14. Do We Trust Him?

"Flink!" I scream, running from the brush, tripping over weeds and branches in my path as I heave rocks at the voltaic dragon with my magic.

The massive dragon flies back, out of my range, using his powerful wings to hover in place—watching with eyes that glow in the stormy light.

He's still a threat, but I can't worry about him now.

Lukas's face is haggard as he kneels beside the still lesser dragon. Frantic, he pulls Flink's lifeless head into his lap. "Is he breathing?"

I press my ear to the dragon's chest, panic clawing at my throat. "I don't hear anything."

"Tell me how to save him," Lukas says harshly.

"I don't know—" I cut myself off, realizing he's not looking at me.

He's talking to the elemental dragon.

"Then do it!" Lukas snarls. "Soleil, don't throw any more rocks at him. He wants to help."

The dragon glides forward, his eyes locked on me like I'm the threat.

"How?" I whisper urgently.

"The shock stopped Flink's heart. He's going to try to reactivate it."

"Is that possible?" I demand. "And do we trust him?"

Lukas scrubs a hand over his ashen face. "I don't know."

The dragon lands nearby. Extended, his wings are massive. He tucks them into his body as he walks forward, sparks dancing around him as a warning.

"Back up." Lukas grabs me by the arm, scrambling backward and dragging me with him.

The dragon sniffs Flink, his brilliant green eyes assessing. The copper lesser dragon looks tiny next to his larger voltaic cousin.

Another jolt of light makes me scream. The dragon sends pulses of pure energy into Flink, trying to wake his sleeping heart.

Flink suddenly twitches, his limbs all jerking at the same time. There's a moment of perfect silence, and then he lets out a guttural wail.

Lukas crawls forward on all fours, wrapping his arms around the dragon's neck. "What were you thinking? You almost died."

The voltaic dragon moves back several paces. Assessing.

I keep an eye on him, disconcerted by his sudden shift in temperament.

"Lukas," I say quietly. "The dragon."

That's enough to pull Lukas from his relieved state. He turns to the voltaic male. "Thank you for saving him."

I want to remind him that the storm dragon was both Flink's savior and attacker, but I keep my mouth shut. Instead, I ask, "What happened? Why did he help us?"

"He saw Flink's goodbye." Lukas eyes the massive beast, his tone scathing. "And he realized we might not be a threat."

Though I would like to ask what Flink said, I sense it's personal, between Lukas and the little dragon. And the voltaic, I suppose.

"Are you all right?" I ask Flink.

He stumbles up, looking disoriented, and then collapses against me, making sad grunting noises.

"Why didn't his element nullify the lightning strike when it hit him?" Lukas runs his hand over the dragon's back, still shaken.

"His element nullifies magic, not energy. He would have had to snuff out the dragon's magic before the attack." Unable to help myself, I add, "Which he should have done when the dragon first passed over."

Lukas looks at Flink, listening to him. "He says he's a hero, and you need to be nicer to him now."

"Yes, fine." I pet the dragon's head. "You did well."

Better than well. He saved Lukas's life.

"We need to get Flink back to the dinghy," I say. "And then we must figure out how you, me, and the dragon are going to get to the cavern."

"The dragon can fly us," Lukas says.

"Can and will are two different things." I eye the beast. "And I'm not sure I trust him."

"He'll take us. He's eager to reunite with the female."

I stare at the midnight blue dragon, wishing I could read him like Lukas. To me, he seems volatile and dangerous.

"I liked it better when you saved chipmunks and deer," I say to Lukas with a sigh. "All right—it's not like we have much choice. Let's get Flink back to Tiago and the boys, and then we'll direct the dragon to the cavern."