The Column Racer by Jeffrey Johnson Page A

attached to its exterior. Areli could see the outlines of flags that were waving on the top of the walls, one for each Hall that had a racing team. In the middle of them, raised three times as high, was the flag of the Empire, which stood next to the flag of Abhi, which also stood taller than the rest. Areli and her family should be happy, maybe even proud, but coldness had entered into their hearts. Leaving nothing but bitter remains.
    “He won’t touch you again,” said the commander, sadly, “any of you. As long as Areli wins, you’ll be safe.” A single tear came from her father, a sniffle from her mother, but from Areli, a clenched fist. She was sure that if the Emperor ever touched her again . . . she would certainly kill him. They got back into the carriage and continued to the Abhi boarding facility.
    The sky was dark, but the city was bright, as the past Emperors and their architects tried to create the feeling that the city rested amongst the stars. Lanterns were raised at seemingly random places above buildings and streets to replicate constellations and patterns. It was the spectacle Talon said it would be.
    When they got to the boarding facility, they went through the same process of verification, but when the doors were opened, they weren’t met by elegant gardens, but large life-sized statues of racing dragons, so real that someone could easily mistake them as living. There was a large series of fountains leading to the stall room doors that had a large dragon decorating the front of them.
    As they entered through the doors, Areli looked out her window at the large stalls that were on either side of her. Dragons seemed to swim on their lavish exterior. The carriage took a gentle wide right and continued down a long row of stalls.
    The stalls were much larger than the ones in Areli’s old school, and were in one continuous row, instead of being parallel to one another, at least for the Hall riders. The carriage moved down until it stopped next to the last stall, leaving enough room for the trailer. Areli’s heart was pounding in her chest, as she was amongst the dragons owned by the best riders in the Empire. This was home. Even though she hated the Emperor with every inch of her being, she knew this is where she belonged, both she and Kaia.
    When Areli’s feet came down on the dark marble floor, they were shaking. Her parents followed from behind. Her father still unwilling to let go of her mother. The walls for the stalls were tall but had gaps where diamond-encrusted bars allowed riders to check in on their dragons.
    The walls eventually turned into bars that seemed to curve near the ever rising ceilings and attach themselves to the limestone walls. The commander handed Areli the halter, and her dragon moved around her trailer somberly, still feeling the dregs of Areli’s sorrow.
    With the back of the trailer opened, Areli slipped the halter over her dragon’s face and placed her into the stall, which like the trailer was covered with a pillow of pine shavings and had an elegant bucket in the corner, full of clear blue mountain water. When Areli slipped off the halter, she hugged her dragon around the neck and kissed her on the nose, crying tears of exhaustion.
    “We made it, Kaia,” whispered Areli, “we made it. Don’t worry, girl. Once we’re in the air again – we’ll be happy.” Before Areli got back in her carriage, she checked on Kaia through one of the gaps of bars. Her dragon felt her presence, walked over to her and layed down onto the shavings, allowing her master’s hands to rest on the tip of the nose. Areli fed her dragon soothing feelings to help her fall asleep, and then she was swept back into the carriage and back into the city streets.

    They traveled amongst the man-made stars towards the other side of Abhi, towards the Lake of Riders. After they were authorized to enter by the guard outside the gates of the community, Areli held witness to some of the most beautiful