Chapter 21.
Chradh.
The dragon had peeled away from the group. Without sound or warning, the brown Scorpiontail was slinking toward her across the field, his tail curling behind him like a shadow. His steps were measured, precise. Despite his massive size, he made barely a sound.
She froze.
Not in fear—yet—but in surprise.
He was close now. Closer than she'd expected. Too close to pretend she hadn't seen him.
"...Oh," she said aloud, startled into speaking. "Hi."
Chradh huffed in answer, steam curling from his nostrils like he'd found her amusing.
Aeliana blinked. "Chradh, right?"
The dragon stilled for a second. Then gave a soft chuff—affirmation, maybe.
His golden eyes were bright, intelligent, fixed entirely on her. And he was sniffing. Slowly, cautiously, his wide nostrils flared as he leaned his enormous head toward her. She lifted both hands in response—palms open, nonthreatening.
"Okay. All right. I'm not going to do anything," she murmured, keeping her voice level. "You're the one sneaking up on me, remember?"
Behind her, the wind shifted—and she caught the sound of wings overhead.
Second Squad.
They were landing.
And when they did, it didn't take long for the group to realize what they were seeing.
Liam's voice rang out from somewhere to her left, sharp and instinctive.
"Section Leader Tavis!"
The squad spread slightly, instinctively wary of the Scorpiontail's proximity to the unbonded girl standing statue-still in front of him.
Chradh didn't flinch. He simply turned his massive head toward the voice, then back to Aeliana.
And that was when Garrick saw him.
The last thing Garrick expected after a flawless flight session was to see Chradh stalking across the field like a gods-damned jungle cat. Toward—what the hell? Aeliana?
He jogged a few steps forward, heart already racing.
What are you doing? he asked the dragon silently, voice sharp with confusion.
She smells like the forest and snow, Chradh replied, cryptic as always.
Garrick nearly stumbled. What does that even mean?
Chradh didn't answer. His head dipped again, nostrils flaring as he sniffed Aeliana like she was a curiosity he couldn't quite pin down.
The rest of the field had quieted now. Even the other riders were watching.
Garrick caught up just as Aeliana remained utterly still, arms raised slightly, gaze calm—but wary.
"Aeliana," Garrick said gently as he approached. "He's not going to hurt you."
"I figured that much," she said evenly, not taking her eyes off the dragon. "But he's definitely very interested in me."
"That's putting it lightly." Garrick turned to Chradh, narrowing his eyes. You need to be less weird about this, you know.
She smells like the edge of the old woods, Chradh replied. Let me confirm.
Confirm what?
Ask her if I can be touched.
Garrick blinked, then groaned under his breath. "Oh for—"
He turned to Aeliana.
"I'm sorry about this," he said, scrubbing a hand over his face. "But he's... asking if you'd be willing to, um. Pet him."
Aeliana stared at him.
Then back at Chradh.
Then at him again. "...He what?"
"Needy little thing," Garrick muttered, mostly to himself.
Chradh immediately narrowed his eyes at him. The golden irises gleamed in silent reprimand.
"Oh don't look at me like that," Garrick snapped. "You are needy."
Aeliana gave a short, shocked laugh. Then took one slow step forward.
"Is it going to insult his pride if I touch his nose?" she asked warily.
"If you do it wrong? Maybe. But he'll survive."
Carefully, she reached out.
Chradh lowered his massive head, exhaling hot air in a long puff that blew her braid slightly askew. She pressed her palm lightly to the bridge of his snout, the rough scales warm beneath her touch.
Chradh rumbled.
Low. Deep.
Satisfied.
Garrick blinked again, stunned at the wave of contentment washing through their bond.
"Well, I'll be damned," he muttered.
Aeliana smiled—small and uncertain, but real—as she stepped back.
Chradh gave one final snort, then turned and lumbered away without another word, tail curling with smug satisfaction behind him.
Garrick turned back to her. "You okay?"
"I'm starting to wonder if dragons like me more than riders do."
"I like you," he said without hesitation. "Especially when you're not sneaking out onto the Parapet like an unhinged maniac."
Her smile widened slightly. "No promises."
He shook his head. "Come on. Let's get you out of the splash zone before the next squad lands."
They walked in silence for a few seconds, leaving the flight field behind. The wind had settled now, just a gentle breeze tugging at the ends of Aeliana's braid. The chill had nothing on the way her heart was still fluttering in her chest.
"...So," she said eventually, glancing up at Garrick. "Is your dragon always that... stealthy?"
Garrick looked sideways at her, brow arched. "Stealthy?"
"He's the size of a house and somehow snuck up on me like a stalking cat."
Garrick huffed a laugh. "Yeah, that's Chradh for you. Thinks it's funny."
"He just... stared at me. Sniffed me. Then demanded to be petted?"
"Very politely," Garrick added, tone mock-serious.
She gave him a look. "That's your idea of polite?"
He grinned. "For him? That was practically groveling."
Aeliana shook her head in disbelief. "And that's... normal behavior?"
"For Chradh?" He shrugged. "He's picky. But if he likes you, he makes it weird."
"Well, lucky me," she muttered, but her lips twitched at the corners.
"Honestly, he doesn't go near most people. Let alone ask for head pats."
She glanced at him, half-smiling. "So, what—you think I'm special?"
Garrick's brows lifted. "Clearly. You passed the ancient and sacred Sniff Test."
A startled laugh burst out of her before she could stop it. "That's not a thing."
"It is now." He made a show of nodding solemnly. "And you passed with flying colors."
They reached the gravel path behind the barracks, their boots crunching over loose stone. Garrick slowed a bit, like he didn't really want to rush wherever they were heading.
Aeliana didn't mind.
"Seriously though," she said after a beat, "I thought dragons were supposed to be all majestic and aloof."
"Oh, they are. But Chradh's also... curious. And dramatic. And a little annoying."
"I noticed."
Garrick gave a mock gasp. "He'll be heartbroken."
"He'll get over it," she deadpanned.
He snorted. "You really think you can sass a Scorpiontail and live to tell the tale?"
She shrugged. "Worked so far."
He shot her a sidelong smile. "You know, I think he actually likes you more than me now."
"I do have a winning personality," she said dryly.
"Obviously. That, or you smell like steak."
They both laughed, the sound easy, shared, and unexpected.
Aeliana tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, still feeling the ghost of Chradh's warm breath on her cheek. "Well, tell him thanks, I guess. For not incinerating me."
"Don't tempt him. He'd roast you medium rare just to see what happens."
She bumped his shoulder with hers. "You're terrible at reassuring people."
"And yet," he said, nudging her back with a grin, "here you are. Alive. Un-charred. Slightly sniffed."
She shook her head again, but didn't stop smiling.
~
By the time Aeliana reached the lecture hall, the ache in her arm had dulled to a manageable throb—annoying, but not unbearable. The healer had wrapped it again with fresh salve and a sharp reminder that she was not to overdo it.
No sparring. No lifting. No chores.
She figured sitting in on Battle Tactics didn't count.
The room was already half full as she slipped through the doors, the hum of quiet conversation filling the space. A few heads turned when she entered—nothing like the stares after Threshing, but still noticeable.
She ignored them.
Her feet moved on instinct now, cutting straight across the rows to her spot. Second row, just behind the center pillar. Between Sawyer and Ridoc, who'd made the mistake of offering the seat once and never managed to reclaim it.
Sawyer glanced up from his notebook and gave her a lopsided grin. "Hey, look who survived the morning."
"Barely," she muttered, easing herself down.
She'd barely settled when the classroom door banged open again, and the rest of Liam's squad came filing in—still flushed from flight practice, cheeks wind-bitten and eyes bright.
Ridoc was first through the door, already talking to Rhiannon, but the second he spotted Aeliana, his stride diverted toward their row.
He pointed an accusing finger at her as he dropped into the seat beside her.
"What the hell was that?"
Aeliana blinked. "Good morning to you too."
"No, seriously." Ridoc leaned in, voice dropping only slightly. "You and Chradh? He was sniffing you like a wine snob at a tasting."
Sawyer snorted. "He didn't try to eat her. That's basically a love confession from a Scorpiontail."
"I don't know what that was," Aeliana said truthfully. "One minute I was watching the field, the next he was three feet from my face."
Ridoc gave her a suspicious side-eye. "Did you bribe him? Hide snacks in your pockets?"
"Why? Planning to test the theory?"
"I might."
Aeliana smirked, then turned slightly toward him. "So... flight lesson?"
Ridoc's face lit up like someone had offered him extra dessert. "It was amazing. Tairn did this midair rotation demo? Whole class lost it. Liam nearly flew into a tailspin trying to mimic it."
"I did not," Liam said dryly, sliding into the row behind them just in time to hear that last bit.
"You kind of did," Sawyer added helpfully.
Liam rolled his eyes. "Anyway, you should've seen the way Nyra was riding the thermals. Like she was dancing with that Scorpiontail of hers."
"That was Garrick's squad landing, right?" Aeliana asked, leaning back slightly.
Sawyer nodded. "Yeah, we cleared the skies right before they finished. Did you catch the barrel-roll pattern they closed with?"
"I did," Aeliana said. "It was... sharp."
"Sharp?" Ridoc repeated. "Aelia, they did a synchronized four-dragon spiral through the clouds. That wasn't sharp. That was gods-damned sexy."
Aeliana choked on a laugh.
"Glad you approve," Garrick said, passing by their row with a barely-suppressed smirk.
"Didn't see you at the end, though," Liam added, eyes narrowing. "You disappeared after Chradh's little... moment."
"Oh, I walked off the field with Garrick," Aeliana said simply. "He wanted to make sure Chradh didn't try to adopt me or something."
"Too late," Ridoc said. "I think you're already part of the horde."
Sawyer nudged her arm lightly. "You should come watch again sometime. It was fun seeing you there."
She glanced at them both, a little warmth creeping up her neck. "I will. Not like I'm cleared for chores yet."
"Perks of near-death experiences," Ridoc quipped.
"Great," she deadpanned. "Maybe I'll schedule another stabbing next week."
They laughed, and even Liam cracked a small grin.
Before she could say more, Professor Devera stalked into the room, long coat swirling behind her like a war banner. The murmuring quieted instantly, conversation dying as cadets straightened in their seats.
"Today," Devera announced, voice sharp and merciless, "we're going to discuss high-altitude ambush scenarios."
Aeliana settled back in her seat, pen poised over her notebook, Ridoc already nudging her with a whispered "bet she assigns us squad formations again," and Sawyer mouthing please don't call on me toward the front of the class.
Devera didn't call on Sawyer.
She called on her.
"Cadet Sorynne," the professor snapped midway through lecture, "since you and Cadet Gamlyn seem to have plenty to whisper about—perhaps you'd like to walk us through how to survive a three-on-one aerial ambush at twelve thousand feet without shields."
Aeliana froze. Then swallowed.
A dozen eyes turned her way.
She sat up straighter. "Drop altitude fast. Force them to follow. Then use the terrain to break line-of-sight and split their formation."
Devera tilted her head. "And if they don't follow?"
A beat of silence.
"Then I circle wide, bait one into breaking off. Take the weakest link first."
Devera's sharp eyes narrowed slightly. Then—"Acceptable."
Aeliana exhaled slowly as the professor turned away.
"Damn," Ridoc whispered, impressed.
"You're lucky she didn't make you diagram it," Sawyer added under his breath.
Aeliana just shook her head. But despite the tension, despite the nerves... she didn't feel alone anymore.
Not with these idiots flanking her like shields she hadn't known she needed.
Not with this seat.
Her spot.
~
The sparring room smelled like sweat, stone, and just a hint of blood.
Familiar. Comforting.
Aeliana stepped inside, her boots whispering over the mats. She half-expected it to be empty—most cadets were at dinner or already collapsed from the day's drills—but there he was.
Garrick.
He stood at the far end of the room, shirt damp at the collar, stretching out his legs with a bored expression and perfect posture.
He didn't turn.
"Why am I not surprised?" he said flatly.
"I could ask you the same," she replied, walking further in. "I thought I'd have the place to myself."
"I figured you'd show up." He pivoted, and his gaze dropped immediately to her wrapped arm. "But you're supposed to be resting."
Aeliana lifted her chin. "I'm not here to throw punches. Legs only."
He narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"
"Are you going to stop me?"
He sighed, then gestured to the open mat. "Fine. But if I so much as hear a wince, you're benched."
"No promises."
They began slowly. Garrick demonstrated modified footwork drills—balance-shifting, low sweeps, evasive pivots. Aeliana followed, focused on precision over speed. Her right arm stayed close to her side, guarded. For the most part.
Until—
She over-rotated during a wide sweep, instinct kicking in too fast. Her arm swung out for balance—and pain exploded up her shoulder.
She hissed and staggered.
Garrick caught her elbow instantly. "You okay?"
"Fine," she lied through gritted teeth.
He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Aeliana drew a breath. Let it out. "Mostly fine."
"You know I can tell when you're full of shit, right?"
"Occupational hazard."
Still, she didn't pull away.
Garrick watched her a moment longer, then stepped back. "Let's dial it down. Defensive stances only. And you lead."
Her brow lifted. "You're letting me set the pace?"
"Consider it me trusting your judgment. Against mine."
They fell back into motion, slower this time, deliberate.
And despite the throb in her shoulder, despite the sweat running down her spine, Aeliana smiled.
She wasn't fully healed.
But she wasn't helpless, either.
And she wasn't doing this alone.
~
The scream caught in her throat.
Aeliana jerked upright in bed, breath ripping from her lungs like she'd run the entire Gauntlet in full armor. Sweat clung to her spine. The barracks were dark, silent save for the soft rhythm of sleeping cadets. But her mind was still trapped—in that room, in that nightmare.
Only this time, it hadn't been a faceless attacker standing over her.
It had been Oren.
Smirking. Towering. Swinging.
Her fingers trembled as they brushed the side of her throat, phantom pain flaring in places that no longer bled.
She couldn't lie here. Couldn't breathe.
Silently, she slipped out from under her blanket and padded toward the door, grabbing her jacket on the way out. The cold night air slapped her cheeks the second she stepped outside, but she welcomed it. Let it chase the ghosts away.
Her feet carried her on instinct—up past the dorms, past the sparring courtyard, toward the place she always ended up when it got too loud in her head.
The Parapet.
She didn't cross it. Didn't even stand before it. Instead, she drifted to the side wall, the edge where the wind rolled strong and constant. Her hair whipped back, her coat flaring slightly as she tilted her head toward the stars and breathed in deep.
It didn't matter how often she told herself it was over.
Some part of her would always be waiting for the next attack.
She shut her eyes.
"Couldn't sleep either?"
The voice was quiet. Familiar.
Her eyes snapped open.
Liam.
He was perched on the low roof just behind her—the same one they'd once sat on after that first, broken conversation. Legs dangling. Elbows braced on his knees. His expression was unreadable in the moonlight, but his voice held no judgment. Only tired understanding.
Aeliana turned slightly. "What are you doing up there?"
He shrugged, the motion subtle. "Same thing you're doing down there, I guess."
"Haunted by memories and the ghosts of dead assholes?"
He gave a short, dry laugh. "Something like that."
She faced forward again, wind curling around her like a cloak.
He was quiet a moment. Then: "Did you dream about it?"
She nodded once.
"I keep thinking I'll stop expecting him to show up," she murmured. "But then there he is. In the barracks. In my head. I can still feel his hand around my throat. Still hear that fucking voice."
Liam didn't speak right away.
Then, soft as the wind: "He can't hurt you anymore."
"I know." Her fingers curled around the stone ledge. "But my brain hasn't gotten the memo yet."
They fell into silence, not uncomfortable—just... real. Raw.
The wind lifted her braid and tossed it sideways.
"I don't walk the Parapet," she said suddenly.
He looked down at her again.
"What?"
"I haven't crossed it since I got hurt. Not once." She tipped her chin up, defiant even as she said it. "Because if I fall, I can't catch myself. My arm's still too weak. I'd die."
Liam's face shifted—guilt flickering again.
"You don't have to explain that," he said. "It's not weakness, it's caution."
"I used to walk it to clear my head." She looked up at him. "Now I stand here and stare at it like it's a wall I built myself."
Liam jumped down from the roof in one fluid movement, boots landing lightly.
He stepped up beside her, gaze also fixed on the Parapet. "You'll cross it again. Just not tonight."
"Think so?"
"I know so."
She exhaled, then gave him a sidelong glance. "You sure you're not just up here to protect me?"
"Absolutely not," he said solemnly. "I'm up here because I couldn't sleep and I'm excellent company."
Aeliana huffed. "Liar."
He smiled faintly. "Maybe. But you're still standing here, so I can't be that bad."
She let the silence stretch again, watching the distant shimmer of lights on the parapet wall.
"Thanks, Liam."
"For what?"
"For being here. For making it feel a little less... heavy."
"Anytime," he said. "And next time you dream of him?"
"I'll come here again," she said, already knowing it was true. "And maybe I won't be alone."
They stood like that for a long time—two shadows beneath the stars, both quietly learning how to carry the weight of survival.