Chapter Three #3
“Place your hands here,” I say, doing my best to sound calm as I show her where to set her fingers along the ridges in Ahria’s scales, careful not to let my fingers brush hers.
“When you bond, you’ll be able to talk with her and riding will feel like instinct, but for now, just hold on and remember I’m right behind you, okay? ”
In front of me, Lyra nods once and reaches forward. Her hands close around the dark green scales and a slight tremor slips through them as the old burn scar pulls pale across the back of her hand.
“I can do this,” I hear her mutter.
Beneath us, Ahria’s breathing deepens, her chest expanding. “She trembles, I thought you were controlling her emotions?”
“I am.” My temple ticks once. “She’s just adjusting. Give her time.”
Ahria doesn't reply, instead she releases a low rumble of displeasure.
The sound reverberates across her body and up through my legs as her wings unfurl.
With a powerful crack, they spread wide behind us, swallowing the moonlight whole.
Then she coils, shifting one leg back, claws biting deeper into the earth.
“Stay low,” I tell Lyra. “Let Ahria take the wind. It’ll break around her, not you. Ready?”
But before she can reply, Ahria surges forward
I tense my legs to try to brace her, but the movement is violent and immediate—no warning, no gradual build.
Earth slams beneath us as she thunders across it, each stride a bone-rattling impact that drives up through my spine, kicking up dust in choking bursts.
Lyra’s breath punches out in a gasp as her hands clamp onto my arms, dragging them around her middle.
I draw her in close as Ahria’s head drops low beneath us and her wings beat down. One more pounding stride, one final impact against the earth—
—and the ground vanishes.
The vibrations cut out in a single, disorienting beat and my stomach lurches as the world below falls away, and we’re airborne.
Keeping one arm wrapped around Lyra, I release the other, latching onto Ahria’s scales as she drives us upward, wings beating fiercely.
Finally, her movements stabilise, settling into rhythm as we level out and I glance down—
Scattered lights flicker from the receding camp below. Then the lake comes into full view, silver beneath the moonlight, and in the far distance, Aurelia.
God. I forgot how good this feels—being the rider, not the dragon. The wind, the freedom.
Before I can stop it, my mouth tugs into a wide grin and for one reckless heartbeat, everything feels peaceful. Calm. Right.
But then a sharp scratch lashes across my forearm. I look down to see Lyra’s fingers digging into me, strong enough to break skin.
“Hey...” I lean in closer, my cheek brushing hers. “...It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
Dropping the frequency of my Threads lower, I match her increasing vibrations. They catch for a second, but then slip.
Filling my lungs with icy air, I push back harder, but still they won’t take.
Shit.
They’re too fast—wild and scattered, climbing past where I can match them—and instead my own pulse starts to spike, mirroring hers. Then my ribs tighten. Breath shortens.
What the hell—
“I thought you said you were muting my emotions!” Lyra screams over the roaring wind as her panic slams through our shared Threadfield and bleeds straight into me.
“I’m trying!” My voice comes out rough, scared. “I didn’t think you would be this bad after I had you out on that ledge practising.”
Digging my hand into Ahria’s scale, I pull in a breath, trying to focus, trying to tell myself that the feelings aren't mine, they’re hers.
But it doesn’t make a difference.
Vertigo hits, and my stomach flips like I’m the one afraid of the height.
“I told you this was a terrible idea,” Cal prowls at the corner of my mind as Lyra starts to turn cold beneath me, blood draining from her face.
I don’t respond to him, there’s no time.
Reaching again—I dig for a hold, forcing my Threads to hold hers—but they don’t listen to me. It’s as though I'm bracing against a door that keeps slamming shut in my face.
“Get her under control!” Ahria bellows. “Now! She’s bleeding into me. My form’s collapsing. I can’t hold it much longer.”
“I’m working on it!” I grit out. But the more I push, the more Lyra’s terror spikes.
Nausea claws up my throat as Ahria dives suddenly.
Lyra yelps, her Threads detonating bright and vicious, slamming into me full force and causing my vision to tilt.
“Not helping,” I hiss at Ahria as my weight shifts violently forward
“She’s scared of heights. I thought she wanted lower,” She bites back.
“Not like that!” I shout as she keeps diving.
Below us, the surface of the lake swells fast—too fast.
The moonlight shatters across it.
Lyra’s magic continues to scream.
Mine splinter trying to contain them.
Cal pushes forward, heat surging.
Ahria’s frustration spikes to fury.
“ENOUGH.”
Her roar shakes through bone and scale, slamming through my chest as the world tilts violently.
For one impossible second, we’re weightless.
Lyra’s grip slips.
Then the sky flips—
And the cold hits like a wall as the lake swallows us whole.