|
"Enemy
above! Enemy above!"
Maximus's
larboard lookout was pointing frantically upward; even as the boy
shrilled, a terrible thick roaring like thunder sounded in their ears
and drowned him out: a Grand Chevalier came plummeting down towards
them. The dragon's pale belly had allowed it to blend into the heavy
cloud cover undetected by the lookouts, and now it descended toward
Lily, great claws opening wide; it was nearly twice her size, and
outweighed even Maximus.
Laurence was
shocked to see Messoria and Immortalis both suddenly drop; he realized
belatedly it was the reflex which Celeritas had warned them of, so long
ago: a reaction to being startled from above. Nitidus had given a
startled jerk of his wings, but recovered, and Dilcia had kept her
position, but Maximus had put on a burst of speed and overshot the
others, and Lily herself was wheeling around in instinctive alarm. The
formation had dissolved into chaos, and she was wholly exposed.
"Ready all
guns; straight at him!" Laurence roared, signaling frantically to
Temeraire; it was unnecessary, for after a moment's hovering, Temeraire
had already launched himself to Lily's defense. The Chevalier was too
close to deflect him entirely, but if they could strike him before he
was able to latch on to Lily, they could still save her from a fatal
mauling, and give her time to strike back.
The four
French dragons were all coming about again. Temeraire put on a burst of
sudden speed and just barley slid past the reaching claws of the
Pecheur-Couronne, and collided with the great French beast with his
claws outstretched even as the Chevalier slashed at Lily's back.
She shrieked
in pain and fury, thrashing; the three dragons were all entangled now,
beating their wings furiously in opposite direction, clawing and
slashing. |
