34. CHAPTER 34
Esme soared all around the campus, weaving high and low.
I was quite sure she was trying to make me fall off.
However, part of Bonding Day also involved returning safely to the flight field without falling from our fliers.
She executed some sharp left and right banks that, thankfully, I had ridden a dragon before.
The final step was landing in the outdoor stadium, where we presented our bonded dragon to the Historian for roll call.
Knowing Esme was still a young dragon made me a bit nervous during our approach, as we needed to descend lower to land.
“Just because I am young doesn’t mean I haven’t been flying longer than you’ve been born…” she snapped into my head.
Fuck. I forgot I needed to work on another mental block.
“Sorry to offend you, I am new to this,” I said.
“You should really hold on now.”
She moved into a steep nosedive, making my stomach lurch into my heart, my pulse picking up a few notches.
My legs were gripping each side of her, my hands holding onto the fleshy bump where her neck met her shoulders.
I absolutely couldn’t wait to be fitted with saddles.
Bareback was an experience, but when she was trying to flip me off, I was actually worried about my life.
She lifted almost completely, flipping us around, and went straight for the sky.
“I get it… you can fly…”
“Do you? Do you get it? Actually?” Then she laughed. She actually fucking laughed at me.
“Maybe I should have picked Kekoa—”
She made a growl sound. “You wound my dragon heart, but point taken.”
She leveled out and circled the college again, gradually lowering.
We flew closely over the flight field, where I saw dragons, griffins, and phoenixes standing beside their Riders.
We then moved over the stadium wall. On the field, several more fliers were visible, along with some perched on the stadium walls, most of whom appeared to be leadership.
I noticed Kim sitting closest to the stage, indicating my dad was likely nearby or up there.
She descended straight down, landing perfectly. I guessed I should never doubt her.
“Do you know what you’re supposed to do?” she said with this knowing tone.
“Uh… I am supposed to get your full name, and your parents’ names and report it to the Historian who’s keeping the roll.”
“Yes… and then?”
“Then I will return to you? And we are supposed to go wait in the flight field with the other fliers and Riders until we all come back in for the ceremony at exactly sixteen-hundred.”
“Yes, until all of The Aelorian Circle arrives.”
“Oh yes, the group of eldest fliers who speak on behalf of all fliers.”
“Alright, are you ready? You should go ahead and slide off.”
Following her suggestion, I swung my right leg over as she slid her legs out, creating a slide, though a bumpy one. The motion reminded me of the stab wound in my side, which began to throb, feeling as if I were burned. I descended along her leg, clutching my side.
“Are you going to tell me what I need to know?”
“Yes, when you get to the dais,” I swore she rolled her eyes.
I started making my way to the dais, walking a little slower. The stab wound was telling me it needed tending soon. All adrenaline had worn off. Zane was pushing on our mental bond. I finally let it collapse, letting him in all the way.
“You’re hurt, Auri…” he said.
“Yes, it’s merely a flesh wound. I’ll be fine.”
“Hopefully, the other person can’t say the same.”
“They live… ”
“If they make it back here, it won’t be for long. Also, your dragon is a beauty, a beautiful job, love.”
I reached the dais where three other Riders were already present, each reporting their dragons’ names and lineage for official claiming.
I was certain that once a dragon and Rider communicated telepathically, their bond was established—wait a second—then I glanced back at Esme. She exhaled a puff of sulfur air.
“Yes. Yes. You were mine the moment I spoke to you out there. I wanted to see the fight you had in you, to make sure you are truly worthy. Or for you to remember your studies and remember that we only talk to the Rider we claim.”
“You’re diabolical.”
She threw a laugh down our mental bond.
The other three reported their names, and I stepped forward to the dais where Selene sat next to another Historian. She smiled at me, “Name?”
I let out a little giggle, “Auriella Reyna Blackcreek.”
“And flier type and name?” the other one asked.
“Dragon and —”
“Esmeraladathoradae, Daughter of Kimraventhrosa and Korvanleglunga.”
“Esmeraladathoradae, Daughter of Kimraventhrosa and Korvanleglunga,” I repeated to the Historians.
Her mother’s name—why did that sound like my dad’s dragon’s name?
I turned on my heels, walking back to Esme.
My mind spun in circles. I looked at the ledge to Kim.
She stared our way, and I followed her trail back down to stare at Esme. Shock filled my pores.
Holy fucking shit. This couldn’t be for real.
My mouth was agape when I reached her.
“Because you currently look to be in a state of shock, I will answer the pounding thoughts that are circling in your head. Yes, Kim, your dad’s dragon is my mom.” She blew a puff of steam at me. She made a squeaky voice that made her sound ten years old, “ Welcome to the shit show!”
I didn’t even know how to respond to that. She wanted me, and she knew who I was. I closed my eyes, sensing her mental bond that was freely drifting in my mind. I started to construct blocks so she couldn’t hear every single thought I had.
She puffed another steamy breath at me. “You know you won’t be able to fully block me out, ever.”
I just blinked my eyes at her. Great, now I had two mental bonds, except this one could read my thoughts unwillingly.
“It’s time for us to go to the flight field with others. There are tents there with Healers and Menders.”
I started walking towards the vast open gate, and she followed, each step vibrating the ground under me slightly.
We crossed through the gate, where many, many other fliers were standing, their Riders with them.
I immediately started to look around to see if I could see any of my other wing or squad members.
While the Electric Platoon, First Squad, First Flight was my immediate concern, there were many other first-year students in our total wing.
My eyes locked with Thora, who stood next to a beautiful dark blue phoenix.
I gave her a big smile. As I looked around, it was clear that there were distinct groups or separations of the flier types.
Dragons occupied the right side of the field, Griffins covered the first half of the left side, and Phoenixes were on the opposite side.
Esme moved into the open space with ease and casually rested her head on her forelegs, her silver scales shimmering in the light.
“Are you truly going to take a nap right now?”
She made this guttural scoffing sound. “Yes… It will be a while, and you should go to the Healer’s tent and stop that awful bleeding.”
“Bleeding that you pretty much caused me…”
“Semantics.”
I approached the large open tents on the side, where cadets could find food, water, and get bandaged.
I made my way to the tent, where cadets wore baby blue tunics, with a few in black among them.
Ophelia saw me and came over, signaling for me to sit down.
It felt fitting that she was the one who cared for me during my struggles on the pass in basic training, and also the one who checked on me after my head injury.
“How bad this time?”
“Flesh wound, not bad. I don’t need a mender, just some stitches and a bandage.”
“I can do that.”
In the distance, I saw someone wearing all black walking to the tent. As he got closer, I saw his golden wavy hair and blue eyes beaming at me.
Zane.
“You shouldn’t be on the flight field,” I told him down our bond.
“And? I actually don’t care.”
“How is she, and how bad is it?” he said as he approached Ophelia.
“Not bad at all, a few stitches. She’s seen worse, as you know.”
“You can go now—” I started to say.
“No. I will sit with you until she’s done.”
Ophelia raised her eyebrows at me and gave me a smirk.
“He’s protective. Overbearing. Loving but a mother hen nonetheless,” I said.
“Well, it looks like you bonded with a beautiful dragon. One of the few silvers, according to the rumors,” she said, changing the subject.
I lifted my chin, pride tugging at my mouth. “Only two silvers, is what we were told.”
“What’s her or his name?” Ophelia asked.
“Esme is her name.”
“That’s beautiful, exceptionally fitting.”
“She is spicy,” I let out a laugh.
They both laughed with me.
Ophelia finished stitching me. She applied a salve on it to aid in faster healing and numb it for a little while.
I gave her my thanks and a hug before heading back to the flight field.
Overhead, I saw a red dragon flying, doing various maneuvers in the sky that made my heart skip a beat.
Sometimes dragons took testing us on bonding day to the extreme.
Reds are notorious for testing their new Riders to the limit to see if they're worthy of being a Rider.
The red started descending towards the field, she banked a little to the left, and I could see Lorenzo on its back, holding on for his life.
They descended into the stadium field and out of sight.
Zane pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead and returned to the stadium seating.
I moved to Esme and stood beside her. She kept her head down but opened her eyes as I approached before closing them again.
Several Riders wandered around while some of the fliers lay down like Esme.
Others stood nearby, their eyes alert as they looked around.
I reached up and scratched gently under Esme’s neck before heading down the field to see if I could locate any of our platoon.