The Lost Hero

Chapter 13

On the skywalk, Dylan the storm spirit had said something about the coach, too: how he'd been retired to Wilderness School because he was getting too old, like it was some sort of punishment. Vivian wondered what that was about, and if it explained why the coach was always so grumpy. Whatever the truth, now that Vivian knew Hedge was alive, she had a strong compulsion to save him.

I fell asleep, leaning on Leo's back. The next thing I know, I'm free falling through the sky.

***

Vivian fell through the sky. Far below she saw city lights glimmering in the early dawn, and several hundred yards away the body of the bronze dragon spinning out of control, its wings limp, fire flickering in its mouth like a badly wired lightbulb.

A body shot past her—Leo, screaming and frantically grabbing at the clouds. "Not coooooool!"

Vivian tried to call to him, but he was already too far below. I did the safest thing. I grew my wings. The white wings appeared on my back stopping me from falling any further.

Somewhere above her, Jason yelled, "Piper, level out! Extend your arms and legs!"

It was hard to control Piper's fear, but she did what Jason said and regained some balance. Piper fell spread-eagle like a skydiver, the wind underneath her like a solid block of ice. Then Jason was there, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Vivian flying right next to her.

Thank god, Piper thought. But part of her also thought: Great. Second time this week he's hugged me, and both times it's because I'm plummeting to my death.

"We have to get Leo!" Vivian shouted.

Vivian flew down and grabbed Leo, who was still wriggling and cursing.

"Stop fighting!" Vivian said. "It's me!"

"Our dragon!" Leo yelled. "You gotta save Festus!"

Jason was already struggling to keep Piper aloft, and Piper knew there was no way he could help a fifty-ton metal dragon. Vivian was having trouble holding Leo. But before she could try to reason with Leo, she heard an explosion below them. A fireball rolled into the sky from behind a warehouse complex, and Leo sobbed, "Festus!"

Jason's face reddened with strain as he tried to maintain an air cushion beneath them, but intermittent slow-downs were the best he could manage. Rather than free-falling, it felt like they were bouncing down a giant staircase, a hundred feet at a time, which wasn't doing Piper's stomach any favors.

Vivian was wobbling, falling then rising up again.

As they wobbled and zigzagged, Piper could make out details of the factory complex below—warehouses, smokestacks, barbed-wire fences, and parking lots lined with snow-covered vehicles. They were still high enough so that hitting the ground would flatten them into roadkill—or skykill —when Jason groaned, "I can't—"

And they dropped like stones.

They hit the roof of the largest warehouse and crashed through into darkness.

Vivian hit the floor with a thud.

Unfortunately, Piper tried to land on her feet. Her feet didn't like that. Pain flared in her left ankle as she crumpled against a cold metal surface.

For a few seconds she wasn't conscious of anything but pain—pain so bad that her ears rang and her vision went red.

Then she heard Jason's voice somewhere below, echoing through the building. "Piper! Where's Piper?"

"Piper!" Vivian screamed after she got off the floor, walking around trying to find her.

"Ow, bro!" Leo groaned. "That's my back! I'm not a sofa! Piper, where'd you go?" Looks like Jason landed on Leo's back.