Wade wasn't sure what to stare at: the ocean or the dragon sleeping next to his legs. His eyes kept flicking between the two, trying to take it all in.

For now, he watched the sea. A strong breeze blew in from it, tousling his hair and whisking grains of salt and sand into his eyes. As the day had lengthened and the clouds drew apart to reveal the azure sky, its color had deepend into a dark, beautiful blue. The endless, shifting mass of water seemed infinite, stretching out toward the sky until the two halves of the world blurred and merged into one. Some part of him wanted to go sit on the cliff and dangle his legs over the edge, watch the raging waves below. The rest, however, thought only of the terrible drop that awaited him if he fell. So he stayed a safe distance away, next to Aurum.

Aurum . . . Wade yet again found himself looking at the dragon. A creature he'd only heard stories of, sleeping mere feet away. How could he not stare? Aurum's sides rose and fell in deep, even breaths. His scales caught the weak sunlight, gleaming darkly. He was huge, twice as big as Ember.

The dragon twitched and growled in his sleep, exposing twin rows of jagged white teeth. Wade flinched away, startled. He glanced automatically to his left, where his father was tending to Ember. He'd been there for some time: the blacksmith seemed even more unnerved around Aurum than Wade was, though he at least trusted the dragon enough not to eat either of the boys.

"This can't—gah!"

Not far behind Wade, Asher was glaring at a tree. He kicked the bark and swore, his eyes flinty. He'd been standing there for around twenty minutes now.

"You alright, Ash?" Wade asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did the tree do something to you?"

"Yes. No." Asher scowled. "I hate magic."

"What's wrong? It didn't look like you have had trouble before now."

"Every time I try, something stops me. It's like I can't breathe. I bet she's doing it somehow." Asher took a deep breath and walked over to Wade. He collapsed on the ground, looking out across the ocean. His hair was even messier than usual, and there were deep circles gouged under his eyes. "I think I'm close, though."

"We're not in a hurry right now."

"Sure. As long as Rivas or that Idris woman don't find us."

"Rivas?"

"That's the Valkir from Aleran."

"Oh. Him."

"Yeah." Asher paused and scowled. "It shouldn't be this hard to find someone."

"You can do it, Ash. You're good at this."

"I'm really not."

Wade shrugged. Silence swelled between them. Wade peacefully listened to the crashing waves; Asher seemed drawn inward, tugging invisible strings to find a young woman who had done the impossible—who had killed a Valkir.

After some time, Wade grew bored and edged a bit closer to the cliff's edge. His heart hammered harder as he neared the steep drop, and the ground seemed to tilt beneath him. A foot away, he stopped. Wade held his position for a moment before reeling back, a harsh breath escaping his lips. But he'd done it, if only for a few seconds.

Asher, his eyes downcast and unfocused, didn't seem to notice. A few more minutes ticked by until he shook his head and spoke.

"I think I've got it." He sounded more weary than triumphant.

"And?"

Asher turned to look at the mountains. "That way. It's faint, but I can feel something tugging me towards them."

"That's it?"

Asher sighed. "Yes. Twenty minutes, and all I get is a vague idea of where she is. But at least it's something."

Wade clapped him on the back and stood up. "I'll go get Father."

It was cooler in the shade of the trees. Wade only had to walk a few yards before his father came into view. He was stroking Ember's fur, trying to calm the horse down. She nickered and looked behind Wade, her eyes wide and fearful. She could smell Aurum, he was sure of it.

"Did Asher do it?" Wade's father asked, looking up.

"Yes. He says we need to go toward the mountains."

"Alright."

Just as they came back to the cliff, Aurum's eyes snapped open. He yawned and stretched lazily but didn't move. Asher looked at him expectantly, and his eyes glazed over as he spoke with the dragon.

"What are you talking about?" Wade's father asked.

"He wants to rest a little longer." Asher's eyes flicked back to Aurum. "And he says we should as well."

"Nice as it would be to head off right now, he's right," Wade said, gratefully slipping back down to the dewy grass. He was tired, and he could tell that the others were, too.

His father hesitantly sat beside him, keeping an eye on Aurum. "I suppose an hour or two won't hurt," he muttered, fiddling his thumbs.

With a strange sort of hum, Aurum rolled over on his side to face the two of them. His nose twitched, and he snorted. His golden eyes locked Wade in place, bright and unmoving.

"Er—what's he doing?" Wade asked after a moment.

Asher settled down on the grass with them, lying on his stomach. He looked up, his face uneasy. "He . . . he asked where your mother was."

Wade froze. The necklace he still had in his pocket suddenly felt much heavier, and he had to resist the urge to pull it out. His father stiffened beside him; when he spoke, his voice was edged with suspicion.

"Talia's dead."

Asher lowered his eyes. "I know. I just told him."

As if on cue, Aurum blinked and dipped his head. His eyes glimmered with something that looked like sympathy, though there was no way to be sure.

Wade cleared his throat, eager to break the tense silence. "So," he said, looking at Aurum. "Where is he from? How is he . . . well, how is he here? Aren't dragons extinct?"

Asher had to ask Aurum's permission before he told them. The dragon blinked, and he haltingly related Aurum's story. How his race still lived far off in a place Aurum had declined to reveal to him. How the dragon's home had been raided by magic-users, possibly Valkir, and how Aurum had left to explore new lands and—Wade guessed this part—to escape the sorrow and loss the men had left in their wake.

When he'd finished, Asher slumped to the ground, resting his head on his arms. Wade had more questions, a lot more, but Asher looked utterly drained. He reluctantly leaned back, exchanging a look with his father. His face was blank, but Wade could see a trace of sorrow in his eyes.

Aurum moved for the first time in a while, shifting closer to Wade. Asher suddenly bolted upright, his fatigue forgotten.

"No—" he said aloud, reaching toward the dragon.

Wade jumped; he had felt something in his head, an odd pressure. Then a tidal wave of pure, unrestrained emotion flooded through him. Thoughts echoed through his mind, strange and unfamiliar.

Hello.

Wade gaped at Aurum for a moment, dumbstruck. Then his father grasped his shoulder, driving his attention away from the dragon.

"Wade, what's wrong?" the blacksmith demanded.

"I—I think . . ." Wade trailed off, shocked. He looked at Asher, who was busy scowling at Aurum.

"Are you alright?" his father said, his tone now much more urgent and laced with fear.

"Yes," Wade said. He shook his head; the presence had abated suddenly. Asher was still face-to-face with Aurum.

"Sorry," Asher finally said. "Aurum just wanted to talk to Wade. Speaking through me was annoying him." He glared at the dragon. "He didn't think to ask."

"He can do that?" Wade's father asked, his eyes widening. "With us?"

"Yes, of course."

Wade shook his head. "That was so strange. But I'm fine, I'm fine," he added, catching the look in his father's eyes. "I was just surprised."

"He was building a connection while I was talking," Asher said, sighing. He looked up at Aurum. "He's apologizing now. He didn't mean to intrude."

"I don't mind," Wade said.

Asher listened to Aurum for a moment, then coughed awkwardly. "He's asking if he can speak—directly—to you. To both of you."

Wade's father frowned. "When you were explaining this . . . bond earlier, you said you had a hard time keeping your thoughts private."

Asher stood silently, talking to Aurum. "He says it can be hard to control, and I was the first human he tried it with. He'll be able to do it better this time."

Wade looked at his father; the blacksmith looked at Asher, who shifted uncomfortably but held his gaze. Asher nodded ever so slightly, answering a question Wade hadn't been privy to.

"I'd rather not," Wade's father said slowly. "I do not mean this unkindly, but I have thoughts and memories that are mine and mine alone." He looked at Wade. "But I won't stop you, son. It's your choice."

Wade bowed his head in wordless thanks and turned to Aurum. He trusted the dragon—instinct told him he meant them no harm—but the thought of sharing a mental bond still made him pause. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded.

There was a brief pause as Asher related their choices to the dragon. Aurum blinked at Wade, and the thoughts suddenly rushed back. Wade could feel the dragon's presence, foreign but friendly.

Sorry, Aurum said. Well, he didn't say it—instead he simply showed Wade his remorse.

"He doesn't understand us, right?" Wade asked.

"Not when we speak out loud, no," Asher replied, watching them both carefully. "Dragons don't have a language. You have to communicate up here." He tapped the side of his head.

Wade closed his eyes, concentrating. Don't be sorry. Hi.

Aurum seemed relieved. This is so much easier.

Wade agreed, rubbing the side of his head.

"What are you talking about?" Wade's father asked. A sliver of tension remained in his demeanor.

"Just . . . talking." Wade shrugged.

"It's odd, right?" Asher asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah." Wade laughed, the pent-up nervousness in him melting away. He could still feel Aurum's presence, quiet and watchful. "But amazing as well. This is really how he speaks?"

Asher nodded. Wade looked back at Aurum, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Right," Wade's father said. The protective worry in his eyes had faded somewhat. "I'm going to try and sleep for a bit. Wake me when we need to leave."

"Yes, sir," Asher said, his smile slipping away.

Wade's spirits fell as well at the reminder of their situation. With a sigh, he laid down on the soft grass and gazed up at the cloud-ridden sky. They would need all the rest they could get over the next few days, weeks, months . . . years. He closed his eyes against the sudden chill in his heart and let his mind drift elsewhere, and was grateful when his exhaustion carried him off to the warm embrace of sleep.

<><><>

Not even a half hour later, Wade woke up. He closed his eyes, trying to fall back into his dreams, but the sun shining directly overhead seared through his eyelids, turning his vision a bright orange and making it impossible to relax.

With a frustrated sort of grunt, he sat up and looked around. His father was fast asleep under the shade of a tree, and Asher was sitting at the edge of the cliff. He was laughing softly, looking at something beneath them. Aurum was nowhere to be found.

"What is it?" Wade asked, dragging himself over to his friend.

"Look," Asher said, pointing. Wade carefully leaned forward, following his finger. The coast stretched for miles on either side, the stone cliffs plummeting sharply down to the waves below. However, there were a few tiny strips of rocky beach lining the ocean.

On one such beach, Aurum had leapt into the sea. He stood shoulder-deep in the water, bounding playfully through each wave as it came. The water broke against his scales, sending up sprays of glittering water. He had flung his wings out, letting the ocean cover every inch of his body.

Wade chuckled with Asher as he watched the dragon caper about. "How long has he been doing that?"

"About ten minutes. He seems to be having fun."

"That he does," Wade laughed.

Below them, Aurum stiffened and glanced up.

You're awake, the dragon stated, surprised.

Yes. I couldn't fall back asleep.

Do you want to join me? I can fly you down here.

Wade had a mental image zooming through the air with nothing below him but the brutal waves and shuddered. What about Asher?

He's keeping watch . . . The dragon was rather far off, but Wade could still see his head tilt to the side. Oh. You're afraid of heights.

I am, Wade admitted, albeit reluctantly. He didn't feel like trying to lie through the bond so soon.

Aurum darted underwater for a moment, resurfacing in even deeper waters. He bobbed through them, splashing happily about. That makes sense, I suppose. You humans don't have wings. Even though I would catch you if you fell off. He gave a sort of mental shrug. If you change your mind, let me know.

Wade hesitated. He'd probably never see the sea after this, and Aurum was offering him a chance to get an even closer look at it. Did he really want to pass that up?

"Wade, you should go."

Wade turned to glare at Asher. "He told you?"

"This dragon has no concept of privacy. You get used to it."

Wade shook his head and sighed. "I feel like I'll fall right off of him."

"You won't."

"What about you? I can keep watch up here."

Asher grinned. "Stop trying to get out of it. I've been to the ocean before." A hint of sadness flashed through his eyes, but a second later it had vanished.

Wade opened his mouth, but he'd run out of excuses. "Fine, Ash. You win."

Asher snickered and looked at Aurum. The dragon immediately leapt up out of the water and drove his wings downward, zooming into the air. Wade watched nervously as the dragon spun toward them, flying at a breakneck speed. It took him only a few seconds to reach them, landing with a rush of wind.

Wade clambered to his feet and eyed the dragon warily. Beads of seawater still glinted on his scales.

I'll go slowly, Aurum reassured him.

With Asher's guidance, Wade scrambled on top of Aurum's back. The dragon crept to the very edge of the cliff and paused, gathering his strength.

"Just hold on tight!" Asher called, backing away so Aurum didn't accidentally blow him off the cliff when he flapped his wings.

Wade gritted his teeth. Trust me, I am.

And then Aurum jumped.

For a single, horrible second, they were falling. Before Wade could scream, the dragon spread his wings and they were flung back into the air. He began a steep but gentle glide toward the beach. Wade gasped and closed his eyes, fighting down a wave of panic.

Thankfully, it was over soon. Aurum landed carefully; Wade barely felt the impact. He slipped off the dragon's back, stumbling on the loose rocks. The smell of the ocean was much stronger here—salty, but also laced with something distinctly plantlike and ever so slightly rotten.

Aurum was about to leap back in the water when he paused. He glanced up at the cliff, where Asher's small figure was visible, and snorted. Amusement radiated off of him.

What is it? Wade asked.

Asher grumbled about how I wasn't so gentle with him on his first flight.

What did you do?

Aurum gave him a mental image of him diving to the ground, Asher screaming somewhere on his back.

That was mean, Wade admonished, trying and failing to stifle a laugh.

But fun, Aurum retorted. With that, he ran back to the sea, letting loose a great, joyful roar. Despite the delight evident in it, Aurum still sounded fierce, almost menacing.

Wade walked to the edge of the ocean and knelt down, watching the waves. The foamy water crashed into the shore with the force of a hammer striking an anvil, draining through the wet rocks as it continued its frenzied race toward Wade's shoes.

A particularly large wave managed to reach him and swirled around his feet, just barely making it past his soles. Wade tentatively reached out and touched the water, letting it engulf his hand. Underneath the froth, it was surprisingly clear. And cold. His fingers went numb almost immediately.

It's beautiful, he said, gazing out across the sea. He watched a wave drag itself away from the mass of water and crest over, sending another surge of white foam onto the shore.

It is, Aurum agreed happily. But don't drink the water.

Why?

Aurum didn't answer. Wade's eyes drifted to the seawater around his feet.

No. Listen to the dragon, he scolded himself. He sat back, determined to simply enjoy the ocean.

He lasted a full minute before curiosity overwhelmed him. With one last look at Aurum, he cupped a bit of water in his hands and tasted it. It was disgusting: he instantly recoiled and spat it back out, coughing.

You really should listen to me, Aurum said smugly. He jumped into the air, performed a sort of midair flip, and began wading back to the shore, shaking water from his wings.

Wade spat into the sea and narrowed his eyes at the dragon. Don't.

I told you not to drink it. Aurum's eyes shone with mischief. He paused a few feet away from the shore and shook his head, trying to dry off a little.

The dragon was within range. Wade leapt into the water and splashed some at Aurum's head. Taken by surprise, the dragon got an entire faceful of seawater.

"Ha!" Wade cried.

Aurum blinked, looking utterly bewildered. After a moment, he let out a low, dangerous growl. He slammed his wing back into the ocean and sent a shower of water flying over Wade, soaking the boy in seconds.

"Wha—hey!" Wade kicked another burst of water at the dragon and danced back before he could retaliate, laughing all the while. He retreated deeper into the waves, forcing Aurum to follow him and get even more wet in the process. He suddenly felt years younger, and he could feel a similar emotion radiating from Aurum.

And despite how heavy and cumbersome Wade's clothes became, despite the icy water that sunk its claws deep into his bones, despite the sand that blew into his eyes, he didn't care. He dove even deeper into the water, feeling happier than he had in weeks, perhaps even years.

For once, there was nothing holding him back.