Page 16 of Court of Rivals
7
Harper
Standing before the massive king, I’m partially bowed over in respect, glancing at him through my lashes. With his short black hair, his dark eyes, and his fine clothes, he makes for an imposing man, a man who makes me feel small and unimportant. The golden crown on his head glints in the light from the stained glass window behind him, standing as a symbol, reminding me, as if I needed it, that this man is far above my station.
He stares down at me, rubbing his cleanly shaved chin like he’s deciding what to do with me. Which, he is, I know that, but it’s not a very good feeling. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as insignificant, and significant, at the same time before.
“A female dragon rider. A male dragon. It’s something not seen in my generation or even my father’s generation before me. It will take time for my historians to collect information about the three most famous female dragon riders from our history books, and see how we can use that information to help us now.” He glances at an old man in white robes with gold embroidered on them, and the old man gives a nod, as if to confirm that what he’s saying is true. “It’s unexpected,” the king continues. “, butsomething we haven’t seen in a long time is not necessarily a bad thing–”
“Father,” Prince Gareth interjects angrily. “Our riders are brought up as children to join Stormwrath Academy. They’ve spent their whole lives preparing, and the very blood that runs through their veins is the blood of generations of dragon riders before them. This girl is… no one and nothing. She can’t possibly be a dragon rider. And while the male dragon seems to have expressed a preference for her, I’m certain he can be convinced. Maybe even I could–”
“Youwould claim two dragons?” King Vaelor asks incredulously.
Prince Gareth doesn’t even have the sense to look embarrassed by the fact that he’s trying to steal my dragon. “There has never been a male dragon before. Who would be better than I to claim him?”
His father smirks. “You know that we do not claim dragons, they claimus, and this dragon has claimed her as his rider.”
“So you’re going to give a commoner… a girl… the most powerful dragon we’ve ever come across?”
Prince Lucien rolls his eyes. “I agree with my brother that this woman, no matter how lovely, is not meant for the academy, but we have to remember that dragons cannot be claimed by humans. So Prince Gareth should not simply get to claim the male dragon without giving the rest of us a chance to bond with it. What’s more, you saw her dragon, he was protective of her. He even helped her dismount. I’ve never seen a dragon do either of those things before, so we’ll have to be cautious how we approach this… situation.”
“Are dragons really not protective of their riders?” Slips from my lips.
The golden-haired prince smiles. “Dragons are like cats. We think they like us well enough, they certainly tolerate us, butthey don’t get involved in human issues. They believe if we can’t take care of ourselves, we shouldn’t be their riders.”
King Vaelor sits up a little taller. “The dragon… cares for her? Why?” His gaze is focused on me.
“I-I don’t know.”
He leans forward. “How did you come to be his rider?”
My heart races in my chest. “I saved him from a bone wyrm.”
The silence that spreads through the room is palpable. Every person seems to be eyeing me with a mix of disbelief and awe.Is such a thing really so unbelievable? Don’t these riders fight bone wyrm on a regular basis?
“How exactly did you save him from a bone wyrm?” The king asks.
My cheeks feel hot, but I know the full story now, so I can tell it to the king. Ebron and I had discussed it on the ride over. “Ebron was attacked by four bone wyrm. He managed to kill three, but he was gravely injured. He hit the ground, and when the remaining bone wyrm went to kill him, I started a fire and got between the bone wyrm and my dragon.” Saying ‘my dragon’ still feels strange, but right at the same time. “Once I’d scared away the bone wyrm, I treated Ebron’s injuries through the night, and in the morning, he’d survived.”
I realize that everyone seems to be on the edge of their seats, so I clamp my mouth shut and stare at the king, wondering what he’s thinking. He probably wonders what kind of fool I am, stepping between a bone wyrm and a dragon, and maybe I am, but I couldn’t just let Ebron be killed, no matter the danger.
King Vaelor leans back in his seat. “Harper Nightborne of Pennyvale, you are hereby admitted to Stormwrath Academy, but listen to me closely. Most recruits join and train for two years before they are given the chance to try to bond with a dragon. They are required to complete countless difficult and dangerous tasks to prove they’re strong enough for a dragon.You may already have a dragon, which means you’ll be following a different course than the other students, but your training will be no less difficult and dangerous. Being a dragon rider could very well end in you losing your life, so I need you to know what you’ve signed on for.”
Strangely, I feel Ebron in my chest. The emotion he presses into me is reassurance. He believes I can do this. I need to trust that. “Ebron believes in me, so I’m going to believe in me too,” I say, touching my chest.
Prince Alaric looks at me strangely. “You can already feel your dragon’s emotions?”
I nod, wondering if that’s unusual.
Curiosity flickers in the king’s eyes, then fades. “Having you in the Stormwrath Academy will no doubt prove to be very interesting.” His gaze moves to his sons. “You three are now responsible for her education. I trust that you’ll make sure her experience here is one to remember.”
“I sure as hell will,” Prince Gareth mumbles darkly, casting me a look filled with venom.
Well, this should be interesting.
8
Harper
