Chapter 15 #2
My pulse pounded.
“Seven.”
Kaelith flexed her wings, impatient.
“Six.”
The sky seemed to shrink as we stared down the twisting rock corridor.
“Five.”
Jax adjusted his grip on Koddos’ harness.
“Four.”
My fingers tightened around my rope, heart hammering.
“Three.”
Ferrula leaned low over Narvea’s back.
“Two.”
A single drop of sweat slid down my temple.
“One.”
We launched into the sky.
The moment we entered the gorge, the world closed in.
Massive rock walls loomed on either side, their jagged edges threatening to shear too-close wings.
The air was tight, charged with the energy of the challenge ahead.
Kaelith’s powerful wings kicked up loose gravel as she navigated the uppermost section, her massive form shadowing Jax and Ferrula as they flew beside me.
“Formation, stay tight!” Tae’s voice echoed through the gorge.
Below, Cordelle and Eilvin’s dragons skirted the lowest tunnels, dodging through tight passages as stones crumbled in their wake. In the middle layer, Riven and Naia soared through the narrowest lanes, their dragons twisting to avoid the sudden juts of rock from the canyon walls.
Tae and his squad weaved through crumbling tunnels, barely making it through as slabs of stone slammed shut behind them.
This is madness, I thought, gripping my rope tightly as Kaelith barreled forward with zero concern for my comfort.
A sharp woosh of wind signaled Koddos banking hard to my right, Jax muttering a curse as a pillar of rock erupted in front of him. He twisted just in time, Koddos’ wings beating powerfully as he cleared the obstacle.
“That was close,” Jax called.
I scarcely had time to respond before the gorge shifted again.
The walls themselves groaned, as if the stone was alive, watching, waiting. Suddenly, the passage ahead split into three different routes.
“We need to split!” Ferrula shouted. “Jax, take the right tunnel! Ashe, middle! I’ll go left!”
I didn’t have time to argue as Kaelith made the decision for me, diving into the narrow center corridor. The darkness swallowed us whole, and for a split second, I couldn’t see.
Then the air glowed.
Bioluminescent runes lined the walls, pulsing with eerie blue light, shifting the shadows into haunting shapes.
A sudden drop.
Kaelith tucked her wings and plummeted, her body twisting through a network of caverns, the stone pressing in tight around us.
Keep up, softling, she purred in my mind.
Stop trying to throw me off, and I will!
The ceiling cracked. Shards of rock rained down, forcing Kaelith to snap her wings open at the last possible second. I gritted my teeth, holding desperately to the rope as my stomach lurched with the rapid acceleration.
“Almost out,” I muttered.
Then I saw it.
The final stretch of the trial. A maze of shifting stone.
The walls began to move.
Massive pillars slid across the gorge, blocking paths without warning. Large, rotating stone rings spun like deadly gears, opening and closing at random intervals.
Below, Jax and Ferrula were dodging fireballs, their dragons weaving between plumes of rising flame.
Riven’s dragon, Zola, twisted midair to avoid a collapsing tunnel, barely escaping as it slammed shut behind her.
Cordelle and Eilvin flew through an underground chamber, relying on glowing runes to guide them.
Kaelith did not slow down.
She thundered forward, her massive wings disrupting the air currents, shoving smaller dragons aside as she forced her way into the heart of the maze.
I barely had time to register the first rotating stone ring before she barreled straight through it, forcing me to flatten myself against her back to avoid getting crushed.
“Kaelith, are you insane?!”
Her only response was a low, throaty chuckle in my mind.
Then, without warning—she bucked.
The force ripped my hands from the rope, my body hurtling sideways as I barely managed to grab the tether before I fell completely.
My stomach dropped as my legs dangled in open air, the wind roaring in my ears as Kaelith continued flying like nothing happened.
KAELITH!
She didn’t respond.
I was hanging at the side of her neck
The rest of my squad shot past, eyes wide as they realized my predicament.
“Ashe!” Jax yelled.
Ferrula was dodging another spinning ring, her dragon just missing the closing stone.
Tae shouted.
“Ashlyn, get back in your seat. NOW.”
I swung my leg up, straining against the weightlessness of the free fall, my muscles burning. But every time I tried to pull myself up, Kaelith jerked suddenly, dodging obstacles without regard for my survival.
“Are you TRYING to kill me?!” I screamed at her.
Another chuckle.
Then, just as we neared the final exit of the gorge, Kaelith finally dipped her shoulder, allowing me to heave myself onto her back.
The moment my hands secured their grip, she shot forward, bursting through the final opening in a massive surge of powerful wing beats.
The sunlight blinded me as we broke free from the shadows.
I barely had time to process the near-death experience before Kaelith’s voice purred in my mind once more.
Well. That was fun.
For you, maybe, I hissed.
Zander landed, dismounting his silver with effortless grace, as if mocking the rest of us for struggling through the gorge. He turned, his eyes scanning over the squad before he nodded.
“You did well.” His voice was even, composed. But I knew he didn’t mean me.
I kept my eyes downcast, willing away the frustration burning behind them. I had barely made it out of that gorge in one piece. If Kaelith had thrown me just a second later, I would have been decorating the bottom of the canyon like a tomato sauce stain.
Zander glanced at me, but I refused to meet his gaze.
“Let’s head back.”
The others launched into the air with practiced ease, their dragons cutting through the sky in a smooth formation. I followed reluctantly, my grip tight on the rope as Kaelith’s wings carried us toward the castle.
The return flight was silent, the wind rushing past as I tried to ignore the pain in my shoulder.
The moment we hit the castle grounds, the others landed gracefully, their dragons folding in their wings with expert control.
Kaelith? Not so much.
She jerked forward, dropping her neck just as her front feet hit the ground.
The motion slammed me forward, and I barely managed to grip the rope in time to stop from being catapulted face-first into the dirt. Pain wrenched through my shoulder, a sharp, twisting agony that nearly had me seeing stars.
A burst of laughter erupted from the courtyard as cadets—especially Iron Fang—snickered at my humiliation.
“Nice landing, Rebec!” Perin called.
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to my feet, even as my shoulder screamed in protest. I bit back the pain, shoving it down as I limped to unfasten my clearly frustrated dragon.
Kaelith snorted, her tail flicking dismissively, as if none of this was her problem.
Jax jogged up, his brow furrowed with concern as he slipped an arm around my shoulders, taking some of my weight. “Are you okay?”
I swallowed the pain, refusing to show weakness. “Yeah,” I muttered, nodding stiffly.
He didn’t look convinced but didn’t push. Together, we made our way to the dining hall, where the others had already grabbed trays of food and were settling into their seats.
The usual buzz of conversation filled the hall, but I hardly noticed it as I sat down with my squad.
I picked at my bread and stew, forcing myself to take a few bites. But my appetite was gone.
After a few minutes, I pushed my tray aside and stood.
“Hey, I’m going for a walk. I’ll meet you back at the barracks.”
They shared a glance. After my pitiful performance at the gorge, there wasn’t much to say.
Riven nodded slowly. “Take your time.”
Without another word, I left the dining hall, stepping into the cool evening air.
I barely felt the wind as I walked toward the tower, climbing the winding staircase until I reached the top landing. The wind was strong up here, whipping against my face, howling like a wounded beast. And drying the tears that I refused to let fall.
My shoulder was still healing, but the pain wasn’t nearly as bad as my pride.
The memory of Kaelith tossing me aside like a piece of discarded armor burned through my mind before a shadow drifted in front of me, moving with effortless grace despite the wind.
Siergen.
The red dragon settled onto a floating landing, his wings disturbing the air as he tucked them neatly to his sides.
I exhaled slowly, watching him.
At least someone around here knew how to land properly.
Siergen tilted his great head, his gleaming red scales catching the dim light as he regarded me with amusement.
I heard you had a rough day.
I snorted, crossing my arms against the evening chill, though the action stung a little. “Rough? Try catastrophic. Kaelith hates me. If it were up to her, the gorge would be my forever home.”
Siergen chuckled, a low, rolling sound that vibrated through my bones. She is making progress. Give her time.
I arched a brow at him. “Time to kill me? Because I’m pretty sure how this ends.”
The dragon’s golden eyes gleamed as he glanced around, his tail curling idly behind him. Why are you up here, little storm?
I leaned against the cool stone of the battlement, staring at the distant horizon. “I was reading one of Cordelle’s books on dragon lore. Did you know they used to have cadets jump off this tower? If their dragon caught them, they were bonded.”
Siergen huffed, his wings shifting. I am aware that humans once used this tower for such trials. But it did nothing more than the binding trials you already endure.
I frowned. “How so?”
A dragon may not let you die. That does not mean they accept you.
The words settled heavily in my chest. “What happens if the dragon refuses?”
Eventually, the bond will break.
I swallowed, my fingers curling around the fabric of my jacket. “I guess that’s what Kaelith wants.”
Siergen studied me for a long moment before exhaling, sending a warm gust of air over my face. It is not what she needs, though.
A muscle ticked in my jaw. “How do you know what Kaelith needs?”
Siergen’s golden eyes pierced into mine, a knowing glint in their depths.
Because I have met a rider like you before.
That wasn’t exactly comforting.
And because Kaelith is not resisting you for the reasons you think.
A chill that had nothing to do with the wind crept down my spine. “Then what is it?”
Siergen rumbled, shifting his weight as he spread his wings slightly.
That, little storm, is something you must discover for yourself.