Page 17 of Phixmery

Tisur struts over towards us with Zaddro and Voissor in tow, their enormous forms shaking the ground as they approach. His deep blue scales reflect the light from the torches as he arrives at the cliff where Talyn and Kill are waiting with me. Zaddro’s black scales are like voids, sucking up the light so only his bright green eyes can be seen in true darkness, while Voissor’s red scales stand out like a warning to those who oppose him and his rider.

The color of a dragon’s scales explains their power. Like fae they have their own magick, although more primal and ancient. Blue indicates strength and water abilities, and they are typically the more friendly type, if you can call a dragon friendly. Red are the most aggressive type, great for fighting because of how tactical they are, and they have breath of fire. Black are trickster and stealth dragons, the kindred spirit to the Szellemi fae, and they have a hallucinogen fog instead of water or fire flames. while white dragons are incredibly fast fliers, and what’s interesting about them is they have the ability to produce shadow flames—flames that burn so hot and fast that you’re dead before you can even scream, burning everything in their path. Only other dragons are immune to such power.

There are very few white dragons alive today who have chosen riders, and one of them is the son of Vathia’s Lord. But the dragons that haven’t taken a rider since the late Queen’s death are the deep purple ones, the royals of the dragon world, able to wield every dragon magick available. Until a royal line is re-established, I don’t suspect they will ever take riders again—even then they may not. Much to our father’s annoyance.

Tisur greets me by blowing a misty snort my way, leaving a layer of dew coating my skin before lowering his massive snout towards mine, his head over twice the size of me in height. “Get on, rider. I want to stretch my wings while the sun still sits in the sky,” he grumbles, making me chuckle.

Dragons are free to do as they please, fly whenever they want. I’d like to see someone try to stop them. Albeit bonded beasts prefer to take to the skies with their riders, allowing a deeper bond to form.

With a running start, I jump off the edge and land on his back before positioning myself in the saddle. A peace comes over me at being close to my bonded dragon along with the exhilaration of soon being able to fly free with my brothers.

But even with that peace, a lingering thought keeps invading my mind: the small mouse of a fae whose mind I can’t infiltrate. There’s just something about her, and I need to know more, to know why.

Talyn signals to us from atop of Zaddro, and within moments our beasts take off, flying up through the mountain until we burst free into the open, crest its peak and soar into the winter sky, meeting up with the rest of our wing, Kat Hemming and Luke Featherington, atop their blue and red dragons—Nori and Vex.

“Something seems to be on your mind, young rider,” Tisur questions, picking up on my wandering thoughts.

I grip the leather of the saddle. “There’s this fae, and I can’t seem to access her mind. It’s bugging me, that’s all.”

He hums and silence falls over us once more as we climb higher and higher, practicing maneuvers with the others on Talyn’s orders.

“Maybe try to talk with the female?” he suggests, unhelpfully.

A chuckle escapes me. “You know what, maybe I will.” But first, I’ll follow her around and see what the Little Mouse gets up to in her free time and who her friends are. A new surge of excitement flows through me. I’ll find out all her little secrets.

CHAPTER NINE

THE MOMENT I OPEN MY eyes, Nero’s face is peering into mine. “Thank the fates you’re awake. You’ve been out for a few hours and Evera has been smug as shit since.” He hops off my chest, letting me sit up. “I’m not leaving you during combat again if I’m going to come back to my fae being knocked out. You’re starting to make a bad habit of this and I demand you put a stop to it this second, Rav.”

Ignoring him, but sending my appreciation down our bond at his concern, I glance around dazed to see Ember and Rozen on their respective beds and then shift towards me the moment they realize I’m up.

“You got your ass handed to you, Rav,” Rozen chirps as he perches himself on the edge of my bed.

Ember watches me through narrowed eyes before sighing. “You were never trained to fight?”

I raise my brow at her. “Did that look like I was trained to fight?”

Her lip twitches with what was almost a smile. “Fair. Well, if we are to be friends, I can’t be carrying you up those stairs after every combat class. I’ll help you.”

Rozen bounces his red hair dancing around his shoulders. “Yeah! I’ll help too. You can kick my ass anytime,” he adds, winking at Ember who ignores him, waiting on my answer.

My face stretches into a smile of relief. Maybe I won’t have to end up with brain damage after every lesson. “Are you sure? I would really appreciate the help.”

She nods. “Of course. Vopn Fö Fae children are raised to fight the moment we can walk.”

“Really?” I ask curiously. “Why?”

She places her palms facing down on her muscular but slim thighs. “Because the first weapon we master is our bodies. That way we are never without a weapon,” she explains like it’s common sense.

“Huh, okay. I’m sorry, I grew up pretty sheltered, and being at Phixmery is a bit of a culture shock. Small outlier village and all,” I add quickly, hoping they don’t have any questions about why.

“No worries,” Rozen exclaims without missing a beat. “We can answer any questions you might have.”

Ember glances between us both with a twitch of her lips before adding, “We should get going. Wilderness Survival starts soon. I grabbed you some bread and cheese from the dining hall during lunch; you can eat that on the way.” She nods to the food, wrapped in a cloth napkin sitting on the bedside table.

I thank her before climbing off my bed and grabbing the Phixmery uniform to change into and then grabbing the food. Greedily, I inhale the rich cheese, feeding some to Nero as he perches on my shoulder, and then the soft bread as I follow them out of the squad chambers stopping at the bathroom to change. Passing my food to Ember to hold, I run back up quickly, depositing my leathers and rushing back down to meet them. Nero settles on my shoulder again after flying above me instead of being jostled. Ember passes back the cloth of deliciousness and I munch as we continue out of the South Tower.

We trek down the now familiar corridor, and even without the others I’d be able to find my way using the portraits. Left at the male with the big nose and equally large mole. Right at the female who looks like she’s shocked the water is pouring from the fountain.

---