The Hitzu’s eyes flashed. “I didn’t have to provide your Jumper with visuals.”
Perhaps being annoying was a Hitzu trait. I gritted my teeth and turned to Vali. “Can you get Jinsic and Kiko out of here?”
“That would be an excellent idea,” Jinsic hissed.
Vali’s jaw set as she looked at the sky. “The pinions are distracted, but it’s too clear. I need cloud cover to fly out of here and get them to the city.”
“I’m staying with you.” Kiko planted her hands on her hips and glared at me.
“Vali and Jinsic might need your fire-throwing ability,” I stated. “Having you guys safe would mean three fewer people I have to Jump out of here.”
Kiko looked mutinous, but subsided when Vali closed her hand around her arm. “We can’t fight like them,” the Dragona stated. “We are most useful, getting ourselves to the city.”
“Safe in the city?” Jinsic protested. “We’d still be too close.”
“We can use the city gate to get back to the academy,” Vali said. “We’ll be okay once I get us away from here.”
Jinsic subsided, but he didn’t look happy. By the way his eyes flashed, his mates weren’t either.
The yellow Dragona once again scanned the sky. “It’s a moot point without more clouds,” Vali said. “I kinda glow in daylight.”
I looked at Marcus. “We need clouds.”
He appeared startled. “Be handy,” he agreed, and then hesitated.
And clear as a bell in my head, I heard another voice.Put your Storm Drake to work, my boy.
Iskar?I could hear Iskar?
He seemed similarly startled.You can hear me? How—interesting.
All right then,I said briskly.Clouds. Now. Minus the lightning, preferably.
Marcus swallowed, and then a muscle jumped in his jaw.
“Are we waiting for something?” Jinsic asked. “Because I would like to vacate the premises.”
He really was annoying. I regretted setting him free. Well, sort of free.
Talakai’s lips peeled back from his teeth. “Things are not going well up there. Dragons are popping in through the elevated platforms. Matt says Havoc and Sebastian are being overwhelmed.”
“We need clouds, and Marcus is going to provide them,” I clarified. I raised a brow at the man in question. “Aren’t you?”
Marcus closed his eyes, his brows drawing down. Nothing happened.
Kiss her,Iskar suggested.
Don’t be ridiculous,Marcus protested.
My mouth opened and then closed again. I stood up on my tiptoes, fisted his hair, and pulled his lips down to my own.
The sparse clouds drifting around darkened in an instant. I employed tongue, and they spread like wildfire across the sky.
Oh, well done,Iskar praised as we separated.
“That’ll work,” Vali said. “I’ve got this. Go.”
Kiko hugged me. “Come back, we have more shopping to do.”
