Tolemek fired again, using a pistol loaded with his acid bullets. The dragon’s defenses were down after the beating it had taken, and acid already coated its scales, oozing between them and biting into flesh. The bullet smacked it in the backside. The dragon didn’t stick around to take more abuse. It leaped over the railing and flew away.
Trip jumped down from the tower and ran to the side of the platform to see where it went. Had they hurt it badly enough to put it out of commission? Or was it merely inconvenienced and on its way to attack someone else?
The dragon flew toward the harbor, then dove abruptly. At first, Trip thought it was after a flier or ship down in the water, but it plunged below the surface. He sensed its pain, its attempt to get rid of the acid burning through its scales. They might not have killed it, but Trip hoped its discomfort meant it wouldn’t be able to return to the battle.
“If I’d known you were simply going to throw the rockets like hook balls,” Tolemek said, coming up beside him, “I wouldn’t have bothered installing the launchers.”
“The launcher didn’t work.” Trip jerked his thumb toward the tower.
“Ah, this is why I wanted time to test everything.”
“Me too.”
Trip ran back to the tower, hoping he could quickly find and fix the problem. The weapons platform was almost to the harbor now, and he could hear the pounding of machine guns, the cries of men and dragons, and the thrum of propeller blades. Again, he wished he was in his flier, but he had to accept that he’d chosen this fate for himself and that once he got his platform fully operational, it had the potential to be far more helpful to his country than Trip alone.
He just hoped he could train others to operate it, because between the dragon’s attack and the power-sucking attribute of the ore, his head ached so badly he thought he would throw up. And the battle had just begun.
Some of the fliers are heading this way, Tolemek told him. He’d climbed one of the other towers and had a good view of the battle. With a gold dragon chasing them.
This way? Why?
Maybe they think we have a working rocket launcher to use.
Trip groaned. Would any of the others work or did they all have the same problem?
He peeked up from his work. He was about to find out.
25
“They’re aiming for our sword wielders again,” came Zirkander’s voice over the communication crystal. “Fly crazy. Keep them confused.”
Rysha listened as she and Shulina Arya chased after a gold dragon pursuing several of the fliers. It was pure luck that she wore the uniform that still had the crystal buttoned in the pocket.
“Don’t we always fly crazy, sir?” Captain Duck drawled. “That’s in the rules, isn’t it?”
“Get crazier. You’re the one with a gold dragon trying to polish your butt with her breath.”
“Her? Do we know it’s a her?”
“Don’t get excited, Duck,” Leftie said. “She doesn’t look like she’s into big ears.”
Rysha couldn’t believe the pilots could trade jokes when they were being chased by a dragon. A few of the fliers looped away, flying upside down and twisting to come back in and fire at the big gold. But their bullets bounced uselessly off the dragon’s shields.
Rysha silently urged Shulina Arya to fly faster, to get her there so she and Dorfindral could do something about those shields. She already crouched, ready to lash out as soon as she could.
The fliers that didn’t loop back to attack flew straight to the north, toward the hulking weapons platform that had come into view, the noises of its engines and propellers audible for miles around. Whoever was leading that squadron—Zirkander? Tranq?—was heading for it. Rysha hoped Trip had something waiting if they succeeded in leading the dragon within the platform’s range.
Surrender your foul blades, the gold chasing the fliers commanded. We will let you live if you do not threaten us further, but know that we have claimed this land for our own.
We’ve almost caught up to her, Shulina Arya told Rysha. Be ready.
Rysha was ready, but all she could see so far was dragon butt and dragon tail. Shulina Arya shifted slightly, beating her wings furiously to try to draw even with the enemy. But the gold wasn’t even paying attention to them. It flew at top speed, attempting to catch one of the fliers—was that Colonel Grady in the back?
The gold breathed fire at it as the pilot corkscrewed away, dipping low and out of the fire’s path.
Another gold dragon flew in from the side, almost ramming into the enemy. For a moment, Rysha was confused as gold dragons seemed to be everywhere.
It is I, the god Bhrava Saruth, cried the newcomer.
He snapped at the enemy, only to have his fangs deflected by magic, but two riders were astride his back, and one leaped up. Major Kaika. She rode behind Sardelle, who sat with her soulblade raised aloft. A fireball leaped from Jaxi’s tip and slammed into the dragon’s barrier. But it wasn’t until Bhrava Saruth twisted in the air, tilting his back toward the enemy so Kaika could slash with her chapaharii blade that her defenses dropped.
The female shrieked a protest and whipped her head toward them, snapping at Bhrava Saruth. Shulina Arya ducked as the tail lashed through the air toward her head. Rysha jumped up, slashing as the tip streaked past.
It had to be the least fatal place to strike a dragon, but she felt faint satisfaction as Dorfindral slashed through the tip of the tail, lopping off six inches. A screech of pain assaulted her ear drums.
Brace yourself, Shulina Arya warned as she rolled sideways.
Something slammed into them with the weight of a tree trunk toppled in a storm. Even though Shulina Arya’s defenses had to have been up, a jolt of pain rattled every bone in Rysha’s body. She dropped to her belly on Shulina Arya’s back, barely keeping her grip on Dorfindral.
You dare maim my mate? A furious cry thundered in her head, making her gasp with pain.
It was only then that Rysha realized the second enemy gold dragon had joined in.
She forced herself to sit up as Shulina Arya turned to face him. The gold female was injured but still in the fight, battling Bhrava Saruth and also giving chase to the fliers. They were flying over Trip’s platform now. Rysha hoped he could help, because Shulina Arya had decided to face this new threat.
I dare defend my new homeland, Shulina Arya cried, flying straight toward his head. You are not welcome here.
The male tilted and dipped, evading her blunt attack. You think you are truly welcome? These humans only wish to use you, as they used our kind a thousand years ago. They know they are weak and defenseless without us, so they befriend any dragon weak-minded enough to allow it.
Shulina Arya growled and banked, flying toward him again. Rysha crouched, hoping she would get close enough for her to use Dorfindral.
A half-dozen voices came out of the communication crystal in her pocket, shouting words like, “…got me” and “…too damaged to fly.”
“Land on the platform if you have to.” That was Zirkander.
Shulina Arya flew close, this time anticipating when the male dove away from her. She followed, opening her maw and spraying fire at him. His shielding deflected the flames, as expected. He banked sharply, evading her again.