CHAPTER NINETEEN #3
Pierce gave me a toothy grin. ‘And what about the qualifications, little keeper? You might have a licence to fly, but to race in Volitant Chroma you need to earn fifty points in a single season of a feeder series.’
‘She got ninety,’ Theo answered before me.
I shot him a look. He’d had my back once already, now it was happening again.
‘Lena and I raced nearly every single pre-Volitant race together. We have the exact same experience, including ending up on equal points for the Wyvern Cup in seventy-three.’
For the first time I didn’t recoil at the mention of our draw. The bitterness of how it had happened was still there, but layered under a strange sense of pride.
‘And actually,’ – Colly sounded like he was chiming in on a food order. – ‘Lena had a higher percentage of fastest laps in that last season which, if they were scored for extra points like they are now, would have put her in the lead and given her the title.’
He beamed at me, fully believing this was the time and place to drop retroactive rule-change theories. My heart swelled at the loyalty.
‘I don’t see an issue with Lena racing.’ It was Quinn.
‘Same here,’ Omar added.
‘I like the competition.’ Theo shrugged, like he hadn’t been the one blackmailing me to be his competition for a month.
‘Competition? She clearly has no place in the pack!’ Gordi couldn’t lower his voice below shouting. He turned to Mac who remained stoic.
‘Okay, Gordi,’ Jas spoke for the first time, face like thunder.
So at odds to the jovial rider wearing a paper dragon hat the night before.
‘If we’re going to judge who should fly here, let’s do it.
I had ninety-two points before joining Volitant.
We flew together in the Wyvern Cup, right?
How many did you and Mac have between you? ’
My eyes widened. Everyone knew about the nepotism, but no one actually talked about it.
‘I’ll remind you,’ he continued. ‘Sixty-six. Yet, not only did you get into Chroma, but you both got into a saddle a year before me. The rules don’t always apply, do they? I don’t see a problem with Lena racing – sounds to me like she deserves it.’
The words he didn’t say echoed around the room: and you don’t.
The cut around my eye stung as moisture built up in the corners. It didn’t matter that it was technically allowed, I’d been expecting the riders to react like the team bosses – wanting to find any excuse for me to pack my bags and go home.
‘That settles it then.’ The deep voice belonged to Ellas.
He’d been watching us all, his arms folded and brows furrowed.
‘That’s seven out of ten riders not opposed.
As far as the Rider Union is concerned there’s no issue here.
Whether or not she keeps the job is up to Kiestral, not us.
’ He nodded to Bach. ‘Rest up, Lotiere.’
Then the Volitant Chroma Champion walked away through the giant wooden shutters, back out into the frigid mountainside where his green dragon was waiting. The matter was, according to him, concluded.
Jas jogged after him, clapping their team boss on the shoulder as he went. One by one, the others peeled away. Colly bumped his fist against mine and Theo wiggled his eyebrows at me, grinning like we’d pulled off one of our childhood pranks.
Then all that was left was me, Eduard Moss, Bach and the hovering medic that was looking increasingly worried. Moss could end this right away, if he wanted to. I waited, bracing myself.
‘Today’s race is over.’
I opened my mouth to protest. No matter how much I had expected it, my instinct wasn’t to go quietly.
Moss cut me off. ‘You don’t speak to anyone. You go directly to the aviary. You won’t embarrass us any further. Understood?’
I nodded, gritting my teeth.
‘Good. We will speak after the race and decide what to do with you then.’
He walked away, shoulders set high.
Bach waited until Moss was out of earshot and then motioned to the medic to leave. There was a distinct awkwardness in the air, but I wasn’t sure if that was just me. Bach looked like he wasn’t quite capable of feeling much at all.
‘Thank you.’ I whispered it, unable to raise my voice beyond that. It didn’t cover the gratitude I had. The respect. It was all I had though.
‘They won’t want to keep you,’ he said, swaying on the spot. ‘Moss’s pride is wounded and unless there’s an explicit reason against it, they’ll put Thorne back next chance they get.’
It hurt to hear. I knew he was right, but it still hurt.
‘I’m so sorry for what happened. Is Rosinder okay? If there—’
He lifted a hand, silencing me.
‘She’ll be okay. It wasn’t your fault. If anything, it’s Mirendi’s for letting those idiots fly.
’ He wiped a hand down his stubbled face.
‘Racing against their dad was bad enough. Now there’re two of them …
I can’t take much more of this shit.’ He gazed at the wall as he spoke.
It felt rude to be listening to the conversation he was having with himself.
He sighed and started to limp back towards the aviary. I waited a few moments before following. Bach wasn’t the only one I owed an apology to.