Chapter Twenty-Three
Flight
His Majesty stands before the throne, observing Varic and Minea as they prepare for their first flight. The longer the Emperor remains still, the more my muscles tense, bracing for when he unleashes all he’s suppressed in the name of decorum.
The Emperor gestures for the guests to take their seats on either side of the stage while I am left to stand.
His hand rises in salute to Varic and Minea as he strides to the front of the stage, allowing my chest to finally expand now that Varic mirrors me, straining his leathers as he stares back in study.
I drop my gaze and pretend to admire Minea’s emerald scales while heat grazes my skin from his attention.
The urge to influence him to look away expands in my chest, needing him to stare anywhere other than at myself.
His eyes have fallen on me too often today, and someone is bound to notice.
Yet I suppose he has a valid excuse were anyone to mention him staring, since my Lead Guard is required to watch over me at all times, even though he technically has an interim Guard to do so during his ceremony.
As if he read my mind, Wyrth knowingly glances from me to Varic. “It seems your history with the former General is going to make his appointment to your detail more interesting than I expected.”
My nostrils flare while I refuse to honor him with a response.
“Prepare yourselves to witness a spectacle!” Emperor Aldritch’s voice carries. “A blood-bound Dragon and sorcerer as they take flight for the first time since their sacred union.”
Cheers rise from the crowd as my stomach lurches at this momentous occasion being perceived as entertainment. A beautiful partnership formed on mutual trust and respect between a beast and sorcerer that anyone should feel honored to witness.
Varic’s smirk deepens as he rests his hand leisurely over Minea’s shoulder, stilling my breath with how obvious it is they have already formed a strong connection.
A small smile breaks across my lips as I turn to ensure the Emperor hasn’t caught on, pulling in a breath when he stares forward, awaiting the moment Dragon and sorcerer take to the sky.
Minea chuffs and nods in my direction while I force a neutral expression. Then the Dragon turns to nudge Varic, who laughs as he nods, seemingly sharing some private message.
“While those of us who have had the honor to bond with a Dragon and take our first flight understand, there is no amount of training—no true way to prepare oneself for the act which is to follow.” Emperor Aldritch looks around, making eye contact with each of my Guards, then Wyrth’s, before casting over his own—the only sorcerers bonded to Dragons in our Empire aside from himself.
“Before you take to the sky, I wish to give you one last parting message: Hold on tightly, and I certainly hope you remembered to skip breakfast.”
Laughter scatters around us, and I shake my head at our Emperor who deigns to send my Lead Guard on his first flight with a joke about retching.
An Imperial healer approaches Varic, taking his hand, with the size of the injury requiring the briefest of attention.
The healer bows, having completed the task, and returns to his place in the audience.
Varic inspects the side of his hand, then absentmindedly runs his thumb over the newly knit skin as Minea stalks toward the center of the clearing.
Imperial Dragon Master Sonya stands tall with her staff held in one hand while she observes the steps required for Varic to take his first flight.
Minea retracts the large spines running down his back until they become flush with his scales before the servants wrap a gold-quilted cushion beneath the thick black leather harness wound around the Dragon’s torso.
Servants buckle the harness while ensuring the leather straps are in the correct position to hold Varic’s upper arms, torso, and thighs, determined by his height and the awkward position he must take to lie prone over the Dragon’s back.
Pulse pounding, I blink to clear the swimming in my vision once Varic climbs up and extends his leg over the ridge of Minea’s back.
Imperial Dragon Master Sonya gestures for him to lie flat above the cantle as the servants move in synchronicity to help Varic guide each of his legs through the restraints, explaining how to latch the belt across his torso, before finally aiding him in placing his arms through their respective straps.
They train him so he might perform the maneuver alone, as the servants are merely assisting to make the process easier for ceremonial purposes.
Finally, they teach him how to use the horn at the top to control the tension, pulling the restraints taut when drawn backward and loosening when pressed to either side so he may extract himself in case of emergency.
Colors fade as spots invade my vision, so I rest my chin on my closed fist to anchor myself in this moment, appearing to anyone else to simply be entranced with the Dragon and his rider before us.
Imperial Dragon Master Sonya issues a directive before stepping away with the rest of the servants.
Minea curves his neck to look at Varic as he grasps the handles to help steady himself before the majestic beast faces forward, trudging over the dry grass before taking off to soar in a wide, graceful arc overhead.
Every guest in attendance joins me as we gasp at the sight.
Juxtaposing emotions flood my system—fear and awe, terror and joy, pride and fright while I fail to track their combined shape through the clouds.
Holding my breath until Minea’s snout breaks through, with the rest of him following.
The joints in my hand throb as I release my grip from where I held them tightly clasped against my sternum.
A familiar flush blooms from the center of my chest, winding its way up my neck—proof they must be close enough for my Lead Guard to see me and induce this reaction. I stare up as a shadow passes over the stage where they are circling, with Minea pumping his wings slowly to hover.
They careen down, and Varic smiles with one cheek pressed to Minea’s side, while my throat dries at the sight.
My Imperial Lead Guard, who promised to keep me safe from those who wish our Empire harm. He took a vow to protect me—of course his eyes will seek me. My body will adapt to his presence over time. I cannot continue to be this reactive when his attention will be a constant; it is unsustainable.
Minea descends at a slower speed than he would on his own, as Dragons only land this gently with a blood-bound sorcerer strapped to their harness.
Tears burn as I resist the urge to step forward, yearning to go to him, for the freedom to congratulate him, or even be permitted a polite greeting in the form of a small wave as he drops from the back of his blood-bound Dragon after his first flight.
Yet my legs remain rooted in place while the servants help Varic out of his harness.
Minea landed facing the dens, so Varic dismounts with his back to us.
I pull in a breath, entranced by the dance of his muscles in his back and those curving down and over his backside, flexing and twisting as he raises his leg to dismount.
A different kind of heat flares in my cheeks once his boots land safely on the ground. Judging by the whispers from the crowd, I am not the only one to have noticed, and I do not dare interfere with their emotional states afterward.
Minea climbs on top of the large gray boulder to look upon us with even more majesty than before. Varic blinks, then leans against the side of the rock, apparently waiting for the dizziness of the ride to wear off.
Emperor Aldritch raises his hands, gesturing for his audience to react.
Cheers, clapping, and shouting commence as Minea and Varic take theatrical bows. Varic pushes off from the boulder, then stumbles back a step, and I can’t help but feel amused to see him need the same support I required from him the night before.
“Bravo!” His Majesty exclaims, clapping his hands up by his face.
“What a marvelous display of unity, wouldn’t you agree?” The voices of the crowd grow, cheering for the sorcerer standing by the emerald green Dragon to whom he is bonded for life.
My heart flips.
Bonded for life.
Varic and I—we are bonded for life.
I’ve had years to accept this with each of my Guards. But not him.
I never wanted this for him.
No matter how hard I try, my limbs refuse to carry me at a regular speed, which His Majesty unfortunately notices as he turns to glare at me for creating a wider-than-normal space between us.
A gentle hand lands on my lower back, and I don’t need to look to recognize the coolness of his healing, soothing the fatigue in my muscles while siphoning my exhaustion, helping to energize me.
I turn back to smile at Cirrin in thanks, to which he nods in return, already having his own smile ready for me.
The Emperor looks back with only mild disdain as I keep close to my regular pace.
Dead grass crunches underfoot as we move to congratulate Varic and Minea. My heart does a flip when we are close enough for Varic’s smile to greet me, beaming with the joy he feels. My chest clenches while I close my eyes and nod—the only congratulations I’m allowed to offer him.
Varic looks good for someone who just finished their first ride, even if his skin is a bit paler than usual. The edges of his eyes crinkle as he looks up at me with a crooked grin, and I freeze the moment his impossibly bright brown eyes capture my aquamarine ones.
His Majesty claps him on the shoulder before grabbing hold of Varic’s hand to shake vigorously.
I pull my lips into a line in an attempt to keep my reaction to myself, though the one I can’t seem to keep anything from notices, despite the fact we need to be calling less attention to our obvious connection.
Minea drops a paw from the boulder and nudges Varic toward me, and my eyes widen as he hops to stand by my side. Cirrin falls back at the same time as Roy, removing himself from my detail as he lines up to return with the others.
His Majesty takes his place at the front of the procession as we return to the Palace as if nothing of significance has happened.
Cirrin’s gift of renewed energy is welcome for the trek through the mountain, though I wish for a diminished ability to experience emotions this intensely.
Clever.
I pause, and my Guards stop around me as we hold up everyone traveling behind us.
I turn and look for the source of the voice.
I don’t see Mirinea or any sign of her golden scales.
Each of my Guards stares at me with a mix of concern and confusion, weighing my limbs with every step as we resume our march forward, refusing to rile up Wyrth any more than I have by pointedly ignoring him earlier.
Careful, Tasch.
My lungs suck in a slow breath, unable to seek her gold eyes without drawing attention.
This gift of yours is not one you can reveal to just anyone.
A chill rolls down my spine.
A gift like this spells certain death for yourself, and all of those bonded to you, were your ruler or certain others to ever learn of it.