56. Riggs

56

Riggs

Perfecto. My thoughts dripped with sarcasm.

Finn had chosen just the right spot for the coven. And then protected them with blasted Priests wielding parasitic dart guns…

A shudder ran through me, just as a scream echoed up through the clouds.

We dove immediately, just in time to see Nar, lit up with bloodmage fire, fall…

In my mind, Caliel leaped for the Sea Krayt—and roaring in rage, Havoc plunged right at those still standing on the ledge.

It took everything I had not to follow him. When Alistair tried, I dove across his path.

"Withs his healing ability, he cans tolerate the parasites," I snapped. "Caliel is gettings Nar. We need a Plan B."

Alistair clacked his jaws at me. "Likes what?"

Havoc rose to the safety of the clouds. "How bad dids you get hit?" I asked him.

"Three darts," he hissed. "I cans hold."

Talakai hovered close. "Dids Caliel gets Nar?"

"Yes. They are hiding ats the base of the cliff." I hovered as my mind spun. We had no way to combat the combined forces on that ledge.

Unless we didn't…

"Dids anyone sees any loose rock aboves the cave?" I asked.

Alistair shot me a look. "Whats are yous thinking?"

I met his gaze. "I'm thinking rocks ares made for slinging."

His eyes widened. "That cave, ands the mountain above it, looks pretty damned solid," he stated.

I gritted my teeth. Without loose material, there was no way to bury them in an avalanche or to throw missiles at them.

But I wasn't a Dragon for nothing. And I was stubborn.

I touched my wingtip to Alistair's. "I'ms going backs for help," I said.

"You haves a plans?" he asked.

"Yeppers," I replied.

He rolled an eye at me. "Oh, swell." He hesitated for two wing beats. "Dos I wants to knows?"

"Likely nots. Havoc, comes with me. You needs to see a healer. I'll be back."

"I'm fine," protested Havoc.

"That's an order," I growled.

He rolled an eye, but came with me as I headed back to the valley. When we got there, I had to force Havoc down to the healers, although I think my success had more to do with the small dark-haired woman standing in the trench with her hands on her hips.

I then went straight to the headquarters, and one very tense-looking brother.

In the cave with him, was Nikolai. Even the Perditor's aura was thunderous. My gut clenched at what his presence might mean.

My brother's expression didn't improve as I explained the situation. "I need Dani," I said.

"With those parasites, you'll never get close enough for her to use her power," he argued.

My gaze moved to where brightly colored feathered wings dipped and swirled through the battle.

"Dragons are not our only wings," I said.

Tyrez followed my eyes, tapped at his earcomm, and called the Gryphons in.

Dani was still swooping around on the back of a young Dragon, causing mayhem where she could.

I met her in mid-air. She didn't hesitate, but leaped from the younger Dragon, to my back.

Our gymnastics didn't go unnoticed. You people have got to stop doing that, Tez complained from the battlefield below. You have zero self-preservation instincts.

I ignored him as I banked through the battle, and out of it dropped an entire troop of Gryphons. They formed up behind me. Each carried two Bellatis armed with crossbows.

In truth, we didn't know for sure that the parasite wouldn't affect the Gryphons. Tyrez had made their participation voluntary, especially considering the deadly nature of both the Gretik Priests and the Trinity.

We already know that Gryphons are brave, Breana said as she ducked a lightning strike. And resourceful.

Well, thank you, Caliel stated. I got a glimpse of him huddled over Nar's unconscious form in a crevice in the rock.

Caliel, when we start this, you need to move Nar away from the cave, I said . As far as you can get. When I can, I will send you a Dragon.

Not a good time to be without wings, Caliel grumped.

What in the hell are you up to? Tez demanded as he ducked a lightning strike. The Gryphons are going to get creamed going up against those Priests.

They aren't going up against them, I informed him. Not at first, anyway. When I ask, I will need Breana to send me sword power.

Okay. I'm getting tired of chasing Drakes, she complained. We are getting slammed out here.

My heart twisted at the despair in her voice. The Drakes pulled directly from the leylines beneath the land, but their collars were powered by bloodmagic, and it was those that fought the sword.

The coven needed to be taken down.

Minutes later, we rejoined Alistair and Talakai above the clouds. Alistair's surprise showed in his beast face. Talakai hovered with us, waiting for an explanation.

"I needs to gets Dani close to the cave," I said.

Talakai took this desperate request without even a blink. "Okays."

"Not okays," Alistair corrected.

"The Gryphons haves agreed tos fly cover," I informed him. "It should gets me close enough."

"Close enoughs to do whats?" Alistair demanded.

When I told them, his incredulous expression didn't improve. But I saw his jaw jut out, as well as the determined glint in his eye.

What in the hell, Tez commented. That's a plan worthy of a mutant fricking turtle.

Thank you, I stated. I'm rather proud of it.

Well, I didn't say you should be, Tez countered.

As we lined up above the clouds, Dani leaned low on my neck. "Are you sure you can do this? There are enough loose boulders in these mountains. I can carry them a short distance. If we piled enough of them, I could sling them at the cave."

"We don't haves times for collecting them. And ifs you starts slinging them, the coven wills just vacate. They cans builds a gateway out at a moment's notice. This is the onlys ways."

She sat back up. "All right. I'm game if you are."

I sensed Breana gathering the sword's power. Ready, she said, as she ducked another gout of flame.

Prepare to move, Caliel. Find something solid to hide beneath.

Solid?

Something that won't crumble, fall, or heave.

This is a mountain. You cannot be serious.

I am.

A burst of frustration, followed by an, Affirmative.

The young Gryphon troop leader looked at me, and when I nodded, we all folded our wings, and dove.

As we fell through the clouds, Breana flooded me with energy. We dropped free from them, and I focused on the mountain, before jerking as hard as I could.

Every loose stone launched into the air—but there weren't many, and they were small. Meanwhile, darts pummeled the Gryphons. A few narrowly missed me, and crimson bloodmage bolts flared among us.

Before we got too close, I took everyone back up. We circled again above the clouds, and a few of the Gryphons pulled the darts out of their skin.

That didn't work, Tez stated. Wait a minute. Didn't Cara say the sword could bridge energy? I sensed him looking around. Where is Rafael? He slithered off to the trenches.

I'll just wait here. In the clouds. For you to decide to tell me what's up. Sarcasm seemed to help me stay focused at times like this.

If he's touching the sword—it might give us access to Nikolai's power, Tez finally explained.

My heart lifted. Maybe, just maybe… I turned to those circling with me above the clouds.

Where are you? I asked Caliel.

Worry about yourself. I'm moving as fast as I can, he grumped.

"We're going to try again," I said to him, and to them.

Alistair banked closer before providing a Donatellian unworthy comment. "Didn't work too well the first time."

I rolled my eyes. "Got turbo power now."

Well, maybe. If it works, Breana said. Rafael says it might. He's sneaked up behind me so that he can touch the sword.

Okay, get ready, I said . Here we go again.

I formed up once more with the Gryphon. This time, the power that Breana gathered felt different, and I experienced a twinge of hope.

"We'll go in faster," I told everyone.

Alistair matched wingbeats with me. "Any faster, ands we won't pulls up in time—they'll nails us for sure."

"Not if we says it," I stated, fixing him with a stare. "Says it."

Alistair rolled his eyes. "No."

"Says it," I insisted.

"Ugh. Alls right. COWABUNGA!"

We folded our wings, and dove. Holding tight, we let gravity jerk us faster and faster down through the clouds…

The mountain with the cave snapped into view. Breana poured me the power—and it came in a scorching surge so overwhelming I suddenly couldn't breathe.

I reached for the mountain—and jerked.

The sound of rock tearing apart was like an explosion. Chunks the size of Dragons ripped free from the ground to rise all along the mountainside?—

Dani flung them straight at the cave.

Her first two chunks flattened the Priests and the rogue Bellatis. The Trinity male blasted magefire at us—I swerved and ducked and barrel-rolled while Dani clung on and dragged a chunk of rock the size of a house in our wake. She grunted as I boomeranged around, and the rock came straight at him.

He exploded it, and chunks flew off—but then the bulk of it plowed into him, crushing him into the rock beside the cave entrance.

Rafael sent another surge of Nikolai's power along the link, and I poured it into the mountain…

With a fierce rumble, the entire ledge fractured and fell away—and the side of the cave split wide open. The mountain heaved…

Dani didn't even hesitate—she sent pieces flying into the cave, and as I broke our dive by spreading my wings, I heard the screams from within.

And then, silence. The red glow vanished.

"Did we get them all?" Dani sounded breathless.

Cowabunga indeed, Breana breathed. Caliel…

From where we hovered overhead, I gazed in horror at the damage we'd wrought. Caliel! Are you all right?

A long heart-stopping pause was followed by, When you told me to find something solid, you didn't tell me you'd be ripping the mountain apart. Even his mindvoice shook.

My relief was nearly overwhelming. Where are you?

I knew where I was. I have no idea where I am now. Somewhere below where the ledge used to be. We surfed a slab for about a thousand feet.

As the Gryphons landed among the fallen rock, allowing the Bellatis to leap off and look for survivors, I hovered above where the cave used to be.

Searching…