FIFTY #3
I remember the dinner at the outpost and the frustration in Lord Toren Hale’s voice as he pressed Thane for more support along the southern border. More patrols. More dragon riders. He warned that the attacks were growing worse and feared the realm wasn’t moving quickly enough to respond.
Greythorne guards one of the most dangerous stretches of territory in the south, just north of the Forsaken Lands. The terrain is harsh, difficult to defend, and under constant threat.
Now it has been attacked.
Across the table, Thane’s expression hardens. His voice is all commander now.
“What happened?”
Edric’s eyes meet Thane’s across the table. “The attack is still happening.”
The room goes unnaturally still.
“What do you mean still happening?” Thane demands, stepping closer to the table, his fists clenched at his sides.
“A scout reached a relay post near the mountain pass two hours ago,” Edric replies.
“He reported Shadow Forces breaching the outer defenses. Multiple squads engaged. He didn’t stay.
He’s a bonded rider, so he returned to the fight.
Another rider at the relay post took to the skies and flew straight for the capital to deliver the message. ”
The words settle heavily over the room.
Sienna’s calm voice pierces the silence. “We must send dragons.”
All eyes turn to her. She meets Thane’s gaze directly, her expression composed and unwavering.
“Even with the reinforcements you sent after their last visit to the outpost, they are still outnumbered, according to the scout’s report.”
Thane’s jaw tightens. I don’t need the bond to tell me how he feels; everyone can sense the tension rolling off him in waves.
“How many did we send?” I ask in a soft voice before I can stop myself.
Sienna turns to me. There is no judgment in her expression, only assessment.
“Three bonded riders and their dragons. About fifty infantry.” Her gaze returns to the map. “We didn’t believe an attack of this magnitude would happen so soon.”
“That was before Shadow Forces breached the line,” Garrick says. “If they’re already at Greythorne . . . ”
“Then we’re too late to stop the beginning of it,” Rian finishes grimly.
Valen speaks then, voice grave. “What we have learned as of late is that the Shadow Forces don’t move at random. If they’ve reached Greythorne, this isn’t just an attack. It’s a signal. Something is shifting.”
A chill skates down my spine.
Thane’s jaw clenches, but he inclines his head. He already knows. He’s been watching the borders for weeks, tracking the subtle changes and growing unease. He felt this coming.
“How many dragons are ready to fly?” he asks, turning to Jarek.
“Fifteen bonded are ready to fly,” Jarek says. “Not including us.”
Thane acknowledges the answer and looks around the room.
His attention settles first on Rian, silent and prepared for what comes next. Then Jarek, who looks ready to move before the command is even given. Rowena stands as solid as stone, her mind already working through possibilities and contingencies.
Then his gaze finds mine. No words pass between us, but I feel his conflict through the bond. The Warlord who knows I should go. The man who wishes I didn’t have to.
I nod, letting him know it’s okay.
I’ll be flying too.
Thane is about to give his orders when Master Orlon clears his throat.
“There’s more.”
Everyone turns to him.
Orlon glances down, his fingers brushing the edge of the glowing map before he lifts his eyes again. The weight in them is unmistakable.
“One of the bonded fell.”
“Who?” Thane asks.
His voice is low and controlled, but there is something dangerous beneath it.
Orlon swallows. “Darragh Byrne.”
Rowena exhales softly, covering her face with her hands. Garrick and Jarek curse under their breath.
I didn’t know him, but the loss lands all the same.
“And his dragon?” Thane asks, though I think he already knows the answer.
Orlon’s expression tightens, and shakes his head.
Thane closes his eyes for the briefest moment before opening them again. When he speaks, his voice carries through the room like a command carved from steel.
“I want the skies filled. No hesitation. No delay.”
His gaze sweeps across the room, settling on each of us in turn. His core. His foundation.
“We fly in thirty minutes.”
Urgency surges through the bond, tangled with grief and something deeper. He didn’t want me to come before, but after hearing that name, Thane’s emotions crash into me like a tidal wave.
I brace myself against the onslaught and meet his eyes across the room. Giving the smallest nod, I silently tell him what he already knows.
I’m ready.
I see the warring thoughts in his eyes. The instinct to protect me, to keep me far from whatever waits. But he doesn’t argue or try to stop me.
The realm needs its Spiritborn, and we both know there is no turning away from that now.
The war room disperses in a blur of motion and urgency. Commands are issued. Maps flare to life. Rian, Jarek, and Garrick sprint from the chamber before the echo of Thane’s final words has even faded.
But I don’t move with the others. I follow him.
He doesn’t speak as we leave the war room, his strides long and purposeful down the corridor. I keep pace beside him. His jaw is set. His eyes are distant.
The halls of the castle are mostly empty, save for the occasional soldier or attendant hurrying to carry out whatever orders just came from the war table. They step aside when they see Thane coming.
When we reach our quarters, he pushes the door open and holds it for me. I step inside, and a moment later the door closes behind us.
He drags a hand through his hair.