Chapter 15
Chapter
Fifteen
T he squads stood lined up behind their banners, the crests of their respective guilds fluttering in the breeze, a sea of black leather and gleaming weapons. Our bannerless squad moved off to the side, standing together as Major Ledor stepped onto the podium.
Jax crossed his arms, shifting on his feet. “What do you think the trial will be today?”
Riven shot me a pointed look before I could answer. “I’m more interested in how Ashe plans to break into the dungeon and what she plans to do once she’s there.”
I gave her a side glance, my expression carefully neutral.
“A job like this takes planning,” I said, keeping my voice low. “I need more information. There’s a chance I’m wrong, and the prisoner is someone else. I won’t go in until I’ve made some... inquiries.”
Riven arched an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but whatever she was going to say was cut off by Major Ledor clearing his throat.
“Today will be your first team challenge,” he announced. His voice carried over the gathered squads, sending a ripple of murmurs through the ranks.
“You will ride your dragons to Deathwing Gorge.”
A grumble moved through the squads, and I turned to Cordelle.
“Do you know what that is?”
He nodded ominously. “It’s located near the mountains. We’ll need to ride our dragons to access it. It’s like an obstacle course for riders, but they change it often, so it’s never the same twice. It was my understanding that only cadets run the course.”
Before I could respond, the air shifted, and a gust of wind blasted over the grounds as Hein landed with a thunderous impact. Zander slid from his dragon’s back with effortless grace, his expression cold and unreadable, but his body language rigid with frustration.
He didn’t even glance at Major Ledor. Instead, he strode straight to the front, voice razor-sharp.
“Thrall squad, call your dragons. We will go first.” He remounted effortlessly and did not use a rope.
Perin snickered under his breath. “This should thin the herd a little.”
I ignored him and reached out to Kaelith, expecting silence, but instead, I felt her connect.
I assume team sports aren’t your thing, and you won’t be coming?
She huffed in my mind, the sound filled with disdain.
I decide what I do or don’t do, little thief.
A flash of silver landed beside Hein, and I turned to see Zola crouching elegantly, her long silver tail flicking as Riven unfastened her rope. We had been instructed to carry them at all times, and we had clipped them to our belts.
“They look almost identical,” I murmured to Riven. “Except for the size.”
Riven grinned, gripping her rope. “Zola is from Hein’s den, but she’s only a hundred years old.”
I watched as her dragon lowered her head slightly, making it easier for Riven to secure her tether and climb up. One by one, my squad’s dragons arrived, each of them mounting.
All except me.
I felt Zander’s stare before I looked up. His arms were crossed, his lavender eyes sharp, and his brow arched in expectation.
“Kaelith doesn’t want to—” I stopped, my words dying as a shadow streaked across the sky.
There was a flash of deep purple, then an earth-shaking impact before Kaelith landed with far more force than necessary. Dust and loose gravel billowing around her massive form as her golden eyes moved over the grounds.
The message was clear.
She wasn’t pleased about being summoned.
A few members of Iron Fang laughed, but the other squads only stared, their eyes widening in curiosity. Kaelith had yet to display her tail weapon, but she was already nearly as large as Hein—far bigger than most dragons present.
I unclipped my rope and approached cautiously.
Thank you for coming.
Kaelith flicked her razor-edged tail, the wind from her wings slapping me in the face.
Don’t think this means I like you, fleshsack.
I exhaled and swung the rope over her neck—only for her to shift at the last second, making me miss my mark.
Laughter rippled through Iron Fang, but I ignored them, gritting my teeth as I adjusted my stance and tried again.
Kaelith huffed in amusement before finally allowing me to secure the tether.
I mounted, gripping the rope tightly, and caught movement from the corner of my eye.
Hein had shifted toward Kaelith.
But instead of growling at her defiance, his scaled lips curled upward slightly, almost as if he were smirking.
Kaelith snapped her teeth at him, and he rumbled lowly in response, the interaction too human-like to be ignored.
Zander’s voice cut through the tension.
“We fly over the city, then across the forests and into the mountains. Deathwing Gorge is on the other side. Stay close and follow me.”
Zander took off effortlessly, Hein launching into the sky with the kind of controlled precision that only came from years of experience. The sheer force of Hein’s wings displaced the air, sending dust and loose pebbles scattering in his wake.
The rest of us scrambled into action, gripping our ropes, clearly unaccustomed to the movement. Ferrula and Naia adjusted quickly, their dragons rising with only a few awkward shifts. Others, including Eilvin, wobbled slightly as they left the ground, struggling to find their balance.
I was no exception.
Kaelith pushed off the ground with a powerful thrust, sending my stomach plummeting as we surged upward. My knees locked around the saddleless curve of her back, my hands tightening on the tether.
I swear, I’ve carried sacks of grain with more grace than you.
I scowled at the unimpressed voice in my mind, but Kaelith’s wings tilted before I could respond, making my stomach lurch.
Or perhaps you’re just eager to fall. That would solve our problems rather quickly.
I gritted my teeth, pushing her words to the back of my mind.
Because I was riding a dragon.
The rhythmic surge of Kaelith’s wings carried us upward, the powerful motion steady and demanding. She was different from the other dragons—heavier, commanding, each beat of her wings sending a rippling force through my bones.
Below us, Warriath spread out like a living map. The city gleamed beneath the morning sun, its intricate stone structures woven between the towering walls of the fortress. I could see the sprawling marketplaces, the town halls, the winding cobbled streets lined with merchants and smithies.
The people of Warriath were used to dragons, yet many still paused in their work to glance skyward as we flew overhead. A few even pointed toward Kaelith, her dark-amethyst scales glinting like polished obsidian in the light.
I sucked in a breath as we left the city behind, soaring over the vast expanse of trees that stretched far beyond the capital.
The Hollows.
Even from above, the twisted, gnarled trees seemed to reach claw-like branches toward the sky, their dark shadows thick and foreboding.
My stomach clenched.
I had no desire to return there.
You fear something below? Kaelith mused, her wings angling as we banked left.
Not fear, I lied. Just… unpleasant memories.
Kaelith rumbled, clearly not believing me. But she didn’t push.
We continued our flight, the dense forest giving way to jagged rock formations, the land rising toward the distant mountains.
Then I saw it.
A winding gorge cut deep into the mountain’s base, its black stone walls rising like the teeth of a beast. The space between them was narrow, hardly enough for Kaelith’s wingspan, let alone Hein’s. The entire ravine was draped in shadow, its entrance nothing more than a gaping maw of darkness.
We descended, wings kicking up dust and loose pebbles as we landed in a clearing at the canyon’s mouth. The air was thick here, the scent of damp rock and moss clinging to every surface.
Zander dismounted first, his movements fluid as he landed and turned toward us.
I swung my leg over, dropping down from Kaelith’s back. My boots hit the ground harder than I expected, my legs shaking slightly from the ride.
I glanced up at the gorge and swallowed.
We were actually doing this.
Zander’s voice rang with authority.
“All riders in the squad enter the gorge together. Smaller dragons will go low, medium to the middle, and larger up top. You have to enter within a minute of each other and exit within two minutes of each other. Here are your assigned flying areas.”
He turned to Cordelle and Eilvin. “You two will fly low. Tae, since there are only two smaller dragons in your group and you have the most experience, Kieren will fly low with Kass and Makor.”
Tae gave a sharp nod, patting his emerald-scaled Clubtail, who was already stomping the ground impatiently.
“Riven and Naia, you’ll take Zola and Temil through the middle,” Zander continued.
Riven shot me a grin, though her grip on Zola’s harness was a little too tight.
“That leaves Ashe, Ferrula, and Jax to maneuver Kaelith, Narvea, and Koddos through the top. Keep in your own flying space. You must take off no more than ten seconds apart and keep your formation throughout the trial. Remember, the gorge is always in flux. If you’ve anchored your dragon, you may use your abilities to help your squad. ”
Zander’s sharp gaze swept over us, pausing a fraction longer on me before he added, “Get in position.”
We moved quickly, stepping toward our assigned flight groups.
Jax winked at me as we took our place near the edge of the gorge. “Looks like you and me are sky-dancing partners.”
Ferrula was already tightening the rope at the base of Narvea’s neck. “Just keep up.”
Kaelith huffed loudly, shifting beside me.
I don’t dance, she grumbled into my mind.
I fought back a smirk. Then let’s make sure we don’t trip.
Tension thickened the air as each rider prepared, hands tightening on ropes, bodies leaning forward in anticipation.
Zander raised his arm. “Go!”
Tae’s squad launched first, their dragons diving low into the gaping black maw of the gorge.
Naia and Riven followed, their dragons streaking forward through the middle airspace.
Jax counted out loud, voice steady.
“Nine.”
Ferrula shifted forward.
“Eight.”