Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
After making a quick trip to the bathing chamber to splash water on my face, I pull myself together and head to the alicorn enclosure, where Olive told me our training class meets.
The rest of my unit gathers outside one of the paddocks, along with a handful of other recruits. Olive shoots me a concerned glance, but I mouth, I’m okay .
“So glad you could join us, Duchess.”
That voice.
As soon as recognition hits, my blood chills to ice. So much has happened since yesterday’s encounter that I forgot who the flight instructor was. “I’m…” I make eye contact with the gorgeous jerk I smacked into outside the alicorn stable, and Ziva help me. He’s not just attractive. He’s so beautiful, he could be a god himself.
His gold-flecked eyes are unimpressed. “You’re what? Testing my patience? That goes without saying.”
As haughty as a god too. I clear my throat, ignoring the muffled laughter from other students. “I apologize for being late. It won’t happen again.”
“Oh, I know it won’t.” He stalks over to me and leans in, close enough for his warm breath to graze my ear. Power rolls off him and zips along my skin like tiny lightning bolts, stirring the shiver that sweeps across my neck. “Because next time you’re late, you’ll be mucking out the alicorn stable for a month. Do I make myself clear?”
No one makes a sound, but I don’t miss the gleeful smirk on several of the nearby students’ faces. Including Elijah’s.
Nodding, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something that will make him carry through on his threat.
He gazes down at me from his taller height like he can glare me into submission. Despite my instinct to put more space between us, I refrain from taking a step back. Something tells me he would enjoy forcing me to retreat, and I find myself bristling at the idea of rolling over and showing this man my belly like a chastised puppy. “In my class,” his voice is low and menacing, “we use our words like adults.”
Maybe if you behaved like a reasonably well-adjusted adult instead of an arrogant ass...
I swallow the snark rising to my tongue and manage a conciliatory tone. “Sorry. You made yourself clear. I’ll endeavor to be on time in the future, since I have no interest in cleaning the alicorn stable.”
His lip curls. “You think honest labor like mucking out stalls is beneath you. What a surprise.”
All I can do is gape. Fuck knows what’s wrong with this guy. I just agreed with him. He should be happy. Instead, he’s acting like I offered him a bowl of dried dragon dung. Even so, the smart thing to do is shut my mouth and fade into the background, but my stubbornness kicks in. Seriously, what’s his problem? “Instructor Thorne, did I do something to upset you? Besides being late for class, that is.”
His eyes narrow. “Everything about you upsets me, Axton. Not another word out of you unless you want to get started mucking out those stalls now.”
Pivoting, he stalks to the front of the class. I gawk at his broad back, cheeks ablaze with embarrassment and anger. The nerve of this guy. I’d trade him for Kinneck in a hot second. Even if that meant triple the number of push-ups and barfing twice as much.
Wearing brown flight leathers molded to his muscular build, Thorne surveys the crowd like royalty with a wide stance and crossed arms. His hard gaze sweeps over the waiting faces. “Today, you’re going to practice flight formation again. We’ll continue to do so until you get it right. Grab your mounts and be ready for training in ten minutes.”
Everyone scrambles to obey. Wasting no time, I fall into step with Olive as she heads to the alicorn stable.
Not having a clue what to do, I catch up with her before she enters the structure. “How do we prepare an alicorn to fly?”
My pulse kicks up, and I try not to think about the powerful, dangerous creature I saw yesterday. Because I’m about to get up close and personal with one.
“We saddle them.” She glances at me from over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’s really not hard. I’ll show you which one was Leesa’s and what you need to do.”
She disappears into the ominous building, but I’m rooted to the ground. Snared by my own fear, my feet remain planted in the same spot when Nick emerges, leading a prancing alicorn.
My heart beats double time. I forget to breathe. Tiny beads of sweat form on the back of my neck, trickling down in icy rivulets.
Stay calm. Just. Stay. Calm.
Nick passes with the alicorn, and the monstrous dark bay creature looks— actually looks —me in the eyes.
I rub the scar on my forearm, squeezing my eyes shut as flashes of memory assault me.
Wind whips through my hair, caressing my face like a frosty kiss. I giggle, and warm laughter rings out from behind me. A strong arm tightens around my waist.
Then shouts erupt. An animal shrieks. Something hard and unyielding crashes into my side.
Fiery pain explodes in my body as my stomach dips, then plummets. Someone screams, and my vision fades.
“Are you finished daydreaming?”
Daydreaming? I wish. More like waking nightmaring. Swaying on my feet, I open my eyes, taking in quick, shallow breaths. “Yes. Sorry.”
Thorne stands mere feet away, holding the reins of a massive silvery gray alicorn. The animal stands several hands taller than the average saddle horse, dwarfing the brooding instructor. In front of a pair of beautiful, feathered wings, a leather saddle is strapped to its muscular back, and a matching bridle with reins attached clings to its thick muzzle. The regal creature tosses its head, its dark mane rippling in the light breeze. Glinting in the sunlight, a black horn almost the length of my entire arm juts out from the middle of its forehead.
A weapon in and of itself.
I inch backwards, because no thank you. My racing heartbeat throbs in my throat. Thorne starts barking orders, but a terrible screech drowns him out. Shouting follows.
Between us and the stable, two alicorns face off in an obvious challenge. A black one dappled with white spots rears up on his hind legs while his tan-colored opponent lowers his head and hooves the dirt.
The riders atop their backs yell and yank on the reins, but their mounts must be too enraged to care. The spotted one paddles his front hooves and lashes out, missing the tan alicorn by a hair as she dances away.
Thorne curses. “Davon! Oversaw! What the fuck are you doing? Get your mounts under control!”
The petite woman on the dappled alicorn talks to her mount and rubs his neck. The man on the tan alicorn viciously wrenches the reins to one side and jams his heels into the animal’s ribs. The beast squeals.
Our flight instructor growls. “Hurt that alicorn and see what happens. I dare you.” If I thought his tone was frigid when dealing with me, it’s pure ice now. “Axton. You’ll need to take Zephyr’s reins while I?—”
A bloodcurdling scream cuts him off. When I see the reason, bile barrels up my throat.
The spotted alicorn’s horn protrudes from the opposing rider’s thigh like a godsdamned spear. With a furious shake of his head, he plucks the rider from the saddle and chucks him to the ground.
“Never mind,” Thorne continues calmly, as if he’s chatting about the weather, “looks like they resolved it amongst themselves.”
The injured rider sobs, rolling in the dirt while clutching both hands to his wound. Crimson paints his skin, matching the blood dripping from the spotted alicorn’s horn.
Meanwhile, both animals are now calm as can be, grazing on grass side-by-side.
Bile scorches my throat. “Ziva save us. This can’t be happening.”
Thorne further stuns me by remaining in his current spot, watching the fledgling bleed like it’s an everyday occurrence. Hells, for all I know, maybe it is. “Someone help Davon walk to the infirmary. I doubt he nicked the main artery, but it’s always a possibility.” His voice sounds bored, like he couldn’t care less if Davon did get gored through a major artery. “Mortimer, grab Surge and give him a thorough inspection before returning him to his stall.”
Helene races over to the spotted alicorn and snags the reins.
What type of insanity is this? “That’s it?” I whisper. “That’s all you’re going to do?”
He ignores me. “Oh, and Davon,” he calls after the limping man, “you’d better hope there are no cuts on the inside of your alicorn’s mouth, or else that leg wound will be the least of your worries. Everyone else, get to work!”
All around me, riders scramble to comply. Within seconds, alicorns start launching into the sky.
Pivoting back to me, Thorne levels me with his steely gaze. “I need to assess your skill level.”
Is he joking? “You want to assess my skill after all that?” I circle my hand to encompass the location of the alicorn showdown, avoiding looking at the blood seeping into the dirt.
His glare tells me that’s a stupid question. “Do you have any previous experience on alicorns?”
Sure do, if falling off one and almost dying at the age of four counts. “No.” My pulse finally starts to level out.
“How much experience do you have riding horses?”
I shuffle my feet. “A bit, but not much.”
None, if it were up to my mother. On those rare occasions when she used to allow me to leave the castle, she kept me tucked away in the carriage. When I turned sixteen, I bribed the old stablemaster to teach me the basics. But I only ever get a chance to ride when I sneak out at night.
Thorne glowers at me as if my mere existence offends him. “What the fuck kind of noble doesn’t have much experience riding a horse? You’d better hope you’re a fast learner.” With a heated glare, he rakes his fingers through his black hair, cursing when they snag on the leather cord tying it back. His other hand thrusts the reins at me. “This is Zephyr. Go ahead and mount him.”
Mount him. Just climb onto that giant beast’s back and let him propel me into the sky. While I’m sure more horrifying activities exist in this world, right now, I’m drawing a blank.
My mouth goes dry as I peer into the expressive eyes of the powerful animal before me. An unblinking Zephyr gazes back at me, as if taking my measure. Sweat beads on my brow, and despite my best effort, the hand I raise to wipe it off trembles. The alicorn’s dark eyes track the motion. He huffs, pawing the dirt with one giant hoof before turning his head away like he comprehends my show of fear and finds the emotion display annoying.
“Today, Duchess.”
Or maybe that’s my own irritation I’m sensing. My skin prickles, and I draw in a shaky breath, steeling my resolve. I take a tentative step forward. And then another.
Strong arms snake around my waist and hoist me into the saddle. “My grandmother is faster than that.”
I go rigid, white knuckling the reins as Thorne continues his tirade. But I don’t hear him. Blood pounds in my ears as fear skitters down my spine like thousands of tiny spiders.
I’m sitting. On a godsdamned alicorn. After watching another gore the ever-loving snot out of a student’s leg.
I can’t think. I can’t move.
Thorne’s hand lands on my knee, jolting me to my senses. “Breathe.”
With jagged gasps, I attempt to comply, but I can’t suck enough air into my lungs. Panic seizes my chest, and cold sweat breaks out across my forehead. My limbs start to tingle.
“Please.” With my free hand, I clutch at my throat, trying to catch my breath. “I think…I think I’m…” My head lolls, and the edge of my vision blurs.
“For fuck’s sake.” Thorne grabs me again, hauling me off Zephyr. He mutters something as he sets me on the ground like I weigh next to nothing, but I can’t make out the words.
My grip on the reins loosens, and my knees buckle. Arms flailing, I collapse on all fours, shaking.
“What are you doing?”
I open my mouth, but no sound comes out. The ground starts to spin.
No. Please, no.
My vision fades as my head hits the grass.
Fingers press against my neck, and my eyes flutter open.
Crouched next to me, Thorne checks my pulse.
Dazed, my gaze travels over his magnificent features. I gulp when my eyes land on that sinful mouth.
He quirks a single brow. “Memorizing my face so you can sketch it later?”
Busted. Heat warms my face and I bolt upright, wincing as my temples start to throb. “What?”
His smirk tells me he’s aware that I heard him. “Easy. You blacked out for a bit. Does your head hurt?”
Surprisingly gentle fingers feather across my forehead and temples, searching for injuries. The skin he touches buzzes with a type of tingling awareness that doesn’t fit the situation, so I scoot out of reach. “A little, but I’m okay.” He doesn’t say anything, instead regarding me with silent appraisal while I do my best not to squirm. “I didn’t mean for…well…I didn’t mean to pass out.”
“Obviously.” With a heavy sigh, he breaks eye contact. “Ready to stand?”
I nod. “Yes…sir.”
Thorne rises, then offers me a hand, pulling me to my feet. He holds on for a moment before releasing me, and an emotion I can’t interpret flickers across his face. “What happened?”
My body sags with relief. If he couldn’t tell my little fainting spell was courtesy of an anxiety attack over alicorns, I’m not about to divulge that information. Nothing good could come out of everyone learning about my fear of flying. Such a huge obstacle to success might lead Commander Bigley to evict me from the program, and I can’t risk ejection yet. Not until I’ve had time to investigate Leesa’s disappearance.
Employing a tactic that works on my mother, I rub my temples and groan, adding a little stagger for good measure. “A dizzy spell. I get them from time to time.” Not a complete lie. I do struggle with dizzy spells. That’s just not what caused my alicorn fail today.
He turns to Zephyr, who’s waiting in the same spot I left him. “Go to the infirmary and get checked out. We’ll complete your assessment next class.” He mounts with fluid grace, and the alicorn starts to prance. “Don’t be late, Duchess.”
Before I can say anything, they’re gone.
Massive silvery gray wings unfurl, beating the air as Zephyr climbs the sky and heads for the rest of the class. Except for my flight unit, all the other students are arranged into groups of four. They form diamond shapes, with one flyer in front, one in the back, and two in the middle. My unit is the sole anomaly, since they’re down a member. At any other time, the formations would captivate me, but right now, I can’t tear my eyes away from Thorne.
I shouldn’t stand here mesmerized, but I can’t help myself. They’re incedible…both rider and alicorn. Especially from this distance, since Thorne’s too far away to tarnish the image by opening his obnoxious mouth.
Blowing air from my lungs, I dutifully trudge to the infirmary. Three of the cots lined up against the far wall are occupied. One by a woman with a bright red and blistered hand, another by a man with a bandage over one eye.
Davon rests in the third one, moaning and giggling softly. Someone cut the fabric off his injured leg, showing off a thick pressure bandage wrapped around his thigh.
A freckled medic greets me with a harried smile. He’s a young man in his twenties, wearing a navy uniform with red trim to indicate his position. “Fledgling Axton, what can I do for you? I’m Medic Keller.”
He sets down a jar and steps away from the cabinet, leaving the doors open to reveal medical supplies organized into neat stacks.
I blink. “You know who I am?”
He puffs his narrow chest. “I read everyone’s file before they arrive. That way, I’m prepared to treat whatever existing ailments they have.”
The mention of files captures my attention. “Flighthaven has files on all the students, even before they arrive?”
Keller scoffs. “Of course they do.”
“What all’s in there? Do you know?”
I worry my question will draw scrutiny, but my curiosity doesn’t faze him. “Just what you’d expect…medical history, schooling, the results of any previous magic testing. That sort of thing.”
Okay, that’s a little creepy. Does Flighthaven accumulate all that information about possible future attendees over the course of their lives, then? They must. Otherwise, how would they have gathered my health history? The missive didn’t request any, and only two days passed between the time the missive arrived and my arrival here. I suppose they could have sent a follow-up missive via alicorn or dragon, though that seems wildly inconvenient.
Files are good, though. Leesa’s files, in particular. There could be an overlooked clue in them.
I want to ask where the files are kept but decide not to press my luck. I’m sure it can’t be that difficult to figure out. “You probably want to know why I’m here.” At his encouraging nod, I fill in the medic about my little…episode. Minus the fear of alicorns bit.
He begins a gentle inspection, turning my head this way and that. “No bleeding?”
“Nope.”
“Great. We’re running low on bandages and the other medic is out sick, so I have no idea when I’ll be able to run to the storage building to restock.”
He gestures to the cabinet. After a little searching, I spot the bandages on the middle shelf. Sure enough, the stack is on the short side.
Filing that information away for later, I focus on the examination. After a friendly lecture on the importance of eating enough and getting adequate sleep, Keller declares me “the picture of health”—the first time in my life that’s ever happened—and sends me off with a smile.
At least someone on staff is friendly in this place.
Before I leave, I gesture at Davon. ‘How’s he doing?”
Keller glances at the student. “Him? About as good as you can do after an alicorn shoves its horn through your leg. He got lucky. The alicorn missed the main artery. He’s on a strong pain concoction now and a little out of it.”
Huh. Thorne called it.
With time to kill until my flight unit and the others return from their training, I’m eager to explore the grounds. I have to find out what happened to my sister.
My first stop is the elegant stone building that hosts personnel offices, meeting places, and other professional spaces. I wander around the sprawling corridors until I find the records room.
If there’s a file on me, there must be one for Leesa too.
The moment I approach the door, a sentry regards me. Without thinking, I smooth a hand over the wisps of hair that escaped my braid. After my impromptu nap in the dirt, I probably look like a hot mess.
“Fledgling Lark Axton?”
Spinning around, I search for the speaker.
A fortysomething woman with auburn hair worn in a neat bun and amber eyes approaches.
What now? Could Thorne have told his superiors about my less than stellar first day in his class?
The woman smiles. She actually smiles . That’s two friendly staff members in one day. Maybe I reached a secret limit on assholes already, and from this point forward, everyone I meet will be a ray of sunshine. A girl can hope.
I return her smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m Vice Commander Valaria Torno. Please follow me. Commander Bigley wants to meet you.”
And just like that, my smile dies. Why does the head of Flighthaven Academy want to meet me?
Given the string of unfortunate events that have already happened in less than twenty-four hours, his reason can’t be good.