Adelina pulled them inside, then shut the door. “What’s going on. Is it about Ezaara?”
Mara’s eyes were wide. “Yes, Sofia is saying she’s vicious and can’t be trusted. There’s talk of how she attacks trainees with knives and worse.” Mara nudged Leah. “Tell her what you heard.”
Leah nervously tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. “You know I’m helping the master healer in the infirmary now, right?”
Adelina nodded.
“Ezaara came in, looking for healing supplies this morning. After she left, a patient said Snake-tongue had told him Ezaara had poisoned the queen herself, only pretending to rescue her.”
A surge of hot rage blasted through Adelina’s chest. “Lies! I helped the Queens’ Rider save Zaarusha. I was with Kierion when he found the remedy.” She wanted to punch Snake-tongue’s smarmy face. She and Sofia had been good friends until the accident. Overnight, everything had changed. It was awful, like Sofia had been magicked into being nasty.
“Kierion found the remedy?” asked Leah.
“Ezaara figured out what remedy was needed and sent Kierion to find more, but that’s not the point,” said Adelina. “That guttersnipe is ruining everything.”
“We have to do something,” said Mara.
The door burst open. Gret and Lovina barreled in. “Oh, sorry, we didn’t realize you had company,” Gret said.
“What is it?”
“Just something we heard.” Lovina’s eyes flitted to Mara and Lara.
“It’s all right. They were just letting me know the latest gossip that Snake-tongue was spouting.”
“Oh, good,” said Gret. “That’s what we wanted to see you about too. Sofia’s saying Ezaara poisoned Zaarusha.”
“The girls said so. Keep your eyes and ears peeled. Once we know what’s going on, we’ll tell Lars.”
“We have to write down what’s been said,” Gret said. “Lars always wants evidence.”
Mara and Leah nodded. “We can do that,” Leah said. “I’ll get a quill and paper from the infirmary.”
“Right, we’d better get to the imprinting grounds or Alyssa will be wild.” Adelina gazed at Lovina, suddenly awkward. How awful. Her and Gret were in the imprinting group but Lovina wasn’t. “I’m sorry, Lovina, I wish you could come too.”
Lovina’s thin face lit up, like sun reflecting off a lake. “I don’t need to. I imprinted with Ajeurina yesterday. I’m already a dragon rider.”
Gods, in her self-pity-fueled state, Adelina hadn’t even realized.
Dragons
Master Alyssa raised her arm, motioning for the trainees to be quiet.
Kierion elbowed Lofty. “Ssh.”
The hubbub in the training cavern died down.
“I apologize on behalf of Roberto, master of mental faculties and imprinting. He cannot be here today. As flight master I am here in his stead.”
There’d been rumors that Roberto had been away on council business. Kierion hadn’t seen him for at least a moon and a half. Tomaaz had been with him, but he’d recently returned, so surely Roberto would be back soon.
Adelina and Gret hustled in, late.
Kierion winked to greet Adelina. She barely raised an eyebrow in return. Over the last few days, she’d been distant and withdrawn—ever since the prank with the arrows. Was she mad at him over that? Surely not. Maybe Adelina was missing her brother. Or maybe she was mad at him for something else. Kierion racked his brains to think what he could’ve done to annoy her, but came up blank.
He yawned. Doing double kitchen duty and extended training was wearing him out. Shards, everyone was raising their hands and he hadn’t been paying attention. He shot his hand up, too, so he wouldn’t stand out.
“All right, Kierion,” said Master Alyssa, waving him to the front with a flourish. “You may demonstrate first.”
Demonstrate what? Kierion shot a panicked glance at Lofty, who mimed eating. What was that about?
“Please, Kierion, show the class how it’s done.”
He thought fast. “Perhaps you could recap the step beforehand, Master Alyssa, just to refresh everyone. And then I’ll show them, of course.”
Alyssa laughed, shaking her head, her dark plaits swinging. “Recap imprinting? I don’t think you were listening.”
If word of this got back to Master Lars, he’d be dragon toast. What should he—
Lofty was surreptitiously miming eating again.
Of course! Kierion pretended to place something on his palm, and held it out flat. “Although it’s not necessary, feeding a newly-imprinted dragon helps to cement your bond. Hold your palm flat, like when you feed a horse, or toss scraps into the air for the dragon to catch.” He mimed tossing food to the trainees. Lofty caught an imaginary morsel, chomping it down. Oops, they’d better not get too carried away. “Is there anything else, Master Alyssa?”
“Thank you, Kierion.” As he re-joined the class, Master Alyssa added, “Of course, I asked you all that quick question for Kierion’s benefit, because he wasn’t listening. Pay attention now, all of you, please.”
Lofty sniggered. “She got you there.”
Ears hot, Kierion nodded, not daring to take his eyes off their instructor.
“The imprinting grounds are a place where many dragons and riders can meet to see if they form an instant bond. Not everybody will bond with a dragon today. Remember, imprinting can happen anywhere, anytime.” Alyssa paced before them. “For example, Ezaara and Zaarusha imprinted in the forest in Lush Valley, an area dragons hadn’t visited for years.”
One of the arrow flingers put up his hand. “Is it true that people from Lush Valley used to hate dragons?”
“Yes, many years ago they had a settlement arbitrator who had a grudge against dragons, so he raised his son and grandson in the same vein. Once our honored Queen’s Rider imprinted, dragons went back to Lush Valley to help save its people from tharuks. They understand our intentions are good now. Ezaara and Zaarusha have changed Lush Valley attitudes for the better. Let’s hope the outcomes of your bonds with your dragons are as productive. Any more questions?”
Soon, they were heading along the tunnels to the old door that led to the imprinting grounds. Kierion had only been there once before, when he’d helped save Zaarusha from poison, and he’d flown up, so he’d never seen this narrow tunnel.
Lofty was at Kierion’s side as they negotiated the uneven rocky stairs that wound up through the mountain. Torches sputtered in their sconces, the light flickering over the trainees in front of them. Some had been training for months, like Sofia, Alban, Gret, Henry and Rocco. Others were only new, like him and Lofty, but they were all here for one thing: dragons. With tired legs, Kierion trudged upward, yawning again.
“Too much kitchen duty,” Lofty teased.
“Well, you’re helping in the kitchen too. Aren’t you tired?”
“No, I snatch a snooze between training and dinner.”
“Brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?” Ahead of him, a girl stumbled. Kierion leapt forward to steady her.
“Thanks, Kierion.”
Thanks to his arrow prank, everyone knew his name, but who was she?
Behind him, Lofty was now walking with another trainee. “Do you mind if I pass?” Kierion flashed a smile at the girl and she let him past. He bounded up the stairs and caught up with Adelina, falling in alongside her. “Bit of a steep climb, isn’t it?” he asked.
“I hadn’t noticed.” Her voice was flat, disinterested.
So, she was mad at him. Kierion sighed. “Whatever I’ve done, I’m sorry, Adelina. Sometimes I upset people without realizing.”
She stared at him. “Not everything’s about you, Kierion.” She pushed up the stairs, past people, to get ahead.
What? For a moment, Kierion stopped, dumbfounded. Someone behind bumped into him. He spurted up the stairs after her, saying, “Excuse me,” and “Thanks for letting me pass,” until he reached Adelina.
Something glimmered on h
er cheek in the torchlight. She was crying.
So, it wasn’t about him. Something must be up with her brother or a friend. Or maybe she was just sad. Kierion walked with her in silence up a few more stairs, then gave her hand a quick squeeze to let her know he understood. To his surprise, she gripped his hand fiercely, not letting go as they wound their way upward through the stone.
Something splashed onto the back of his hand. Another tear. He squeezed her hand tighter and kept walking. As it started to get lighter, she gave him a wan smile and whispered, “Thank you.”
Adelina released his hand, scrubbing her cheeks with her sleeve, and pasted a bright smile on her face. “I’m all right now.”
Who did she think she was fooling? She looked terrible.
Then her face changed. Eyes bright, she smiled—a genuine smile. “Can you feel it?” Adelina asked, her voice filled with wonder.
What? Kierion shrugged.
And then he felt it. His tiredness vanished. Excitement pulsed through his veins. He wanted to run straight up the stairs onto the plateau.
“It’s the dragons. Come on.” Adelina snatched up his hand again, and they raced up the stairs.
Out on the plateau, Kierion’s heart pounded. The sky beyond was filled with flapping wings, sinuous necks and dragon maws shooting tiny flames of excitement. Scales flashed in the sun: emerald, copper, scarlet, violet, mustard, orange, blue and more. The whole sky seethed with color.
With thuds, dragons landed in the snow, flurries eddying with their wingbeats.
And then Kierion saw her. His dragon. His heart exploded wide open, and a rush of love enveloped him. He was swept up in a river of feeling, his feet moving effortlessly toward this golden-eyed beauty out on the plateau. Her purple scales glinted with gold specks as she approached him.
“Kierion, you were born to be my rider.”
No one had told him that imprinting was like this—a rush of emotion so intense, it could sweep you away; a harmony so sweet, you could cry; a dragon so exquisite, you’d give your life for her. “How did you know my name?”
“Since your prank with the arrows, all the dragons know your name. It caused quite a stir, you know.”
Kierion’s ears went red, yet again. “What’s your name?”
“I shall now be named Riona, in your honor—because it’s an honor to have a rider like you.”
“L-like me?”
Then Kierion had the oddest moment of his life—and he’d had plenty of odd moments. He saw himself as Riona did: tall, lean, with a shock of blond hair and blue-gray eyes. Pretty sea eyes, his Ma had called them. But it wasn’t his features that were strange; it was his face, etched with love as he gazed at his new friend.
He touched her snout. Her scales were warm and as supple as worn leather. He scratched her eye ridges, and she thrummed, like a purring cat. A shot of vicious pleasure ripped through his mind with an image of Riona devouring a cat. Her lip curled back and her fangs glinted.
“You’re smiling.” Kierion laughed. “You have a sense of humor, too.”
“And I like pranks, as much as you.”
Master Alyssa approached, holding a bowl of meat scraps.
“Thank you.” Kierion held some out for Riona.
Her snout tickled his palm as she snaffled them down. “Come on, Kierion, let’s fly.”
Riona’s impatience thrummed through Kierion. Stepping upon her extended foreleg, he climbed onto her back. She had no saddle, so he settled into a soft hollow between her spinal ridges and hung on tight. Riona’s haunches tensed, coiled with energy.
A voice rang out over the plateau. “Please wait before you fly.”
It was Ezaara, flying on Zaarusha, sitting tall in the saddle, holding a stick high in the air as the queen landed on the plateau. Hang on, there was something familiar about that stick. Kierion squinted against the sun. It was the cane Roberto had carved for Ezaara.
Riona’s body trembled beneath Kierion, full of suppressed energy. Other new riders were straddling their dragons, perched in the snow, ready to fly. With one short call, Ezaara had stopped them all.
“Welcome to the ranks of riders of fire,” Ezaara said. “In time, you’ll learn to harness the energy from your dragon to enhance your abilities. Some of you may inherit their gifts too. Use what they give you wisely. Now, before you fly, you must all pledge to serve our Honored Dragon Queen, Zaarusha, and Dragons’ Realm.” Ezaara held her staff high again.
Voices fired up, everyone chanted, “We pledge to serve our Honored Dragon Queen, Zaarusha, and Dragons’ Realm.”
“I pledge to serve my queen, Zaarusha, and Dragons’ Realm,” Riona said at the same time.
Zaarusha roared, accepting their allegiance.
A ripple of pride flowed through Kierion from Riona. He chuckled. “Your emotions are so glorious. You make the colors in my life brighter.”
“You inspire them, Kierion. Everything feels richer since we’ve imprinted. I can’t help sharing that with you.” Again, a rumble built in his mind.
At the back of the plateau, Sofia and Alban were perched on dragons, scowling.
Kierion couldn’t imagine them pledging to anyone. Sofia had been as sour as an unripe grape lately, and had poisoned Alban’s attitude, too. Behind them were the trainees who hadn’t imprinted yet, most trying bravely to smile and failing.
“Before you fly, please introduce your dragons to us,” the Queen’s Rider requested. “We’ll start with Gret.”
“Gret and Hagret.” Gret was sitting on a scarlet dragon.
“Adelina with Linaia.” Adelina sat smiling, on a fine blue mount, whose scales changed from light to dark as she moved.
“Lofty with Itziga.”
Their names didn’t match. Murmurs immediately broke out among the new riders.
Ezaara raised her staff again. “I know it appears Lofty is breaking the naming convention between rider and dragon because their names don’t have a common syllable, but he isn’t.” Ezaara laughed. “His true name is Fritz. My brother Tomaaz nicknamed him Lofty, back in Lush Valley because he’s so short.”
The towering Lofty, short? Everyone laughed. Lofty grinned and gestured at the next rider to continue.
It wasn’t until Ezaara laughed that Kierion realized something was wrong. When she’d arrived at the hold, Ezaara had laughed easily. Now it was forced. Dark shadows smudged her eyes, her shoulders were weighed down and her smile was brittle.
“Kierion with Riona.” He inclined his head.
Riona roared, and a tremor ran through him. “I want to fly,” she said.
“Not long.” As more riders introduced themselves and their dragons, Riona’s impatience grew, making Kierion itch to get going.
At last it was Sofia’s turn.
“Sofia and Aria.” Sofia’s dragon was also purple, but not as beautiful as Riona.
“Aria sings,” said Riona. “When she was tiny, her voice was awful, but now she’s quite melodious.”
“Really? I didn’t know dragons could sing.”
“Alban and Banikan.” Alban was on an emerald dragon.
Hopefully, he’d be sent off to the green guards in Naobia. Kierion was sick of his scowl.
Raising a hand, Master Alyssa called, “Now fly. Trust your dragons. We’ll see you in the training cavern after dinner.”
Flapping, roars, and whoops filled the air as dragons launched into the sky.
Instead of leaping after them, Riona strode to the edge and dropped down. The mountain face whooshed past. Wind tugged at Kierion’s hair. The snowy clearing rushed closer. His stomach plummeted.
Riona flapped her wings to break their fall, and soared over the basin. Above them, dragons were blurs of color in the sky. Riona caught a thermal and spiraled up toward the snowy peaks. Kierion was filled with a rush of energy that took his breath away. Every wingbeat sent a tremor of joy through him. Shards, he felt so alive. He’d never be the same again.
So that’s why riders said life wa
sn’t worth living if you lost your dragon.
Mage Gate
Fenni and Master Giddi traveled over the rocky pass and down through foothills. “Try that snow drift,” Master Giddi ordered.
Flame blasted from Fenni’s fingertips, shooting under the foliage of two strongwoods to hit the snowy hump. His fireball sizzled, melting the snow and revealing a rock.
Giddi grunted. “If you can manage that from horseback, you might have a shot at doing decently on dragonback one day. Try that stump.”
On dragonback? That would be awesome. Fenni flung out his hands, but his fire fizzled out on the side of the trail. Oh, shards, his flame still wasn’t reliable.
A bushy eyebrow raised. “Keep practicing.”
“I’ve never seen a mage on dragonback.” Oh, what a fool. He was speaking to the dragon mage himself. “Sorry, I meant—”
“Don’t worry so much, Fenwick. Of course you’ve never seen a wizard on a dragon, but years ago, we rode behind dragon riders, blasting tharuks with wizard flame while riders shot arrows.” He sighed. “It’ll never happen again, in your lifetime.” His master gave such an ominous scowl that Fenni didn’t dare ask anything else. They rode on in silence, Master Giddi deep in thought with his bushy eyebrows pulled down.
When they entered the northern part of Great Spanglewood Forest, the woods were carpeted in deep snow. The horses trudged on until they arrived at a wide snowy clearing, sliced through the middle by a fast-moving stream. The far side was edged with tents, a stable and cabins with green mage smoke curling from their chimneys.
Master Giddi chaffed his hands together. Fenni’s behind was saddle-sore and his shoulders ached from flinging flame all day. If only he could rest.
Wizards dotted the clearing, shooting flame at targets, and dueling each other with snow, water or flame. Thick vines wrapped themselves around one woman’s legs, and a magical gust of wind knocked a man down. Bolts of light flashed from trees and mages conjured magical shields to protect themselves. A group were gathered by a cauldron over an outdoor fire, brewing a smelly concoction that wafted plumes of blue smoke.
Dragon Rift: Riders of Fire, Book Three - A Dragons’ Realm Novel Page 12