Thanks, Pixit. Really didn’t need that worry. She didn’t remember the last festival—​she’d been two—​but she’d read records of the last few for one of Vira’s assignments: Mytris’s main library was stocked with gushing accounts, praising the splendor of the festivals. Every festival tried to top the last, so it was possible that this time it would start before dawn. It can’t have started yet. Those must be the seeds of storms.

Still, as they flew closer, Mina thought the clouds looked darker than they should. Streaks of silver flowed at a slant through them. «The rain has begun.»

I see that. She repeated his own words back to him: We can fly through rain.

«It’s sideways rain.»

Diagonal. It just means there’s some wind. We can fly through wind. She tried to sound confident in her head but knew Pixit could feel her worrying. Maybe fly faster?

He increased speed, and the others matched his pace.

Did everyone bring ropes?

«Yes.»

That had been her idea too. If this was to be a storm beyond anything any of them had ever seen, then they were bringing safety harnesses, never mind how “reckless” guardians liked to be. To her surprise, no one had argued with her.

For the first time, she had really felt like a leader.

Ferro and Zek had been in charge of gathering nets—​the people from Dern would ride in them while the beasts absorbed any lightning in the area, deflecting it from them. If the storm got too dangerous, the guardians would catch the bolts before they could strike the nets.

Get in; get the people; get out, she told herself. No time for tea.

And then there was no time for anything, because they were there, at the border. The mountains loomed in front of them, their peaks shrouded in storm clouds. Thunder rumbled, and Mina counted the seconds between the clap and the strike.

«Mina . . .»

I know.

The storm was already here.

“On three!” Jyx shouted to everyone. “One, two . . . three!”

They flew into the storm, over the mountains, and across the border.

Rain smashed into Mina’s face. She blinked through it, trying to see, but there was nothing to see—​they were within the storm cloud, thick gray above, below, and on all sides. She looked to her left and right and saw flashes that could be the other storm beasts. She hoped so.

Stay with the others!

If they were separated, they wouldn’t all make it to the outpost—​only Mina, Jyx, Ferro, and Zek and their beasts had ever been there.

“Down!” Jyx ordered.

Her word was swallowed by the rain, and Mina hoped the others heard as she and Pixit zoomed down. Rain fell with them, and wind battered at them. Another crack of thunder.

She saw—​Ground!

Pixit pulled up, and they skimmed over the rocks.