Dragon School_Mark of Loyalty

by Sarah K. L. Wilson

  We’re still here. Call if you need something.

  In the noise of the road, Leng tucked me in tight to his chest so that he could speak just to me.

  “I heard them talking, too. Their mouths are all full of the same rumors.”

  “Starie,” I said at the same moment that he spoke.

  “The Dominar.”

  We’d both heard what was worrying us the most. Leng’s eyes met mine from inches away. I wanted to rub every line out of his worried forehead. I wanted to kiss all his cares away and find a little house somewhere along a river...

  “They see her as their only hope, but she isn’t

  Leng. She’s no more the Chosen One than Iskaris is the Dominar.”

  The lines in his face grew deeper, but his arm around me tightened, protectively. “Shonan isn’t the Dominar Amel, not now.”

  I swallowed. I should just let it go, but I couldn’t.

  “But he should be. And everything can’t go back to being right again until he is, Leng.”

  He ran his hand over his head again. He seemed to do that a lot when he was worried. He leaned in closer to whisper to me.

  “If Savette Leedris is the true Chosen One, she can make things right without my brother.”

  “Can you be sure of that?”

  His jaw clenched, and his eyes grew hard.

  “Why are you so determined to draw him back into this?”

  His arm fell away, like he didn’t want to touch me anymore. I bit back tears, my hand tightening round the white light around my cuff.

  “When I got this mark, Shonan showed me that I could walk again, Leng. He asked me to give that up to heal Savette. I’m walking with a crutch today because I believe the world is better with her than without her. I’m asking you to do the same thing.” He wouldn’t look at me now. His mouth had taken a bitter turn and his gaze was far off. “We can’t defeat the evil that has come upon us without the Dominar. You know that’s true. It’s why you’re so mad because you’re fighting the truth and that doesn’t come easily to a Purple. You have the same option I had – you can get back the thing you always wanted, or you can choose to give it up willingly for the sake of everyone else.”

  Leng cursed under his breath, his head gleaming with sudden sweat under the hot sun. I twisted the scarf in my free hand. Twist. Untwist. Twist. Untwist.

  There was still time to fix things - time to rouse the other Lightbringers and the people and bring the real Dominar back and resist our enemy - but if we hesitated, we might lose that chance.

  “One person is enough to hold our place in this line,” he said, still not looking at me as he strode away.

  My heart sank in my chest. I knew this was coming. I knew he would hate me for saying it. But at least I wasn’t keeping it inside anymore like a rot slowly eating me alive. With a sigh, I ran a finger over his davari on my hand. Would he want it back now? Would he still want to make a life with a girl who just couldn’t agree with him about this? Maybe I should enjoy wearing it while I could.

  See? That’s why kissing is bad. It makes you all wound up inside when you inevitably fight with each other.

  I ignored Raolcan, too. I just wanted to be alone where I didn’t have to think about Chosen Ones or Dominars or the fate of nations. I was only a farmer’s daughter with a bad leg and a string of challenges I’d had to face. Who was I to be caught up in this anyway? Maybe I would be happier if I just believed the same thing as everyone else.

  I saw a farmer slaughtering sheep once. I watched him all afternoon from a nearby hillside. He had them set up in a line with fences on either side and a goat would lead them through the line of fences into a barn and they wouldn’t come out of the barn. The goat knew, but he didn’t care, because the farmer never killed him. And the sheep trusted the goat to lead them somewhere safe. After all, if it was safe for him it was safe for them, right? But there was one black sheep in the pen and that one wouldn’t go between the fences or down the line. I bet he felt pretty alone, like no one else saw what he did, but at the end of the day he was alive and they were all dead. Moral of the story – just because the other sheep do it, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

  Or maybe the moral was that you shouldn’t trust that goat.

  Either works. Speaking of which...

  A trumpet sounded from behind us and a loud voice rang out, “Make way for the Chosen One and her guardians, the Chosen One’s Dusk Covenant! Make way! Make way!”

  I spun around and almost fell over.

  “Here, let me help you.” A Green rider who had been just in front of me grabbed my arm, helping me to steady myself. “Look! It’s Grandis Elfar! She rides her Black dragon just like a regular Dragon Rider. You’d have no idea that she is the emissary of the Chosen One! And there she is! Starie Atrelan, the Chosen One!”

  Awe filled her voice and I followed her gaze to Starie, sitting astride her frilled golden dragon, a black blindfold tied around her face and a large double-headed halberd in her slender white hand. Her red hair swirled behind her like a banner and a look of serenity painted her features.

  The goat was ready to lead us to slaughter.

  Chapter Ten

  The Green beside me cheered so loudly that I covered my ears. All up and down the line of people spontaneous cheers erupted. I was pulled back as the crowd shoved ourselves off the road an on to the brushy rocks beside it to make way for Starie Atrelan. People further up the line threw down cloaks and blankets for her dragon to walk on.

  Grandis Elfar yelled into the crowd, “Your Chosen One is here! She shall lead you to victory, both here and in the north. Bow to the Chosen One of Legend!”

  Starie raised her halberd - like a silent victor - while around me, calls and cheers redoubled as everyone scrambled to kneel. I refused, clutching my crutch as hands on every side tried to pull me to my knees. This wasn’t true or right. Starie basked in a glory that didn’t belong to her!

  Her blind-folded gaze ran across the crowd, settling on me where I fought off the ‘helpful’ hands trying to assist me in kneeling. The tiny smile that spread across her face sent a shiver down my spine.

  She rode past, head high, dragon’s wings pulsing like he was fanning her with them to alleviate the sun’s heat.

  He is.

  That didn’t seem very dragon-like.

  It’s not. It’s embarrassing.

  What would she do when she reached the gate? Everyone else had the same question. They pressed forward, a mass of bodies with one goal – to see the Chosen One meet the dragons at the Dawn’s Gate. Any semblance of a line melted in Starie’s wake. I hobbled after the crowd, but with my bad leg, there was no way I could keep up. Person after person pushed past me. I strained my eyes to see, but all I saw was the heads of the crowd.

  I can see from here. The crowd is making way for Starie. The line has dissolved. You may as well head for where we are. There will be no progress in that line today.

  I changed my trajectory, moving to the rocky space beside the road, but even here the press of bodies was too much to see. A loud noise erupted from further ahead.

  They chant her name. The dragons at the gate have summoned the Queen’s emissary and the royal interpreter. It’s ... yes ... it’s my brother, Taoslil. He’s got his nose up in the air. Doesn’t like this Gold Starie is riding. Thinks he should have more dignity.

  He should have more dignity. If I was a dragon, I wouldn’t fan Starie. I struggled along the rocky mountainside. I thought I saw a shortcut, but it would wind away from the main path. I took it, breathing a sigh of relief when I broke free of the jostling crowd. I still couldn’t see, but at least I could move more freely.

  He’s giving them the royal cold shoulder, treating them like supplicants.

  Which is what they were.

  Yes, but it’s rude to treat them that way. He has declared that he will hear their requests on behalf of the Queen. You should see this. He’d brought the gatekeepers and at least a dozen dragon dignitarie
s with him. They are a sight to see! They’ve worn the emblems of office and they carry flame from Mount Drazen. It makes me homesick.

  I wished I could see what he was seeing! I scrambled up the stony side of the mountain. Maybe when I crested this rise I would be able to see.

  She’s telling him she is the Chosen One of the Ibrenicus Prophecies, that she has passed the tests of the Dominion for that honor, that she has the backing of the Dominar-

  The fake Dominar!

  -that she seeks a meeting with Haz’drazen face to face to renegotiate the treaty. He’s in a bind. By our oath, we cannot turn aside a true request. He doesn’t have an alternative – not if she truly is the Chosen One. I can feel him thinking it through. He’s going to have to take her there to see the Queen and if he does, then the Trogs may demand she listens.

  Trogs?

  No time. I’ll tell you about them later. If they tell her to listen there will be nothing she can say. He is considering. He wishes there was another option. Any other option...

  I crested the hill. I was getting close to our camp, but still too far away to be noticed. There! I could just make out the gate from here and the grand dragons standing within it. At their center, a semi-translucent White stood like a magnificent specter – like a king among dragons.

  Hey! I’m as good-looking as he is and I’ve never heard you think of me as kingly!

  In a semi-circle before him, Starie, the Grandis, and the throngs of supporters waited for his answer. I swallowed, but my throat was too dry for it to be of any help. He had no other option. He would have to agree to her request. But he just couldn’t!

  He’s a White. He would never risk unnecessary conflict.

  I jumped when I suddenly registered a dragon, falling like a dropped stone from the air above the gate. No – not falling – diving.

  Starie threw her halberd above her head and her people scrambled back, pressing into the crowd. The magnificent White-

  -Taoslil-

  - reared up, flames snorting from his snout at the unexpected attack. The dragon finished his dive with a summersault and a flourish and landed in the cleared area between Starie and Taoslil. I recognized the people on his back. How could I not? Only Savette glowed like that. Behind her, Shonan raised a fist, his glowing forearm showing for all the world to see while Rasipaer basked in the sudden attention.

  I thought my eyes might dry out, but I couldn’t shut them for even long enough to blink. This changed everything.

  Chapter Eleven

  “I am High Castelan Savette Leedris.” My mouth dropped open as Savette’s voice filled my ears. She was using that trick she’d used before that let her speak over a huge distance. Her magic always surprised me. As she spoke, she ripped the white blindfold from her eyes. Even from here I could hear the gasp of the crowd. “Formerly a Dragon Rider, returned from death - and from the death of my dragon - to fulfill the Ibrenicus Prophecies in this life. I have come to add my own allegiance to Haz’drazen along with the renewal of the Dominion’s promises and to beg for her help in this war that faces us.”

  My ears strained to listen for more, but Savette was silent.

  She has given my brother an option and he is pleased with that. He says that Haz’drazen is not here, but that she will meet with the true Chosen One – whoever that is.

  Good!

  The true Chosen One will be determined by an ancient dragon test.

  That sounded riskier.

  It will begin at dawn tomorrow.

  Why did these things always begin at dawn?

  Each woman will present herself without weapons, gear or allies, at the Dawn Gate. At that time the test will be performed here on the mountain. The dragons of old cut out tunnels in these old volcanoes. Those tunnels are still hot with fire, and from time to time they erupt again. The dragons have a way to stir them up. Each Chosen One will go in, retrieve the sign hidden within her volcano and return. The one who returns with the sign of the dragon will be named Chosen One of the dragons and will be delivered to the Courts of Haz’drazen.

  And the other?

  Will die in the testing. Or, if they do not, will be driven out from this land and warned never to return.

  Below, on the rocky shelf, a murmur rose up so loud that I could hear it.

  The crowd is not pleased. They see Savette as an imposter.

  What would they do between now and dawn?

  Taoslil asked who speaks as witness for the parties involved. On Starie’s side, Grandis Elfar and a guard named Castelan Tobrias Jefran speak for her. For Savette, Rasipaer and Shonan have spoken for her. That alone should make her proud.

  I was surprised Raolcan didn’t speak for her.

  In the drama happening down there, he doesn’t know I’m here yet. I think I’ll save that tidbit to surprise him with if we need it.

  He warns that if anyone tries to stop these two representatives from engaging in the test tomorrow, those who spoke for them are authorized to cut them down – Rasipaer has qualified that he prefers ‘flame them down’ and the distinction has been noted. The listing and checking of dragons loyalty has been put on hold until after the test begins. He demands that until the test we respect the peace of the Dawn Gate and refrain from fighting or violence.

  He must have a clear view of the crowd. He must see how angry they are with Savette. Would his warning really keep her safe?

  We can only hope so.

  Who was that headed down the volcano side toward the gate? I squinted to try to make them out. It looked like a knot of dragons and riders.

  That’s us. Hubric thinks we should run down there and form a protective ring around Savette and the Dominar, and since that’s all our eggs in one basket, I thought he had a point. Sorry that I couldn’t come and get you first.

  Then this wasn’t a dream. It was starting to feel like one.

  Not unless you frequently dream of Hubric’s stinky friends. This green dragon stinks to high heaven. She says it’s skin ointment, but I don’t believe that. No self-respecting dragon would use a skin ointment!

  He was rambling. He must be nervous if he was rambling. I started out for our camp again, fighting the rocky terrain with my crutch. There was nothing else I could do, but as I dipped into another gully, I found the lack of sightlines worrying. I didn’t want anything to happen while I wasn’t watching. The dust kicked up with every skidding footstep until I was coated with it and still struggling from one gully to the next. I should have stuck to the road. I shouldn’t have been so headstrong.

  I crested the next gully only to lose my footing and slide over the edge of it into the dip below. I was still skidding and trying to catch a rock or root when a set of strong arms grabbed me, stopping my fall and tugging me up to my feet.

  “Leng?” Why wasn’t he with his dragon?

  He didn’t give me time to ask anything more. His lips found mine and his arms wrapped around me.

  Chapter Twelve

  “I’m sorry.”

  Relief filled me. He didn’t hate me. He hadn’t given up on me.

  “I’m not against you, you know.”

  “I know that. I just forgot for a moment. I feel ... complicated about this. I mean, they just took him. They just snatched him from us and I haven’t known him for years. It’s hard to realize that my brother – the boy I grew up with – has been running the Dominion for ten years. It’s hard to remember that he can make these decisions for himself. That it’s not up to you or to me or to anyone else.”

  He looked away, still holding me tight, but his bottom lip quivering with emotion.

  “Leng?” I said gently, reaching up to cup the side of his face with my hand. “You are precious to me. I love that you want to protect people. Don’t ever stop.”

  “It’s hard not to be selfish about this.”

  I nodded. “Just don’t push me away. I can help you with this. We can protect him together and we can also protect the Dominion together.”

  He leaned his
forehead against mine and his eyes were glassy despite a tender smile. “Agreed.”

  “You gave me this for a reason,” I reminded, showing him the davari.

  “And next time I see Ashana Willowspring she and I need to have a serious conversation again. This time, I won’t take ‘wait’ for an answer.”

  I laughed, leaning in to kiss him gently.

  He took my wrist in his hand and gently unwound the scarf from it, pulling back my sleeve to look at the symbol of the Lightbringers glowing brightly within.

  “You’re marked. I thought at first that it might fade, or that I was seeing things, but it’s true.”

  “I don’t know what it means.”

  He kissed the bright mark on my wrist and then tugged the sleeve back down and wrapped my wrist back up with the scarf. That was the second time he’d treated that mark with reverence.

  “I saw Shonan’s matching mark. They’re the only two I’ve ever seen. It means you’re chosen by the light as champions. It’s part of Lightbringer lore. Those who are marked are the champions of the people, to bring light and truth to the Dominion.”

  “Then why do you want me to hide it?”

  He chewed his lip, taking a respectful step back. “Being marked is dangerous. It makes you a target of curiosity – or worse, of the Dusk Covenant. I think you should guard it carefully.”

  “Do I need to do something because I’m marked?”

  He laughed. “I think it’s the other way around. You were marked because of the things you already do. Keep on doing them.”

  If you’re done with your adorable moment, we could use some help over here. Or have you forgotten that we are surrounded by the enemy and guarding the only hope for the Dominion – and, I suspect, all of humanity?