Starie groaned and I heard a snicker from behind me. Grandis Elfar’s face turned dark.
“You think this is a laughing matter? Your name?”
It was the good-looking dark-haired boy. “Castelan Jael Woelran.”
“We don’t usually muck stalls on the first day, Jael, but it looks like this class will be doing it. They can thank you for the privilege. We’ll talk more about tack tomorrow. Today, we muck stalls. Form a line at the door.”
I hobbled over to where the line was forming and found my place right behind Starie. She looked back at me, grimaced and then sniffed and turned away. What had I ever done to her?
“There’s a hidden pulley system for the buckets,” a voice whispered in my ear.
I turned around to see Savette looking up at the ceiling, an indifferent look on her face. For someone who pretended not to care about me, she sure seemed to be going out of her way to help. I tried to catch her eye to thank her, but Grandis Elfar was already calling us to order.
We followed her brisk pace down the long line of Dragon alcoves. The name of each dragon was carved into the rock above his head. How old and permanent must they be to have someone carve their name in the rock?
The alcoves of the dragons nearest to us were lush and smelled of sweet hay and something nutty. Warm air drifted from them and I thought I saw the glow of braziers within.
“These are Dragon Rider mounts,” Grandis Elfar said as we walked. “They are to be honored and respected. Allies, not servants.”
After long minutes, we turned a corner to a new line of stables along the curve of the ridge.
“These are the mounts of visiting Dragon Riders.” The Grandis called back her explanations in a loud clear voice. I wondered if it was trained to be heard by others in the air. Would it be noisy to fly on the back of a Dragon with air rushing past you from the speed?
These alcoves seemed more uniform and no names or special decorations were present, but they were clean and fresh. They seemed to go on and on to the point where my crutch was irritating my arm pit. I was going to have to get used to this walk. My speed was flagging and the Dannil Evermore pushed past me with three other boys.
“These are the dragons of the Sworn and Inducted. Watch yourself here and do not go to close to the openings. These dragons are not fully trained.”
The stables here were alive with activity. Sworn and Inducted busily cleaned alcoves and hauled water, calling and laughing together. I watched with a hint of longing. They looked like families or very close friends. And they seemed to enjoy their life here as trainees. Perhaps there was a life here for me, if I could find my bearings and make friends.
I glanced behind me. Savette was the only one who hadn’t pushed past me, but I couldn’t catch her eye. She was focused on watching those who ranked above us. Knowing her, she was probably memorizing every detail of their work to lecture us about later. What made a high-born lady in pretty clothes so keen on understanding how things worked? It was an admirable trait to have. If only Savette wasn’t so cold, perhaps we could be friends.
“Don’t fall behind!” Grandis Elfar’s voice cut through my thoughts and I took a deep breath and picked up my pace. I was already winded, but I didn’t dare to show that I couldn’t keep up. “We have now reached the area of recently caught dragons. Watch your step with caution and follow the orders of the Green Dragon Riders. Recently caught or hatched dragons are in their care.”
Here, Dragon Riders with green silk scarves guarded alcoves or worked busily around the alcoves. I couldn’t tell what they were doing, but the work seemed focused and intent.
“Wild Dragons that are caught and then gentled here by a rider form a bond with only that rider for life. The ones raised in captivity lack the spirit and individuality of wild dragons,” Savette said, as if to herself.
So, that was why they had fresh recruits choose and care for a dragon. We had the opportunity to bond with our dragons. It was a very dangerous way to do things. And what kept them contained in their alcoves?
“See the Dragon Riders standing between alcoves? They are maintaining the ward that keeps freshly caught Dragons in their alcoves. Loyal Dragons don’t need to be contained, but Mustang Dragons – wild ones – need to be gentled first.” Savette was still pretending she wasn’t talking to me. Should I ask her a question or go along with her acting? I decided to ask. I needed to be sure I hadn’t heard her wrong.
“Are the Green Dragon Riders going to gentle them?”
She laughed. “No, Amel. We are. Our first job as trainees is to gentle a dragon and take the First Flight. If we live through that first flight, we will have passed the first test and we’ll be considered Initiates of Dragon School.”
Her words were punctuated by the crack of a whip. One of the Green Dragon Riders had cracked his whip to contain a snorting white dragon.
I swallowed. We had to ride a wild dragon to be considered full initiates? No wonder everyone kept thinking I wouldn’t last the week out. If I thought managing narrow rock walkways and ladders with a crutch was bad, how was I going to ride a wild dragon – even Raolcan who seemed to like me? I was going to need all my courage.
I wouldn’t have chosen a girl without courage.
I smiled at his words in my head. I wasn’t alone in this, was I? I had an ally.
Chapter Five
Raolcan? He must be close! I could hardly hold myself back from rushing to his alcove, but Grandis Elfar was giving instructions.
“Your dragons are not yet tame or bonded to you. Do not try to touch them. The Green Dragon Riders at each pen will strengthen the wards to keep the dragon on one side of the pen while you clean. Shovel any refuse into the grated area at the back of the pen and it will fall into the pits. Then, flush the alcoves with water and lay out fresh straw. Fill the trough with drinking water and the tray with feed. If you have problems, call for help. I’m not here to look beautiful. I’m here to teach you to care for your dragon. Is that understood?”
We nodded together and the Grandis marched us down the line of alcoves, nodding to each of us as we found our alcove. The dragons weren’t organized by color like they were in the other areas. I kept walking and walking, wondering why Raolcan always seemed to be at the end of the line. Savette’s red dragon was long before Raolcan and she entered his alcove with her usual grace, leaving me alone with Grandis Elfar.
“This is your dragon?” she asked, when we finally reached his alcove at the very end of the line.
It was quiet here, far from the bustle of the rest of the Stables. I could hear birds screeching in the sky and see the ocean far out on the horizon. It must be hard to be caged here so close to freedom when he was used to going wherever he pleased.
You have no idea how hard it is.
“Yes.” I didn’t even have to look. His mental voice was becoming familiar to me.
“You chose a purple. They are very rare.” Her mouth thinned as she pressed her lips together firmly and her eyes grew hard. “A purple is a treasure to all of us. Treat him with extreme care.”
Her expression was confusing – judgmental and condemning as if I’d committed a crime.
“Why are you so angry?” I asked.
She shook her head and tsked. “Just treat him well.”
She was stalking away before I could say anything else, leaving me red-cheeked and embarrassed. What did I do to make her so angry?
You chose me. Or, at least, she thinks you did. She doesn’t realize that purple dragons always choose for themselves. She’s Black. Towers are about stability.
That was it? She was angry that I chose Purple? Had she wanted me to choose Black like her?
No, she’s afraid you will waste me and she thinks I’m a valuable resource. If you fail to ride me, no one else will be able to. They’ll lose me as a resource.
I entered Raolcan’s alcove and saw he was leaning against one wall, leaving most of the alcove clear. A shovel and pitchfork hung at the back of the al
cove. I leaned my crutch carefully against the wall and took the shovel down. I’d have to work carefully to clear the stall with one hand on the shovel and one using my crutch. I concentrated, lining the shovel up so I could slide it along the ground and plow any refuse to the back where the grate leading to the pits was.
I worked silently, allowing myself to get lost in the difficulty of the unfamiliar task.
It will get easier as you adjust.
Did he choose me because he wanted to be free again and he thought that I was the least likely of my wave of trainees to succeed?
That’s an unfair thought. You don’t trust easily, do you?
It was going to be tough to be friends with someone who could read my thoughts. I had plenty of nice ones, but it’s not easy to grow up with extra challenges and fewer opportunities and not grow a little bitter.
So, you don’t trust easily and you doubt everyone’s motives. We have that in common. I don’t trust humans.
If he didn’t choose me because he thought I was weak, then why did he choose me? What did I have to offer?
If you want to ask me, then ask. Address me like an equal.
I’m sorry. I don’t mean to belittle you. I’m just not used to this. Help me not to be unfair to you. Why did you choose me?
I hoped you’d be able to understand me. Neither of us trusts easily. Neither of us likes people very much. Both of us are captives – you to a leg that holds you back. Me by bonds of magic that have imprisoned me and kept me here. And neither of us has a chance to escape. I thought that perhaps we could understand each other – help each other. Was I wrong?
I was done scraping the floor. I hung the shovel up and went to work with the bucket. The same water that flowed in the dorms trickled over a rock ledge here. A spout had been set up to catch the flowing water and direct it in an accessible stream. I filled the bucket, carefully hobbling to the mouth of the alcove and letting it wash across the floor.
Was he wrong about me? Could I help anyone else? I wanted to think that I was a good person with a kind heart. I did feel bad that he was caged here when he should be free to fly.
That’s a start.
But his imprisonment was my opportunity. I didn’t feel nearly bad enough about his situation because I knew that it made opportunity possible for me.
At least you know that. You can acknowledge your selfish attitude about this.
Do you want me to pour any water over you? I would want a bath if I was trapped in this alcove.
He shivered. Was that mental laughter I was hearing?
I couldn’t imagine anything more horrible than purposely pouring buckets of water over myself. You humans are very strange.
I hung the bucket back up and laid out fragrant hay from where it was stored. Why didn’t Raolcan get a fancy brazier?
Because I’m not gentled yet. Not broken to their ways.
I finished up and walked to stand in front of him, glancing over my shoulder at the guard by the door. He wasn’t watching but I didn’t want to risk getting in trouble for this.
What do you want, Raolcan? Your freedom?
That’s gone forever now, girl.
I’m Amel. Amel Leafbrought. If you can’t have your freedom, then what do you want?
A purpose.
Just like me.
And a friend.
I reached a hand out - slowly and gently. There was a glint of violence in his eye and he snapped his jaw. I pulled the hand back, instinctually but then reached out again. I had to be courageous. I couldn’t be a friend if I expected him to be the one to always reach out to me. Carefully, I let my hand extend - inch by inch - towards his snout. I kept my gaze locked on his serpentine eye, careful not to even breathe aggressively. I laid my hand gently on his snout, feather-light.
I’ll be your friend. I swallowed hard. I could feel my heart beating as fast as a dragon could fly.
Not quite as fast.
I drew my hand back slowly and smiled. So, I had a friend. That was unexpected.
A dragon friend can be dangerous.
Maybe he should have led with that.
Chapter Six
I turned at a scuffling sound in the doorway. The young Dragon Rider I’d seen leap off his purple dragon was frozen in the alcove entrance, hands held up and a look of horror on his face. I frowned. Was he hurt somehow?
“Don’t move,” he whispered.
I froze. What did he see? A deadly spider? A snake? I tried to look without turning my head, but it was hard to see anything in that position. How could I know if the danger was growing closer if I stayed totally still? And couldn’t Raolcan deal with spiders and snakes if they came in his alcove?
I certainly can.
“Don’t even breathe.”
Well, that sounded like bad advice. I went ahead and ignored it.
“Back up slowly to where I am.”
I leaned into my crutch and slowly slid one foot after another backward to where he was.
“What is it?” I whispered, wide-eyed.
We were inches from each other, and he breathed a trembling sigh of relief. His dark face was washed out and his hand trembled on the doorframe of the alcove.
“You shouldn’t touch an un-gentled dragon.” His voice was burred and raspy, like he was holding back emotion.
“It’s alright. I was just getting to know him.” I tried to smile, but his attitude was frightening. Why was he so worried about Raolcan? Should I be?
I won’t harm you. Intentionally.
He ran a palm over his face and looked at me with a firm expression, like he was trying to be patient or controlling his temper. Long minutes of silence hung between us before he spoke again. I felt a little uncomfortable at the attention. People didn’t usually look at my face. They usually looked at my leg and then looked away quickly. I felt like I might blush from the attention. I tried not to look away. Other girls wouldn’t, would they? They would find that kind of attention perfectly normal. I didn’t want to be different than anyone else would be.
“Let’s walk you back to your classroom. You’re taking Tack and Stables this morning, right? Your wave arrived yesterday?”
It seemed like he was trying to be kind and I didn’t want to disappoint him. I nodded shyly. He glanced at the chalkboard beside the alcove where my name was written next to Raolcan’s.
“And you chose Raolcan? A purple?”
“Yes.”
“Purple is a fine choice.” He placed his hand gently on the small of my back, steering me towards the entrance of the alcove. I didn’t really want to go but I didn’t want to cause a scene, either. After all, I’d be back here tomorrow cleaning out Raolcan’s alcove again.
Goodbye, Raolcan. Hopefully, he didn’t take it personally.
I’m used to people not trusting me. It’s only fair. I don’t trust them.
I hoped he’d eventually trust me.
Trust is a precious gift. You’ve given me yours. You can believe it will be reciprocated.
He was very wise.
For a dragon?
Was that a mental laugh?
“I didn’t choose him,” I told the Dragon Rider. “He chose me.”
He gave me a hesitant look but it turned to a smile as we left the alcove and slowly walked down the long ledge. He kept pace with me, even though I was a lot slower than he was.
“If you make it through your First Flight you’ll be a Purple in training.” He seemed pleased about that. “We value courage, but we also value people who use their heads.”
“We?”
He flicked the scarf slung low around his waist. A matching one ringed his neck, both a deep purple that looked good against his dark skin and eyes. Light glinted off his scalp. Did he shave it? What would I look like if I shaved my head? Hopefully, I’d never know.
“My Color is Purple, just as yours will be if you become a full initiate. There aren’t many of us.” His conversation was easy mannered, as was his pace. I enjoyed falling int
o a rhythm with him. He carried calm with him, like a permanent pack on his back.
“Why aren’t there many Purples?”
He shrugged. “We catch very few Purple dragons. They’re reclusive. They fly their own paths through the clouds, not like other dragons that form flocks or migrate together.”
So, Raolcan was like me in that. Reclusive. A loner. I liked him more as I got to know him.
As we drew closer to where the other trainees were working I found it harder to pay attention to his easy conversation. What was going on over there? The trainee alcoves looked like an anthill had been turned over. Trainees I didn’t know bustled in and out of alcoves with hurried speed, their hair and garments rumpled and dirty. I saw Savette outside of hers, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she bandaged another girl’s hand. Two more trainees sat on the ledge, nursing injuries, their clothing singed and dirty.
“What happened to them?” I was aghast.
The Purple Dragon Rider looked surprised at my question. “They’re cleaning their dragon’s alcoves. Un-gentled dragons are dangerous but if trainees can’t learn to dodge a stream of fire and shake off a few burns they won’t be able to handle the next part of the gentling process. Besides, being near their dragons is the first step towards helping them bond with their dragons. The dragons need to get to know their scents, no matter how dangerous the process might be.”
“The Grandis didn’t mention any of that.” I couldn’t keep the horror out of my words. They should have been warned. They could be seriously injured if their dragons acted like that! I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty – my experience with Raolcan had been entirely different.
Brutes.
He must still be picking up my thoughts, though I didn’t know if he meant the other dragons or my fellow trainees.
Both.
“They’re dragons. What did you expect?” The Dragon Rider’s tone was neutral, like he was curious more than anything.
I blushed but said nothing. Should I admit that Raolcan was speaking in my mind? Wouldn’t I sound insane? What if they reassigned me to a new dragon? I didn’t want that. I was beginning to like the deep purple dragon. His brow was furrowed, like I was a puzzle to be figured out.
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