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Gingerly, I reached a hand outward, while holding firmly to one of Leslie’s spines with the other. My fingers cut through the clouds, and tiny water droplets swirled around us.
“I’ve got you,” Lucas said as he laced his fingers in mine. He gently took my hand off the dragon’s spine and stretched my arms outward.
I expected to freak out, but I leaned my back against him, and I found that I felt confident up here in the clouds. My heart rate began to slow, and for a moment, I let myself take it all in—the warmth of Lucas’s body on mine, the strength of the dragon beneath us, and the cool air blowing my hair back. It felt like we had no care in the world.
My shoulders sagged against Lucas, and he kissed my cheek. In an instant, the scene around us changed as we broke out of the clouds. I gasped and grabbed Leslie’s spines again as the ground came into view. We must’ve been hundreds of feet up, but I only had a moment to process it before the most incredible sight stole my attention.
All around us, flocks of magical winged creatures flew through the air. A herd of hippogriffs flapped their wings beside us, and I looked up to see a group of winged serpents spinning through the sky. Below us soared a massive bird with six wings, leaves in place of feathers, and horns that looked like tree branches.
I spotted a break in the landscape ahead. It ran like a line through the mountains, all the way down to the ocean. I thought for certain it was a river, until we got closer and I realized the land below us was dry. It was a narrow canyon, and it was bursting with life.
There had been no signs of human life since we left the clearing, and it occurred to me why. Hok’evale was designed to be hidden, and it’d been built deep within the canyon. Unless you knew what you were looking for, the city was difficult to find. You wouldn’t know there were people living here until you were right on top of them.
Leslie flew downward so I was able to get a good look at the town below. People milled up and down the canyon, riding in carriages or on the backs of magical creatures. Parts of the canyon were narrow, with thatched-roof houses lining the canyon walls and a street running between them. I spotted holes in the sides of the rock face, as if doorways had been carved out for living quarters.
The canyon widened, and we saw a market below us where vendors sold hand-made items and dancers spun to the sound of drums and flutes. In a nearby alcove, a copper-haired woman in a long, flowing skirt and bangles played a singing bowl, while others moved in a slow, coordinated motion around her. She looked to be guiding a group meditation. As they waved their hands, elements rose up around them. Vines grew out of the earth at Nivita’s command, and Toaqua controlled water droplets in the air. Yapluma controlled the breeze and sent leaves spinning around the alcove, and Koigni lit flames in their palms. It was all very calm and controlled.
As we flew closer to the ocean, I noticed a tall structure in the widest area of the canyon. I realized it was a pyramid built of stone, in the style of an ancient Central American temple. Far in the distance, I could see the beach with houses built on stilts. A sea serpent a hundred feet long broke the surface of the water, before splashing down again and causing a huge wave.
Leslie let out a loud cry.
“I think she wants us to hang on,” Lucas said.
I clutched tight to her spines, and my stomach leapt to my throat as the dragon dove downward. Lucas squeezed me close, and I let out an exhilarated scream as we dove into the canyon. The wind blew back my hair, and my body was buffeted by the plummet. I had to hold on tight to keep from being torn off.
Leslie made a soft landing, and my heartbeat began to slow. I looked at the people walking around, but barely anyone glanced our way. It was like dragons landing in the middle of the streets was an everyday occurrence, and I supposed it was here.
Lucas slipped off Leslie’s back, then helped me down. I held on to him to steady myself, because I still wasn’t sure my feet were on solid ground. It felt like we were still flying, and I wasn’t sure how long it’d take me to come down from the high.
“Did you have fun?” Lucas asked.
I beamed. “We can definitely do that again.”
Lucas patted Leslie’s neck. “Good girl.”
Leslie gave a coo, then licked Lucas’ face affectionately.
I giggled. “I think she likes you.”
“I would hope so,” Lucas replied as he stroked her scales. “She could’ve bucked us off her back at any moment. But you wouldn’t do that, would you, girl?”
Leslie cooed again.
“Wait for us here,” I instructed her. “We’ll be back soon.”
Leslie had dropped us off next to the edge of the canyon, where the rock face stretched up taller than a six-story building. Above a large wooden doorway hung a sign that read Hok’evale Public Library. The doors were propped open, and a banner outside advertised a fundraiser.
Lucas took my hand. “It looks like we found the right place. Let’s see if we can locate our guy.”
Inside, the library was air-conditioned, and bookshelves stretched to the back wall. People gathered around fundraiser tables, which were filled with items for sale or set up for raffles. Most people were accompanied by magical creatures. I expected someone to notice the cauldron tattoo on my arm and tell us witches to leave, but people just passed by and nodded kindly.
Lucas and I approached a girl our age sitting behind the raffle ticket table. She had long white hair, and a luna month sat on her shoulder.
“Excuse me,” I said. “We’re looking for a man named Beau Blankard.”
The girl didn’t look me in the eyes. Instead, she kept her gaze on my lips. She didn’t say anything as she made a motion with her hands. She was deaf and communicating in American Sign Language.
“I’m sorry,” I said, signing one of the few words I knew in ASL by making a circle over my chest with my fist.
