Chapter Forty One
“Perfect!” I shouted over the wind. “Just perfect!”
“Should we turn around?” Ellie suggested sarcastically.
Ahead of us, dark and black like the Devil’s heart, was a monstrous storm cloud rising high in the sky. The sky ahead was pitch black dark, the sea below churning like a pit of sticky tar. Lightning flashed once every five seconds, illuminating the dark sky and the rain in between.
“We have no choice,” Ellie said.
Seremon was clearly shaking from fear. “I don’t think this will be safe . . .”
“Either way, we will end up dying!” Ellie shrieked. “We can’t go back now! Besides, we’ve been flying for over four hours!”
I hugged myself, my navy blue cape whipping behind me as if it were trying to escape the storm that was approaching us. The sky serpent below our legs seemed to slow down a bit, contemplating whether or not her master wanted to go through the storm.
“It’s okay,” Seremon addressed Caetiena. “We’re going through.” He whipped her ears.
The dragon surged forward in response, heading straight for the vortex of rain, wind, lightning, and darkness. I didn’t know how to feel at that moment – but one thing was for sure: I wasn’t going to die. Nobody was. We didn’t come all this way only to be killed in something as minor as a storm.
After pulling on my hood, I pressed my body against the serpent’s back and spread my arms out, gripping at the scaly surface without harming Caetiena.
Rain began to pound down on us, and I could feel Caetiena instantly drop a foot in the air. Thunder rumbled throughout the sky as lightning struck the surface of the black ocean. The wind instantly increased with numerous bone-chilling gusts, the waves below us crashing with white water.
It was then that Caetiena’s entire body jumped as if it were struck by the lightning itself. Ellie was flung into the air, her body beginning to plummet towards the black, churning cauldron below. Her scream overpowered the thunder that rumbled from above.
“NO!” I screamed. I let go of Caetiena’s back with my left arm and caught Ellie’s wet hand just in time. She dangled over the Serpent’s body, holding onto my hand with all her might. She gathered up her strength and swung her other hand up and clutched my arm.
I began to pull her on top of the moving beast, which proved to be the most challenging task I had ever attempted. Ellie began to wiggle her body up the side of the serpent as I pulled on her two hands, and after what felt like hours, Ellie finally managed to make it to the top of Caetiena’s back. She was laying in front of me, her head resting in my lap as she let out deep, exaggerated breaths.
“Jesus,” I gasped.
Seremon looked back as if he hadn’t realized what had just happened. “You okay?”
I looked at him fiercely. “She almost died! Of course she’s not okay!”
Ellie’s eyes were wide with fear. “No . . . I’m okay . . .” She sat up. I tried to push her back down to rest but she shook her head. “Really, I’m fine.”
I nodded reluctantly, but I made sure to hold onto her waist until the storm would pass.
By the time I felt we had crossed over half the ocean, the rain finally began to let up. The clouds, once dark and densely packed, were now a light gray with patches giving way to the blue sky beyond.
