Page 10 of Court of Rivals
“It’s okay,” I say again, running a hand over my tangled hair. “Dad, this is my dragon, and I’m going to be a dragon rider. I only have a few minutes to grab my stuff and say my goodbyes.”
“No,” he tells me simply.
“There’s no other choice,” I tell him, trying to pretend like I’m happy about this decision. If he knows how terrified I am, he won’t let me go, and I have a feeling Ebron would simply burn our home to the ground and take me anyway.
My mom and brothers appear behind my dad, all looking frightened.
“You can come out,” I say, “he won’t hurt you.” Then I glance at Ebron. “You won’t hurt them, right?”
He scoffs and a little smoke leaves his mouth.Ebron, God of the Sky, doesn’t concern himself with humans… unless they concern themselves with him.
Okay then. “Come out,” I tell them again.
Slowly, everyone files out, but they stay close to the building. All their heads are tilted up, and their eyes are wide. My large father and brothers aren’t used to having to look up to anyone, so it’s actually funny. Kind of. If this situation wasn’t so strange.
“Ebron–”
God of the Sky, Mate to All Female Dragons.
“Ebron, meet my family. My father, Mr. Nightborne. My mother, Mrs. Nightborne. And my four older brothers, Cedric, Rowan, Oswin, and Eamon.”
Your brothers have the souls of far younger men.
I laugh. “Is that what’s wrong with them?”
“Is w-what what’s wrong with them?” Cedric asks, voice shaking.
“He said you have young souls,” I tell them with a smile.
“Really?” Rowan asks, looking surprised.
“Really,” I say, “now, listen–”
Let us not waste time. It is hard enough to feign interest in any of this.
Okay then.I rise to my feet and rush past my family into my home. Going to my room, I start packing my bag, putting clothes and other necessary things inside, but also personal things. Items I don’t want to leave behind.
When I’m done, I head back outside and stop in front of my stunned family. “I know this is a lot to take, but last night I saved Ebron, the dragon behind me. According to his code of beliefs, anyone who saves a dragon becomes their rider. I’m going to Stormwrath Academy to become his rider.”
Silence.
Then Rowan starts laughing. After a minute, Oswin joins him. The twins laugh to the point of hysteria. Not that I blame them exactly. This whole situation is crazy.
But it’s my oldest brother, Cedric, who speaks first. “But you’re a woman. And he can’t be a male dragon. There aren’t male dragons.”
I wince.
Ebron huffs behind me.Does this boy not know how baby dragons are made? Of course there are male dragons. There are just few of us.
“Remember that dragons continue to have baby dragons. They usually disappear during mating season, going off in search of the male dragons. So, there are male dragons, they’re just rare.”
“But you’re not a noble,” Eamon, the youngest, says shyly. “All dragon riders are nobles.”
“Apparently not all of them, because I’m one.”
Eamon drops his head. “But I don’t want you to go.” Although Eamon is older than me, he’s always felt like my younger brother, and it makes my chest hurt seeing him upset.
So, I hug him, squeezing him tightly. “I’ll write home, when I can.”
