Chapter 152: THE SKYGLIDER RACE

CHAPTER 152

RAGNAR

Ember stumbled beside me, her steps unsteady and her eyes still hazy from whatever deep moment she had shared with Magnus. The wind tugged at my feathers as I walked, carrying the distant roar of the crowd.

I had been flying through that crowd earlier, letting the rushing air replenish my powers after my fight with Kael. I had knocked him flat three times before he finally surrendered. The memory had left me smiling until a sudden vision slammed into me.

In the vision, Magnus and Ember were locked in a very intimate moment. It felt genuinely sweet until Rowan burst in, his face twisted with rage. He went full vampire on Magnus and nearly burned his manhood as a warning. I changed course immediately, scanning the area until I located them.

Ember walked suspiciously quiet beside me now, her shoulders slightly hunched. I nudged her gently with the edge of my wing, the soft feathers brushing her arm. She glanced up at me, then looked away fast. Her cheeks flushed a deep red that spread all the way to her ears.

I chuckled, the sound low in my throat. “There’s nothing to feel embarrassed about. I think it’s cute. I would have let you two have your moment if Rowan wasn’t about to see you and nearly destroy Magnus’s manhood.”

Ember’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open slightly. “That’s a lie, right?”

I shook my head, keeping my expression serious. “No. It’s what I saw. That’s why I swooped in.”

Ember’s face went pale, the color draining quickly. She swallowed hard, her throat moving visibly. “I don’t understand why Rowan would do that. He clearly knows I’m into Magnus too.”

I stayed quiet for a while, the noise of flapping wings and excited voices growing louder around us. “Aside from that, vampires are very possessive with whom they share their bonds. They always act on instinct.”

Ember swallowed again, her voice softer. “Thank you for coming to Magnus’s rescue.”

I smirked, feeling a flicker of amusement. “I can see a future where you two get intimate successfully. But you’d need to tread carefully. The timeline can shift.”

Ember wrinkled her nose in disgust and covered her face with both hands, her shoulders curling inward. “Ewww. Do you always perv on people?”

I looked at her steadily. “Only the ones close to me.” I winked.

She frowned, lowering her hands but still avoiding my eyes. “Where are you taking me?”

I pointed at the huge structure rising ahead, its tall towers casting long shadows. “The Skyglider Race.”

Ember shook her head firmly, her hair swinging with the motion. “Don’t tell me this is another kind of sky thing. I just came out of one that nearly gave me a heartache.”

I shot her a funny look, raising one eyebrow. “I’ll be sure to ask Magnus for that video.”

Ember groaned loudly, tilting her head back in frustration. “Come on, dude. How does my fear satisfy you?”

I shrugged, the movement loose in my shoulders. “Maybe I’ll show Kael too and tease him with it.”

Ember rolled her eyes hard. “Suit yourself, bird boy.”

I explained, “The Skyglider Race is a flying competition. Students race on brooms, windboards, cars and winged creatures. Those who win get gifted a king and queen crown.”

Ember asked, “How does this work?”

“You’ll be the one to drive,” I told her. “I’ll provide the instructions on where to move so we can win.”

Ember looked at me, doubt clear on her face. “You’re certain we’ll win?”

I smirked, confidence rising in my chest. “I’m always certain. I usually come to this game with Kael and we’ve won three times.”

Ember asked, “How did you come with Kael when you just said the gift would be a king and queen crown?”

I explained, “They rotate it each year. Last year was queen and queen, meaning only females participated. The year before that was king and king, meaning only boys participated. Kael and I won that one. This year is king and queen, so I can’t come with Kael.”

I glanced up at the sky, irritation flaring again. “And he's clearly pissed off at me right now because I fed his ass to the ground three times and he’s busy flying overhead raging his head off… so even if i can make him look like a girl, I don't think he would agree.”

Ember laughed, the sound bright and relieving some of the tension. “Alright, let’s win this game then.”

I took Ember’s hand, her palm warm and slightly damp against mine, and led her through the noisy crowd to the registration table.

The man behind it, Roll, looked up and broke into a wide smile. “Ragnar, I was beginning to assume you or your dragon friend wouldn’t be participating in this year’s Skyglider challenge.”

I smirked, squeezing Ember’s hand a little tighter as a rush of confidence filled my chest. “The day you don’t see me participate means I’m dead, or I’m married, or I’ve grown up. And I've seen that none of those are happening anytime soon.”

Roll barked a loud laugh, his belly shaking, and waved us forward with a meaty hand.

He stared at Ember for a long moment, his eyes lingering. “Is the young lady yours? She’s so beautiful. I’ve never seen her at the festival before.”

I shook my head firmly, irritation already prickling under my skin. “She’s not mine. This is her first time attending the festival.”

Roll licked his lips slowly and turned to Ember, his voice dropping. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

I slammed my hand hard on the table, the sharp smack echoing. A low growl rumbled deep in my throat as I glared at him, my wings twitching with the urge to strike. “The young lady is off limits. Keep your dirty paws off her. If you make one more silly move toward her, I’ll bite your head off.”

Roll grumbled, his face twisting into a frown. “There’s no need to go possessive. After all, you just said she’s not yours.”

I rolled my eyes, the frustration burning hotter in my chest. “I said she’s not mine. That doesn’t mean she’s open to others.”

Roll looked back at Ember, narrowing his eyes. “I could have sworn by the stars that she looks like Queen Titiana. Except Queen Titiana had a still birth.”

I furrowed my brows and glanced at Ember, a strange unease settling in my gut. She really did resemble the queen. But the queen had lost her life in the shadow attack on the palace. I shook the thought off quickly. The stars were giving me no insight on the matter anyway.

I pulled five flashing gold coins from my pocket and slammed them onto the table, the metallic clink jolting Roll, who had been staring at Ember again.

I bared my teeth and snarled, my voice low and threatening. “Take your fucking eyes off her or I’ll gouge them out.”

Ember finally laughed, the sound light and relieving some of my tension. She patted my back slowly, her hand warm through my shirt. “Calm down, bird boy. I don't even do oldies. Why are you wasting your energy?”

I turned to look at her and smirked, the protective anger easing a bit. “I don’t want to take chances.”

We signed our names on the form, the pen scratching loudly against the paper. I opened the door for her and led the way to a side room. “Select a sky jacket and put it on.”

Ember asked, “What’s a sky jacket?”

“It’s for protection,” I explained. “In case we get into an accident, there’s a mechanism that opens up like a parachute ball and saves us from plummeting and smashing our heads on the floor.”

Ember said, “Nice invention,” and immediately slipped the jacket on, adjusting the straps with quick fingers.

We climbed the flight of stairs, my wings folded tight against my back and the metal steps cold under my boots.

I picked a sleek glider car. It looked like a small airplane with two seats side by side, a clear cover that sealed tightly to protect riders from the wind, and a powerful engine at the back that hummed with controlled energy.

“You’re going to ride,” I told her. “I’ll give you directions.”

Ember protested, her voice rising. “Since you know the directions, you should ride.”

I shook my head. “I won’t concentrate and might get us into an accident.”

Ember yelled, frustration clear on her face. “I can’t drive the damn thing!”

I smiled, feeling a spark of amusement. “It’s not as hard as you’re thinking. You’ll get it.”

Ember groaned loudly. “You’re crazy.”

I was crazy, but I was going to enjoy every second of this.

Everyone assembled at the starting line. Ember started the car, her hands gripping the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. A gun sounded with a sharp crack and the racers surged forward in a roar of engines.

“Press the button and go!” I yelled over the noise.

She glared at me, her jaw clenched tight. She slammed the forward button. The car shot ahead fast and she yelled, her voice high and panicked.

I snapped at her, tension rising in my chest. “Control the car with the wheels!”

She looked at me with wide, pleading eyes, her breath coming fast. “Switch seats and drive the damn thing or else we’re going to die!”

I glared back, adrenaline pumping through me. “We’re not going to die. Drive now or we’ll lose.”

She stepped hard on the gear, the engine roaring louder. The car shot forward again as she gripped the wheel. I pointed ahead. “Fly through the ring in front of us.”

She yelled, fear sharp in her voice, “How??”

I didn’t answer. Another vision slammed into me. I snapped my eyes open. “Swerve left!”

She yanked the wheel hard just in time. A car crashed into the exact spot we had left with a loud crunch. Her eyes widened. “Fuck, that was close!”

I laughed, the rush of exhilaration flooding my body. This was the best part of the game—the fear, the speed, the raw energy surging through my veins.

A lion appeared suddenly in front of us. Ember slammed on the brakes, her breath catching sharply.

“Ram through it!” I ordered.

She looked at me like I was insane, her face pale. I pressed the acceleration button. We shot forward. She yelled as the lion roared loudly, but I kept pressing until we collided. The lion disappeared in a flash.

Ember nearly had a heart attack, her chest heaving. “What the fuck? We didn’t die!”

I laughed again, grinning. “Move right and ram into that car.”

She didn’t question me this time and did exactly that, determination replacing some of her fear. Then a vivid vision hit me hard—Ember flying out of the car.

I opened my eyes just in time. “Turn right!”

Ember cursed loudly, her voice raw, and swerved right, her knuckles white on the wheel. “Keep moving forward!” I shouted.

A sudden whirlwind appeared, snatching cars one by one while riders screamed in terror.

“Press the last gear and keep your hand on the steering wheel,” I said urgently. “Go round the whirlwind.”

Ember’s eyes balked, panic clear. “Are you crazy? How the hell am I supposed to do that?”

I frowned, tension tight in my chest. “Do it or we’ll lose!”

She flipped me the middle finger, rage burning in her eyes, then stepped hard on the gear and steered around the wind. It was difficult. The whirlwind pulled at the car with powerful force, but she pushed through. We shot past it and crossed the finish line.

I whooped loudly in victory. Ember brought the car to a stop, breathing hard. She climbed out and glared at me, her face flushed.

I plastered on an innocent smile. “Did you enjoy it?”

She sighed, wiping sweat from her forehead. “It’s more dangerous than the Dragonback coaster ride but exhilarating.” She paused. “Did they know you used your sight to win?”

I shrugged. “If they knew, there’s never been a rule against finding a way to win.”

As we collected our prize… a shiny huge bag of snacks nearly four feet tall and headed out, I suddenly stopped. My eyes glazed over and my body went rigid. A vision hit me hard.

I saw a portal ripping open, shadow monsters slipping through, chaos spreading everywhere. The most horrifying part was Ember lying dead on the floor, blood pooling around her still body. The vision vanished as fast as it came.

I stood there visibly disturbed, cold fear twisting in my gut, but I didn’t say a word to Ember.

I forced my feet to move again, hiding the dread clawing inside me.