вЂњPlease.вЂќ вЂњYour hand,вЂќ Jinx repeated, as Areion lowered his head to the dwarf and smelled her thoughtfully. вЂњHold out your hand.вЂќ вЂњMistress,вЂќ the girl begged. The young beastmaster was shaking like a leaf, but she stayed where she was. вЂњStay here.вЂќ Her voice left no room for discussion. вЂњCome.вЂќ Dakri backed away as the beast approached her, but Jinx kept her standing. вЂњAreion,вЂќ Jinx spoke, glancing up at her mount. The young dwarf stared at the bat, utterly speechless, and then lowered wide eyes to her. She turned, and found herself eye to eye with a frozen Dakri Fer Kin, her broom still clasped in pale hands. In the corner of her eye, the Overlady caught sight of a figure that wasnвЂ™t a Minion. HeвЂ™d been raised by her and Kniff as much as by Harpyia. She hadnвЂ™t expected a wild bat to ever come down вЂ“ but Areion wasnвЂ™t just any wild bat. вЂњRecognize the scent thatвЂ™s always on me, little one? The Netherworld at least smells familiar, hm?вЂќ She excitedly followed his movements.

She slowly let go of him, and chuckled as he sniffed the air, looking down at her again. By his side, a grin broke through on JinxвЂ™ face. Was this their roost?Areion blinked, more attentive now.

These smaller figures were familiar, too the biggest of them had been a constant in his life almost as much as his rider had, and more of them had come to visit the mountain at times. Yellow eyes were glowing in the shadows, just like those of his rider. His barely contained howl died down, and he looked around the throne room again. In all his years, Areion had never experienced this before, and for a moment his panic threatened to overwhelm him вЂ“ but then there was that hand on his folded wing, and he abruptly looked down at his small rider, the figure thatвЂ™d been by his side since birth, thatвЂ™d once been able to look down at him and carry him in her arms. Darkness and fire surrounded him, and his claws scrabbled across smooth black marble. Humid air had made way for drought, with an undertone of a very different heat than that of sunny Everlight.

The mountaintop and the jungle were gone. When they extinguished, they left behind a very confused giant bat, feverishly glancing around with wildly turning ears and a shrill howl in the back of his throat. Flames belched forth and washed over the throne roomвЂ™s inky black floor. After a brief hesitation, he pressed his cheek into her palm вЂ“ and with a sharp intake of breath, and a racing heart, Jinx sent all three of them down to the Netherworld. вЂњVery well, then.вЂќ She led him closer to the Tower gate and held out her hand to him. Mount after rider!вЂќ The Minion Mistress held her mountвЂ™s gaze. Areion bared his teeth in something akin to disgust for the briefest moment. вЂњYouвЂ™re sure? You donвЂ™t want to fly a little further than this valley first? Out?вЂќ She gestured into the west, where the mountains grew misty and declined into the sea. вЂњWait.вЂќ The bat lowered himself onto his wing claws and followed her. As she took another step, he cocked his head and rocked his body forwards, ever so slightly. Time for us to go home.вЂќ Areion didnвЂ™t move a muscle. вЂњWeвЂ™re off,вЂќ Jinx spoke, stepping backward towards the gate. HeвЂ™d stayed with her and Kniff, that glitter in his eyes, his wings neatly folded, even when Jinx had called forth a flaming Tower gate. He hadnвЂ™t taken flight when the bats of his colony had left their cavern, flapping and screeching at each other in alarm, hissing at the flames and smoke rising from their jungle. Areion was very much a mount after his rider, almost frighteningly so. The events of the day made her only that much more grateful to have her own mount by her side now, alive and well, fully healed from his wild adventure above the valley, and despite the horrors of said adventure, with eyes still shining bright вЂ“ or perhaps that was because of those horrors. She knew all too well what it was to lose a mount and beloved companion. It didnвЂ™t seem like sheвЂ™d be coming down anytime soon. ThereвЂ™d been no stopping her, and Jinx hadnвЂ™t tried to as soon as the flood of RaveaвЂ™s acid had dried up on the mountainside, the blonde elf had climbed the slope towards the higher ridges and the peak itself. Chapter 23 вЂ“ Bakith Sora had left her side.

Red hive overlord raising hell