"You awake, son?"

Wade's eyes snapped open as a hand fell on his shoulder. He was on Ember, arms wrapped tightly around her neck to keep his balance as she picked her way across the rocky ground. His father kept pace beside the horse, carefully watching Wade.

"Yes," Wade replied, stifling a yawn. He couldn't have slept if he wanted to—the throbbing ache in his chest from the earlier excitement made sure of that. But he hadn't exactly been awake, either. His eyes drifted to the blue dragon, hobbling alongside Aurum as she led them further north. They were on a small, rocky path, wedged between a cliff and a steep drop to the forest floor below.

"Kira and I are going to go look for food; we only have a day's worth of it left," Wade's father continued. "Will you be alright here?"

Wade tilted his head, something in his father's voice catching his attention. "You're bringing Kira?"

"She has a talent for finding edible plants." Wade jumped and turned; Serafina strode behind the two of them, one arm wrapped absentmindedly around Kira's shoulders. She looked down at her sister and grinned. "You read all of old Jack's books on them, didn't you?"

Kira nodded, her cheeks reddening at the compliment. But Wade noticed a certain tightness in the way that Serafina clung to the girl, and the tense lines around his father's mouth. He frowned but kept his mouth shut, lifting his head to scan the forest. Ember paused and followed his gaze, her ears twitching.

Wade's eyes flicked from the pines—which were gradually replacing the bare oaks as they moved deeper into the mountains—to the sky. It was yet again shielded behind a layer of dark clouds. A light rain fell from them, just enough to dampen Wade's clothes and chill him to the bone.

I'll go with them, Aurum added, glancing over his shoulder at their ragged group. His sister halted, giving him an incredulous glare. Aurum met her eyes, his presence receding as a flicker of thought passed between them. The blue dragon's wings drooped a little, and she leaned forward to lick his cheek before allowing him to retreat down the slope.

Wade's father followed; Serafina nudged Kira after him, but the girl broke from her side and trotted to Ember instead. With some surprise, Wade realized that she'd removed the jacket he had given her days before, hugging it to her chest in a crumpled ball.

"Here," Kira pushed the jacket into Wade's lap, tilting her head. "You need it more than I do."

"Thank you," Wade said, but she was already running toward Aurum. He watched in silence as he let her clamber on top of his back and started down the slope, Wade's father trailing behind. The blacksmith seemed to be struggling, and Aurum subtly moved to let the man cling to his shoulder.

Wade swallowed, his heart twisting. His father was strong, but his body was not meant for this sort of travel.

"He'll be okay," Serafina said softly, materializing beside Ember. She laid one hand on the horse's snout, frowning. "We're close to the other dragons."

"Is that why they're leaving?"

The blue dragon snorted; Wade glanced up to see her waiting at a bend in the trail, her tail lashing at the ground. He nudged Ember's sides with his heels, and she resumed her pace.

"Yes," Serafina said, fixing her eyes ahead. "They're..."

"Too young," Wade continued for her, hating the words. "And too old."

"Yes." Serafina bit her lip. "Henry can take care of Kira, and I'll..."

"Take care of me?" Wade forced a grin, despite how much it stung. He was so tired of being useless, of needing protection. He wanted to do something, not sit and watch as Serafina exhausted herself and his father grew more and more weak.

"Hey." Wade nearly fell out of the saddle as Serafina rested her hand on his shin. She was watching his face closely, a sad sort of understanding in her eyes. "You are not helpless, Wade."

"Tell that to Ash," Wade muttered. He regretted the words the instant they left his mouth; he turned his face away, biting his tongue.

Serafina's hand didn't move. "You saved him once already. The first time he fought Rivas, right?"

Wade froze. The Valkir's gray eyes, eerily like Asher's, flashed through his mind. "I... I just took him by surprise."

"What difference does it make?" Serafina waved her hand vaguely. "We don't need to be powerful to win; we just need to be smart. You stand as much a chance against a Valkir as I do, Wade. You've proven that already."

Wade let out a long breath. He'd told himself that so many times, but he still had trouble believing it. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Sera."

"Asher will be okay. He's strong."

Wade nodded, meeting her eyes. Serafina's cheeks suddenly reddened, and she moved her hand away. Wade felt heat creep into his face as well. He forced himself to look ahead, running one hand through his hair. It was tangled and dirty. Skies, he needed a bath. And a shave. The flush in his cheeks grew worse.

A storm is coming.

Wade jumped as the thought sliced through his mind, his eyes jumping to the blue dragon. Her mind felt much clearer than before—with a start, he realized that she'd formed her own link with him. From the way Serafina's head jerked up, he wasn't the only one.

You'd do well to move faster, Aurum's sister continued, flicking her tail as she disappeared around the bend. There's an overhang nearby you can take shelter under.

Thanks, Wade replied. The blue dragon ignored him, receding from the contact with a certain measure of relief. Their connection remained, however; if he reached out, Wade could sense both her and Aurum, whose thoughts had grown faint with the distance. Wade blinked and shook his head, trying to adjust himself to the two bonds.

"She's not very talkative," Serafina remarked, staring at the place the dragon had disappeared.

"At least she's not trying to eat us."

Serafina snorted. "Aurum trusts her enough to leave us alone with her, so I suppose she's safe."

There was a short pause. They rounded the corner of the path, and the blue dragon came back into view. Wade stared at her thoughtfully. "She needs a name."

"I was just thinking that," Serafina laughed. "Perhaps we could base it off of Aurum's?"

"Do you know what Aurum means?" Wade scoured his memories, frowning. "I don't think I've heard the word before."

"Er... Ash named him, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I noticed he'd use an old language every now and then when he thought we weren't listening. Mostly to curse." Serafina chuckled. "Nemarian, I think. And in it, Aurum means savior, or gold."

"How do you know that?" Wade asked, tilting his head.

"Reading. We had a family friend—a bookkeeper. He had this really old collection of books, all in Nemarian. Jack would help me read them when I visited." Serafina shrugged.

"Savior," Wade mused. "Apt name."

"Yes..." Serafina absentmindedly began to braid a portion of her hair. "And gold is also... oh, what about Caeli? It means blue. Or sky."

"Caeli," Wade repeated, nodding to himself. "Beautiful choice. Are you fluent?"

"Not at all," Serafina laughed. "I just know some basic words. Jack read most of it out loud to me. It is a beautiful language, though; I'd like to learn it one day."

The blue dragon—Caeli—stopped in her tracks and turned around. To her left the cliff curled inwards, creating a shallow dip in the stone. A few pines were strewn about it, adding some protection to the shallow roof the overhang formed. The path had widened as well, creating a sort of clearing. If it wasn't for the thin quality to the air, Wade would've thought they were back in the forest. He guided Ember to one of the trees and dismounted, hissing as pain flashed through his stomach. Fallen needles shifted beneath his feet, far softer and quieter than the layers of dead leaves he'd grown used to in Aleran. The forest was changing.

We'll stay here for now, Caeli said. She paused, confusion flooding her thoughts, and skimmed through Wade's mind. He flinched. You gave me a name, too?

Er... if you're alright with that. It makes things easier for us to have names.

An odd ritual, but I suppose that makes sense with the way you communicate. Caeli curled up with her back against one of the trees, warily eyeing Wade and Serafina.

Are... Wade hesitated, unsure how to voice his scrambled thoughts. Are there more dragons here?

Caeli took her time to reply. Yes, there are others. Nineteen, including myself and Aurum. Caeli carefully worded Aurum's name, testing it out.

Do they know we're here?

I am contacting our brother and sister now. The others are nearby.

Wade wasn't sure whether to be relieved or terrified. He looked at Serafina, who hadn't moved from Ember's side. She was closely watching Caeli, her brows furrowed.

"What is it?" Wade asked.

"The acid." Serafina waved at Caeli's ruined shoulder and wing. Wade looked closer, and his eyes widened; the dragon had shown no signs of pain apart from a slight limp, but now he saw the true extent of her wounds. "I'm asking if she'll let me heal her."

"Are you sure?" Wade hesitantly reached out and touched Serafina's shoulder.

She sighed, giving him a tired smile. "I can't do much, but I'm strong enough to make sure she'll be okay."

As she spoke, Caeli's eyes softened. She dipped her head a little, and Serafina took a few nervous steps forward. She kneeled at Caeli's side and let her fingers drift across the dragon's exposed flesh. Wade watched, openmouthed, as Caeli's skin knitted itself back together—the membrane of her wing began to grow back, and a few scales even emerged from the places they'd been burned away.

The distant rumble of thunder echoed through the mountains, drawing Wade's attention from Serafina. The wind was tearing through the trees with a renewed vigour; the clouds were moving in. Wade frowned, trying to measure their magnitude.

You don't know about the storms? Caeli interrupted, confused. Wade jumped. My brother did not tell you?

I never asked. Wade turned back to the sky. So there is something causing them?

Of course there is.

...What is it, then? Wade asked when she fell silent. Caeli snorted, jostling Serafina a little. It seemed she shared Aurum's snarky sense of humor.

Many of your kind fought in these mountains once, with... with others. It altered the magic here. Not for good or bad, but not everything is what it seems. Surely you've been able to sense that this place is different.

I don't think so... Wade paused and shook his head, letting his eyes roam across the mountains. Well, maybe. Once.

The dark mountain, Caeli observed. Yes. That peak is cursed.

Why?

Caeli fell quiet as Serafina moved across her shoulder, wincing when the girl focused on her wing. I do not wish to speak about it.

Wade reluctantly retreated. Glancing nervously at Serafina, he slumped against a pine and slid to the ground. The pain in his chest flared in protest, sparking a clean line of fire from the small of his back to the bottom of his ribcage. He hissed, stilling until the feeling subsided. Caeli lingered in his mind, watching.

You were lucky to survive, she observed.

Trust me, I am aware. Wade cleared his throat, lifting his eyes to the darkening sky. He was lucky to survive the initial strike; he was lucky Asher had done... whatever he had done to give Aurum time to escape with Wade; he was lucky Serafina had been able to keep him from bleeding out.

But you do not feel lucky.

Wade furrowed his brow. No, I do.

Then why are you upset?

Because... Wade scoured his mind, biting his lip. I... I just wish Ash could've been lucky, too. No, I wish we didn't need luck.

I am sorry.

Wade rested his chin on his knees. We'll find him.

Caeli's silence held the slightest hint of discomfort, and an even smaller measure of pity. She didn't believe it.

We will, Wade insisted, gritting his teeth.

A rush of air; a distant, angry roar. Serafina jumped and scrambled over to Wade, her hands curling into fists. Wade struggled to right himself, scouring the clearing for any signs of movement.

At first, Wade saw nothing but light rain. Then a dragon's head poked into view from behind a tree, almost shyly. Wade blinked; it was like a smaller version of Aurum, with black scales and sharp, golden eyes. The only difference was a deep red that shimmered along the top half of its body, as if it were coated in a thin layer of blood.

She won't hurt you, Caeli soothed.

Serafina didn't seem reassured in the slightest. Wade nudged her side, summoning a light smile. "Sera, what does red mean in Nemarian?"

"Er..." Serafina glanced at him, and then the dragon. "I don't... Ferranth? Ferah? Erranth?"

"I like Ferah," Wade mused. "Let's go with that."

They want to give you a name, Caeli said to the dragon, a blur of thoughts taking the place of the words. Ferah.

The dark red dragon snorted a little bit, her eyes drifting to Wade. He smiled and waved back, trying to seem at ease for Serafina.

This is my sister, Caeli explained. And my brother—

The roar came again, louder. Without further warning, another dragon dropped from the sky, landing mere yards in front of Wade and Serafina. Serafina screamed; Wade staggered back, knocking his head against a pine in his haste. The dragon's icy blue eyes and bronze scales served as a sharp contrast to the other dragons Wade had seen. A deep snarl rose in his as he met Serafina's gaze, and then Wade's. Caeli shot to her feet, quickly shoving him aside to stand in front of the two teenagers.

A soft nicker. Wade jumped, remembering Ember was untied and just behind him. She'd pressed her flank against one pine, but seemed otherwise unconcerned as she observed the three dragons.

Serafina, on the other hand, was shaking. Dimly aware of Caeli's frantic conversation with the bronze dragon, Wade instinctively reached out, grabbed her hand, and squeezed. "Hey, what's the word for bronze?"

"Aeris," Serafina breathed, her voice tight with disguised fear. Wade met her eyes, trying to convey some sort of reassurance. Caeli wouldn't let them come to harm. He had faith enough in her for that, even if his instincts screamed otherwise.

"Then he'll be Aeris."

"He could also be Donari," Serafina suggested.

"What does that mean?"

"Carnivore."

Wade snorted. Serafina let out a nervous laugh, tightening her grip around his hand.

"But Aeris works, too," she added.

The bronze dragon—Aeris—leaned around Caeli's side, sniffing Serafina and then Wade. A fraction of the hostility in his eyes faded, and he turned to the blue dragon.

Wade had never wished more that he could hear the other dragons as a minute crawled by, and then another. Through his bond with Caeli, he could vaguely sense the conversation taking place. The three dragons' thoughts were tangled together as they spoke: the confusion, fear, anger, suspicion, curiosity, and incredulousness was dizzying. After a few seconds, he retreated to his own mind and focused on Serafina. She looked just as overwhelmed as he felt; her hand trembled in his.

Finally, yet another presence brushed against Wade's mind. He traced the wary anger to Aeris. When the bronze dragon spoke, he radiated the energy of one representing many.

You need our help.

It wasn't a question, but Wade nodded. Yes.

So. Aeris growled deep in his throat, lifting his wings a little. You brought your enemies to our home.

Serafina stiffened next to Wade. He froze, cringing away from the dragon. I... I am sorry. We didn't know where else to go.

A long pause. Aeris' eyes flicked over to the red dragon, Ferah. I suppose... The bronze dragon's sides rose and fell in a long sigh. You are young and hurt and desperate.

That is no excuse, Wade replied automatically, lowering his head. Guilt flashed through his chest, sharp and bitter. If they had been followed...

Aeris' gaze softened. He looked at Serafina, who lifted her chin a little. She is not the same as the magic-users I fought. It was almost like a realization.

No. Despite everything, Wade smiled. She is not.

The bronze dragon hid his thoughts for a moment, and the resulting silence weighed heavily on Wade's shoulders. Then, finally, We will shelter you. Follow me; I know a better place to wait out the storm.

With that, Aeris spun around and vanished into the trees. Caeli took a few steps after him, flicking her head for Wade and Serafina to come along.

"Should we get Ember?" Serafina asked, pulling back when Wade made to move forward. He glanced back at the horse, who walked forward of her own accord. She stopped a few paces ahead and looked back at them, as if to tell them to hurry up.

"I guess not." Wade chuckled, a little confused. Perhaps Caeli or one of the other dragons had spoken to Ember.

Serafina nodded and looped his arm around her shoulders, helping him limp after the dragons. Ferah followed behind them at a distance, her eyes shy and curious.

It's okay, Wade told himself, glancing back at her. They seem friendly enough.

Even so, he couldn't quite contain his fear as they moved deeper into the darkness of the trees. Above, the storm finally began to close in.