60. Stand for it
~ VOSKI ~
“She didn’t fail—she made the same split-second decisions that any capable Furyknight would have made!
” I snapped through my teeth, fighting to keep my voice quiet when all I wanted to do was roar at them all.
Captain Gunnar, the Wing Commander of the Flyers, gave me a warning look, backed up by the warning in Ronen’s eyes.
I’d been asked to report, and usually these men would be fine with my tone. But the queen stood in this circle, alongside Donavyn, the captain of the other Flameborne’s squad, and the officers who’d been near that fucking mess at the end.
I needed to keep it together.
The queen, gray winging her temples, kept her chin high, and listened avidly.
She’d always liked to be around Furyknights, and didn’t back away from drama.
However, I was surprised she didn’t step in, or offer an opinion.
I hadn’t had many opportunities to be in her presence, but she’d never struck me as a quiet woman.
Yet, she watched each of us as we spoke, her lips pursed like she pressed them together in order to say nothing.
And she kept meeting eyes with Donavyn.
Captain Gunnar waited to make sure I wouldn’t add anything further, then nodded.
“I agree that the talent is there in the girl. She’s definitely strong enough to be allowed to fly solo.
But, her judgment? In the end, the wing leaders will need to make the final call—you’re going to have to watch these two.
And for different reasons. It appears we have one stretched beyond his capability, and one whose capability out-stretches her wisdom. ”
Donavyn clawed a hand through his hair. “Let’s take them one at a time.
Grace proved her ability to land when she returned to the Keep.
But we need to hear from those who were in the air with her over that clearing—whether Kennik was wrong or not, were there mistakes on her behalf that could have avoided this? ”
“No, sir,” Trey said quietly. All of us kept our voices below the level where it would be heard by the gathered men.
Not that it would do any good. The dragons would hear, and tell them.
“I even asked Aki, because we were behind them. But she’s certain: Kennik incorrectly followed her line.
And she attempted to urge him away. He appeared to have trouble remembering the formations from the beginning, and apparently argued when she correctly informed him that he should split off. ”
“There are reports from all the watchpoints,” Ronen said calmly. “She was managing him. Accurately. He missed several cues.”
Another squad captain, the one over Kennik’s squad, stood at Ronen’s other side, shaking his head, and sighed heavily. “I knew we should have held him back. But he was determined. I thought I might have underestimated him. I didn’t think he was dangerous.”
Donavyn needed only one look at the wing leader to affirm that sentiment, then he moved on, rubbing his jaw. “So, he took her line?”
“Undoubtedly,” I said. “Even the dragons agree—”
Donavyn shot me a look, and I shut my mouth, but ground my teeth. Why belabor the point? Why even discuss it? All of us could see that other fucker hadn’t learned the formations. He was late and inaccurate from the first. And then he was dangerous.
Behind me, the four Flameborne stood in a line awaiting the verdicts, all of them sweaty and impatient. I felt a gaze on the back of my neck, but when I turned to check on her, Grace was staring at her boots.
She stood slightly apart from the other three, one arm held stiffly at her side.
There was a scrape on her cheek and a bruise at her temple and she looked forlorn.
My chest ached, and had since the moment I’d been forced to take my hands off her because there was another man watching, and I couldn’t give him any reason to think she was more than my squad sister and Flameborne in training.
The let-down after all that adrenaline had shaken her.
She’d cried in my chest for a few choking breaths.
I’d held her tightly, asking her if her ribs hurt, or her breath was obstructed, while she shook her head.
I prayed she was just shaken, grimacing at the officer, and pretending I didn’t heave a sigh of relief when she clung to me.
But, I had to let her go the moment she reached up to wipe her eyes and clear her tears. I swallowed thinking of that memory. Letting her go had burned in my muscles.
It shouldn’t have been that hard.
Regardless, there was no way I was allowing her to be questioned. She’d flown like a champ. So much more skilled than the man she’d been paired with—we could all see it.
I knew Donavyn prided himself on not making rash decisions. It was one of the reasons I followed him so willingly. But I wanted to get in his ear and demand he stop hesitating. She was clearly strong enough to fly solo.
For fuck’s sake, she’d very nearly remounted while her dragon landed! I knew Furyknights who wouldn’t have gotten as far in that endeavor as she had.
“The measure isn’t strength, then. It’s judgment, yes?” Donavyn said, meeting eyes with each of us in the circle.
“Sir,” I said as calmly as I could. “Surely you can see—”
“No one contends that she flew well, Voski,” Donavyn said, his tone strangely impatient.
Ronen leaned closer at my side—a signal to shut the hell up—and I closed my mouth.
But I wasn’t leaving the conversation. They’d asked me to comment, because I was the closest and first one there after she and the officer landed.
Kham had seen what happened, and where they were because of the bond, thank God.
Donavyn turned to the queen. “Do you have any questions, or concerns to add, Your Majesty?”
“We agreed, the dragons and their men—and women—are solely within your purview, Donavyn,” she said tightly, which explained her tight-lipped silence. “I would very much like to meet the girl, though. To the uninitiated, she appears very brave. I am eager to see where her career might lead.”
Donavyn nodded, then looked at the officer who’d been at the watchpoint. “You’re certain about Kennik?”
A simmer of mingled satisfaction and frustration bubbled in my chest when the officer, named Trey, nodded.
“They weren’t simple mistakes—he missed the calls.
More than once. And then, even in the face of danger to them both, refused to move off her line because he incorrectly believed we’d ordered him down with her.
My concern isn’t for her, sir. If anything, she needs the practice to get some of that eagerness under control and steady out. I worry about him.”
Donavyn nodded. “I feel the same,” he said darkly to Gunnar, who nodded in return.
Then Donavyn glanced over my shoulder. I knew if I turned, Bren would be behind me, probably somewhere near Grace, though no one was allowed to approach the Flamebornes until the verdicts of their failure or success were called.
Captain Gunnar raised his chin. “Very well, we’ll pass the three.
Kennik will be held back until the next assessment round,” he added to the other squad leader as I slumped with relief.
“But he’s to have instruction in etiquette and safety as well.
There’s no way a man of his age and stature should have questioned the wisdom in falling off her line, if for no other reason than to ensure their dragons remained safe. ”
Murmurs of yes sir, and nods peppered the little circle, then Donavyn offered his arm to the queen and led her away, walking slowly in deference to her silk slippers, though she seemed unconcerned, despite the dirt and sod of the launch hollow.
In every direction, Furyknights milled around, their dragons clustered up near the stable, and some down in the launch hollow now that everyone had landed.
This wasn’t usually where they’d announce the calls. But we’d rushed to make certain everyone was safe, and were all here now.
Ronen gave me a strange, blank look as he turned to follow Donavyn.
“What?” I muttered.
He shook his head. “I’m glad you’re so protective of our Flameborne.”
“I fight for all our squad members,” I reminded him.
“Yes, you do,” he conceded, but I didn’t like the way his lips twitched, like he fought a smile, as he walked off.
I should have followed him. Everyone else was. The captains accompanied Donavyn and the queen, and the others were moving to line up behind them for the verdicts. But when I tried to follow, my body refused to move.
If I drew close, would I be able to resist touching her?
I had to.
But I was terrified my body would betray me. So, I stood, staring, as the waiting Furyknights crowded up behind Donavyn and the captains, all leaning in to hear him speak. I had to peer between shoulders to see Grace beyond them.
“Flameborne! Attention!”
All four, who’d already been tense, snapped ramrod straight, staring over our heads, to the trees behind the launch hollow. Every other voice in the clearing went silent, so Donavyn’s words rang across the afternoon air.
“Captain Gunnar and I agree on our assessment of your flights today,” he announced solemnly.
All four Flameborne tensed, held their breaths.
“Flameborne, Kennik, please step forward,” Donavyn ordered.
Kennik, eyes wide, took a single pace forward of the others and saluted.
Captain Gunnar muttered the bad news. “Flameborne, Kennik, it is the assessment of all leaders here that you are not sufficiently versed in the formations and will not be passed today. You will continue to train with your squad, and will be allowed to assess at the next opportunity. Do not give up. A true Furyknight does not falter at the first hurdle. Do you understand?”
“Sir! Yes, sir!” But his jaw was tight, and his wing leader shook his head. I wondered if the man truly would learn from this, or would only try to cast blame?
Let him try. There were too many witnesses. And I’d stand in her defense against any who tried to make this about her being a woman. She’d been stunning.
“Flameborne, Grace! Please step forward!” Gunnar barked without another word.
Grace looked at him with round eyes for a beat before remembering to step forward and salute.
Her throat bobbed, and my heart fizzed in my chest. She looked terrified. Then confused, when Gunnar didn’t address her immediately.
“Flameborne, Jok! Please step forward. And, Flameborne, Pere! Please step forward!”
All three lined up, saluted, and froze at attention.
There was a long, silent moment in which everyone gathered hung, waiting for the final verdict.
“We saw some very competent flying today. I would urge you to remain cautious—a true Furyknight is confident, not cocky. No one was flawless in the skies. But I commend your dedication to learning, and the dedication of your squads in training you.”
No one spoke, all waiting. Until the captain smiled.
“I’m passing all of you. You may now fly solo, and without permission from your squad captains.
But please, in the name of God Himself, give long and lengthy consideration to how your choices affect not only yourselves, and your brothers—and sister—but your dragons.
If we see any further issues with dangerous lines or selfish decisions, I will yank you back off your dragon so hard you won’t breathe for a week, are we clear? ”
“Yes, sir!” they all barked.
Grace beamed. Her eyes came alight—all that sparkle returned with reinforcements. She didn’t move, didn’t even seem to breathe.
My heart sang. Our brothers started clapping, and I had to fight my smile as Donavyn nodded and clapped along. “Congratulations, Flameborne. You have summited your first mountain. You are now officially dragon riders. Well done.”
The crowd broke. My brothers and Bren rushed forward, sweeping Grace off her feet amid the calls and cheers of the other squads, also celebrating their Flameborne.
I wanted to be there, to pick her up and swing her and scream that she did it. Watching my brothers touch her and pass her around sent a blade through my ribs. But I didn’t move.
Tearing my eyes off her twinkling gaze and wide-mouthed laughter as our brothers lifted her to their shoulders and carried her off, I turned to watch Kennik, the only one not being celebrated.
He slumped. His squad leader clamped a hand to the back of his neck and leaned in, speaking to him low, under the noise around them. His squad slowly gathered around him, clearly unhappy, but doing their best to bolster their brother, who scowled, but nodded.
A spark of fury lit in my chest. He could have killed her if she hadn’t been quicker-witted.
I don’t know if he sensed me glaring, or it was happenstance, but as he pushed his hair out of his eyes, our eyes locked.
I tipped my head and sent him a look that would chill his blood.
He jerked back, eyeing his brothers warily as they all turned to walk to the barracks together. I didn’t move, but kept my eyes locked on him, so he saw me each time he glanced back over his shoulder to see if I was still watching.
Which was when I smiled.