Page 5 of Forcing Fate

No bigger than a newborn calf, the tiny beast spread its wings wide. It blinked, eyes locked on the first Chosen that it had seen when first viewing the world. Estelle, a woman with dark hair and soft, gentle eyes, beamed at the young hatchling.

Anyone watching would know it was hers.

Egg after egg hatched, and my worry grew with each one. When only two remained, nerves had me gnawing the inside of my cheek. Out of the First Chosen, it was down to Ruger and I. There was an egg for each of us.

We were fine.

The golden egg I admired hadn’t hatched yet. Slight cracks marred its surface from the struggle of the dragonling inside. Behind it, a dark sapphire egg wobbled. Surely that one was Ruger’s.

The gold egg teetered, and a split ran down its side. I locked eyes with Ruger across the circle. He winked at me, nodding back to the egg. The blue egg splintered, demanding our attention. It was a race to see which dragonling would be the first out.

Lurching, a foreleg shot out of the gilded shell. Brilliant white talons glinted in the sunlight. I held my breath, waiting to feel some kind of connection. What would it feel like when I was bonded? I had read about it so much, but wondered what it would feel like on a personal level. After this, the dragonling would be my companion. I would have no need for any other friends. We would do everything together. We would fight side by side, forcing the Shadows back to where they came from.

A blue snout broke through the shell of the sapphire egg. The harsh motion sent it rolling across the sand. Ruger laughed, a huge smile lighting his face. Surely, that was his dragonling. After it freed itself from its confinement, the dark-blue dragonling wasted no time trotting over to Ruger.

I smiled at the golden egg, mentally cheering it on until it finally emerged. Spreading its cream-colored wings wide, it announced its arrival. Shivers ran over my skin when the gold dragon opened its crystalline eyes and blinked at me. I beamed as it shook itself and loped my way.

Then past me.

As if I was not even there.

Air rushed from my lungs as the world teetered and dropped from beneath me. My vision faded as the golden dragonling ran past me, and into the arms of a Second Chosen.

I struggled to keep myself upright. The rush of blood in my ears smothered all other sounds. The dragonling refused me.

I had been refused.

Twelve years of sacrifices and endless studies, trying my best to be selected as a First Chosen.

And I was rejected.

Passed up for a Second Chosen.

The crowd was probably on their feet, cheering for the dragonlings and their Riders. But I couldn’t hear anything over the thundering defeat in my ears.

My father died so I could have this chance. I ruined it. I was almost glad for my blurred vision. This way, I wouldn’t see my mother’s disappointment when I walked away from Hatching Day without a dragonling.

I had failed.

Chapter Two

Winter of Year 895

Winter’s sharp chill nipped at my cheeks and I shivered, wrapping my fur cloak tighter around myself. Snow glittered on the ground, freshly fallen the night before. Not a single pair of footprints marred the virgin path, aside from the tracks I left trailing behind. I traveled the path more from memory than actually being able to see it under the snow.

Heavy clouds pregnant with yet more flurries crowded out the dim morning light. No dragons were to be seen, having flown to Southwing, the new southern school of the King, during the harsh winter. Only a few older dragons and their Riders remained. They spent most of their time huddled in the caves below the school, soaking up the warmth of the hot springs. They remained in Northwing in case any threats arose. However, they rarely left the caves, choosing to enter a brumation-like state rather than face the bitter elements.

I was grateful for the respite from the dragons’ presence. Seeing them served as a painful reminder that I’d been refused.

My foot slipped on a patch of ice buried beneath the snow, and I flung out my arms to steady my balance. Clutching my cloak about me as I regained my footing, I pressed on, trying to evade my sour thoughts.

I couldn’t help but wonder what the first refused felt like. He left the school two years after that fateful Hatching Day. Most claimed he’d accepted his lot and moved on with his life. But how could he not be bitter and sore about it? He left the school, after all. At least I stayed for now, contemplating what I would do next.

There were still options. I could strive to be a Master. Perhaps learn to be a Records Keeper. A quiet life surrounded by books didn’t seem too bad. Something where I could use the schooling that had been provided to me, and not waste twelve years of my life.

My stomach twisted in a knot as I thought about the idea of being near the beasts that rejected me. I couldn’t put all the blame on the dragons. It wasn’t their fault. Until that first Wild One, Dragon Kind thought everything had been settled by the treaty. The dragons were just as baffled by the change as we were.

Knowing it wasn’t their fault didn’t change how deep the refusal cut. The events of that day still plagued my dreams. I’d spent the better part of my life believing that I would be bonded to a dragon if I worked my hardest. So I did.

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