Blood, Honor and Dreams (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #2)

“Maybe Charm is right, maybe I am insane,” he mused as he eyed the fighters below him. He had never actually been in an aerial combat before and he was getting ready to take on eight seasoned fighters. Well, at least he assumed they were seasoned. There was a possibility they were as green as he was, a slim possibility. “This must be what comes from years of oppression,” he muttered and flicked his gaze down below the ships to the sparkling waters of the Midland Sea. It was now or never. If he delayed the ambush much longer they would be over land and that would eliminate his chance of escape if he needed one.

He flexed his fingers on the controls and took a deep breath. “Hold on gobbies,” he called back to the cargo bay and dropped into a steep dive aimed at the last two fighters in the escort. He actually felt a bit sorry for the goblins trapped in the cage, even though he hated the creatures. They were in for a rather rough ride.

The pilots of the two spell hawks spotted him too late and his opening fire ripped through their ships sending both plummeting toward the water. “Six,” he mumbled as the next two in line broke away from the transport ship and turned back to meet him. He pulled out of the dive and circled his own ship. Screams and howls erupted from the cargo bay as the ship tilted with the turn and Shade nodded in response.

“I know, I know,” he muttered, pulling back on the controls and forcing the nose of his ship almost vertical. “And it’s only going to get worse,” he added as he dodged the first shots from the Rivasan ship behind him and pulled out of the climb to return fire. He had gained distance on the Avanti ship with the maneuver but the Rivasan pilot was obviously more skilled.

His fingers traced a path over the gun controls and he selected two at random as he turned The Shade directly at the Rivasan ship. More gunfire erupted from the enemy as he approached. Cranking the controls he barely managed to dodge the worst of it and heard the screech of metal as one of the rounds grazed the side of his ship.

“Oh you are going to fucking die for that,” he growled and poured on more speed. The Rivasan ship faltered as he continued his headlong rush straight at it and at the last moment it tried to turn away. “Sucker,” Shade chuckled and activated the runes on the selected guns. The shots hit the Rivasan ship broad side punching holes through the thin metal from the view screen back to the wing. He pulled his ship off the headlong course and began another climb. The cloud cover would be an asset as long as he was still outnumbered.

“Five,” he said quietly. He didn’t bother watching to make sure the ship went down. He didn’t need to. Those shots had been acid and gas rounds, the pilot would be choking up his own lungs as the acid spilled out of its casing and began eating through the ship. The casings for those rounds had been experimental and he felt himself relax at the sight of them working. He hadn’t been sure they would be solid enough to actually break through a spell hawk hull.

A red light began to flash on his view screen and he flicked the control for the rear view screen. The Avanti ship had managed to gain ground on him and looked to be preparing to fire. “Alright then,” he said eyes locked on the view screen. Pulling back hard on the controls he brought the ship into a vertical roll. More goblin screams rose in the back as well as the clangor of items that hadn’t been properly secured. He blocked out the noise as well as the seat harness that was biting painfully into his chest. A mild flash of vertigo struck him as he brought his ship in behind the slower Avanti vessel and opened fire. The bullets tore through the back panels and one wing broke loose.

“Shit,” Shade gasped as the torn metal flew straight back toward his ship. He cranked hard to the right and barely dodged the wing. Ahead of him the Avanti ship was dropping like a stone toward the unforgiving sea. It was doubtful the pilot would be able to escape. It was standard protocol to have wards against teleportation on spell hawks. Supposedly it was to prevent them from being hijacked. All it really did was guarantee the pilot died with his ship. “Four,” Shade said and turned his attention back to the remaining fighters.

They were sticking close with the transport now and seemed to be gaining speed. Apparently they thought they could outrun him. He chuckled at the thought and selected his next target. “Bye bye, Rivasa,” he mumbled.

What the hell are you doing? Charm demanded sounding a bit frantic.

Glad you contacted me. Which side of the ship are you on right now and is Remedy with you. This is very important, Charm, Shade replied.

The right side near the center and yes, I’m right beside him. Why? Charm replied, sounding even more frantic.

Just needed to know where to put the door. You are going to have to jump, by the way. So what I really need to know now is, can you teleport? Shade answered calmly as he dove once again toward the enemy ships and opened fire on the Rivasan vessel. Plumes of smoke rose from the ship as it began to spiral away from the transport.

Yes I have a ring that will allow me to. Is this really your plan, Shade? Blow a hole in the side of the ship and I jump!

Got a better one? Shade asked with a chuckle.

I think I might hate you, Charm replied and cut the mental link off between them.

He was about to begin another climb when the cargo hatch of the falling ship opened. “What the hell,” he mumbled as he watched a figure brace itself on the door frame. Golden blond hair whipped around her as she threw herself out of the ship and into open air. Long dark skirts tore at the wind as the ship fell away from the woman. “What are you doing lady?” he muttered shaking his head in confusion.

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