Liz?
I freeze in place, my wings only moving enough to keep me from falling.Mom?
You should leave.It’s a trap.They’re going to kill me the moment you reach my side.
I wish she was calling me to her side.Then I’d feel no qualms leaving.But if she’s warning me off?If she’s being amomto me, which is exactly what she did when she helped me escape, then I feel compelled to find her.
Can you tell where she is?Hyperion asks.
Our plan, now that Azar can come as well, is basically a shell and pea game.Two red dragons.Lots of portals.Eventually we find my mom, and then we portal out.
Stick to the plan, I tell everyone.
I can sense Azar.He’s flying-distance away now.Mom, tell me where you are.
They have the other dragons here too.They’re going to kill themandme to upset you.Just leave.Keep the kids safe.
I can already imagine what she’ll say when she hears Sammy and Jade have bonded dragons.But if today goes well, she’ll get to yell at me for years to come.
We’re by the ropes course,I tell Azar.Are you ready?
Yes, start.
I hear it—his roar.He’s calling the soldiers there and warning the people who are nearby to leave.Not sixty seconds later, he torches the ammunitions warehouse.I hope the people were all evacuated—please, please let them all have gotten out.
It’s a military base,Hyperion says.They chose this.
I hear what he’s saying.I do.It still hurts.We’re up.
I swoop down first, careful to stay inside Hyperion’s red bubble shield.It’s not as big or as thick as Azar’s, which is likely because he’s exhausted.I’m totally going to tattle about his plan to Azar the second this is over.
Ropes course is clear,Hyperion says.Advancing to location two.
“At least call it the Air Cavalry Obstacle Course,” Norm says.“Ropes course sounds...lame.”
But then Hyperion’s opening a portal, and we’re flying through to the Warrior Way Gate.
At the Clear Creek Gate,Azar says.No signs of your mother or any blessed.
Liz?
Mom?Tell me where you are—what do you see?
I’m—I can’t tell.They’re trying to bring Azar here.I thought he’d died.If you come alone—they might not hurt you.They’ll definitely try and attack him.
They might not hurt me?Does she think I’m delusional?They think I’m public enemy number one.I’ve seen the videos.
Two more hops, still no luck.
But in our fifth location, I’m waiting for them to clear the main buildings when I notice something strange.There’s some kind of movement at the nearby dog park.We’ve been popping around for a while—more than enough time for everyone to hightail it with their canine friends.They must have seen us...So why are there still people out there?Or was it just a stray dog?I think about Fluff Dog and how scared he was when I found him.
I’m heading over to the dog park,I say,because that’s strange.
Thanks to some kind of man they caught hiding with a handgun, Hyperion and the others are obsessed with thoroughly checking the commissary.No idea why—it’s just a store.Hyperion glances that way, and seeing nothing, he shrugs.
As I draw closer, though, I feel it.
Mom’s here.
