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Again and again the dragon tried to draw close enough for them to jump out, but the nemak blocked them every time. Misha was the only one who still had her bow and arrows and she fired them at the creature, but they just bounced off its hardened feathers. Vaneshta ran to the front of the saddle.

“Bank left!” She shouted as the nemak dove at their right. The dragon listened, sending them all careening to the side. “The shield! Look at the shield!”

They all looked over to see solid purple climbing up the sides of the shield, like metal rising to close it in entirely.

“No!” Lidishta screamed. “It’s closing!”

There would be no walking across the barrier. Not anymore.

“We’ll have to jump,” Iryana gasped. It was the only choice.

“What!” Misha yelled.

“The goddesses will destroy the shield once you’re in,” Hadima rambled, eyes blown wide with fear. “Then we can fly in and catch you, right?”

Iryana shuddered. “It’s our only choice.” Even if the dragon didn’t catch them. Even if she and Lidishta didn’t survive.

“Can you do it?” Misha asked, scanning Iryana’s face.

She nodded.

As the shield continued to close, the dragon tried to fly over it, but the nemak snapped at its tail and wings and swooped below to block them, forcing the dragon to divert, only to swoop back around to try again. Vaneshta shouted out guidance fierce as any commander as they all watched with sinking dread.

They couldn’t get close enough to the shield.

Pyetar grabbed the spear of water magic, staring at it in his hand, and then at the nemak. His demeanor changed entirely as determination hardened him.

“Leave the nemak to me.”

“What?” Iryana shrieked.

“The nemak will snap you out of the air if you jump. This is the only way.” Pyetar stood tall, the water spear in hand. “Why else do you think Voordiza gave me this?”

“Pyetar, you can’t!”

“We’ll get him back, Iri,” Vaneshta promised. “Once you’ve jumped, we’ll get him.”

Panic sent her head shaking. Would there be time to save them all?

Pyetar cupped the back of her head and sealed his mouth to hers, kissing her fiercely. She panted as he pulled back.

“You can do this, Iri!” Pyetar shouted as he tracked the nemak beneath them.

And then with a surge of power, he raced toward the edge of the saddle, vaulted over the edge, toward the monster.

Iryana ran to the edge to see Pyetar thud against the nemak, the spear digging into its back so he could hold on. The nemak screeched, jerking to the side.

“There’s no time!” Then Vaneshta ordered the dragon back toward the shrinking opening.

Hadima helped Lidishta up, and they all moved to the dragon’s other side, where the shield loomed just ahead. Iryana was shaking, worried for Pyetar, but she had to trust he would be all right. If she didn’t do this, it wouldn’t matter.

“I love you, Iri,” Hadima promised.

“We love you so much!” Misha cheered.

“I love you both, too!”

“We’ll catch you,” Vaneshta swore, kissing Lidishta hard on the mouth and stepping back. “Give them hell, both of you.”