Chapter 32

Grounds, Rogue Rider Mansion, Beverly Hills, California, United States

"That dude really doesn't like you," Clipper said, leaning back and lounging on Glacier.

The rider and dragon were parked on the grass, under the setting sun, having stated they wanted a front-row seat for Gen and Emperor's first training session with riding. Really, Gen believed that Clipper wanted to see her fall off her dragon or be dragged behind him and then secretly laugh.

Gen really hoped that Clipper didn't have one of those devices that recorded information like pictures and events. She'd seen Liv and Sophia using them and they were a strange bit of magic. Those phone things everyone carried really could do just about everything—it was almost too much and the advances made Gen nervous.

"Does Dwayne really like anyone?" Jack questioned, fitting a saddle onto Emperor's back, having offered to help with outfitting the pair.

"He loves me," Sully boasted, handing Gen a thick pair of riding gloves. "He said I was his second in command."

"He said you were the assistant to the leader of the Rogue Riders," Clipper argued, not having offered to help with this first lesson. "Which if you ask me, isn't a title at all."

"Well, no one asked you, did they?" Sully spat back.

In the shadow of the sprawling Rogue Rider mansion in Beverly Hills, Gen faced her next grand challenge beneath the growing twilight. Emperor, her massive, iridescent purple dragon, stood with an air of ancient wisdom and indomitable power, his scales glittering like amethysts under the setting sun. His eyes, deep pools of psychic energy, regarded Gen with a mix of curiosity and impatience.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Jack asked her, standing back after checking the saddle.

"I grew up riding horses," she stated with confidence. "And they are really dumb. I think riding a cooperative and all-knowing dragon should be easy in comparison."

"But that's where you're wrong," Jack countered, looking Emperor in the eyes. "Because they are intelligent, dragons won't just allow anyone to ride them, not even their chosen rider—not if they aren't ready or their approach is not right."

He's correct,Emperor said in Gen's head.

She cut her eyes to her dragon. Well, are you going to allow me to ride you?

We'll see,he replied slyly.

"Not to mention that it's about like mounting a hippo," Sully imparted. "It's not as easy as you'd think."

Clipper laughed. "How would you know what it's like to ride a hippo?"

"There was this one time I had to chase these thieves through the zoo," Sully explained, proudly. "Hippos are the most aggressive animals. You know more deaths happen from hippos each year than from shark attacks worldwide. Those massive creatures are dangerously aggressive."

"And so you rode one?" Jack asked with a laugh.

"Well, it was that or be trampled by the fatty," Sully stated. "I found myself in her enclosure and she was about to bowl me over. So I timed it perfectly and jumped into the air, landing on its back. Then I rode that girl straight into the perpetrators."

Jack and Clipper laughed, both shaking their heads as if they didn't believe the story. Gen, however, knew that he was telling the truth. Even without Jude or Diabolos around, she knew when people were lying or not. However, her focus was elsewhere as her tension rose for what she had to do next.

The first task was simple in theory, yet daunting in practice. It was to mount Emperor. As Gen advanced, the dragon's telepathic voice echoed in her mind, offering cryptic guidance that felt more like riddles.

Approach this with the care and ease you would have holding someone's hand,Emperor said in her head. You are not exerting your control onto them, but rather enfolding your fingers equally through theirs.

I've never held anyone's hand,Gen admitted at once. My father held Elizabeth's hand usually, while he chased after me.

Try and imagine, then,he offered.

Fine,she said, sidling up next to him, just then realizing how tall he was. The idea of hoisting herself onto his back seemed akin to scaling a massive, living fortress. Still, she covered her intimidation and tried to find her footing. However, the problem became immediately apparent on her first try.

Just as a knight in heavy armor might struggle to climb the slick, stone walls of a castle under siege, Gen found herself grappling with the smooth, unyielding scales of Emperor's flank. Each handhold was as precarious as a rain-slicked rampart, and every movement required the strength and determination of a seasoned warrior storming a formidable keep.

Her attempts were clumsy, her feet slipping on the sleek scales, her hands grasping at the air. Laughter trickled from behind her as the fellow riders watched—amused by these attempts.

The wind also seemed to mock her as it tangled in her hair, pushing her sideways, making her task all the more Sisyphean. But with a determined squint, Gen found a ridge on Emperor's foreleg to hoist herself up, only to slide down his side in a less-than-graceful dismount. Her pride bruised, but resolve unbroken, she finally managed to cling to his back, and ungracefully kick herself up and onto the saddle, finding a steady place on his back.

Sitting up, sweat dripping into her eyes from the efforts, Gen grabbed for the reins in front of her. She didn't want to look at Clipper rolling around and laughing on the ground or Sully who was standing close by probably recording the whole thing. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Jack, but didn't look at him directly.

"Well, if you found that easy, then the next part will be slightly more challenging," Jack explained, an amused tone to his voice. "It's about like riding a horse, but you tell him to go with your mind and you control him with your intention."

"What are the reins for?" Gen asked.

"For holding on like hell," Sully said with a laugh.

"Right," Gen said. "So I make Emperor go with my mind…"

"Riding a dragon is about forming a connection," Jack offered. "That's part of the bond, which takes time."

"So duck and roll when you fall off," Clipper teased, doubling over on the ground with more laughter.

Gen did look over at the rider now, narrowing her eyes at her. "I'm not falling off."

"Everyone falls off on their first ride," she argued. "It's called a rite of passage. You aren't a rider unless you skin your knee on your first ride." She pointed at Sully. "Or your face, in his case."

"Blaze threw me out of spite," Sully muttered, shaking his head.

Are you going to throw me?Gen asked her dragon.

Do you want me to?

Just don't kill me, Gen replied. I'll figure this out.

Emperor, much like a horse, but also much stronger and majestic, took off at a sprint. The thundering of his legs under Gen was a surprising display of grace, soundlessly running across the plains.

Holding on and bearing down low, Gen held her breath. When the dragon's wings unfolded and started to beat, she released the tension in her chest, feeling a freedom start to blossom in her belly unlike she'd ever felt before.

When the pair launched into the air, Gen knew that this was the best moment of her entire life. They took off and into the sky immediately, rising higher. Everything that happened next was all instinct and a seamless communication between rider and dragon.

The flight was an exhilarating terror. Emperor had launched into the sky with a powerful leap, wind lashing at Gen as if trying to pluck her from her mount. She clung to him, her fingers threading through the reins, as they ascended above the mansion, Beverly Hills shrinking beneath them.

Emperor's mind control steadied her nerves, syncing their actions until they moved as one. Yet, every gust felt like a gale, every turn a battle against the forces of nature. Her muscles screamed in protest, her grip faltering, but she held on, mastering the rhythm of flight through sheer will.

Using her intentions, not her words, Gen urged Emperor to land. However, she really didn't want to since being in the air felt more natural than walking on two feet. To her surprise, the landing was quite hard and Gen wasn't holding on tight enough. The jolt threw her to the side, and she ducked just in time to clear her head as she rolled onto the ground, landing hard on her back.

"I told you!" Clipper exclaimed. "We always fall off!"

"Got it," Gen coughed, spitting out a mouthful of dirt as she rolled up and got to her feet.

"That was impressively smooth for your first time," Sully said, sounding proud. "You even made that fall look pretty good."

Gen brushed herself off. "I tried to fall with grace."

"Okay, we'll try that again a few times and then the final tasks if you're ready," Jack said, motioning for Emperor to come around beside Gen again.

They flew together several more times before Jack deemed that they could progress to the next tasks. The final trial was the running start. Emperor came around, standing beside Gen. The wind kicked up fiercely, as if challenging her to defy it once more. She positioned herself, watching Emperor start off at a trot. He moved ahead, then turned back to face her, his psychic push urging her to run.

She sprinted, heart racing, the ground blurring beneath her feet. As she neared Emperor, he surged forward. Gen leapt, aiming for his back. Too late, she realized her miscalculation. The world spun, the ground rushed up to meet her, and pain exploded in her shoulder as she hit the turf hard. Again, she ate dirt…

Whispers of doubt crept in. Laughter from the onlookers grew louder. The wind howled in derision. Yet, within the privacy of her mind, Emperor's voice offered calm and focus.

Get up,he said in her head. We try again.

Nursing her injury, she rose, determination igniting her gaze. This time, when she ran, it was with a limping gait, but an unbreakable spirit. Emperor matched her pace, his own massive form a beacon of strength. At the perfect moment, he lowered, and with a Herculean effort, Gen launched herself onto him, her grip ironclad.

She swung her leg around as he launched into the air. While the wind rushed by, Gen secured herself into the saddle, hunching down low and holding onto her dragon with a new fierceness. She felt the movement of his wings as they took off, a surge of triumph as they ascended, leaving the jeers and the estate far below.

This time, the wind was an ally, lifting them higher, and Gen, despite her throbbing shoulder, laughed into the rush of air. She and Emperor, united in defiance and strength, soared over Beverly Hills, a testament to the power of perseverance and the unbreakable bond between rider and dragon.

When they landed, Gen was surprised to find Dwayne standing next to Clipper and her dragon, watching. She knew by the look on his face that he wasn't cheering for her progress. Actually, he looked downright annoyed about it.

"That was really great!" Sully exclaimed, rushing up and holding up a hand to Gen as she clumsily slid off the side of her dragon.

She stared up at his hand and then gave him a look of uncertainty. "Thanks…"

He sighed. "It's a high-five. You're supposed to slap my hand with your own."

"Why?" she questioned.

"Because you did a good job," he explained. "It's a thing people do."

"Okay," she said and lifted her own hand and slapped it against his before pulling it back. She wasn't sure if that was what it was like to hold someone's hand, but it still felt like a nice enough, friendly gesture.

"I'd say you're a natural flyer," Jack said proudly with a toothy grin. "You'll be doing loops in no time."

"Thanks," she said, turning to Dwayne, Gen dared to grin. "So I've made progress. Maybe I'll get a case before this century is up after all, sir?"

He shook his head. "I've assigned you three tasks that must be completed before you'll get a case. I wouldn't get your hopes up. Actually, if I were you, I'd save myself the trouble and quit now and go live off your family's fortune. You're about as likely to pass these tasks as you are of getting back to the 15th century."