He gave the thumb-to-fingers ready sign.
Bhrava Saruth sat straighter in his seat, then leaped into the air, startling Rysha. He almost struck the tail of the flier, but missed it, and as he started to fall, he turned into his dragon form. He flapped his wings to stop his fall, then quickly caught up with Trip’s flier, his sleek golden form dwarfing it.
How was your nap? Shulina Arya asked, the words ringing in Rysha’s mind.
Not as enjoyable as I’d hoped, Bhrava Saruth replied. Flier seats are most uncomfortable. Captain Trip, why are there not proper cushions and pillows?
“Pillows?” Trip asked. “These are military aircraft.”
Which precludes that their occupants be comfortable?
“I think that’s in the rules, yes. We—hold on.”
Rysha looked over at Trip, the wind whistling against her face, but he was staring straight forward.
“I sense the dragons now too,” he said. “And I recognize one of them.”
“Drysaleskar the elder?” Rysha realized as soon as she asked that it couldn’t be, or their dragon allies would have recognized him.
“No, Telmandaroo.” Trip glanced at Ahn’s flier and added, “He’s a bronze dragon we encountered on the Pirate Isles. We helped him dispose of the self-proclaimed pirate king who was ruling over the islands with the help of a sorceress and a chapaharii sword.”
“I saw the mission report,” Ahn said. “What’s he doing out here if he has his own islands now?”
“A good question,” Trip said. “I guess this doesn’t change anything, right? We’re still going to assist these people?”
“We are,” Colonel Grady said, leaning over Ahn’s shoulder to yell the words at the communication crystal. “But keep us apprised if you’re able to learn any more information. Such as if we’re on our way to help an Iskandian airship or one from another nation.”
“Will we stop if we figure out they’re not Iskandians?” Trip sounded disapproving.
Rysha smiled at his noble streak.
“Not necessarily,” Grady called, “but we’ll have to assess the risk to ourselves and the mission. We cannot fail the king, so picking a fight may be unwise in some circumstances. Also, I have to think of different rhyming words if it’s a Cofah ship instead of an Iskandian one. It’s a more formidable nation name to work into lyrics.”
“Your life is difficult, isn’t it, sir?” Ahn asked.
“Inspiringly challenging.”
I have an update to report, Shulina Arya said, her voice as perky and enthused as ever, as if this was all new and exciting to her. Rysha supposed it was. Before these last few months, she’d only heard stories about humans and riders and missions where they worked together. The two flying boats appear to have engaged in battle. They are shooting large metal balls at each other. Also, one of the gold dragons and the bronze dragon have broken away from the others. They are coming toward us.
“I don’t think we’re going to get a choice about picking a fight,” Trip said.
Feeling grim at the announcement, Rysha rested her hand on Dorfindral’s hilt. It hummed eagerly, and images of slashing at dragons and driving the sword between their scales filled her mind. Dorfindral was never grim.
Who comes to interfere with our plunder? the voice of an unfamiliar female dragon boomed in Trip’s mind.
He sensed the large gold dragon was about twenty miles away now, with the more familiar bronze dragon—Telmandaroo—flying at her side. It wouldn’t take them long to close the distance.
As Trip had noted before, his team had two gold dragons on its side, along with the chapaharii swords, but he couldn’t assume they would be victorious in a battle. He sensed great power from that female—her aura diminished and obscured Telmandaroo’s, making him seem meek and puny in comparison—and suspected she was old, strong, and experienced in battle.
“I think that question is for you, Trip,” Ahn said.
He snorted, but didn’t disagree. Zirkander had implied this was his mission, even if Grady was in charge. Maybe he could come up with something clever to say in response to obviate the need to fight.
“On it,” he said, then switched to telepathy to address the dragon. Interfere? That is not our intent. We wish to join you.
Join me? You’ve heard of the wise and powerful Drivortia?
Even though twenty miles separated them, Trip sensed great power scraping at his mind. He slammed his mental vault door shut, hoping the distance would steal some of the dragon’s mind-reading efficacy.
Indeed. I have met your servant before. Trip took a guess that Telmandaroo wasn’t an equal partner in whatever arrangement he’d found himself in. He invited me to become one of his minions.
A bronze dragon with minions? What a ludicrous thought. They are destined to be minions themselves.
Trip tried to sense Telmandaroo and what he was thinking, though if the bronze was protecting his mind, he wouldn’t have a chance. To Trip’s surprise, he felt the bronze’s emotions easily, simmering indignation and loathing for the situation he found himself in.
I may accept you as a minion of mine, however, Drivortia said. But do you not already belong to those two gold dragons?
Belong to? I lead them.
Ringing laughter bubbled into Trip’s mind. So that was what a truly amused dragon sounded like.
Admittedly, it had been a cocky thing to say, but he thought it might mean she would continue to communicate with him instead of switching to the dragons. Though she might not want to talk to them. She might only be coming out here to confront his team because she had sensed their presence. Had Trip, Ahn, and Rysha been in the fliers without a dragon escort, they might have escaped notice, or been noticed and ignored.
When the laughter finally stopped, Trip let loose all his restraints and attempted to project his aura outward. He knew it wouldn’t impress a dragon, especially a gold dragon, but maybe he would at least look like a useful minion.
I lead them, he repeated. They are allied with Iskandia, and I am an officer in the Iskandian military, the officer that leads this mission.
A mission to plunder that which my mate and minions are already plundering? I assure you, you’ll fail.
“They’re fifteen miles out,” Trip updated the others. “I think we’re going to have to fight.”
“I’m ready,” Ahn said.
“Dorfindral has been excited for the last forty miles,” Rysha said.
Trip decided to try one last tactic, something that might turn the tides in their favor, because if the other gold dragon, the one still back with the airships, decided to come out and help Drivortia, Trip’s team would be outnumbered.
Telmandaroo, he thought, switching to the bronze and trying to make his focus very narrow in the hope that Drivortia would not overhear. A vain hope, perhaps, but even if she did overhear, maybe it wouldn’t matter. Do you remember me?
I remember you. I see you still have those foul swords with you.