He focused instead on Sin’s sharp tone and processed the words he’d just shouted.
“We follow,” Ben finally determined, issuing the command as if he’d been born to it.
“Horses. We need them. There’s no way we’ll catch up to them on foot.”
No sooner had he voiced the thought, than Zai appeared on top of a lean Hunter’s steed. He pulled a second one alongside.
“Get on,” Zai growled.
He didn’t have to say it twice. Ben leapt on top of the horse bareback and urged it into a gallop, Zai riding fast and furious at his heels. Sin had transformed into liger and bounded beside them, keeping up with the grueling pace.
Across the mountainous terrain they raced, keeping their eyes on the giant eagle above. There was no way they could catch up, but it was clear where Sol was headed with Prince Hulaal dangling from his talons.
The Fire Mountain in the distance.
It was shorter than the mountain where Sol’s aerie was located, but it was far more imposing.
Ominous.
The ground started shaking the closer they drew to it. The horses whinnied and lost their smooth gait, prancing uneasily, snorting and rearing with fear.
“The chargers can’t continue. And we’ll never be able to follow them on foot!” Ben shouted over the sounds of the frantic animals and the earth grinding beneath them in the beginnings of an earthquake.
“This can’t be the end of the road. It can’t! I have to go to Sol. I know it!”
You can climb on my back, Ben suddenly heard Sin in his mind.
First Sol, now Sin?
How was it possible that he could hear them? He was not Beast. He didn’t have the Gift of telepathy as far as he knew. He was a mere human with the ability to see people’s true selves.
But he didn’t have time to ponder it, for Sin went on.
I can navigate the terrain faster than the rest of you, even the horses. I can carry you as far as I can at top speed. But if you must climb up the Fire Mountain…I can only try. But be warned—by the time we get to the top, everything will already be over.
“How about this instead?”
Ben glanced at Zai distractedly, trying to rack his brain for a solution, a miracle.
And then he did a double-take, his eyes widening with disbelief.
Because Zai the man was no longer there. Instead, a gunmetal gray dragon rose slowly to his full height, as Ben and Sin looked way,wayup.
Come aboard, the massive creature said in Zai’s voice, but deeper, more elemental. If the ancient forests that surrounded these lands could speak, Ben imagined that would be their voice.
The dragon unfurled gigantic, leathery bat-like wings and extended one to the ground.
Ben and Sin looked at each other in shared consternation, Sin having shifted back to man.
Well, there was nothing for it but to climb on. How the hell Zai was dragon was a mystery he’d leave untilafterhe got to Sol.
First thing’s first.
Ben had a past to reenact and a future to alter.
“To the Fire Mountain!” he directed.
Thus, with a couple flaps of those massive wings and a full-throated dragon roar, Zai took off with Ben and Sin on his back.