip on the sword. “But you’re going to have to do better.”

I’ve forgiven myself. I know it wasn’t my fault.

Ra’om turns his head in surprise.

His eyes are close, but he’s given me a better option. A perfect angle into his ear canal. I reach out and drive my sword in, pushing until I can’t anymore.

His body goes slack beneath me, his wings lose their tension, and I’m floating for an instant. Then I’m falling.

Out of the sky, but I have no fear.

Riot finds me. He wraps around me and I fold in.

Then we fly as fire.

As one.





CHAPTER 59

On the ground, I find Marcus and Jode waiting for me in front of the cabin where I spent the better part of the day tied to a chair. It’s the only cabin untouched by Ra’om’s fire.