Tempest
    
Rain poured down in sheets of steel. Furious clouds scudded across the sky, and thunder pounded on the horizon. Lightning flashed, wicked bright. Julve wished she could hide, crawl under her blankets. But she couldn’t. This was her responsibility, whether she liked it or not.
    
This was no ordinary storm. At the center, an expected area of calm, was a dragon--his eyes wild, his wings cutting into the wind. He paid no attention to the drops hammering his sides. A fire-colored snout nudged Julve forward. She glanced at her own dragon. Smoke billowed from Ithiona’s nostrils. Her wings were tense, ready for flight. As her dragon rider, one word from Julve would launch them into the action. As the only dragon rider, it was Julve’s job to stop the action.
    
Julve hugged Ithiona. “All right,” she whispered into Ithiona’s ear. “Let’s go.”
    
The crimson dragon took to the sky.
    
Unsurprisingly, it was worse closer to the center. Hail flew everywhere. The blue dragon stood stock-still as his storm surged around him. A stark contrast.
    
Julve patted at her pocket, making sure she had it. There would be no hesitation, only failure or success. Ithiona fought against the squall, wings rippling. Her dragon would take her there, and Julve would take the azure dragon down.
    
With a piercing cry, Ithiona shot forward. They hurtled into the eye, careening into the cerulean dragon. They’d meant to. In the chaos, Julve dove from Ithiona’s back to the other dragon’s, pulling out a collar. He appeared to realize what was happening at the last moment. But it was too late. It was done, and the tempest was gone.
    
Julve fell back. Calm returned in a rush of blue sky, the same color as the dragon. He craned his neck, scrutinizing the golden collar that stopped his storm. He seemed incredulous. Ithiona looked pleased.
    
Julve stepped forward. She held out a gem-studded goblet. The other item from her pocket. The thief had regretted taking it, he’d said.
    
“Here’s the treasure that was stolen from you,” she said. “Next time, don’t throw a tantrum.”