Wake up.

I don't want to, Wade groaned as Aurum's mind brushed against his. Unfortunately, cold adrenaline was already buzzing through his veins as the dragon's impatience filtered through their bond. He opened his eyes, squinting at the branches of the pine he'd been sleeping under. The sky, visible through scattered gaps in the needles, was still dark. A soft layer of bluish-gray clouds slid across it, whisked along by the bitter wind.

It was time.

Aurum's head loomed before him, golden eyes narrowed. The dragon leaned down and nudged Wade's side with his snout, rolling him onto his stomach. Wake up.

"Hey!" Wade yelped, batting Aurum away as he scrambled upright. "I'm awake, I'm awake."

Aurum snorted and leaned back. When Serafina finishes working on my sister, we're leaving.

Okay. Wade scrubbed at his eyes, clambering to his knees and grabbing his bag. He quickly checked it's contents. He and Serafina would only carry what they couldn't easily replace: bandages, money, some dried out meat in case they didn't have time to hunt and cook their food. For the sake of the dragons—especially Caeli, who hadn't fully recovered—they'd need to travel light.

Not like they had much anyways.

Wade sighed and tied the bag shut before slipping it over one shoulder. For the last five days, he'd been aware of every minute, every second they were wasting. They'd kept their time in the dragons' hollow as short as possible: despite Serafina healing them each morning, Wade still had difficulty walking for more than a few minutes, and Caeli couldn't hide the shooting pains that slipped through the bond she shared with Wade whenever she moved. But they couldn't wait any longer.

Wade stretched and stood, searching for Serafina. She was next to the stream, her fingers hovering over Caeli's injured shoulder. The dragon looked much better, at least: her wing was whole again, and most of her scales had grown back.

Where's Kira? Wade asked Aurum, scanning the rest of the little clearing they'd been calling home.

With my brother.

Wade blinked and followed Aurum's gaze to Aeris. Kira was tucked under the bronze dragon's wing, her face half-obscured by her hair as she slept. Aeris met Wade's gaze, as if challenging him to say something.

With a soft laugh, Wade just lifted his hand in greeting. Aeris hadn't created a bond with any of them; he couldn't speak to the dragon even if he wanted to.

Aeris rolled his eyes and briefly touched Wade's mind. The little one crawled next to me in the middle of the night. She won't move. Get her off.

You don't seem to mind. Smothering a grin, Wade scanned the dragon's thoughts. And here I thought you didn't like us.

I don't like you, Aeris snapped back, though there was no real venom in the thought. He quickly cut off the contact, looking away with a quick, annoyed shake of his head.

Kira has quite the effect, Aurum observed dryly, opening his jaw in a ferocious yawn. If one of your Valkir spent a day with that child, I believe he'd have a change of heart.

Wade snickered and walked to the stream, exchanging a brief wave with Serafina before kneeling beside the water. Of course! We just need to set Kira on the Valkir. Problem solved. He cupped his hands, still smiling, and took a few sips of the icy liquid.

You are a silly human.

I try, Wade replied, wetting his hands and scrubbing them across his face.

Henry is with Ember. You should talk to him: I don't know what he's doing, but he looks tired.

Wade jerked upright, his eyes roving across the clearing. Ember usually rested in a grassy area behind him; sure enough, he glimpsed his father with the horse through the trees. He walked to the blacksmith, scraping his fingers through his hair in a halfhearted attempt to get some of the dirt out of it. Along with a sore back, getting grime everywhere was one of the consequences of sleeping on the forest floor.

"Dad?" he asked, keeping his voice soft as he drew up besides Ember.

Wade's father was kneeling not far from the horse, his hands clasped before him. With a jolt, Wade realized he was praying.

The blacksmith glanced up and dipped his head. "Good morning."

"'Morning." Wade hesitantly continued forward, sitting cross-legged next to his father. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You haven't. Would you like to join me?"

Wade nodded and rested his chin in his hands. There was no proper way to pray, so he simply made himself comfortable and closed his eyes. Lord, please keep us safe. And watch over Asher until we can get to him.

The leaves rustled above Wade; he let his mind empty, simply focusing on the sounds around him. With his thoughts still, he could faintly sense the bond he shared with Aurum and Caeli. Their steady presences buzzed in the back of his mind, faint bursts of thought and image and emotion filtering through his brain. It was a strange sensation, one Wade still wasn't used to, but he relaxed into it.

After a few minutes, Wade felt something warm and wet nudge his shoulder. He twitched and looked up into Ember's dark eyes. The horse pushed her nose against him again, and Wade reached out to pat her cheek.

Wade's father shifted and glanced up, chuckling when he noticed Ember. "She loves you."

"I don't know why," Wade murmured, brushing his fingers across Ember's mane. "But I'll take it."

Wade, Aurum interrupted. Two minutes.

With some reluctance, Wade rose and dusted off his pants, leaning against Ember as she pressed her side against him. He met his father's eyes, and his heart panged. I don't want to say bye.

It's not goodbye, Aurum reassured him. You will see him again; he'll be fine. And so will you.

I know. But it doesn't stop the worry. Wade took a deep breath and hugged his father one last time, squeezing his eyes shut. "I love you."

"And I love you." Wade's father pulled back and placed his hands on Wade's shoulders, smiling. "I'm proud of you, son."

"Be careful."

The blacksmith gave Wade a crooked grin. "Don't tell me what to do, boy."

"I can when you're sick, old man."

His father raised an eyebrow. "There's a fine line between jokes and disrespect."

"I'm an expert at toeing it." Wade winked, breathing a subtle sigh of relief when the smith chuckled. They both knew he wasn't. Wade was a respectful kid, and proud of it; besides, his father didn't tolerate insolence.

Wade quickly gave his father another hug before walking back through the trees. In moments, they both stood next to Aurum. To Wade's surprise, Serafina rushed forward and extended one hand to his father.

"We'll take care of each other," the girl promised, her eyes fierce.

Wade's father clasped Serafina's hand. "And I will do the same for Kira."

"Thank you," Serafina whispered, almost too softly for Wade to hear. Then she was gone, running to Aeris. She knelt beside Kira, waking her with a gentle touch on her shoulder. Aeris looked on, his gaze filled with something that Wade could've sworn was concern.

Wade's father leaned back a little, narrowing his eyes as he glanced between Serafina and Wade. A moment later, Aurum let out a sharp gust of air in what was his version of a laugh.

What is it? Wade asked, confused as waves of amusement rolled from the dragon.

He just told me to make sure you two behave.

Wade's mouth fell open, and a sudden rush of heat rose in his cheeks. "Father!"

"I'm kidding," the blacksmith laughed. He winked, and Wade wanted nothing more than to melt into the ground. "Mostly."

Wade shook his head, pressing his lips together to hide his smile. With some reluctance, he walked to Aurum and clambered atop the dragon's back. Serafina had wrapped Kira in a fierce hug, and was whispering something to the girl. After a long moment, they parted. Serafina ran to Caeli, mounting the dragon with a sort of grace that Wade would only marvel at.

Aurum shifted, and Wade hurriedly reached down and wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck. For the briefest moment, he wished he had some sort of saddle.

I would rather die than wear that, Aurum snorted, his head whipping around to look at Ember. The horse had drawn up from the shadows to Wade's father's side, her glossy eyes wide as she watched the two dragons prepare for flight. You'll be fine without all those... straps.

Just don't shake me off, please. Wade mustered a smile and looked back at his father. Slowly, he raised one hand. "Goodbye, Dad."

"Wade!" Kira interrupted, rushing to Aurum's side and hugging Wade's leg. She looked up, tears welling in her eyes. "Bye. Don't get hurt."

"I won't," Wade promised. He reached down and ruffled the girl's hair.

Kira nodded and wiped her nose before running back to Wade's father. The smith waved, the barest hint of sadness breaking through his collected expression. It made Wade want to claw his heart out.

Then Aurum jumped. Wade cried out and redoubled his grip on the dragon as the ground fell away below them. To his right, he was dimly aware of Caeli and Serafina side-by-side with them. The wind whipped past him, forcing him to close his eyes as Aurum sped up.

And with that, they were off.

<><><>

When Wade saw the mountain of darkness, he realized that they had arrived. He swallowed and scanned the forest spread out before them, his eyes trailing along the crevices and hills that rippled across the rocky earth. The sun had already sunk beneath the horizon, but he knew. Somewhere down there, he'd walked with Asher into a trap.

I'm going to land now. Hold on.

Wade cursed and tightened his grip on Aurum's neck, burying his face in the dragon's scales. The world twisted, and he felt a terrible weightlessness overtake his body. Wade yelped, trying to cling tighter to Aurum as he was lifted from the dragon's back. Do you need to dive so steeply?

Aurum snorted but leveled off a little, tilting into a wide circle as he continued to descend. Caeli plummeted past them, only visible as a glittering blue streak. Wade couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard Serafina whooping from the dragon's back.

Oh, she is, Aurum said, his head tilted as he tracked his sister's progress.

She must be insane, Wade grumbled. Aurum dipped down a few feet, and his heart flipped over. You have wings. We'd shatter every bone in our bodies if we fell.

Have faith. I'd catch you.

Wade could barely hear Aurum's huff through the rush of the wind. If he was going to make a habit of flying, he'd need some sort of mask. Right now, the constant blast of air into his face and nose and ears made it impossible to use his senses. He'd only been able to glimpse their surroundings—ominous mountain included—in brief flashes while tucking his head behind his arm.

After another minute, Aurum slipped under the forest's canopy and landed in a small clearing. The ground was tangled with weeds; the air smelled of dew and earth, and was tinged red and gold from the few trees that still clung to their leaves. If Wade hadn't recognized the layout of the area, he might have thought it beautiful. Instead, his eyes caught on the ground beneath their feet. He could almost see his blood on the dirt; as if in response, the old ache in his chest returned in full force. Wade let out a sharp breath and bit his tongue. The pain wasn't that bad. He'd manage.

Caeli had already laid down, one wing fanned out across the ground in a lazy stretch. You're getting slower, brother, she said playfully, lowering the barriers she usually kept between herself and Wade.

Aurum growled, glancing around the clearing as Wade slipped off his back. His scales glittered in the fading light, speckled with a few drops of water from the clouds they'd been passing through earlier. Only because I didn't want to give the boy a heart attack.

Wade grumbled a weak protest, searching for Serafina. The girl was leaning against a nearby tree, trying to comb her fingers through her hair. She had braided it tightly before they left, but the wind had still managed to leave it matted. Serafina snarled a curse as her hand caught, her teeth catching on her lip.

"Do you need help with that?" Wade asked, his voice faltering as limped toward her. If he remembered correctly, Rivas had stood exactly where she was a few weeks ago. He shivered. The Valkir's cool gray eyes were too similar to Asher's.

"No, but thank you." Serafina smiled, but it seemed forced. She yanked her hand free, looking closer at Wade's face. "This is the place it happened, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Wade said slowly.

Aurum prowled in a slow circle, his eyes flicking from the trees to the ground to the sky. They went south.

You can smell them? Wade asked incredulously, turning to the dragon.

No. There has been far too much rain, Aurum replied, his tail swishing across the ground. Your magic-users—especially the more powerful ones—leave imprints in the magic. It's very easy to sense Rivas and Asher's energy here. And since they were using magic, their effect is even clearer.

Wade fell silent. Is Asher different than the others? Is that why they wanted him alive?

...He is different, yes. Stronger. But Rivas has a similar aura, so I don't know why they would need Asher.

Wade frowned, sure that Aurum was hiding something from him, but the dragon ignored his probing. Oblivious to Wade's glare, Aurum padded over to Caeli and slumped to the ground beside her and withdrew from their bond.

"Caeli should only be asleep for an hour or so," Serafina said softly. Wade blinked and turned around as she dropped her pack and yawned. "If you help me get some wood, I can start a fire. Then we can try to get some rest, too."

"Sounds good." Wade cast his eyes about, taking a few steps in each direction as he looked for some dry branches they could use.

They worked in silence for the next few minutes, piling any suitable branches they found until there were enough for a decent fire. Serafina knelt next to it, sparks dancing around her fingers: in moments, bright flames were crawling across the wood.

Wade huddled closer to the fire, holding out his hands to warm them. Serafina did the same, the orange-gold flames mirrored in her dark eyes.

You're looking at her again, Aurum observed dryly.

Wade tore his gaze away from her to glare at the dragon. Shut up.

"What did he say?"

Heat crawling up his face, Wade jerked his head around to meet Serafina's gaze. "Nothing." He rested his elbows on his knees, giving her a small smile. "Thanks for starting the fire."

"You don't need to thank me for that." Serafina glanced down, holding one hand to the flames. They shifted beneath her fingers, and their warmth intensified. "When—if—we pass Aleran, do you think we could buy some weapons? I don't want to rely just on my magic, and making a sword would be very difficult."

Wade thought for a moment. "We don't have enough money to afford something like that. And whatever my father and I left in the forge will have rusted, unless somebody decided to pick them up and care for them."

"Well," Serafina mused, tracing a finger around the fire, "I can try to make some extra coins. That shouldn't be too hard."

"You can do that?" Wade asked, his mouth falling open.

"I can do a lot of things." Serafina chuckled, but cut herself off with a yawn. She laid back, folding her hands behind her head. She seemed just as tired as Wade felt.

"Wade?" Serafina murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Asher's okay?"

Wade fell silent, his gaze dropping to the flames. "I know he's alive. But I wouldn't say he's at all okay." He clenched his hands, suddenly itching to keep moving.

Serafina said nothing, but her eyes glimmered. Wade reached out without thinking, resting one hand on her shoulder. Serafina shifted her head to get a better look at him, but didn't make any other movement.

"You didn't have to come," Wade said softly. "Thank you."

"I wouldn't leave a friend." Serafina reached up with her other arm and placed her hand over Wade's, sending a shock through his arm. With a flash of uncertainty, he realized she wasn't just talking about Asher.

After Caeli sleeps, we'll be able to fly for another day, Aurum said softly, guilt racing through his mind.

But we can't catch up to them before they reach Crisea. It's been too long.

Probably not, Aurum reluctantly confessed. But we'll save Asher, even if Caeli and I have to tear through the castle's walls to get to him.

Wade nodded, tearing his eyes from Serafina to flash Aurum a halfhearted smile. No Valkir could be ready for two dragons.

Too right, Caeli agreed, briefly lifting from the fog of sleep. Then she was gone again. Aurum snorted, laying his head across his sister's good shoulder.

Serafina's hand gradually loosened over Wade's, and her eyes slid shut. His heart skipping a beat, Wade carefully let go of her shoulder and leaned back, breathing a soft sigh of relief as he relaxed into the soft dirt. No matter how much he wished to keep going, he couldn't deny the exhaustion weighing down his arms or the deep ache slowly spreading throughout his middle. They'd been flying all day, and when Caeli woke they'd fly through the rest of the night, if not longer. He'd need to rest while he could.

Wade closed his eyes, and thoughts of the future fell away as sleep took him into its warm embrace.