Page 12 of Redeeming the Dragon

Did I dare?

No!

Startled, realizing I’d been leaning over too far, I jolted back, my heart racing. I fell to my backside on the dank grass bordering the brink. Bracing my elbows on my knees, I covered my face with my hands.

No. No, I will not take the coward’s way out, leaving my family and island to burn. I said I would do this. I will do it. No more thoughts like this, Lorna. None.

I allowed myself a moment on the carpet of wet grass, damp not only from the perpetual spray rising from beneath, but also from the mist seeping from the heavy clouds, blanketing me with moisture.

He swore I would be safe.

I tried to comfort myself with that notion.

Well.My practical side asserted itself.Whether you are safe or not, you are here now. Better to have done with this ugly business than to sit here and weep.

Angry at myself, I thrust to my feet, stalking to the brink of the cliff. This time, there was no internal battle to cast myself over the side. Rather, mentally, using the same portion of my brain with which I’d communicated with the dragon last night, I shouted,

I am here! You said to meet you here. I upheld my end of the bargain. I came. Where are you?

No reply. Part of me felt baffled. Had I suffered this torment for nothing? Had that wily serpent made threats, coerced me into meeting him here, stirred up my family and village’s fears and grief, only to abandon me where he’d said to meet?

Was it all for nothing?I cried, balling my fists and lifting my face to the dank sky.Where are you, serpent?

A soft rush of wind whistled around me, tugging at my clothing. There was no sound—or else the sound was hidden by the crash of the waves. But there was a strange sight—an obsidian shape blotting out the ocean below. It rose seemingly from nowhere, practically soundless in its approach. If not for the passage of wind, created by the stirring of wings, I doubted that I should have sensed his appearance.

I am here,answered the soft, sibilant voice.Time to depart.

Depart? Then he did not mean to devour me! At least, not here on this high, lonely point.

My damp shirt clung to my torso as I twisted for a final glance at the jungle with its hidden path back home.

Come,bid the dragon sternly.

I looked back at him. I could see little to nothing of him in the gloom, save his gleaming golden eyes. I forced myself to swallow, tasting raw fear on my tongue.

Dare I trust a dragon?

Nay. Nay, I did not trust him, but…go with him?

I had no choice.

Gingerly, I approached the verge. The dragon hovered there in space, gently flapping his leathery wings to keep himself aloft. When my feet were on the brink, with nothing between me and the ocean below save this mighty beast, I drew a breath.

This was it. No turning back.

Ready to have it over with, I propelled myself forward in a jump. A jump that jarred as I landed heavily onto the beast, half on his back, half on his wing. I yelped, my hands scrabbling for purchase. My left hand found the row of spikes on the back of his neck, and my right seized his thick spine. There was no saddle. No blanket. Nothing to make this ride more comfortable. The dragon raised his wing, as though I weighed no more than a fly, helping me fumble onto the broadest part of his back. I swung my other leg over his spine and wriggled about until I found a relatively comfortable position. In so doing, the bag slung across my shoulder caught on his scales, forcing me to wriggle further to remove it before settling back into place with it tucked against my waist.

Hold tight,urged the voice in my head.

Would I do anything else?I challenged.

I did not know dragons could show humor, but I swear the sound in my head was him laughing. I had no time to be offended because his wings flapped strongly—once, twice—and then we were soaring away from the Wailing Cliffs and out towards the open sea. I heard myself scream at the awful and peculiar sensation of moving at such remarkable heights, so quickly, and into the deepening night.

I leaned low against the beast’s back, pressing my thighs tightly against his sides to maintain my seat. I could not shake the knowledgethat, were there a stiff wind, were he to twist unexpectedly, roll upside down, or jolt—I could easily drop. Drop like a pebble thrown idly off a cliff, to be consumed by the cold waters far below.

Please don’t let me fall,I pleaded inside my head.

I did not even think I was speaking to the dragon, but it was he who answered, promising,

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