CHAPTER FOURTEEN #3
We spun through a gap small enough to make me squirm, the deep red bark skimming my helmet as we sailed through. Gottyk’s wings tucked protectively around me, then flung wide on our exit. Raindrops streaked across my visor, disappearing as fast as they appeared.
It was an amazing way to fly. The open sky was glorious and freeing, but this required sharpness, instinct and trust. A bubble of excitement swelled inside me. I couldn’t wait to do this with nine other riders and dragons racing around us.
Bach dipped down, directing Rosinder below the canopy. Then, bizarrely, they landed on the forest floor. Gottyk began to follow, but I pulled on the reins to hold him back.
‘Not down there, buddy.’ I didn’t particularly want Bach to know we’d been following him this whole time.
A rush of gold blasted past us. Gottyk reared back. The straps around my waist went taut as I fell backwards, reeling from the surprise of nearly being thrown.
Without forward momentum Gottyk lost height, his wings flapping to stop us from crashing on the ground. I felt my cheeks flush. So much for not letting Bach know we’d been following. At least we made a half-decent landing out of it.
Once all four of Gottyk’s feet had found the safety of the floor I craned my head back to look up. As unfortunate as the circumstances were, I was sure that what I’d just seen was a first for me – a Victrolia gold.
‘It will be back in a minute.’
I froze, trying to decide if I could pretend that my helmet blocked his voice out.
Bach then walked into view. Still on dragonback, he’d pushed up his faceplate and was looking right at me.
‘One of their northern dragons?’ It was. I already knew that. Now he was going to think I was stupid for asking if the golden dragon we’d just seen belonged to the local team with green and gold as their team colours. A wonderful first impression.
Then I remembered our meeting outside of the briefing room weeks ago and decided that the ground could open up and swallow me instead.
He nodded. ‘First time seeing one?’
My heart hammered. He was continuing the conversation and hadn’t called me an idiot.
‘Yes,’ I replied, trying to stop my voice from shaking.
‘In person. I’ve watched all the races.’ I didn’t feel like clarifying that I meant literally all of them.
Our modified caster at home gave me access to old recordings of every Volitant race – Chroma and Forge – and I’d watched each and every one of them.
He smiled, which made me feel a bit dizzy, then he thankfully turned away, looking up. He pointed. ‘Ten seconds.’
I counted it out in my head as I pushed up my faceplate.
Then it was back. A beautiful creature, longer and narrower than any racing dragon in Volitant Chroma.
Its golden scales shimmered even in the dim light of the forest, making it look like it rippled as it shot through the trees.
The snout nearly came to a point, giving the neck and head the silhouette of an arrow.
Then it was gone again.
‘Wow!’ I hadn’t meant to say it, but it was hard to keep any reaction in. There was a reason Victrolia had the reputation it did.
‘That’s Victrolia for you.’ He said it like we hadn’t just witnessed a miracle soaring through the trees. ‘Nice flying, by the way.’
‘What?’ My mouth hung open slightly, making me look as dumbfounded as I felt.
‘From the train. My proximity sensors were going off the whole time.’
Oh no. He’d had his augments on.
‘From the way they kept steady on my back, I figured you were keeping pace with us, going through the same path.’
I’d been so stupid.
‘Sorry!’ I blurted out. ‘I didn’t mean to disturb you. I was just letting Gottyk have a warm-up and then we saw you two ahead and we thought we’d give it a go and—’ I was rambling. I stopped myself, but the sudden awkward silence was worse.
‘No problem.’ He waved away my apologies. ‘It’s only fair Gottyk finally gets a good rider. Now, if you’ll excuse us,’ – He slid his faceplate down. – ‘I need to get her some breakfast.’ He patted his dragon on the shoulder and they took off, following the route of the Victrolia gold.
I sat there for a long moment.
‘A good rider.’ I whispered it to myself, letting the words bounce around my head over and over again.
Gottyk huffed and set off into a run. Overhead the Victrolia gold went past us once more. I realized Gottyk intended to take off so grabbed the reins and shut my faceplate once more.
Bach had been able to tell that the Victrolia gold, now only a sparkle in the trees ahead, was going to be back in perfect timing.
I looked around us, letting Gottyk lead. There were augments glinting on the ground between each tree. We’d found the race circuit. Those augments would cast the barrier shield during the race tomorrow, stopping us from going out of bounds or harming the fans when crashing out.
I’d been so focused on Bach that I hadn’t realized we’d cut through the forest back to the circuit, right next to the aviary.
‘Looks like you get some breakfast too, bud.’
Gottyk let out another of his happy coos. I wanted to join in too. After all, Bach Lotiere had just called me a good rider.