Fugitive's Flight (Dragon Castaway Book 2)

Chapter 10

Sorry this took so long to post. I came back from East Africa and within a week caught a particularly mean respiratory infection that lasted awhile. At least it wasn't one of the meaner things that you could pick up in Djibouti. Anyways the show must go on, Enjoy!

"Ok, just so we're clear. There's a fanatical cult dedicated to some insane undead god running around and now it's after us! That would've been very useful information to have earlier!" Wyena ground out as she looked at Jake. He kicked himself mentally for letting that fact slip his mind and now it was intensely clear that she was unhappy.

"I'm so sorry! It was beyond foolish of me to neglect it." Jake said trying to sound as sincere as he possibly could and once again mentally kicked himself for being a complete dumbass. His omission had nearly gotten them both killed and he really didn't want to rely solely on luck to bail them out of every situation that turned bad in a hurry.

Wyena's expression softened slightly before she let out a long slow sigh and glanced to the blanket of stars above them, made ever more vivid by the absence of the moon.

"It's ok" she said quietly as Jake watched her remaining irritation leave her. The sight gave him a burst of relief though he suspected that he wasn't out of the woods just yet, he was proven right a moment later when Wyena let out another heavy sigh.

"While I'm annoyed and disappointed that you didn't tell me sooner, I can't in good conscience hold it against you too much" she said as a hint of a smile returned to her face. "After all you literally had to blow up a Dragon Lord's castle to bail me out of my own foolishness."

Jake grimaced wryly as Ragnarok snorted with admonition of his own.

"Thank you as always Rag! I've already received my chastisement for the day and I don't need your two cents on top of it!" Jake called out in exasperation as the great black dragon chirped in amusement before he shook himself like a massive overgrown dog before moving to stand next to his twin in anticipation.

"Well we might as well consider it water under the bridge" Jake said as he doused the small fire and moved to mount Ragnarok but stopped suddenly as he heard a faint rustle from a nearby patch of foliage at the same moment that a feeling of tension rose from the twins.

Jake shot Wyena a glance and saw her hand drift towards her sword. Clearly she had felt the warning from her dragon as well.

Drawing one of his tomahawks he inched closer to the brush being careful to move as quietly as he possibly could.

Glimpsing a shadow of movement ahead of him he crouched low, held his breath, then pounced towards the figure.

The man tried to make a break for it but Jake was already on him, pinning the figure face first into the ground before drawing back to plunge his tomahawk into the back of the man's skull.

He hesitated however as a muffled voice reached his ears. Recognizing the voice Jake put away his tomahawk before flipping the figure over, lifting him up, and slamming him against a nearby tree.

"Teekus" Jake growled quietly. "It seems that you are dead-set on throwing away the second lease on life that I gave you."

"Woah woah woah!" Teekus said practically pleading as he hastily threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I just wanted to talk to you, imagine my surprise to find out that you're this rider that Rindar wants so badly! I've just come across some more information that I think you should hear."

Jake glared at the sleazy little man for just a moment before he relaxed his grip. He could use all the help he could get but he knew that it would be the height of foolishness to blindly trust a man like Teekus. "Ok, you have my attention, but I'm warning you not to waste my time. Jerk me around and you'll be fertilizing whatever field my dragons shit in next. And if I find out that you're trying to lure us into some kind of trap you'll wish that my dragons had ripped you apart here and now."

Teekus went gray as the twins growled in unison. He didn't have to be the most intelligent or perceptive man in world to realize that Jake could easily make good on his threat.

"W-well" Teekus stammered as he struggled to regain his composure. "After you left, I headed to a much more high-class tavern to see if I could hustle any of the wealthy patrons."

Jake sighed and shook his head in mock exasperation before motioning that Teekus should continue. This man had a death wish like no one he'd ever met. Even saving him from angry creditors or possibly scam victims clearly hadn't convinced him to try altering his path in any way shape or form. Catching sight of Jake's expression Teekus seemed to relax a bit before he quickly continued.

"There was a dragon rider there, I overheard them talking about him being assigned as a new lieutenant at the border fortress to bolster security, I think they suspect that you're coming. You certainly were a hot topic of conversation among him and his compatriots. A couple mean types that looked like they were Vestarii."

Jake stiffened as Wyena looked pensive. Teekus had his full attention now. He couldn't say that he was surprised about this development given their daring escape a couple towns over but it was a bit disconcerting that Rindar had reacted so quickly.

"I see" Jake said as evenly as he could manage. "Do you happen to know the name of this new lieutenant?"

"I didn't get his name" Teekus muttered as he briefly shook his head. "But you don't see many like him in these parts. Tall, dark-skinned, long braids down to his waist.

"Jadiak" Wyena breathed so quietly that only Jake heard her over Teekus' continued ramblings. "They must've sent him out here to find us."

"Yeah, him being sent out here in the wake of our exploits is definitely not a coincidence" Jake agreed before turning his attention back towards Teekus, who was continuing to ramble his own hyperbole heavy theories which Jake found little interest in.

"Ok, you've made your point" Jake said gruffly cutting off the squat man in mid-sentence. "You can go now. And I would strongly suggest trying to avoid hustling anyone else in that town before it gets you skinned alive."

Teekus looked for a moment as though he wanted to continue his ramblings but one look at the dragons seemed to change his mind. Without another word he turned and began to make his way back through the thick brush.

"Ok" Jake said as he rose and began walking towards Ragnarok, a new plan freshly forming in his mind. "Now that our little distraction is finally out of the way let's saddle up and see what Jadiak can tell us, you can bet your ass that those two idiots weren't working alone and it's only a matter of time before more of those damn fanatics show up, and if that little sneak Teekus could find us you can bet your ass that they can too!"

"You want to move on the fortress right now? In the middle of the night, with no moonlight? Towards the people who are specifically tasked to get us?!" Wyena asked looking utterly perplexed. "How are we going to be able to go anywhere without risking a close encounter with the side of a mountain?"

"Oh ye of little faith, remember that you no longer need to rely solely on your own senses. Besides with the entire country after us darkness is one of the few friends we can actually rely on." Jake replied with a sly grin as he swung onto Ragnarok's back and settled into his usual spot on humps that connected the dragon's neck to its body. "If we want to fly in the dark of night, you need to allow the senses of your dragon to guide you and become closer to your mount than most ever get, at least without flowers and a dinner date!

Wyena amusedly quirked an eyebrow but said nothing and nodded with grim determination a moment later before she vaulted onto the back of her own dragon and settled carefully into her saddle.

Taking a brief moment to run her fingers over the Dieron family crest that had been expertly engraved into either side of the fine leather that covered the saddle.

Snapping out of her nostalgia a moment later Wyena looked to Jake expectantly as Ragnarok began to unfurl his massive wings.

"Remember, it is crucial that you trust your dragon and his instincts." Jake continued as Ragnarok's wings reached their full outstretched length. "I don't know if you can see through their eyes with the same clarity I can, but the bond should still connect you to Whirlwind's senses and it should help guide you through even the darkest of nights. Use this as an opportunity to strengthen that connection."

Wyena nodded only this time with grim determination and without another word the three dragons took off silently into the dark, moonless night.