His Dragony brows drew down, and the wings expanded a little more.
“That should do it,” I judged, and embraced my own change. In moments, I arched my neck and twitched my tail toward him. “Yous haves to grabs on to my tail.”
“I haves to doswhat?”
“Thats is hows Dragons teach younglings to fly,” I said. “Theys holds on to our tails.”
He stared at me. “I ams not a youngling.”
I raised a brow and then pointed off the edge with a talon. “Feel frees to jump.”
For just a heart-stopping instant, I thought he would. Or, at least, refuse my help. And to be truthful, I had never done this. The Guild didn’t believe in traditional teaching methods when it came to flying. They literally did push us off cliffs.
But I’d heard this was how Empire Dragons learned. And it was the best method for ensuring he didn’t go splat.
Which, for some reason, was important.
“I justs grabs on?” he asked.
“You can use teeth, if you want. My scales can handle it.”
“I am nots stickings yous tails in my mouth.”
“Justs use your talons, thens.” I waved my tail toward him. “This is a times limited offer. I haves nots gots all days.”
His eyes spat green fire at me as he wrapped his Dragon fingers around my tail.
I straightened, and leaped into the air.
I sensed his shock through the link as I lifted him off his feet. He was less than a quarter of my size, but his weight immediately threw my balance off. I had to beat my wings hard to climb us both off the roof.
I pointed my nose toward the clouds above. We’d be safer up there, with lots of room to maneuver as well as to make mistakes.
Mental silence came from behind me as I towed him along. The link fizzed with a combination of panic and something I couldn’t quite read. But he needed to pay attention.Copy what I am doing.
You mean beat my wings and puff?
I do not puff. And you are not exactly light back there.
I could let go—
NO!I took a deep breath.Just replicate my movements.
The second he did so, things became more complicated. His flapping was ineffectual, but it tugged me all over the place.
Stop beating at the air.
That’s what you are doing.
I am not. Look closer.I deliberately slowed my wingbeats, so he could see the back-and-forth swing, my wings folding to come forward, and then cupping the air with a twisting motion as they moved back again.Not just up and down.
He tried, but clumsily, yanking on my tail. I fought to keep us straight.
Close your eyes, and just soar for a moment.
He did so, and I sighed as we smoothed out.Do you feel the wind passing over your wings?
Yes.
