Page 39 of Forgotten Arcane

Griff smiles while Raiden and Reed just look curious, and I realize that I haven’t bobbed and weaved for a while and should probably do that before anyone down on the ground cottons on to what I’m trying to do.

River

The more suggestions that Coen yells up to Neith, the more attention switches from her to him.

It’s obvious that he knows what he’s doing, and I vaguely remember Neith saying something about him being one of the best flyers that they had seen for a while.

When we were at the Magical Academy, before Coen joined the Draconian team and we went to the Training Academy, we only really saw him fly a few times because of the way that the classes were set up.

I get the feeling that there is something else going on with him right now.

Chapter Eleven

River

“Why don’t you go up there and help her?” I ask him.

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye as he tenses, and then carries on watching Neith.

Ransom, Van, and Doc heard my question and noticed Coen’s reaction as well, and they’re clearly thinking the same thing that I am because all of their eyebrows rise in question.

The more he avoids all of our gazes, the more certain I am that I’m right and that there’s something going on. I briefly consider letting it go, but then I remember that we don’t work like that, and he clearly has something more than the obvious on his mind.

“Coen?” I ask. “What’s up?”

He looks at me properly, and sighs, “I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to fly or hell, even shift into my dragon again. I was disconnected fromhim and being able to shift properly for so long, and I know that I shifted once, but that was in reaction to Neith being shot. What if I can’t do it again?”

“I can’t even imagine how difficult that must have been, everyone knows I get twitchy if I haven’t shifted for a few days let alone years like you had to endure, but I think it’s like what Griff warned Neith not to do, you’re putting an awful lot of pressure on yourself, and your dragon is a part of who you are. Are your wings okay? I know you can sense them without shifting.”

Coen nods, “Yeah, everything is as it should be.”

“Then there is absolutely no reason to believe that you being able to shift was a one-time thing,” I reply, trying to get him to see the logic.

“I was the flight instructor for the dragons, the youngest one ever, and I only got to do it for a year or so before Kylen decided that I wasn’t allowed to go back to the Keep anymore. I was good though, dude, really fucking good,” he pauses, his eyes drifting up to where Neith is still trying to fly.

“But now you’re terrified that you won’t be able to fly,” I finish for him.

He nods, “Exactly. I love flying, I love teaching, and I know that I won’t be training anyone now, but the thought of not being able to fly, or not being as good as I was, is fucking terrifying.”

I nod, “I get it. I really do, but there’s only one way to find out, and quite honestly, the guys up there look like they’re trying to help Neith as best they can, but I have a feeling that she’s gotten too into her head. You’re the best person to teach her before she falls out of the sky.”

He chuckles as he looks up at her, “Yeah, she’s definitely thinking too much. Most likely about nothing to do with flying,” he glances at me with a smirk, “she’s like you in that way.”

“We’re awesome,” I say proudly. “Stop stalling.”

His lips twitch at my demand, “It’s good to be home.”

“Just try it. I think it’s like River said, and you’re too in your head about it,” Ransom starts. “If the worst happens, and for whatever reason your wings don’t work, then we’ll figure it out.”

Doc nods, “Ransom’s right. I can do a thorough check-up on you in your human form, and dragon form, to see if there’s anything physically wrong that needs fixing, and if I can, fix it. There isn’t much that I can’t fix.”

“If it’s not physical, then I can work on a spell or potion, or something that will get you back in the air,” Ransom adds thoughtfully, and I have no doubt in my mind that he’s already thinking of potions that may be able to help in that situation.

“In other words, what they’re saying is that no matter what happens, you will fly, we’ll make sure of it,” Evander adds.

Coen swallows thickly as he looks away, and we all give him a moment. Honestly, I’m not sure which way this is going to go, it could just be too much for him right now, and that’s okay. If he says he can’t do it, then we will drop it.

We’ve encouraged and pushed him far enough for today.

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