Rainbow Magic (Dragon Rider #1) {EDITING}

Where It All Went Wrong

Sora blinked, uncomprehending.

They were walking up yet another narrow incline somewhat further in the mountain – so there hadn't been any terrifying drops on either side. Oz had just told them where they were heading for their little training trip, and Sora was quietly mulling over that fact.

Apparently there were buildings carved into the rockface up in the mountains, though they weren't used much anymore. They were more lookouts or outposts... or, in the case of an emergency in the city below, evacuation points.

Personally, Sora had no idea why Oz didn't tell them any of that before, but Oz was Oz. Sora wouldn't say she liked him the way he was – no, she got far too many knocks on the head for that – but she doubted their team dynamic would be the same without him.

Besides, he was a fully qualified dragon rider, and dragon riders were allowed to have a few weird quirks here and there.

She had no doubts she'd develop a few of her own, especially if her egg didn't bother to hatch anytime soon.

Rumours were already circling about the place, about an egg which hadn't hatched.

How could she be a dragon rider without a dragon?

It was impossible.

She sighed, kicking at a loose stone on the path, barely blinking at it ricocheted upwards, vanishing from sight. Out of sight, out of mind, she liked to think... but apparently Oz knew her better than that.

Either that or it was written all over her face.

"Hurry up, Sil!" Raelynn called, both hands pressed flat against the silverette's back, pushing her forwards as fast as she could. "I wanna see this cool castle."

Oz rolled his eyes.

Silver sent her a pleading look.

Sora thought it looked more like a glare, but she went and helped out anyway. Raelynn was far too hyperactive for her own good.

"We'll get there when we get there," Sora said, interrupting the babbling girl. "So why not enjoy the scenery till then?"

Silver gave her a scathing look that time. "What scenery?" she asked, waving her hands at the rock surrounding them.

The path had been carved into the rock, meaning there was nothing but cold dark stone on either side of them.

A perfect place for an ambush, her mind supplied helpfully.

Sora shook her head. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on that fact. "Uh, the rock face?" she mumbled, smiling at Silver hopefully, silently praying she wouldn't have a response for that.

She did.

"It all looks the same, peasant," she muttered, shrugging Raelynn off, blinking as a bundle of red scales tackled her to the ground.

"Don't push Rae!" The red ball of scales roared, making both Sora and Raelynn wince.

Said ball of red scales was then rammed into by a silver dragonette, sharp teeth sinking into the scales as the two mini dragons tussled.

Sora stared at Oz, tuning the two bickering dragons out, sighing as their trek ground to a halt. Their loving instructor grumbled something under his breath, pulling his sleeves back neatly, before grabbing the offending dragons by the tails. "Grow up... or I'll let Ran handle the two of you."

Raelynn's dragon whimpered.

"Granny, Blondie, keep your scaled versions of you under control," Oz ordered, throwing the right dragon to each of her teammates. "Damned teenagers and their hormones... even your dragons are getting affected."

Silver blinked. "Excuse me?"

Raelynn stared at him, confused beyond her life for a few minutes until realisation set in. "I'll kill—"

Silver ran over, slamming a hand over her mouth before she could get another word out. "He'll kill us if you don't shut up."

Oz glanced over at where they stood, ahead of him, the three of them having overtaken him before they'd noticed. "Granny, don't be stupid. I wouldn't kill you – whack you one over the head, yes, but—"

A pebble slammed into his head.

Oz stiffened.

"Who—?" Raelynn spun, eyes narrowing on the figure sitting on a small stone ledge above them.

Sora squinted... not that she really needed to.

He jumped down, Oz darting out of the way as their uninvited guest landed where he'd just been standing only moments before.

Dazzling green eyes met all of theirs, and Sora just knew they were doomed.

Silently, she blamed her danger magnetism abilities.

Of course those just had to be what kept dragging her face to face with the so-called Last Necromancer.