Tricked Into Flight

Chapter 47

Bonus chapter! Just because you are all awesome!

*Katerina's POV*

Rakota turned his flight into a shallow dive as Andar and Serepha followed. It had been a while since our last stop, so I was glad for the break. The stone Rakota had bespelled kept the cold at bay and prevented my lips from drying out in the wind. I didn't want to think how cold I would have been without it.

A huge river flowed through the dense forest below. The other prominent feature was a long section of raised rock that towered above the trees. The nearly vertical sides were similar to the other places we stopped, where the dragons had molded the rock to their liking.

A couple bright specks of color marked the presence of other dragons. When it became obvious we were going to land on top of the narrow cliff, I felt like cringing back or hiding in case the dragons noticed my power. I was positive Serepha and Andar had figured it out, although they hadn't said anything. Thankfully, Rakota picked a spot away from the ones lounging in the sun.

"The latrines are inside there," he said, pointing to a taller section of rocks. "The ground around here is too dangerous for a rider."

"Thanks." I quickly undid the straps and climbed down, in need of such a place.

The cave-like structure was similar to what I saw in some villages, with light coming in a few small gaps above and a hole in the stone floor to take the waste away. When I went back outside, I looked around for Rakota, spotting him near some glowing crystals farther along the cliff.

"We're almost at the coast," Serepha commented, standing nearby. "Have you ever seen the ocean before?"

"No, I don't think there are any villages near it."

"If humans had built there, the naga would have destroyed it within weeks. You can see the water from here. It's only a short flight away."

I tilted my head as I stared to the east, wondering if the faint blue was just part of the horizon or actually water. "I thought it would take longer to reach the ocean from what Diondin said the other day."

"We used magic to speed up our journey. It's the only reason we'll arrive by mid-afternoon. You can rest here. Rakota is using the communication crystals, but he'll be back shortly."

I sat on a rock and dug through my backpack for some bread I made this morning. When Randel came out of the latrine, I waved him over to collect his two loaves. We ate in silence as the dragons took a break. Serepha relaxed next to us, pointedly picking a spot that blocked the other dragons' ability to see us, which I was grateful for.

I was almost ready to lay back in the sun and close my eyes when Rakota finally came back. I looked up as his swift footsteps approached, halfway surprised I could identify him by something like that.

"There's currently hundreds of naga gathering near the river delta, so let's head to the coast and see what we can do to help." Rakota crouched down to let me climb up.

"Can the dragons really stop hundreds of naga?" I asked as I sat in the saddle.

"I have an idea, but let's see what we're up against first."

As soon as I secured the harness straps, Rakota took off. Now that I was paying attention and higher up, I could tell the blue in the distance wasn't just part of the sky. The dragons were moving quickly, and I could soon make out more details.

When we got closer to the ocean, I could see spires of rock standing above the trees on either side of a large river to give the dragons a vantage point. Most of them had a dragon sitting on top as it scanned the waters below. Dozens more glided through the air like sun-touched jewels.

There were an awful lot of dragons present. My eyes widened when I saw bluish-green snake-like figures on the sand by the waves. They edged away from the water until one of the dragons swooped down, forcing them to retreat into the sea.

The naga were clearly testing the dragons' defenses, trying to find any weak spot or opening. Some dragons were forcing the scaled monsters back with fire, but the spells only lasted a second or two, as if the casters were trying to conserve their magic for the battle to come.

"Look ahead," Rakota quietly said.

Then I saw it. The sea roiled in various places as hundreds of blue- and green-scaled creatures frolicked in the waves as if taunting the dragons. Chills went down my spine and my heart pounded at the sight of so many naga – and that was just what I could see at the surface!

"There are so many..." I whispered. "Is it possible to stop them all?"

I knew exactly how well naga could lurk beneath the surface, and I didn't doubt that there were many more hidden out of sight in the depths and farther up and down the coast. If even a fraction of them managed to get inland, all the humans between here and the mountains could die.

Faces of my relatives and memories of numerous villages flashed through my mind. So many people were in danger. Even if they had a week's notice, it wouldn't be enough time for them to get to safety.

Rakota glided above the shore. "I plan to build a cliff along the entire shoreline so they can't sneak into the trees. Naga might be able to swim well and move quickly on land, but they are horrible climbers, and I don't plan on giving them any handholds."

Would a cliff really work? There was only one way to find out – and I certainly had the magic to fuel such spells.

Determination filled me. "Why don't we send these creatures back to the sea where they belong and keep them there?"

With an echoing roar of agreement, Rakota dove down. The naga that had been sneaking onto the sand bolted back into the water, but they weren't his target. His wings spread wide as he slowed to a glide above the trees. The leaves moved and began rising as Rakota lifted the rock beneath the soil.

A few dragons flew closer, suddenly intent on what we were doing.