I settled into the groove just behind the dragon’s wing joints. Those powerful appendages thrust outwards and within a few swift beats we were airborne. It wasn’t the first time I had flown with Braxton, but generally he lined his hide with a saddle so the scales wouldn’t rip my skin to pieces. The armor plating of his skin was smooth, but the impenetrable strength and immoveable nature of them made them hell on my skin.

As we ascended, the view from below became startling clear. The fey might have left Faerie land, along with many of the demi-fey, but those which had stayed behind were giant and scary, bad ass mothers.

“What’s the plan, Brax?”

He couldn’t answer me, but I was hoping he’d be able to mime or play friggin’ charades or something, because I had no idea what we should be doing.

Where should we go? How did one escape from this land? No one ever spoke of it. I wasn’t sure if Jacob even knew. Sometimes he went off and had clandestine garden parties with other fey, but wasn’t allowed to share too many of their “ancient secrets” and we didn’t push him. I could only hope he had spoken to his brothers a little more, giving Braxton some insight.

So far we were clear; nothing followed us into the air. However a battle was about to take place on the sand. The water dragons had not been emerging just for us, and a pissing contest was about to erupt. They didn’t want the bear-monkeys on their sand. Which was great for us and as long as nothing was in the air.

A blur whooshed past us. Okay, note to self: don’t speak or think here. Faerie land had an asshole sense of humor. My head snapped to the side as I tried to see what was coming at us. Braxton was doing the same; his large eyes and advanced sight would be picking up far more than I could. Another blur flew by, this time much closer. I shot to my feet, both hands resting on the scaled back so I could keep my balance. If I had to fight I needed to be up and ready.

Braxton roared again. I jumped a mile and almost slipped off his back, catching my balance at the last moment and orientating myself again.

Wafts of simmering air surrounded me, as smoke emerged from Braxton’s mouth and nostrils. This was followed by his flames, a long, uninterrupted plume of red and blue fire. The heat that came after was extreme … I swear my skin started to bubble a little. On occasion he forgot that fire was fluid, and that it could spew back on me.