‘Viv?’ Marquis says.
I turn around and they’re all looking at me.
‘We should join the wyverns.’ He points at Ruth, Jasper and Freddie. ‘They’ll come to Compass Hill once they have the Speerspitzes. All right?’
I look at them, at these three underfed, determined teenagers, and nod.
‘If any of you see a Guardian feeding his blood to Goranov, kill him,’ Marquis says grimly.
‘Our efforts should be concentrated on Krasimir,’ Daria growls. ‘He is the strongest.’
My stomach lurches. I can’t imagine any number of Speerspitzes bringing him down and Chumana must agree.
‘Only a dragon can kill him,’ she says.
‘But,’ Daria adds quietly, ‘a human could draw him out into the open.’
‘Like bait?’ Gideon says.
The Bolgorith nods, grinning again, and Ruth shrugs.
‘We’re good at being bait.’
I watch as Marquis, Gideon and Serena climb back up on to Daria’s back, settling awkwardly between her spikes.
‘We reconvene on Compass Hill,’ she says, her eyes unblinking.
I nod and climb on to Chumana. ‘It’s the one above Jasper’s Camp, where—’
‘Where you took it upon yourself to remind me of my sins?’ Chumana growls. ‘We know where Compass Hill is, human girl.’
‘Oh, yes, right.’ I pause. ‘I’m so sorry for what I said to you, Chumana.’
Her wings rise up on either side of me.
‘Chumana?’
‘Yes?’
‘Why did you and Hollingsworth let me believe Atlas was dead?’
Chumana’s wings fall.
‘I told you. Rita wanted you ready for revenge.’
‘And Atlas?’ I say quietly. ‘Why didn’t he write to me, do you think?’
Chumana pauses as Ruth, Jasper and Freddie back away. ‘I believe he was afraid he wouldn’t survive. He wanted to spare you the heartbreak of losing him again.’
My knuckles turn white as my grip on her scales tightens. ‘Too late for that.’
Chumana leans forward and then we are in the air once more, watching a flock of children emerge from the caves on Sanday. I welcome the cold, clean air, letting it blow the smoke from my hair and clothes. Peering over Chumana’s hot scales I see the sea, with Rùm and Eigg behind it, and I feel a wave of dread. I hope that Ursa is somewhere far, far away.
We drop lower and I spot Compass Hill. I watch the wyverns land in disbelief. Why have they agreed to fight? Will it make a difference? Humans are joining them, climbing up the green slopes of the hill from both sides. I startle, my skin prickling with fear as a dragon appears beside us, but it’s just Daria, stretched out like a majestic bird. The tip of her wing kisses Chumana’s and butterflies dance in my stomach asthe two Bulgarian Bolgoriths swoop across and beneath each other, their tails looping together in the air.
I flatten my body against Chumana’s as she dives, then glides, only for Daria to reappear at our height, her mouth open to reveal her forked tongue. Gideon grimaces, letting out a scream I can’t hear. Marquis and Serena double over in the wind, which blows so hard that I can’t even gasp for breath. Clouds drift around us at the speed of motorcars. Up here there is no war, no winning or losing. There is nothing but the exhilarating, uncontrollable current of our own existence.
I lean in against Chumana and smile. We are no longer rebels or linguists or Bulgarians. We are simply a blur of pink in the sky. Four recruits and two dragons who are, in this brief, singular moment, as light and carefree as swallows.
