Tricked Into Flight

Chapter 32

*Katerina's POV*

I followed Brandon and Randel as they pushed their way through the trees and underbrush. The nearly straight line was almost eerie, reminding me of their ability to find the dragon they were bonded to.

Brandon held a branch to the side for me as we entered the meadow. "Sorry for the delay, Diondin. If we had jogged, it would have gained attention."

"We still have all afternoon," the blue dragon replied, although his tail swished across the grass, betraying his impatience.

"That was a long walk in the sun," Randel complained, already heading over to Andar. "I'm almost out of water. Is there a river or lake nearby?"

"We can find one on the way or land near one," Andar replied. "Let's get going."

I hastened my steps as Rakota crouched down, although he seemed preoccupied and not as annoyed as I had expected. His head turned to watch me climb up to the saddle. Normally, I would have saved my questions for a less rushed time, but I remembered Brandon's concerned request for me to find out if the shoulder straps were supposed to go under the other ones in case they came loose. The tendency for them to snag might be a hidden safety feature.

As I began securing the straps around my waist, I tentatively asked, "Uh, Rakota? Are you sure the shoulder straps have to go under the other ones?"

"Very sure."

If I hadn't known better, I would have been positive that his lip almost twitched up. To the side, Brandon shrugged and slid the shoulder strap under the other one. Randel clipped his over top like he normally did; yet, Andar didn't comment upon it.

I inclined my head in his direction. "Is he in any danger?"

This time, Rakota smirked. "Andar can catch him just as easily as I could catch you, but are you willing to take such a risk?"

At this point, I was positive it didn't matter how the shoulder straps were secured, but at the same time, we were hunting mages, and I really didn't feel like plummeting through the air if something went wrong.

As I picked up the shoulder straps, my eyes flickered to Rakota, who was watching intently, as if waiting for me to fumble like Randel had said. My hands flew as I slid the straps smoothly under the secondary ones and secured them. I tossed my hair back as I raised my chin to face the red dragon.

Rakota's jaws parted in a grin. An actual grin.

Instead of taking offense at my silent way of showing him I wasn't about to fumble a strap like he was hoping, he seemed amused by my half-hearted defiance. Even as I tried to process it, his gaze moved skyward and his muscles tensed. Knowing what was coming, I held onto the handle as he jumped skyward.

The straps were a reassuring presence that kept me firmly in the saddle as he surged higher with each wingbeat. Unlike slower takeoffs where he easily glided through the air, his wings powered his flight and added a significant amount of speed with each beat. He may have been in a rush to find these mages, but I didn't share that mindset.

Trees passed below, far faster than the last few flights between villages. A road passed beneath us as two distant travelers gawked at the dragons. I hoped they weren't going anywhere we'd be stopping, or the mages might be on high alert.

Rakota began descending to a clearing not far from a smaller road. I was glad to see an ankle-deep creek running along the edge since my waterskin was also close to being empty. As Rakota landed and folded his wings, I undid the straps as smoothly as I'd secured them. He didn't comment, although he seemed entertained by my actions, making me wonder if Randel had been mistaken as to the cause.