Web Of Bones: Book II of the Dragon Mage Series Read Online Free Page B

edge to see the water lapping against the rock cliffs. It was quite a ways down from here. “You can fly without my help, little man—why so impatient?”
    “ Because I want to go fast, and when you get the winds going I get to.”
    “ Fine. But move away from the rocks, so I only blow you out across the water and not crack you against hard stone.”
    With a quick fluid turn of dragon scales, he nearly hit her with his flipping tail. She stepped back just out of reach and then he was gone racing away from the cliffs edge. Clare was already far enough away hovering in her favorite gryphon form. Unlike her brother who seemed to prefer dragon in all things these days, she would change from animal to animal. Just now, she had the head of an Eagle and the body of a Lion, plus the wings of course. And from where she rode the thermals high above, she looked like a glowing shimmer of gold dancing in the sky.
    Looking at them both swirling across the sky, Melly was reminded of when they had been on the human side of the gate , hiding who they were. Not to mention, the magic here was a thick layer of fog over the senses. It had been like living in a hole and finally seeing the sky. She felt deeply for the mages that were still in hiding across the snowy peaks. Her family was fortunate to be here, where there was no hiding and the magic hummed in your blood.
    By her will , she lifted her hands and called the wind. It was never far from her, content to frolic in her skirts most of the time. Now she felt it build until it circled her in a powerful funnel. With a thought she was airborne over the side of the cliff and whistling across the now churning waves of the lake. She could not see through the gusting winds, but she heard Rhune’s laugh, which sounded beyond strange coming from the throat of a dragon. She heard the caw of an eagle and listened as the wind giggled, tumbling across the sky. Someday she would figure out a way to see where she was going rather than having to follow the whispers of a frolicking breeze.
    The wind shifted to her fancy, clearing the gusting winds beneath her so she could see everything. Including the waters of the lake coming up to meet her. Oh, no. She barely had the chance to think it before her lack of discipline had her dropping like a stone into the freezing lake.
    It was like ice dunking , and the shock had her swallowing the water and choking it down into her lungs as she tried to breathe at the same time. She flailed her arms against her heavy dress skirts to get back to the air. She broke the surface, coughing and sputtering, but able to buffer herself from drowning by pulling air around her once again. She looked up to see a dragon and gryphon hovering directly over her. “I’m fine,” she sputtered. “Just lost my concentration.”
    Rhune wheeled back and flew a quick circle in the sky. “Can we do that again?”
    “ No!” she called, still trying to get the last of the water from her lungs. “I’m about all flied out today Rhune. Can you get me back to land?”
    The gryphon s quawked out a call, then latched on to her arms with oversized eagle claws and flew straight up, pulling Melly out of the water. She called the wind once more to warm and dry her for the trip. When she was gently lowered back to the cave ledge, Clare became a mist and then her sixteen-year-old self.
    “ Do you want to go home?” she asked, looking her sister over.
    “ No,” Melly laughed. “I’m fine. It was mostly my pride. I may try again in a bit.” Even the thought had her shuddering. “Go have fun and I will lay here and contemplate my mortality.”
    “ What does that mean?” Rhune asked from where he hovered beyond the edge.
    Clare shooed him away. “It means she’s taking a nap. Now go play.”
    “ She’s always tired,” he muttered, but he did as they asked.
    Clare was looking at her worriedly. “Don’t worry. It was just a little water, and I’m already dry anyway.”
    “ All right.