OathBlade (Wattys2015)

19. Racing Home*

Isandel helped to light the lanterns and wake the others while Elery dressed in her armor and ran downstairs to the innkeeper. He woke with a snort when she pushed him.

"We must go," she said.

He grumbled a reply. She didn't begrudge his irritation. Most likely the others were no happier.

The wind tore at them as they rode out. It threatened to push them off course with each gust. The innkeeper wrapped his arms tightly around Elery's midsection as they rode, groaning on occasion from aches in his aged bones.

Night eased into day, and rain into steel-gray cloud sheeting overhead. The sun was blotted, its glow muted.

Isandel flew overhead, glancing backward. "They outpace us!"

Elery looked back. The army rode atop ugly gray and blue beasts. Rider and mount shimmered, reflecting some energy she'd never seen.

"Where?" Cylphi looked over her shoulder. "How close have they come?"

"Can you not see?" Elery asked.

The others turned to look at her.

"You can see through the phantasma?" Zethir asked.

"She and I are bound by oath now. She can see as I see." Isandel swooped low to land and run beside her. "I can deliver you to Lyewryn faster than your steed."

"I'll not leave the others behind!"

"For the greater good you must!" he snapped. "The army gains slowly. They will not be upon the others for some time, but it will be impossible to reach Lyewryn on the backs of these molner before our enemy overtakes us! Allow them to continue to ride. I will take you and the old man to your home where you can amass your army. In all hope, molner with fresh legs might deliver help quickly before your friends are overtaken."

"He's right," Cylphi said. "We will be fine. If need be I will shelter us for as long as I can."

Elery bit her lip but knew she had no time to hesitate. She pulled Ishthemir's reins and both Isandel and the molner stopped, allowing them to swap riders.

"Hang on tightly now," Isandel said as he started to run. "I've no time to retrieve you if you fall off."

She wrapped one arm around the innkeeper while her other hand clenched in Isandel's hair. They blew past the molner riders and she couldn't ignore the swell of awe that filled her chest. The ease he showed when passing even Ishthemir, who very grudgingly carried Dakkan on his back, proved that he'd held back while they traveled.

The thick muscles under Isandel's scaled flesh rolled and stretched as he opened his wings, beating them against the ground. Elery clenched her hand tighter in his hair and leaned forward. "What are you doing?"

"I move fastest in the air," he replied as they lost contact with the ground.

"No! N-no! I command you to—" She gasped and lowered her head. "Stop!"

He paid her no mind, continuing his ascent into the realm where seryn did not belong. A realm she foolishly presumed she could brave only a short time past.

The ground fell away and the dim light cast his deep shadow across the land.

"Is the Princess scared of heights?" The dragon chuckled.

She didn't answer. There was no need to. She was sure he could feel the tremors racing through her. Surely he could feel her rising heartbeat through every vein in her body, coursing like a river swollen from the rain.

Her eyes closed. She couldn't bring herself to watch the stability she knew abandon her.

Not again.