Chapter 35
Lance
We have returned.
Viridian’s voice inside my head had me stumbling as I walked around the classroom.
Probably because I was doing everything my father told me not to do.
Muscles held too tight, consciousness trying to scan the entire room and every interaction between the students, rather than focussing completely on the ones in front of me.
I was unprepared for the bond to snap back into place, forced to stop still as a result.
Viridian, lad… You’re back. Are you alright? Is Auren, Fern?
We are well, he replied. Just tired. Fern has gone into the keep to read books with Brightfang’s rider.
Brightfang…
It was then I remembered the names of the silver dragons.
“Class is finishing early today,” I said with a clap of my hands. Students let out grateful groans, already starting to put their swords away. “We’ll go over the new manoeuvres next lesson.”
And right now, I needed to get out of this classroom and down to the library.
Talking to Dad had cleared something up.
I wasn’t here to become a lieutenant. If teaching spoiled nobleman how to use a sword was what I wanted, I could’ve taken over my father’s school.
No, it was Fern that had me accepting this role, and so I said my goodbyes to my students, then made for the door.
At first, it was easy. Class was still in session and I could stride down the hall, then the stairs. Of course, the bell had to ring and then all the doors opened, letting out every cadet in the keep. As I was weaving my way between bodies, I heard the general’s voice cut through the noise.
“Lance!”
I didn’t want to attend to him, nor go back upstairs to where he stood, leaning over the balustrade, gazing down at me. It wasn’t his good opinion I valued. Though walking away, that would send a message I wasn’t ready to communicate. My hand moved to salute him.
“Sir, I—”
“My Valiant tells me that Auren and Lady Fern have arrived back at the keep.”
This is why he called me over? I barely suppressed my irritation.
“Viridian has also returned,” I replied. “I was just heading to the mountain to see him.”
“And the lady.” That sly smile, I didn’t like it at all. “You wish to ensure that Lady Fern has not come to any harm after the debacle of the other day.”
Yes, I wanted to tell him. I’d throw Fern on the back of Viridian and fly for Dragon Rest if she’d permit it.
No one and nothing would get close to her and her dragon, not if we could help it.
But talking about poaching a queen and her rider was a jailable offence, so I formulated a more palatable response.
“Of course, sir. I feel completely responsible for what happened to Fern. I said I’d escort her to the exercise, so I was the one that should’ve kept her safe.
I need…” My tone, my words, they were revealing too much if the shine in the general’s eyes meant anything. “I need to make sure she’s alright.”
“Check in with the lady and direct her to the healer if she needs it,” he ordered. “But after that, ask Lady Fern to drop by my office. I need to have a little chat with her.”
Little chat… Were any words more ominous than that? I wanted to ask, no demand, to know what he meant, but instead I just nodded, eager to get away. Gods knew what Lorien was doing with Fern right now.
“Of course, sir,” I said.
“And keep the Lady Fern away from those silver dragon riders.”
With a nod, he pushed himself away from the balustrade. Not even bothering to gauge my reaction to the order, the general left me staring after him. There was nothing here that would help me with Fern, I told myself, right as I made for the stairs.
You left without me? I asked Viridian as I made my way down to the library. Lad, you should’ve waited.
I couldn’t, came his reply. My dragon was always an easy presence in my mind, so his mulish tone came as a surprise. Auren was being disrespected by the general and I was the only one fast enough to keep pace with her. If I waited for you to come, I would’ve lost track of my queen.
I would’ve been on his back in seconds, I wanted to reply, but then my feet slowed.
Would I have left so quickly? The fact it took me a minute to consider the idea was making Viridian’s point for him. I moved now, just in time to reach the landing above the library.
Fern was there, but so was Lorien.
We were allies now, I had to remind myself, so why did the sight of the two of them hit me like a punch to the gut?
That fact he was talking, and she was smiling up at him, that had to be a good thing.
Then he touched her, his thumb brushing against her cheek.
It felt like the whole world went sideways, forcing me to stop dead on the stairs to get my bearings.
Cadets swarmed around me, unseen, unnoticed, until one collided with my shoulder.
“Watch where you’re going!”
That snarl, the way I turned on the lad, it had nothing to do with the cadet and everything to do with the messy tangle of ugly feeling roiling in my gut.
“Sorry, sir!”
The cadet saluted sharply. His wide-eyed stare, the way he went pale, had me feeling shame on top of everything else.
When his eyes dropped down, mine followed them, realising then my hand was on the hilt of my sword.
I was ready to draw my weapon for an accidental collision?
My father would’ve beaten me with the flat of it for such poor control.
So what the hell was happening to me?
“No, I’m sorry,” I said, forcing my hand away. “It was just an accident. Get to class now, lad.”
With a nod, the boy turned and raced up the stairs.
Leaving me standing there, feeling the world swirl violently on a brand new axis, because as I looked down at the landing, Lorien moved in for a kiss.
Allies, I told myself, we were allies. Trouble was, my ally was about to do the one thing that had consumed my brain since I met Fern.
I took the steps two at a time, pushing past riders and cadets alike, my eyes on Lorien and Fern, not the crowd around me.
It meant I caught the moment when her eyes went wide, a breath was sucked in and then…
He placed a kiss on her cheek, pulling away moments later.
Relief, sweet relief rushed through me, followed by a terrible curiosity.
What did it feel like? Was Fern’s skin as soft to the touch as I thought it was?
Did he feel this incredible sense of rightness as he pressed his lips to her cheek?
Was he dying to move his mouth? Let it hover over hers, waiting for the moment when her lips parted, then wrapping his arm around her waist and then tugging her closer.
Would she let out a little moan, right before his mouth claimed hers?
If you prove yourself worthy of your queen, Viridian observed, you’ll find out yourself.
That was what got me moving. Lorien pulled away and so did Fern, but it wasn’t the other rider I watched. She made for the stairs that ended up in the keep foyer, and so that’s where I needed to go.
“Move,” I snapped, but the cadets around me were packed tight like sardines and not able to let me pass. “Gods be damned.”
It was then I did something I hadn’t done since I was a cadet myself.
Throwing one leg over the balustrade, then the other, my backside was the only thing in contact with the stone, other than the hand that gripped the newel post. People started to stare, whisper, but I couldn’t pay them any attention as I let go.
Sliding down the balustrade was like the first time I went flying. My heart was in my throat, beating twice as fast for good measure. Some people shouted as I passed by, but I just grabbed the next post, then swung down to the final set of stairs.
“Well.” I turned to see Cora and Sparrow standing there. The princess looked quite shocked, but Sparrow’s smirk made clear how she felt about this. “That’s one way to get down the stairs fast.” She turned to Cora. “I thought we weren’t allowed to do that here.”
“We’re not,” the princess replied stiffly.
“Morning, ladies.” I bowed politely, then rushed on, weaving my way across the keep foyer and then out the back door. “Lovely to see you, but I need to go.”
Stumbling out on to the grand entrance, I spied Fern on the path leading to the mountain.
“Fern!” I shouted, but she was too far away to hear me.
I’d had dreams like this, it felt. Always watching her walking away from me, never towards me.
Watching her hips sway, her hair lift in the breeze, I was transfixed.
The roses in the garden beds around the foyers waved in the wind, mimicking her movements.
Roses…
I remembered Dain’s words and felt like the fates were smiling down on me. My knife was pulled free and I started cutting flowers with it. I noticed there were slim pickings. It appeared others had had the same idea. Blade shoved back into my pocket, I strode down the path.
Only for my dragon to land in the field just outside the mountain.
There you are, lad. The wrench I felt at the sight of him was different, yet similar in intensity than when I first saw Fern.
He pushed his head into my side and I ran my fingers along his scales, scratching at the sensitive ridges.
A low sound of satisfaction rumbled through him.
You did the right thing going after Auren.
Of course, was his reply. She is my queen. I will go anywhere, do whatever she needs.
You’ve shown yourself to be a loyal beast. Thorns pricked my palm as I gripped the rose stems tighter. Now I need to do the same.
His jaws closed around the back of my tunic and he used it to flip me through the air. I landed with a bone-shaking thud on his back, one hand shooting out to steady myself as I let out a laugh.
You have a gift for your queen, Viridian said, and I have one for mine. His claw opened, and a small shiny gem sat on the scaled pad. Now we see if we are capable of pleasing them.