Dragon Airways

by Brian Rathbone

  * * *

  Riette woke with a start, thinking she heard a far-off boom, like thunder except it didn't come again. When she reached for him, Emmet was gone. In a panic, she rubbed her eyes and tried to find her brother. Stumbling back into the light, which was now fading to deep shades of purple, she found the carriage tossed to one side. Dashiq hovered over the black stone wearing only her war saddle, which had two seats.

  "You weren't going to tell me, were you?" Riette asked, incensed. "You were just going to fly off with Tuck and leave us here?" The look on Tuck's face spoke for him. Emmet had his jacket buttoned and stood ready to mount. "Oh, no. Not again you're not. How could you think this in any way acceptable? How are you any better than—" She looked around. Berigor was gone. Al'Drakon and Tarin were gone. Barabas shrugged under her questioning gaze.

  "They'll come back for us," Tuck said, not daring to meet Riette's glare.

  "You knew they were going to leave without telling me," she said.

  He averted his eyes.

  Even though she knew he was torn between what Barabas wanted him to do and what she thought was only right, she fumed. Stealing her brother and using him like some tool of war certainly was not right. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. When she approached Dashiq, Tuck moved out of her way. It was the smartest thing she'd seen him do in a while.

  Emmet looked down from the saddle. "Don't be sad," he said.

  Riette stopped in her tracks. He was at peace. He was not afraid or even under duress. He was in that seat because he wanted to go. Who was she to make him stay? A fine job she'd done of keeping him safe. Already he'd proven himself in battle, which boggled Riette's mind, and she did not forget what was at stake. Everything she loved and knew would likely be destroyed in the looming invasion. It was a matter of time before the fleets converged. Riette felt utterly useless. She was just excess weight and had to be cast off. Tuck might know exactly how she felt, but she was angry and afforded him no empathy. Too many times he'd lied to her. Even if he'd thought those lies were in her best interest, it did not excuse the deceptions. Relationships were built on trust, and she could no longer trust his words.

  "I'll come back and get you," Emmet said when Barabas strapped himself in. In that moment he resembled a normal boy, one who loved his sister and was going to defend her. He locked eyes with her, and she heard his voice in her mind say the words, "I love you." Expressing emotion had never been among Emmet's strong points. The rarity of those words, even if only heard in her mind, meant more to Riette than anything else. In spite of all her mistakes, all her resentments and bad judgments, he still loved her.

  "There will come a time when you'll have to choose between me and him," Riette said to Tuck, locking eyes with him. "I suspect I know what you will decide."

  Tuck grew smaller. "I'm sorry," he said before walking over to Dashiq and double-checking the straps.

  His shoulders shaking brought no joy, satisfaction, or absolution. There was only pain and guilt. No matter how hard she tried, she wasn't finished being angry yet.

  Just as the stars began to shine, Dashiq used the air currents to spiral upward over the green crystal columns. Barely a sound was made when she tucked her wings and disappeared from view. No matter how hard she tried, Riette could not find them again. They might as well have ceased to exist, and the thought nearly crushed her. Tuck offered his hand when she climbed down, and she accepted it, trying to be a bigger person. Even so, she did not smile or thank him.

  "Did you see what they did to Berigor?" Tuck asked when the silence had hung too long.

  Riette nodded.

  "I mean, I knew the cap'n saved Dashiq, but I could never picture exactly what it was he'd done. Now I'm even more amazed the old bird still flies."

  "What happened with Al'Drakon and Tarin?"

  "Don't know," Tuck said. "I fell asleep and when I woke up, the cap'n was tearing the carriage off in a rage. Was it the explosion that woke you?"

  Riette nodded again.

  "It was out to sea," he said, pointing beyond the city. "No idea what or why."

  Riette took his hand once again, also grabbing his false hand. "Will you make me a promise?"

  Tuck looked as if he were trapped in front of a stampeding bull. "I . . . uh . . . maybe?"

  "Do you think I am capable of handling the truth?"

  Tuck nodded.

  "Do you think I deserve to know the truth?"

  Tuck nodded again.

  "Then will you promise not to lie to me ever again?"

  "I promise," Tuck said.

  "Good. Now how do you feel?"

  "I'm not so sure they're gonna come back for us."

  It was not how Riette had expected the conversation to go.