Page 8 of Court of Rivals
His low voice comes again.I can communicate in your thoughts.
“Can you read my thoughts?”
I can, but I usually don’t bother. Human thoughts are pretty boring. Oh, gods, there’s a dragon! It’s going to eat me! It’s all the same.
“Are you going to eat me?”
He makes a sound that’s almost a laugh.Human meat is disgusting. I’ll eat it in battle, but not otherwise.
I breathe a little easier, then catch sight of his wounds. “Do you mind if I check your injuries?”
Shifting, he offers more of his body.Go ahead.
Cautiously, I check over all his injuries, taking more time with the worst ones. To my surprise, they’re almost entirely healed. New scales are even beginning to grow. I’ve never seen anything like this before.
“You healed incredibly well!” I remark.
A puff of smoke curls from his nostrils.Because you scared away the bone wyrm and cared for me. Why did you do such a thing? Dragons are the gods of the sky. No one helps the gods.
I gently pet his good scales. “I just felt like I had to save you… like your pain was my pain. Which sounds silly, but that’s how I felt.”
There’s silence for a long moment before he says,Well, what’s done is done. We need to get to Stormwrath Academy and begin what we must.
I blink, feeling stupid. “What does the dragon riders’ academy have to do with us?”
Stormwrath Academy is located in Elarwyn, the heart of the Dravari’s empire. It’s where the royals rule from, and where noblemen from all over the continent train to become dragon riders. The training is very difficult, but even if you’re the best of the best, you only become a dragon rider if a dragon chooses you, although normally only the biggest and strongest get chosen by dragons.
The dragon riders rule the skies over the Dravari’s empire, protecting us from the Hollowborn, our enemies. I’ve personally never met a dragon rider or seen a dragon up close, well, until now, but I’d love to see them one day. Not that I’d ever actually travel that far. Elarwyn is a good two-week horse ride away, but I like to think that one day such a crazy thing might be possible.
The dragon riders’ academy is where we’re headed.
I stare at the dragon, wondering if he might have lost his mind. “Why?”
His sigh is loud in my mind.You– what is your name?
“Harper Nightborne.”
You, he continues,Harper Nightborne, have saved the life of the mighty Ebron, God of the Sky, Ruler of the Earth, one of only a handful of male dragons that still roam this planet. As it has been said, you have earned the right to be my rider.
I wait for the dragon to laugh, but he doesn’t. “You can’t be serious.”
I’m serious, tiny human.
“But all dragon riders are males. And nobles. I’m neither of those.”
You are a dragon rider, because a dragon chose you. That is all you need to know.
I start to pace, while keeping an eye on the massive dragon. “Dragon riders also go to battle. They fight the Hollowborn. I’m no warrior.”
You could have fooled me after last night.
I think about last night. I guess Ididact a bit like a warrior.
“Still, it’s okay. I don’t need to be your dragon rider. You don’t owe me anything for saving your life. We can both just continue on like this never happened.”
He snorts. The dragon actually snorts.I am afraid this is no longer up to us. You saved the life of a dragon. You are my rider, and we must learn to work together.He pauses for a moment.I must be honest. I have never wanted a rider, and have never had a rider, not once in my long life. Male dragons are too proud to allow themselves to be ridden, but I do enjoy fighting the bone wyrm– I mean, I fought four last night, although that turned out to be too many. Still, I have grown bored in recent years. I need a change, and I believe fighting with the dragon riders is it. I believe the gods sent us to each other because this is what we are fated to do.
“I’m a healer,” I tell him, emphasizing each word. “I’m not a dragon rider or a warrior.”
