“Glad to have you with us!” She linked her arm with mine and started us off at an alarming pace. “It’s only for a year, but you can stick around for three or four, like I am. If you take allthe academic subjects, you can emerge at the end with a university degree, something women wouldn’t have thought possible before the war. It can be tough but rewarding.” We stepped inside, the cool, the noise of the keep falling over us. “Well, if you like books.”
“I love books!” My hand slapped over my mouth because that came out far more vehemently than I intended. “I mean, an academic schedule would suit me well.”
“Might keep you away from those ruffian silver riders.” Cora seemed suddenly serious. “Just… be aware that there will be plenty of suitors knocking at your door.”
“Oh, no—” I tried to wave her words away. The idea of it was utterly ridiculous, even as I felt the indent of the hawk-faced man’s hands on my arms.
“Looks like Lance is sweet on you.” She hip checked me with a cheeky grin. “Though the keep gossip is that he still carries a torch for the Runaway Queen.”
The Runaway Queen was the title they gave to the woman who was supposed to be crowned queen of all Nevermere, but instead she eloped with the king’s own wing of dragon riders. Lady Pippa Wentworth would’ve been notable just for bonding with a queen dragon, but when Prince Draven rejected her, she’d been the first female cadet in the history of the Royal Riders. Married to Draven’s childhood friend, Brom, it appeared she would be absorbed into the corp, but then the human queen was killed by her own dragon. Prince Draven ignored the marital bond and claimed Pippa as his queen.
But the rest of his wing of dragon riders had refused to relinquish their claim.
On the morning of her wedding and coronation, she’d eloped with the four men, decamping to some rural seat in the middle of nowhere. Apparently, they lived there now. The king had abdicated, relinquishing the crown to his cousin, the current King Stefan, to become one of her many husbands. The scandal was talked about long and hard over the dining room table in myfather’s house, my mother eyeing my sister and I, as she made clear no daughter of hers would do something so disgraceful.
“Pippa—” Cora had more to say, but both our heads whipped around as someone called out her name.
“Cor…” A woman in full dress uniform bustled over. “Hate to drag you away, but?—”
“Intake is a nightmare and not going to plan?” Cora finished for her. The other woman’s grimace told her everything she needed to know. “Fern, I must go, but we’ll talk later. I’ll leave word that you’re to be roomed with me.” Her smile was back twice as bright. “Us queen riders need to stick together.”
Just walk through the door all the other women were streaming towards, that’s what she told me. For a moment, I stood there, a stone in a rushing river of people, forcing them to move around me.
But that wouldn’t get me a step closer to fulfilling my destiny. I wanted to have an adventure? Well, this was the first part, so I sucked in a breath and then walked inside the hall.
A long line made clear where I was supposed to go. It was the response of the women there that had me pinned to the spot. Heads turned my way, some neutral, some bored, some irritated, but as they caught sight of me, their responses became much more uniform. Eyes raked up and down, taking in every inch of me, a frank curiosity in their collective gaze that had me wanting to reconsidering my decision to stay as a cadet.
I should’ve brushed my hair before I came in here, that thought came dimly. At least find a clean dress. I’d been in the same one for days, but it was only now I felt the grime on my skin. Washed my face and?—
“Hello.” A tiny woman with a mop of unruly brown hair marched over, hand extended. “I’m Sparrow. You’re the girl that had those big brutes ready to throw her over their shoulders.”
“Ahh…” I looked down at her hand, caught sight of her wide grin and then found myself smiling. “Not quite. I’m Fern.”
Shaking her hand like a man might on a deal, it felt good.Her grip was firm, there and gone again, before she turned towards the line.
“No? They seemed like warriors from the old sagas. Y’know the ones that used to rape and pillage and just take what they wanted? And silver dragons? I’ve seen dragons every colour of the rainbow, but never a silver.”
Her lips moved so fast I was shocked she didn’t trip over them. No sooner had one question been asked, then another came before I could even think of an answer.
“Did you know silver dragons existed?” Sparrow asked me as we took our place in line. The people in front of us slowly, surreptitiously began to turn our way, obviously trying to listen in.
“Ahh, no?—”
“So you didn’t know those fellows? The way they marched past every man and woman, making straight for you.” Sparrow’s hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. “Ignoring the crown princess and all.”
“Crown… princess?” I squeaked.
“Cora,” Sparrow told me. “She’s a good egg. Doesn’t stand on ceremony that one. No rank in the corp but that which you earn.” The woman matched the princess’ cadence perfectly. “I thought they were some dragons from the continent come to whisk her away like a fairytale or something, but they made a beeline for you. What’s that about?”
The women in front of us turned around now, unable to pretend to be otherwise occupied. Perhaps because they saw in their minds what I did. The incongruous sight of three massive riders taking the steps two at a time to get to me. It felt like I could still feel their eyes upon me.
“Honestly, I haven’t the faintest,” I replied. “I’ve never seen those men before in my life.”
“So they just got all growly and went ‘mine!’ for no reason.” Sparrow re-enacted Kael, the hawk-faced man’s expression perfectly. “Oh well, that’s even more interesting.”
“No introductions had been made?” one of the other women said, then turned to her friends. “How shocking.”
“Men of the corp don’t leave calling cards and ask for your father’s permission to court you, Prue,” her companion said with a little giggle. “You might find your own brutes trying to claim you in the dining room.”
