Wild Rider (Dragon Castaway Book 1) [Complete] {2018 Wattys Longlist}

Chapter 48

Moving like his life depended on it, Jake ran over to Ragnarok, vaulted onto his back and unstrapped his bow. Looking back, he saw Wyena slow uncertainly as she approached her dragon.

"Something wrong?" he asked trying not to sound frantic.

"I've never flown with a bond before!" she replied desperately. "What am I even supposed to do?!"

"Trust your instincts, and his, he is no longer your mount, but an extension of your body, mind and soul, if that makes any sense. When we get outside follow my lead, my guess is that they're going to move to surround us, so we're going to be flying nap-of-the-earth through the city itself" Jake called out.

Wyena furrowed her brow in confusion but nodded and reached for the riding boots on her saddle. She stopped short as a wave of consternation from Whirlwind washed over her.

She felt a sharp stab of guilt as she suddenly realized just how much pain the spurs had caused him over the years. Patting him reassuringly on the side she took the riding boots from her saddle and flung them full force across the room before climbing onto his back.

Jake didn't hesitate, with a cry of excitement that sounded outright feral, he reached out causing the twins launched into the air and speed through the hole unsling his bow as he went.

Wyena followed close behind, the veteran war dragon's experience helping to guide her through the bond as she shuddered with absolute joy at what she was experiencing. This was how a dragon was supposed to be flown.

Looking back, she felt rage once again blast through her mind as she spotted Elgenon's red dragon intermingled with one of the squadrons. She couldn't let him get away with what he'd done to her father, but the moment would have to be right before she could act.

As they tore at breakneck speed towards the walls of the palace complex Jake looked down and grinned with satisfaction as he saw the crowd of guests that had been ushered out of the chamber prior to the scuffle. All of them wore looks of stunned disbelief as the three dragons flew by low enough for the wind to billow around them.

Jake smiled and gave a quick wave as he spotted Merra and the older sister who'd talked down to him at the banquet. The pair stared wide-eyed at him, looking so shocked that he probably could've walked over and stolen everything they were wearing without them ever even noticing.

Swiveling his head around to survey the scene before him Jake's expression turned to a grimace as he realized that he'd been correct his earlier assumption. Several wings of the riders had split off and were moving to envelop them. Shifting to the left he pulled back on his bow, set his sights on the wing's lead rider, and let loose an arrow.

His arrow flew true and impacted solidly into the man's chest, the bone tipped arrow punching straight through his armor. The man cried out in pain then slipped and fell from his saddle, as he did so the wing he was leading was thrown into disarray. As they struggled to regain cohesion Jake shifted in his saddle and let loose another arrow at the wing approaching from Ragnarok's right and struck another rider straight through the neck.

As the second wing was thrown into confusion he saw his chance. Letting out a wild war cry Jake guided his dragons down the long ramp at breakneck speed, flying so low that their claws nearly raked the stones beneath them.

Civilians of all classes scrambled to get out the way as he charged under the encircling dragons and sped into the city. He pulled up as he entered the sprawl and held steady just above the buildings, Wyena and Whirlwind hot on his tail.