“Weh-sheh! Your runes!” she screamed at him. He was even now covered in the lightning runes she’d painted the night before. But if he heard her he didn’t heed her; he only climbed faster. By the cursed shadows, he couldn’t remember to use his runes at the best of times, he’d never call on them now. It was up to her to help him.

When she and Carmenna had first burst into the copse of trees she’d seen her satchel and spear strewn on the ground, just in time to watch her satchel and paints ignite with the forest around them. Her spear, however, she had been able to snatch free. Now Yenni twisted it, extended it, drew on her focus runes, and took aim. She sent it flying true, straight for the other dragon’s throat.

He dipped his neck and dove, beautiful and terrible, and her spear sailed over him, into the darkness below.

Weysh dug in his claws, hauling himself up the rocky pillar to Yenni. He saw her spear go flying, saw Noriago dodge it, and then she was screaming at him. But she was still so far! He couldn’t hear her over his own blood thudding in his ears, and over Noriago.

Die, Nolan! Noriago screeched. Weysh strained and climbed. If he could only make himself go faster, like he sometimes did as a man! If only he could use—

MAGIC!

He could use Yenni’s magic. That’s what she was always yelling at him.

Use your runes!

He did his best to concentrate through his desperation, against Noriago bearing down on him. He pulled source to the runes. It came slowly, like syrup, but at last he felt his scales warm. Noriago was right on top of him. Weysh flared source through the runes and let loose.

Lightning whizzed, making the strangest sound he’d ever heard, like a buzzing note of music, and crackled through the darkness. Noriago let out a wail the likes of which Weysh had never heard, so awful it gave Weysh no satisfaction. The lightning coursed through Noriago, illuminating him from the inside so Weysh could see muscle and even bone. Then Noriago fell twitching to the jagged rocks below.

“Weh-sheh!”

Yenni’s frantic voice echoed above him and he remembered. Fire! Weysh scrambled up the column and hauled himself onto the plateau. Yenni was on him in an instant, kissing and stroking him. The trees burned and popped against the night sky. The heat must have been terrible for her and—was that Carmenna? She’d been stolen away as well?