Tricked Into Flight

Chapter 9

*Rakota's POV*

I cautiously glided down to the lakeshore and landed on the sand. My wings remained unfurled, ready to take me skyward at a moment's notice if I stumbled into a trap. Half of the tents were gone and the firepit only held ashes. My three companions circled above, waiting and ready to help if I was attacked.

I paced across the meadow as I checked the area and searched for any cloaking spells. Some spells required us to see them in order to spot them. No shimmers of magic were visible, although we hadn't expected the mages to linger.

My tail brushed across the ground as I swung it side to side, searching for any hidden traps. There hadn't been any before, and I doubted the mages would have wasted the time or energy after I left.

With an annoyed huff, I dropped the spell patterns I'd been holding in my mind to cast at a moment's notice. I folded my wings and looked up.

"I'm not finding anything," I told the others, using a touch of magic to carry my words to them.

Victorya landed nearby. "We might as well wait here until Andar and Serepha arrive. They shouldn't be much longer."

Grandel began flying higher. "I'll start checking the area in case they're nearby."

As the gray dragon flew past the spell barriers, Qwest scooped a handful of water out of the lake and sniffed it. "I wonder how long it'll take before the magebane loses its potency. I can't smell anything."

"I didn't smell anything either, but if you want to test it, you could always take a drink and let us know."

He sent me a sour look as I bared my teeth in a mock grin.

Victorya shook her head at us. "Once the mages are dealt with, you two can take turns testing the water. I'm sure the historians will appreciate your efforts."

Both of us glared at the orange dragoness, who was already walking along the tree line and peering through the greenery.

"Would it be possible for me to go into the trees for a, uh, bathroom break?" asked a quiet voice from behind my head.

I had forgotten about the human who seemed to possess a knack for fading into the background, even when sitting on my back. It had been several hours, so she probably needed a trip behind the bushes. With a gusty sigh, I lowered my chest to the ground and shifted my wing out of the way.

She undid the harness so quickly I almost wondered if she used magic. Her descent to the ground was just as fast and much more graceful than her last attempt.

"Thank you," she said as she began walking toward the trees.

The way her eyes kept flickering to the top of the valley made me tell her, "No sneaking away. I don't want to waste time searching for you."

"Yes, Sir," she said as her shoulders slumped slightly.

I was clearly going to have to keep an eye on her whenever we landed, although I had expected her to try wandering off at this particular spot. Shaking my head, I went over to where Victorya and Qwest were standing.

Qwest watched the human disappear into the bushes, and in an amused voice, asked me, "Do you think she's really going to return? Or are you going to have to track her down?"

"I think she'll come back, but I could very well be casting a proximity spell in fifteen minutes."

"I'm surprised she didn't scream when you dove like that. Half the nobles I flew around made some sort of racket with every takeoff or landing."

"She's remarkably quiet," I admitted. "If she did sneak off, I might not notice right away."

"You might have to pick sleeping spots far from the villages and roads," Qwest said in amusement.