17. Unwanted Company
A s Aeden and Nyra walked through the dense forest, Aeden was more than happy to see the ribbons wrapped around trees that had served as the markers from their initial run.
Furthermore, the tracks from the other students were imprinted into the soft earth, meaning that from Aeden’s point of view, the walk back should be plain sailing from this point forward.
The magic that Nyra had used on him was definitely wearing away, judging by the heat and pain radiating up his leg from his ankle once again.
He asked Nyra if it was possible to use magic again, but she had said she didn’t have enough power to cast another so soon.
Aeden could swear that Nyra’s scales looked dimmer, like their shine had been buffed out since she’d first hatched, but he didn’t know if he was simply just imagining this.
Aeden was starting to feel a little woozy, his energy levels spent.
When he heard a rustle in the bushes ahead of them, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Hello?” he called out, exhaustion in his voice. He listened for a reply, but none came. Had he imagined it?
Nyra stopped in her tracks, her body language changing. Her tension pulsated into Aeden’s hand as her scales tightened up, a dark ridge forming all the way from the crown of her head to the tip of her tail. She lowered her head into a defensive position.
The low grumble that rumbled in her throat like a storm told Aeden that this wasn’t a defensive position – it was an aggressive one. He could sense her fear through their bond in an instant, as if it was his own. And not just fear, but also a willingness to fight to protect him.
“Easy, Nyra, it will just be someone from the academy,” he said, rubbing his hand down her side as he tried to soothe her.
The last thing he wanted was for her to attack a student.
That would make bringing her back even harder.
Although Aer-Kin attacks between riders was not uncommon at the academy, Aeden did not want to push his luck any further than he already had.
Nyra didn’t speak, her body language staying on high alert, like she was a coiled viper ready to strike.
Aeden tried to nudge her with his hand, pushing her slightly to get her attention, but she wouldn’t move.
Another crack of a branch on the ground.
The hairs on Aeden’s neck stood on end, and his own senses went into hyperalert.
In an instant, Aeden felt more focused, more alert than usual to his surroundings.
The sound of the air around him was louder, whooshing past his ears.
He could taste the earth in the air, which left a peat-like taste on the back of his tongue.
His sense of smell intensified, and he was suddenly able to smell the trees, plants, and shrubs that surrounded him.
He knew this would be a side effect for bonded riders, an increase in senses, but nothing could have prepared him for how overwhelming it was.
It was almost nauseating, but his hairs stood on end, as fight or flight seemed to kick in within his body.
Something wasn’t right, something was watching him.
Aeden knew there was something more, something that shouldn’t be there, and he felt a tension surge through his body. Was this the bond? Was he feeling what Nyra was feeling? Instinctively, he turned to face Nyra, to the right of the track they were walking on.
A figure shot out from the trees. It surged towards Aeden and Nyra at speed, as if its feet weren’t touching the ground.
Aeden’s blood ran cold. It wasn’t a person they saw flying towards them.
It was something entirely different – a creature that looked like they were trapped between this life and the next.
That couldn’t be true, though. This was something make-believe that Aeden’s grandparents told him stories of as a child.
Half man, half spectre, the creature was veiled in a thick, dark cloak that made it look as though it was shrouded in shadows as it glided over the terrain at speed.
A guttural, clicking noise left the creature’s mouth, but there were no features to its face that Aeden could see, as they were too shrouded by darkness.
The closer the creature got to them, the heavier the air felt. Aeden felt as if he was standing in snowy terrain and not the forest .
Nyra lunged forward, using her head and neck to push Aeden behind her. The dark ridge running down her back became even thicker as she lowered herself to the ground, the low grumbling noise in her throat becoming a harsh growl. She bared her small, dagger-like teeth, visible through her beak.
Nyra charged at the creature, and the two slammed into each other with a sickening thud.
The thing went soaring through the air before crashing into a nearby tree.
The force was enough to strip bark from the trunk as splinters flew through the air like poison darts.
The creature landed on the floor, its arm and head bent unnaturally.
To Aeden’s horror, the creature raised itself from the ground, jerking and cracking its bones as they reset into position. It let out another guttural scream, like bone grinding against bone.
It rushed forward again, but this time, as Nyra tried to hit it again with her head, it dipped down, dodging the blow.
It was charging at Aeden.
As it drew nearer, Aeden found himself frozen to the spot, as if his feet had taken root in the earth. He was paralysed with fear and his mind drew blank.
The horrible sound of grinding bone got louder and louder as the creature let out a pained gasp and reached for his face. Aeden closed his eyes and flinched, bracing himself for impact.
It didn’t come.
Nyra had adjusted her position and snapped forward, grabbing hold of the creature’s ethereal cloak with her beak before snapping it back and shaking it around violently .
Her mouth glowed white with tinges of red, like she was summoning magic. The creature coiled and shrieked, writhing in agony as Nyra’s magic engulfed it.
When Nyra threw it to the ground, the creature shot back into the air and retreated, vanishing into the trees as fast as it had appeared.
Nyra didn’t move. She remained alert, her eyes scanning their surroundings as she readied herself for another attack.
The goosebumps prickling Aeden’s body faded, but the rest of Aeden’s senses remained on high alert as Nyra let out a roar. It wasn’t the loudest – after all, she was only just a hatchling – but it was still impressive for such a young Aer-Kin.
“Wh – what was that?”
“ I don’t know ,” Nyra spoke through their bond as if through gritted teeth.
Aeden had his theory, but he was still in a state of disbelief. The creature was something from fairy tales, stories designed to scare children into behaving. It wasn’t supposed to be a real thing.
“I think that was a spectre,” Aeden said. There was a slight tremor in his voice.
“ Whatever it was, I didn’t like how it made me feel ,” Nyra replied. The ridge on her back grew fainter as her muscles started to relax.
“You were amazing.” Aeden hobbled over to her and rubbed his hand down her neck. Nyra leaned into him, nuzzling her head against his hand. “What was that thing you did? Your mouth lit up with a bright flash of light.”
“ I’m not sure, it just happened . ”
Their conversation was interrupted when there was further disruption ahead of them. Nyra spun fast, poised and ready to strike again.
Aeden readied himself for the spectre to return but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the concerned faces of Vivienne, Harrison, and Serene approaching.
Nyra let out several low growls, but these softened as Aeden realised who they were, as if she could sense through him that they were not a threat.
“Over here,” Aeden shouted.
Harrison spun to his left at the sound of Aeden’s voice, his face turning from elation to shock to fear before settling on something in between.
“What the fuck is that?” he asked without a moment’s hesitation, alerting Vivienne and Serene to Aeden and his newly acquired Aer-Kin. Harrison’s jaw could have been scraped off the ground as he stood with his mouth open wide.
“It’s okay, she’s friendly,” Aeden said as he took a hobbled step forward. “Wait here a moment,” he said softly as he passed Nyra.
Nyra sent a note of approval through her bond as she padded her feet, but she didn’t sit down. Instead, she remained on alert, watching the trees.
It was a strange feeling, like a butterfly had been let loose inside Aeden’s chest. This whole bond thing was going to take more than a little getting used to.
“Are you sure?” Serene shouted. She was standing to the left of Harrison, her arms spread beside her like she was on a balance beam over a pit filled with spikes.
“Erm, Aeden,” Harrisson shouted, trying his best not to move, as if sudden movement might send Nyra into frenzied aggression.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there is a fucking Aer-Kin behind you.
” He managed the words without moving his lips.
“A wild Aer-Kin in the forest, is that even a thing?”
Aeden sighed, closing the distance between himself and the others. For the briefest of moments, he forgot his broken ankle, such was the relief at seeing his friends. That was until he put too much weight on it and it gave way underneath him.
Vivienne shot forward and scooped her arm around Aeden, helping him with his balance as he gathered himself.
Looking up at the others, Aeden said, “She’s not wild. She’s a hatchling.”
“She?” Vivienne asked, casting the faintest of glances over her shoulder at Nyra. “How can you tell?”
“The lack of a dick not give it away?” Harrison said, before remembering he was trying to keep still.
“Relax,” Aeden said, “she won’t bring any harm to you.”
“How can you be so sure?” Serene brushed away the hair that had matted to her face.
Her cheeks were reddened, much like Vivienne and Harrison when Aeden looked more closely.
“We have been looking for you all day. Master Storme barely agreed to let us come into the forest, told us that if you were too weak to make it out of the forest on a simple run, then you were never going to be strong enough to be a rider.”
This only solidified Aeden’s dislike for the faculty member.
He really was showing everyone just how ruthless he could be.
Would he have been happy to leave Aeden in the forest to die?
Seemingly so. Aeden knew straight away that he didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
He couldn’t wait to see his face when he marched back onto the academy grounds with an Aer-Kin in tow – one he had managed to bond with without any guidance or support.
Aeden smiled at Serene before looking back at Nyra, who was still unmoving in her stance, ready to strike out if she needed to – but not so much at his friends; he could feel that she trusted them like she had known them her whole life, thanks to their shared bond.
A bond that she seemingly trusted wholeheartedly.
Aeden thought it was overwhelming. Could he be as trusting with Nyra as she was with him?
For her it seemed natural, but Aeden was filled with uncertainty and apprehension. Trust didn’t come easily to him.
Aeden took a deep breath, deciding to rip off the proverbial bandage. “I can be sure because I can feel what she feels, and she trusts you because I trust you.”
“How is that possible?” Harrison asked, but he seemed a little more at ease.
“I can be sure,” Aeden said, “because I am her bonded rider. She is mine, as I am hers.”