An hour later, the team was crowded into the flight cavern, ready to leave. Except for Srot. Kelnor's smile was gone, replaced by his usual scowl. Char's head was still throbbing, but at least he hadn't thrown up so far. He wouldn't be able to once he transformed. Vomiting was human, not dragon.

So was shivering, he realized, feeling the goosebumps rising on his arms as he stared at the spot where he dropped Iris two days ago, motionless and blue.

Why hadn't he thought of that before flying with her?

"Alright, let's go over it again," Kelnor said, glancing irritably at the stone door to the barracks. "The second team's mission was a success, so we're pressing deeper into human territory. Mostly archers, watch out for mages. The king's mage wasn't in the last battle, but the humans have multiple mages of varying skill level. Do not underestimate them. We stay high, move fast, hit hard, get out. Got it?"

Char tore his gaze from the floor to look at Kelnor, reciting the appropriate response with the rest of the team.

"Yes, sir."

"Sorry I'm late!" Srot exclaimed, bursting through the stone door, his face red from running. "What did I miss?"

"We'll fill you in on the flight," Kelnor said crisply. "Let's move."

A blast of cold air swept through the cavern as Kelnor's red eyes started to glow, and then, in a blink, he was in dragon form. He was massive, even by dragon standards. Rock hard red talons scraped across stone as he headed toward the exit, ducking his head to keep the protruding ridge of thorny red scales on top of his head from scraping against the ceiling. His tail uncoiled and stretched out behind him, long enough for the tip to touch the barracks door at the back of the cavern when he pushed off into the chill mountain air. Red wings unfurled, bending the trees below with his first flap downward, sucking them upright again with the up-stroke. Thrak followed, and then Srot, shedding a few deep purple scales on the cavern floor with his exit. The rest of the team followed suit, one by one, until it was just Char and Rath. They were the wild cards, and they always took up the rear.

"So, are we going to behave this time?" Rath asked, flexing his muscles.

"Just go," Char muttered.

Rath smirked, his blue eyes glowed, and then he was in dragon form, hardened muscles flexing and extending under glistening black scales as he raced toward the exit. He never walked out, not even when they were children in flight school, when missing the correct wing stroke meant tumbling down the mountain. He always ran, and he always expended far too much energy with the takeoff, usually adding in some sort of barrel roll for flare. Char couldn't count the number of times he launched out after Rath and swatted him to the ground while he was off balance, just for the fun of it. The mountains were streaked with lines of broken trees from such incidents.

Char sighed and uncrossed his arms, calling up his magic and forcing it through his veins. The rush of ice was exhilarating. In less than a second, his frail human form was gone, and he was a mass of muscle and scales, flicking his tail across the cavern floor.

Across the spot where he dropped Iris two days ago.

He ran to the exit, pushing off and unfolding his wings, downstroke, upstroke, climbing higher and faster, away from that memory. The icy mountain air rushed up and over his wings, across his scales. Normally, that sensation was intensely pleasurable. Not today. He almost felt her shivering in his talons, her body temperature dropping lower and lower until the shivering stopped just before they reached the flight cavern. It hadn't occurred to him that she wouldn't be able to withstand the cold and the thinning air. He loved flying, loved the power he felt in every fiber of his being, loved the world down below fading away, loved soaring through and above the misty clouds. But humans weren't meant to fly.

Hey, lighten up, Rath said, his voice sounding within Char's mind as Rath tucked his wings to his sides and spun a tight circle around Char, dropping down below him and unfurling his wings to whip himself back around and above.

Conserve your strength! Kelnor's voice shouted back at them.

Yes, sir, Rath said glumly, gliding down beside Char again. If dragons could roll their eyes, he would have.

And no stunts this time. I want everybody coming back in one piece.

Hear that, Char? No girls, Thrak teased.

I dunno, I kinda think he picked a winner, Srot interjected. Pretty sure she fixed things that weren't broken. I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. He pulled out to the side, away from the group, giving himself plenty of room to do a barrel roll for emphasis.

Great. Don't tell me you've got a crush on her, too, Rath muttered.

May I remind you adolescents that we're on our way to battle? Kelnor grumbled.

In a few hours, Rath said dismissively. So, Srot, what's it like having a girl in your head?

Srot's jovial laughter echoed through their minds. You've never flown with your mother?

Rath snorted. Flying with her is like flying with Kelnor.

Don't tell her that, Char finally said.

He speaks! Rath did another loop around him, smacking his tail across Char's face. Char pulled up above the group and flapped hard enough to knock Rath off balance, using the burst of speed to pull ahead of Kelnor.

Where do you think you're going? Kelnor shouted.

Away from the adolescents.

Char was faster than all of them, and it wasn't long before he was out of range of the group's telepathy. He relaxed and caught an updraft, soaring higher into the sky. Another battle in a few hours. That was what he needed to think about. Not Iris. He needed to focus on what they knew going into this. It didn't sit right with him that they didn't have any reconnaissance this time. The second team only encountered a single lower-level mage in their battle. He was dead now, eliminated early in the fight. By all accounts, he was unprepared, ill-equipped, unable to handle the stress, too slow to react.

He was supposed to die, Char realized.

I said, no stunts! Kelnor scolded Char as the group caught up to him.

A few hours later, they flew over Iris' hometown. Char tilted his head to the side for a quick glance and then dipped lower to get a better look. The town was gone, just a blackened spot on the earth. Not a single building remained, not even the church. The old, heavy stones were scattered and crumbled across the smoldering ashes.

Did the second team say anything about that? Char asked.

No, Kelnor said, his mood darkening. Only a couple of buildings were on fire when we left.

This doesn't feel right, Char muttered.

What is it? Rath asked, pulling up alongside Char.

The second team's battle was too easy, Char explained. It was a massacre, not a fight. That mage was set up.

Higher. Now, Kelnor ordered, pointing his nose to the sky and beating his wings to take him up above the clouds.

Kelnor? Srot asked.

This may be a trap, he replied dourly. Battle formation. Stay high, keep close.

Kelnor took the point, with Thrak and Srot side by side behind him. The rest fell into line, with Char and Rath at the rear to form the tails of the V. There was no more light-hearted banter. The group flew in deathly silence, scanning the world below for signs of life. Nothing. Not even a farmer in a field. Another hour or two, and they passed the site of the second battle. That was when Char felt it. The unmistakable snapping and crackling.

Pull up! Now! he shouted, but it was too late. A bolt of blue shot up from the ground, wrapping around Srot's neck like a noose and yanking him down as the rest of the team pulled higher into the sky. Char roared and dove at it, spewing flames that vaporized into steam with a single touch of the blue magic. Srot's wings were beating frantically to keep him aloft.

Another person joined their telepathy. There was no voice, just a sense of confusion, like the intruder had just woken up.

Who the heck is that? Kelnor demanded.

Char, watch out! Rath shouted.

Char tucked a wing to his side to drop and turn, another blue rope narrowly missing him and continuing toward Srot, and the confusion sharpened in a razor-like focus.

No! Iris shouted.

The blue rope smashed into a white wall, sucked up from the ground and absorbed into the shield, widening to block Srot completely from the ground, except for the noose around his neck. It remained, a small hole in the white allowing it passage. Char flapped up to Srot's side, partially blocked by the shield.

How is she here? Kelnor asked, circling above Srot and Char. Do not descend! he warned the rest of the team, watching anxiously higher up.

I don't know, she panted, struggling to hold the shield. They could all hear the frantic beating of her heart, feel her determination edged with anxiety. She didn't know how to regulate her telepathy to hide her emotions.

Hello, Iris.

That voice sent shivers up and down Char's spine, and it triggered a panic in Iris. Everybody felt her sudden terror. Her magic didn't falter, though, and she pushed harder, narrowing the hole around the blue rope just a bit more.

You're the king's mage, Kelnor said, his voice dropping threateningly low.

Correct. Nice of you to bring a conduit.

Srot roared as the noose tightened.

Stop this! Stop hurting him! Iris shouted. It's me you want - not - him! She grunted with her increased effort, and the white snapped the blue. Srot jolted upwards from his hard wingbeats and the sudden loss of the downward pull, but this wasn't over yet. The white was still there in the sky, and now the blue was snaking across it. Iris cried out in pain, her breath coming in short bursts as she held her shield in place.

The mage chuckled. You used too much magic yesterday to keep this up for long, Iris. His tone was light and amused. He was toying with her. Char scanned the ground and the river below, searching for him, but there was no sign of any humans to be found. He had to be close, though...

What do you want? she gasped.

You have something of mine, the mage said, suddenly cold and serious. I want it back.

She hesitated, just for a second, and the blue veins reached the edges of her shield.

Iris! Srot shouted.

She redoubled her efforts, widening the shield to stop the blue from reaching around to the dragons. I can't take it off, she said breathlessly.

The mage laughed. Foolish girl. Did you really think I would settle for just the amulet when you promise to be such an interesting study?

Talk to me, not her. She is my prisoner, and she is not in a position to negotiate with you, Kelnor said tersely.

Ah, are you the leader? Then I have a message for you.

The blue veins expanded, and Iris screamed, struggling to hold her shield strong against the mage's onslaught.

Stop playing with her! Srot shouted.

Char couldn't take it anymore. He dove to the ground for a better look, his belly skimming across the tops of the trees surrounding the river, counting on the mage's game with Iris to keep him distracted. Kelnor kept his mouth shut. Any word from the team would bring the mage down on Char before he could escape. That mage had to be here somewhere.

The king has authorized me to offer you a deal, the mage said coolly. Hand the girl over to us, and we will entertain the notion of a truce.

There. Concealed beneath a grove of trees on the riverbank was a mottled green and brown tent, invisible from the sky. Char opened his mouth, fire smoldering in his throat-

This will stop the fighting? Iris asked, her voice trembling.

Keep your mouth shut, girl, Kelnor commanded.

What about a treaty? Something in writing to hold them to it? she pressed on.

The mage chuckled. Sweet little Iris. That priest was right about you.

Her shock hit all of them like a slap in the face. What? she gasped. What did you do to him?

You should worry about yourself right now, Iris.

The blue veins exploded, engulfing the white shield, and Iris screamed in pain. Char let loose, fire funneled between his teeth to light the trees surrounding the hidden tent. The mage cursed, but Char was already climbing skyward, and Rath swept in to meet the blue lashing out at Char's tail with his own line of fire. Iris was writhing in agony, flickers of white barely visible in the blue torrent.

Stop this! Char shouted, circling around for another dive.

One week, the mage said. The blue released the white, sucked back into a swirling shield around a single man standing in the midst of Char's flames, his frigid blue eyes watching them climb higher into the sky. Iris was fading in and out of consciousness. One week from today, at noon, where the church used to stand.

Used...to? she asked, her voice faint.

Bring her, and we will discuss the terms of the treaty.

Iris was gone, leaving her signature white snowflakes of magic dancing in the sky where her shield had been. Char held his position, studying the mage, wondering how much magic he could have left after that fight with Iris. There hadn't been any strain in his voice, though, and he stood confidently down below, his eyes meeting Char's without blinking. Char huffed a cloud of smoke and turned back to rejoin the team higher up.

Fall back, Kelnor commanded, taking point again as he flew west. The rest fell in line behind him, battle formation, the memory of Iris' screams echoing in their heads.