The silver dragon riders had arrived, but so had some of the corp. The ones with the pretty metal insignias were all flush faced and using the sharp voices humans used instead of a threat rattle. “The two of you turned up to the keep gates drunk, then slept the day away.”
“Weren’t good for much else,” Slate’s rider said with a bare of his teeth. “We were drunk as lords.”
“You’ll be lords of dragon shit today.” One of the corp riders swept an exaggerated bow. Normally, that was a human gesture of respect, but there was none of that in his tone right now. “This way, cadets. The dung awaits.”
Viridian’s rider let out a sigh, then marched over to the group.
“The general assigned the cadets to me,” he told the others.
“You’re the one taking care of their punishment?” The corp riders made that rude sound humans make when taking pleasure in another’s pain. “May the gods be with you, lads. With Lance Axton on your case? You’ll end the day wishing it was us that was keeping you in line.” The male turned to Lance. “Make clear to these riders what happens when they ignore keep rules.”
“And exactly what is our punishment?” Kael asked when the males with the insignias disappeared back into the building. That dark look, that baring of teeth. I knew a dominance display when I saw one.
“You’re going to organise your saddlebags, then get on your beast’s back so we can move out,” Lance replied. “As you’re the ones that know the way, you’ll be taking the lead.” Kael’s teeth baring grew more pronounced. Lance paid him little attention. “The general assures me that the corp dragons will remain grounded until we clear Wyrmpeak, but all of us will need to be on high alert to protect Auren and Fern. We can’t…”
His voice broke, but I didn’t need to wonder why. Great swirls of guilt, of shame, radiated off Lance. He hated what had happened to Fern, felt like it was his fault she was thrown from the saddle, and while that was not how I felt about the incident, his care for my bondmate raised him in my estimation.
Unfortunately, she did not feel the same way.
“We will not have a repeat of what happened at the bay,” he said finally.
“Won’t happen if Fern rides with me.” Slate’s rider ambled over to the two of us, but his focus was entirely trained on my bondmate. This male, he dared to lean into my side without even a request for permission. He was trying to sidle up to my bondmate, that much was clear. “Won’t have to worry about a thing if you spend your time on Slate’s saddle. I’ll be right there, and once I have you in my arms, there’s nothing anyone could do that would make me let you go.”
Breath huffed out of my nostrils as I watched the two ofthem. I’d burn the male to a crisp the minute he upset Fern and damn the consequences. There was no need for me to intervene, because while my bondmate might not have scales or claws, she had fire of her own at her disposal.
“Yes, but if I had to spend three days in the saddle with you, I fear I’d be forced to throw myself over Slate’s side from sheer irritation,” Fern replied.
At that, I gave Kael a shove with my shoulder, forcing him to stagger back.
Brightfang’s rider burst out laughing at that, which earned him a dark look from Kael, but Lance stifled his own response. Just a little lip twitch and then he turned back to Fern.
“You’ve done a good job of packing the saddlebags,” he said, hefting each one. “Nicely balanced.”
“You’re welcome to ride with me,” Lorien said with a sweep of his hand. “‘Fang is a very enthusiastic, if not skilled, conversationalist and I promise there will be about eighty percent less clumsy attempts to seduce you.”
“Only eighty percent?” Fern’s hand went to her hips. “What do I need to do to make that one hundred?”
Lorien’s smile faltered, but that was the point when Argent’s rider shouldered forward.
“We should get in the air as soon as possible.”
This male was a strange creature. If he was a dragon, he would be covered with the long spikes that ran along our spines to keep the whole world away from him. Instead, he was just a thin-skinned human and I think that made existence doubly hard for him. He didn’t bother to wait for a response, marching over to Argent and then shoving his belongings into his saddlebags.
“You know, if you’re worried, I’m happy for you to ride with me and Viridian.” Lance’s voice was pitched low so only Fern could hear him, but I caught it, too. Concern warred with desire in this male. Kael said plainly the thing that all four of them wanted, but each made their play in very different ways. “We could start some of your training.”
Iwill keep Fern safe.Lance glanced up as my head moved, placing it between Fern and everyone else.I swore I would protect her and I will.What happened over the bay was only possible because I was taken by surprise by the corp dragons’ actions. That won’t happen again.
Fern’s hand landed on my neck, stroking the scales there.
“I’ll be fine.” She pulled herself up into the saddle, but spend some time tightening the stirrups to keep her legs in place. “We will train at another time. If this trip is going to take days, we should move out.”
Fly well, daughter.Father backed away, giving me room to turn towards the lip of the keep roof.Fly strong and don’t stop until you’ve found everything you need.
I intend to, Father.
Flapping my wings out, running towards the edge of the roof, I felt a surge of excitement that found its twin in Fern.
To Blackreach and beyond, if the answers can’t be found there, she said, leaning into my neck.
