We've been waiting for hours.
I thought I had finally gotten used to the Alaskan cold but now it seemed to sting my very bones.
Probably because I was on top of a mountain.
You heard that right. A mountain. Caed, who was made for the cool, yet not entirely frigid weather of North American caves, was shivering even though we had given him a dirty brown pony blanket with holes cut for his wings. I sighed and pulled out another bottle of vodka. "Need a bit of heat?" I murmured before pouring some into the dragon's mouth. The dragon coughed and I ducked out of experience as a blast of fire shot out from his nose. He shook his head as a puff of flame raced out from his spine and I ran my fingers over it like a hobo trying to get some warmth.
"Not too much vodka, Justin," Jesse warned, his Mohawk speckled with frost and snow. "A drunk dragon is the last thing you want right now." His thick, Nike symbol eyebrows were lowered over his eyes as he watched the empty plains like an eagle.
There was nothing down there. Nothing except possibly the largest dragon Rider facility in North America. Hidden craftily by Mardu's magic, the inhabitants were safe. For now. We were watching the roads from the mountains, Jesse's dragon Tahn-Ra clinging to the side of the mountain like a bat. His chameleon scales had shifted until they were the color of the craggy rocks, concealing us perfectly.
I was hoping this would be over with soon. The sun was climbing in the sky and reflecting off the snow blindingly. I was wearing several layers, a big black puffy jacket, a ski mask, gloves, puffy pants and boots. I looked like an Alaskan thug. But still, the few areas that were revealed to the sun, such as my lips, eyes, and buttcrack absolutely roasted in the sun. I closed my eyes, trying to ease the pain when Jesse elbowed me. "Keep looking." He hissed.
Right. I was supposed to keep an eye out for Mardu since only I could see him. I squinted against the sunlight, heaving a sigh before taking another bite of my half frozen sausage. I fed the other half to Caed, who was curled around the saddle, his warm head on my lap. Jesse picked up the binoculars and peered through them.
I yawned and leaned back onto Caed's warm back, tempted to close my eyes and head back to sleep. Suddenly my lips burned as if a hot chili pepper had been rubbed on them. I shivered and looked around. That feeling was only too familiar.
And there he was. Mardu. I saw him exit the magical barrier and soar between the two mountains, close to the ground, his wings twice they were usually as if he were shielding something... or someone.
"What?" Jesse barked, making me blink back to reality. "Do you see something?"
"Yeah, Mardu," I breathed. "He went through there." I pointed at where his tail had just disappeared.
Tahn-Ra jumped off the cliff immediately and I felt my stomach churn. His wings spread and he dive-bombed right after Mardu, his scales swirling to new colors and shapes seamlessly, hiding him in plain sight. I held onto the saddle horn, crouching low as Caedmon gripped onto the saddle with his talons, keeping his wings tight to his body.
I panted, the warm saliva surrounding the masks' lip opening instantly chilling as cold air nearly took my breath away.
"Where is he?" Jesse roared as we swooped into the same cavern, Tahn Ra adjusting his huge self so he could fit through. His tail flicked from side to side, keeping his balance. I looked up ahead and could see the light dragon swerving just out of sight, racing to the left of the mountain to the north. "There," I hissed, pointing. "He's right there."
Jesse grunted. "I think I know where he's going," he growled as he spurred Tahn Ra faster, the dragon shooting straight ahead. I fought to breathe normally, the cold, thin air seeming to burn and suffocate my lungs at the same time. I popped a pill into my mouth and managed to swallow it down, wincing as the medication scraped down my esophagus. Taking a shuttering breath, I peeked up over Jesse's shoulder once more to find Mardu flash out in front of us in a blast of light. I winced and pointed over Jesse's shoulder.
YOU ARE READING
Traitor
ActionJustin has to come to terms that he is no longer an S-11 agent. He no longer wears a badge, no longer follows orders. Now he's basically a Rogue with a motley crew of the likes of a hell beast, a polar griffin, and a talking toucan. When the situati...