Chapter 7
A few hours from sunset, Soren stood behind the princess in what looked like an arena. It was carved out of the mountain itself, much of the stone oddly dark and shiny. The princess had murmured in Soren’s ear that the stone had been touched by dragonfire.
A small group of women stood on an outcropping of rock above the hollowed out space, all wearing robes of fiery red, thin, sheer veils covering all but their mouths. Around their necks, they each wore a heavy bronze amulet engraved with a symbol Soren could not see from her place on the floor.
The Sisters of Arcane, the last links to the gods.
Soren hardly believed these priestesses had any real connection to the gods anymore. They had abandoned this realm long ago; it didn’t make sense to pay humans any mind after sealing themselves away, even devout women such as these.
To the right of the princess, two young men stood, and on the left, three young women, each waiting to claim a dragon.
Soren was sure they were sons and daughters of high-ranking nobles, or perhaps the child of an honored general if they were lucky.
No one else had the right to this day. The dragons only wanted nobility and warriors.
Straight ahead, directly under where the Sisters stood, an enormous cavern entrance yawned. It was completely dark inside, making impossible to see anything that might be approaching.
“You have been chosen!”
Soren jolted as one of the Sisters, this one wearing a gold circlet on her head, shouted from above them.
“Esteemed sons and daughters, this day marks the beginning or end of your destiny. If a dragon finds you unworthy, this may be the last day you draw breath. If you are chosen, glory awaits. This is your last chance to walk away.”
Soren resisted the urge to heed the Sister’s words and run, instead standing still behind the princess, her shoulders curled in submission.
She had little choice in being here, yet still, she didn’t feel out of place.
Soren didn’t believe in fate, but this moment was the closest she had come to thinking it might have a hand in her life.
The Sister smiled when no one moved, saying in a low voice, “Then let us begin.”
She stepped back, and as all the Sisters closed their eyes, they began to hum, the sound rich and resonant in the mountain air.
A few broke off, singing a broken, raw melody that pricked the hairs on the back of Soren’s neck.
As the song escalated, the arena trembled slightly.
Soren kept her eyes on the cavern as the first dragon crawled out into the open.
It was terrifying as it was beautiful. Dark blue scales shimmered in the fading sunlight as the dragon flexed the thick muscles of its back.
Amber eyes blinked slowly, and it cocked its head as it took in the line of noble heirs.
The Sisters continued their song, and then, a low, rasping voice resonated so deeply, Soren could not tell if it was aloud or in her mind.
Cowards, liars, and cheats—I see all in this line. But a few may live to see the moon rise tonight.
Next to Soren, a young slave girl trembled so violently, her breath made an audible noise. Quietly and slowly, she reached over and took the girl’s hand, squeezing once. Soren swore she saw the dragon’s eyes land on the movement and narrow, but the moment passed, and the dragon continued.
Step forward, Son of Lord Wixin.
The young man at the end of the line moved, taking a confident step forward as the dragon requested.
Soren could see the triumphant smirk on his lips as he was picked first. Muscles rippled on his body when he moved with the grace of a warrior; just like Princess Cion, he had probably been training to be a rider all his life.
The dragon lumbered towards him, her breath blowing strands of dark hair out of the boy’s face. His haughty smirk fell as she tilted her head, examining him. A pit formed in Soren’s gut, and the girl next to her gripped her hand so tightly, it hurt.
You are arrogant. Self-involved. I would not risk myself or my kin for you. For when the moment comes, a rider must be ready to die with their dragon. You would flee.
The Sisters continued their haunting melody even as the dragon opened her mouth.
Without another thought, Soren pulled the princess back, away from the sudden path of dragonfire.
The princess did not protest, not as white-hot flame spewed from the dragon’s mouth and incinerated the boy completely.
He hardly had the chance to plead or even scream before he was nothing but ashes.
Soren stared at the space where he had stood mere moments before, wide-eyed, pulse pounding erratically.
The dragon slowly faced the group again, something almost like a smirk pulling at the corners of her long mouth.
Ah… There are a few brave ones amongst you after all. Let us continue.
Soren realized she and the last remaining man were standing in front of the rest of the group, arms outstretched.
He narrowed his eyes at her, noting the shackle on her ankle marking her as a slave before stepping back into place.
Soren shrank back behind Princess Cion, who did not even look at her.
Two more dragons clawed their way out from inside the dark of the cavern, both smaller than the first. The smaller of the two was bulky, with umber scales and spikes up its neck, the other larger but slimmer, boasting scales the color of moss.
Boy.
The umber dragon flipped its tail up in the air as it spoke before dropping it down again, sending dust into the air, several of the servants jumping at the impact.
The last man stepped forward and bowed deeply, the knot of dark hair atop his head falling loose.
He was taller than the other man but more limber, and he wore a dark purple mourning cloth on his left arm.
My name is Olariu. We will see if you can make it through training.
The man lifted his head, murmuring something Soren could not make out, and the dragon made a rough sound, almost like a chortling laugh, before slinking back to the other side of the arena.
The man rose to his feet and followed the dragon as Soren took even breaths.
Princess Cion had still not been chosen, and it was becoming clear it was no guarantee.
The green dragon’s ice-blue eyes tracked over the group, narrowing on the small, trembling noble girl next to Princess Cion.
The dragon opened her mouth, blue flames curling in the back of her throat.
But this time, as the dragon roared and a stream of white-hot fire descended, Soren did not dare pull the princess back and shield her again.
Instead, she grabbed roughly onto the slave girl’s wrist next to her before she could leap ahead and try to save her master.
“Ebba!” the girl shrieked.
Soren lunged, pulling the girl to the side, out of the path of the fire as it poured from the dragon’s mouth.
They were all ash-stained and shaking as the fire died down. Then, the dragon narrowed her eyes on Princess Cion. Soren was breathing heavily in the thick air, her eyes rounded as the dragon spoke to the princess.
Yooooouuuu. You hold great fear, Heir of Aren.
Princess Cion’s entire body froze, her eyes wide. The Sisters’ song began to grow louder as Soren silently begged the princess to show bravery to the beast.
“I…” Princess Cion began, but the dragon roared, cutting her off.
Heat curled once more in the air, and without a second thought, Soren took a step forward, feeling as if she were in a dream. The dragon went completely still, the heat building in her throat diminishing, her eyes flicking sharply from the princess to Soren.
Interesting, the dragon mused before looking back at Princess Cion. We shall see if you can survive training, heir.
Soren let loose a slow breath, watching as the princess followed the dragon to the edge of the arena. She wasn’t sure if she should follow or not. The other slaves and servants remained, so she decided to wait with the last girl.
The arena trembled, signaling another dragon approached. At first, only one beast slunk out, about the same size as the others and burnt maroon in color. But moments later, a large shadow appeared behind it.
An enormous creature, moon-white in color, crawled out into the arena after the maroon dragon. Its eyes were an odd silver, and Soren wondered if the dragon was blind. A long scar cut over its eye, almost down to its mouth, like a permanent cruel smirk.
“Vemon,” the slave girl next to Soren breathed, her eyes on the pale dragon. “They’re incredibly rare.”
The maroon dragon came forward first, merely rasping, Come, to the remaining girl. Wide-eyed, she hurried after him to the other side of the arena, keeping a wide berth of the Vemon dragon. Only servants and slaves remained now in front of the pale beast.
“It’s going to kill us,” a boy breathed.
The girl cowered behind Soren, the rest of the group falling in line. The Vemon dragon approached, sniffing the air.
So much fear, her voice came smoothly.
Soren realized the Sisters were no longer singing. The only sound she could hear was the thundering beat of her own pulse as it roared.
But you… They all cower behind you, even the precious heir, fated for this path from birth. Do you not wonder why?
It took a moment for Soren to realize the dragon was speaking to her. When she did, she raised her gaze to those silver eyes and shook her head, whispering, “I am nothing.”
Indeed, this is what they have made you, Soren Cavell.
Soren left the others behind, walking slowly to meet the dragon. She did not want them caught in the dragonfire when it surely rained down on her.
But when she knelt in front of the dragon and closed her eyes, the blinding heat did not come. Instead, the dragon touched her head with her nose, chuffing, almost…purring.
Soren looked up, staring directly into the beast’s eyes.
An odd feeling snarled her senses.
She had been here before.
Silver.
Under the dying moon.
Hello, Soren.
The dragon might have actually been smiling now.
My name is Thessilnn. Let us see if you survive training.