The male croaked, as if answering Six’s question.
Six cawed back.
Ezer couldn’t understand them, but she sensed excitement brewing.
A vision entered her mind.
A rock, being tossed into a deep sea.
‘Hold on,’ Ezer yelped to Kinlear.
Just before Six snapped her wings shut.
Anddove.
Snow blurred in her vision. She couldn’t hold back the cry that left her lips as Kinlear gripped her like a vice and they tumbled down, down, higher than the Descent hadeverbeen. Arawn was right. Raphons were made for this.
For a second, the fear tried to rear its ugly head again.
But then she remembered who she was.
No longer without wings.
She was the Raphon Rider.
She wasSix’sRider.
And she didn’t care anymore how far the drop ahead of her was, how dangerous the flight.
She did it afraid.
And she loved every damn second of it.
‘Ezer,’ Kinlear yelled. ‘She’s not stopping!’
‘She will,’ Ezer said.
She didn’t dare pull up.
She didn’t dare stop this flight.
‘Ezer!’ Kinlear cried.
‘Not yet!’
She could see every detail of the snow. She could see the rocks they might be impaled upon, and sherelishedthe danger. This was living, this was how it felt to be inches from death and still scream for the joy building in her heart?—
Too soon, Six’s wings snapped out.
They caught the wind so fast, Kinlear slammed against Ezer’s back with a rush of breath.
‘Are youinsane?’ he breathed.
Because she was still laughing, and tears of joy ran down her cheeks.
‘Relax, Prince!’ she yelled, as Six leveled out. ‘She had us the whole time.’
‘Gods,’ he said as he gasped for breath. ‘I’ve created a monster in you, Ezer.’
