Chapter 55
ALAR
"Execution without strategy is aimless; strategy without execution is useless."
—General Soren Bardaky, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Elucian Forces
Ifell into step beside Codric as we headed toward our next class, my thoughts still tangled around Kailin and her reason for talking to Commander Ravel in private.
This time, she had been the one to request to speak with him, not the other way around, and that bothered me more than I cared to admit.
"You're doing that thing with your jaw again," Codric said, keeping his voice low.
"What thing?"
"The grinding thing that makes you look like you're contemplating murder."
I consciously relaxed my clenched jaw. "I'm just thinking about our objectives and how best to achieve them."
"Right." He lifted a brow. "We are here, aren't we?"
"Yeah, but that's just the start. We also need to do exceptionally well."
Codric shrugged. "I just want to pass the training and become a rider. I don't need to be the best."
"Whatever secret project those two are working on must be something big," Shovia said from behind us. "Kailin doesn't keep secrets from me. Ever."
"Naturally, it's Dragon Force business," Morek said. "Something classified."
Codric turned his head to look at them over his shoulder. "What classified business could possibly involve a first-day cadet?"
"Her brother's in Ravel's squadron," Morek said. "Maybe it's something to do with him."
If Ravel had some official reason to speak with Kailin, I could understand the secrecy, even if I didn't like it. But what could Kailin possibly need to discuss with him that required privacy?
"Maybe she's secretly a spy," Codric suggested with mock seriousness. "Sorry, Shovia, but your best friend might have stolen your dream."
"You might be right," Shovia said, imitating Codric's theatrical tone.
"My theory is that Commander Tall, Dark, and Brooding tasked Kailin with spying on the two suspicious Elurian infiltrators.
She must have found out something incriminating that couldn't wait until her next scheduled meeting with him, so she asked to speak to him right after class. "
"That's not funny," I muttered, but my mind went to the sketch I had copied and Kailin had remarked upon.
The map was harmless, and I had been merely copying what had been left glued to the wall by my room's previous occupant. Kailin was smart enough not to make a big deal of something like that.
"It's very funny," Shovia insisted. "Kailin would make the worst spy ever. She can't lie to save her life, and her face gives away everything she's thinking."
She was right about that. Kailin wore her emotions openly, which was part of what drew me to her. That openness was refreshing after years of navigating the deceptive and deceitful waters of Elurian politics.
I was doing a poor job of showing my appreciation for that quality.
I'd been suspicious, confrontational, and too quick to jump to conclusions.
It was in my nature as well as my upbringing and training, but if I wanted to have a chance with her, I needed to demonstrate that I trusted her and hide my suspicions if I couldn't eradicate them.
"Whatever it is, I hope she can tell us soon," I said. "For her sake. Secrets can be a heavy burden."
I knew that better than most. My own mission here was weighing on me.
I was at the academy to learn as much as possible about the Elucian military in general and the Dragon Force in particular.
I needed to advance through the ranks and gain not only access to the intelligence that Elucians collected and fiercely guarded, but also to gain their trust and perhaps secure aerial protection for Eluria in case of a future conflict with the Sitorian Union, which I knew was coming.
Furthermore, I found it shameful that tiny Elucia had better defenses than the mighty Elurian Federation, and not just because it had a Dragon Force.
The compulsory service ensured that every arm of Elucia's military was properly staffed and that each citizen was well trained and could be called upon in case Elucia was under massive attack.
In Eluria, service was voluntary, and the Elurian military had been shrinking over the past several decades.
Part of it was population decline—people were just not having enough babies—and part was the reluctance of young people to join the military, even though it paid better than most entry-level jobs.
We were a spoiled society, or rotting, as some of the worst political rags phrased it. We'd gotten too comfortable, too secure in our supposedly safe part of the continent, with Elucia separating us from the Sitorian Union.
To attack us, the Sitorians would need to go through Elucia or come from the ocean, which was possible but not likely.
That's how we traded goods with them.
Deep ocean navigation was not possible because of the erratic magnetic currents and volatile waters, but merchant ships managed the voyage between Eluria and Sitoria by hugging the coastline.
Still, the Sitorians needed a massive fleet of warships to attack us, and our spies there didn't report any large-scale shipbuilding efforts, commercial or military.
"Here we are," Codric announced as we reached a set of double doors. "Military Tactics and Strategy, taught by Commander Nyla Kestrel."
I had no idea how Codric memorized everything so quickly. He'd read over the syllabus once and remembered the names of the classes and the instructors.
Perhaps the difference between us was that I was constantly preoccupied with conflicting agendas and secret plans and my mind had very little room left for anything else. On the other hand, my cousin's only preoccupation was chasing after girls.
The classroom was larger than the previous one, designed to accommodate more cadets.
Unlike our earlier classes, which had been limited to the twenty-four new recruits from our pilgrimage, this one included the other twelve first-year cadets from this year’s two previous pilgrimages, bringing the total to thirty-six.
Many were already seated, arranged in three sections of tiered seating that faced a central podium where a lean, athletic woman with close-cropped curly black hair was organizing materials.
"Let's grab seats in the middle," Codric suggested, nudging me toward the center section. "I want a good view of the beautiful Commander."
"Shh," I hissed at him. "She might hear you."
"So?"
"So, we are not in Vedona, and even there, complimenting a superior officer on her appearance would have gotten you in trouble."
He grinned. "Trouble is my middle name."
Codric was incorrigible, but he wasn't wrong about our instructor's beauty. She was tall and willowy, had impressive high cheekbones, full lips, and a coffee-hued, smooth skin that was practically glowing as if she'd smothered it with oil.
We found places in the second row, with Shovia and Morek sitting directly beside us. I noticed that Shovia left an empty seat on her other side—probably for Kailin, who wasn't done with Commander Ravel yet.
I was mad at myself for not thinking about saving her a seat. If I were to be her partner in any meaningful way, I really needed to do better.
The thing was that I knew next to nothing about how normal couples interacted. The court ladies who had pursued me had never expected to sit next to me. I'd never had a partner who was my equal before, and as I was finding out, the learning curve was steep.
As more cadets filed in, I observed the dynamics among the three groups. The twelve from the first two pilgrimages of the year carried themselves with more confidence, while our group was still finding its footing.
Commander Kestrel stepped up to the podium just as the clock on the wall indicated the start of class.
"Good afternoon, cadets." Her voice was clear and authoritative. "I am Commander Nyla Kestrel of the Fury Wing, and I will be instructing you in military tactics and strategy for the duration of your training at the academy."
The door at the back of the classroom burst open, and Kailin rushed in, looking breathless as if she'd run the whole way, which she probably had. All eyes turned to her, including Commander Kestrel's, whose expression hardened at the interruption.
"I apologize for my tardiness, Commander," Kailin said quickly. "I was speaking with Commander Ravel, and we didn't realize how late it was getting."
The mention of Ravel's name seemed to soften Kestrel's expression. "Take a seat, cadet, and try to work on improving your time management. Punctuality is tactically vital."
"Yes, Commander." Kailin hurried to the empty seat Shovia had saved for her.
As she settled in, her eyes met mine briefly across the row of cadets between us. I offered her a smile, which she returned before focusing her attention on Commander Kestrel.
"As I was saying," Kestrel continued, "tactics and strategy will be among the most vital skills you will develop here.
Dragon riders are not merely navigators or fighters—they are aerial tacticians, capable of assessing battlefield conditions and making split-second decisions that can determine the outcome of engagements. "
She activated a projection device at the podium, and a map of Elucia's mountainous terrain appeared on the wall behind her.
"The Dragon Force operates primarily in environments that conventional military units either can't get to in time or at all.
" She gestured to the projected landscape.
"High mountains, steep valleys, dangerous passes for the most part, these make up our theater of operation.
Understanding how to leverage these environments is essential to your success as riders. "
I'd received extensive tactical training at the Vedona Academy, but it had focused primarily on ground operations, urban warfare, and intelligence gathering. Aerial combat tactics were a new territory for me, and what I hoped to learn here.