Page 143 of Flameborne: Chosen
Maybe I never should have been here at all. But they didn’t want to admit they couldn’t train me. Or maybe Iwassome kind of entertainment for the King.
The King and Queen were here, watching. I’d been so nervous and so proud, but I hadn’t let myself think—
“Bren! Bren! Get down, now! Land!”
The deep voice called from off to my right, but so much closer than I expected. I jerked my head to find Donavyn, strong and sure, flying Kgosi just a dragon’s length away.
For a moment my heart rose—he was here. He would help. We could do this.
But his eyes were piercing and expression stern. He shouted words I didn’t catch, gesturing below. Faltering, I looked down. We were about to pass over the clearing. I’d overshot because I was so busy thinking. God, I couldn’t do anything right.
“I’m sorry!” I blurted. “I thought I could do it!”
Donavyn’s expression hardened and shame coated me. I turned away and gave Akhane the instruction to spiral to the landing so at least it looked like I’d intended to position us this way.
Akhane was still panting, but so was I. My heart pounded like it would burst through my chest.
But the sad, cold truth turned into an icy stone in my stomach. A strange, floating sensation washed over me, and sound echoed, as if I heard everything down the length of a tunnel.
Like I wasn’t here.
Maybe I never had been. Maybe that was the point. But it didn’t change the fact that we’d lost. Whether they sabotaged us, or were just making sureIknew I was never supposed to be here, it didn’t matter. I hadn’t qualified.
I would never be a Furyknight.
“Poor Akhane,”I breathed, looking down on my dragon, leaning onto her neck and hugging her as best I could while still sitting. “My poor, beautiful Akhane you…”
I trailed off as I caught sight of a dark slash on her left shoulder, above and below which the beautiful light, the flickering glowing coals of a fire under her scales, had turned dead. And her black blood seeped from it like a smoky veil.
40. Grounded
~ DONAVYN ~
Duty is a ruthless bitch. And power is a bitter fucking potion to swallow.
Kgosi and I had taken too long flying the boundary of the flight area and discussing how to intervene in the shitshow that was happening in this trial. We were interrupted in our strategizing by the clash between Bren and Lorr and their dragons.
Until that moment, were hadn’t entered play. But I was mid-sentence when it suddenly became clear that Bren was once again on a collision course, and this time, we hadn’t planned it for her.
‘Hold on, Donavyn!’
Kgosi screamed and flowed into the flight area, heading straight for that spot, but we were too late. Even with his speed, we couldn’t reach them in time, so I was forced to simply watch and curse as Lorr and Bren almost collided.
The rest of the Flameborne were already descending towards the clearing when Bren reached the rope, so the dragons didn’t see their Primarch coming for them and when we realized everyone was still healthy, we eased back. If she could get her banner and get down with the rest of them, this would be a matter for discussion, not intervention. But then, after all the decisive and courageous maneuvers of the day, Bren suddenly seemed confused, having Akhane circle, before turning slowly back towards the clearing.
Had she gotten tangled in the rope? But no, it still dangled low.
I wasn’t sure what was wrong and told Kgosi to hang back—until I saw Bren leaning over Akhane’s shoulder.
And then I saw the blood.
The low, ominous rumble that rolled in my dragons chest was the perfect expression of the horror and rage that coursed through me.
‘Descend! Go!’I urged Kgosi, who didn’t even take the time to respond, only dove towards them.
I was so full of rage and righteous anger, I was ready to leap from his back and attack the two Flameborne who’d caused Akhane pain and could have killed Bren. It was Kgosi who had to remind me that the King and Queen were watching—and that even fully-fledged Furyknights would be given an opportunity to answer for their conduct.
It felt like forever before we finally landed. Once we did, after ensuring the healers were already checking Akhane, I leaped from Kgosi’s back with barely a tug on the mounting strap, marching across the launch hollow to the stage we’d set up for the Flameborne, where everyone stood except Bren, who was still with the healers. Faren and Lorr stood at the end of the line—the Flameborne lined up in their order of return—their heads together, banners clenched in their fists, and big smiles on their faces.
