Page 5 of Fire Dragon
Emma lifted a brow. “I’m a warrior.”
“A warrior-princess, a dragon-goddess divine.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “With a red ruffled flounce around her shoulders. I look ridiculous.”
“At least it’s hiding your boobs.”
“You’re right and that’s all that matters. I mean what are the chances Santos will even see me.”
The alarm still sounded, though it had fallen to a diminished level to keep everyone alert but not freaked out.
The com on her shoulder sounded. She pressed the device. “Emma here.”
“Santos wants you. In his office. Now.”
She glanced at Jane and mouthed the word ‘seriously’.
Aloud, she said, “On my way.” She could hear the nearly inaudible ding that meant the communication had ended. Not everyone could hear it. She could.
As she moved toward the door, Jane caught her arm. When Emma stopped and met her gaze, there were tears in Jane’s eyes. Next to Logan, Jane was her closest friend. “You’ve done your work. Congratulations and ride that dragon hard.”
Emma forgot about the uniform mishap or the likelihood Liam would be her partner. She allowed herself this moment. She was a dragon-rider and had one of the top graduating scores of all time. Her eyes suddenly burned as she gripped Jane’s forearms. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Well, that is definitely true. You would have flunked out the first week.” She laughed.
Emma joined her.
With a squeeze of those arms, Emma pulled away and began the march all the way to Santos’s office.
Fortunately for her, the alarm was keeping everyone in their office so they couldn’t see her unfortunate cape. The moment the red sand began to blow, the entire organization scrambled to update all their information: Troop positions, delays from other territories, dragons that could be called in.
Her boots had a firm sound as she moved up the last hall to her boss’s office.
Field Marshal Miguel Santos was a good man and had at one time been a first-tier dragon in the ADF. He now served to coordinate just about everything at HQ including the training of dragon-riders. Still, it was unusual to be summoned to his office before a first battle-run.
The double doors were open, so she walked straight in. She didn’t see Liam at first, but she could smell him and for a moment, her knees almost buckled: burning driftwood and charcoal.
But that meant it was true and Liam would be her first.
She thought fate or the dragon gods or whatever were laughing hard right now.
Despite the unsettling nature of the situation, she was a warrior first and completely professional. Like hell she would let Liam’s attitudes toward her affect today’s performance.
She walked in with the confidence of her two years of brutal training. Santos had created the program thirty years ago and to this day had turned out some of the most notable dragon warriors and riders in modern history.
She was proud to have survived the intensive work and ready to begin her first tour of duty.
“Reporting as ordered.”
Santos was a tall man at six-seven. He had thick wavy black hair that he wore clipped short. Though he was over three hundred years old he appeared to be about thirty-five which was typical of their long lives.
He looked her up and down then scowled. “What the hell are you wearing, Rider?”
Emma felt her cheeks warm up, but she lifted her chin in response. “A hazing, sir. No time to make repairs. I’ll lose the cape during initial mount, if it’s all right with you.” She almost suggested he bring someone else in but thought the better of it. She didn’t want to give him any ideas. This was her first run and she meant to take it.
Over the course of her training, Emma had had very little contact with Santos. Yet, she could tell he was stressed much more than usual.
“Let’s see it, Rider. I want to know what I’m dealing with.”
