She frowned. "Maybe he's not allowed. I was hoping that he would be one of our instructors."
"Perhaps that's also discouraged," I said. "None of the other cadets have relatives on the force, and if your brother were to teach a class, they might think that you are getting special treatment because of him."
"They already think that because of Commander Ravel." She sighed. "Maybe I'll get to visit Dylon on our free day."
"We don't really have free days," I reminded her. "Days without classes are to be used for catching up on our studies."
"I should ask one of the teachers about it," she said. "I want to see Dylon."
For the next few minutes, we ate in silence, the wind whistling through the mountain peaks providing background music for our meal. It was peaceful here, away from the constant buzz of the academy, relaxing, and I enjoyed having Kailin all to myself.
"Is petting Moki all you can tell me about your meeting with Saphir?" I asked.
She hesitated. "I can't tell you much more, only that it's connected to what I've been doing with Commander Ravel."
"I see." I tried to keep the disappointment from my voice.
"It has to do with a special ability," she added. "That's really all I can say."
An ability?
That was intriguing. Saphir had hinted that I might have a special ability that would help him find those missing eggs. Perhaps he'd talked with Kailin about it as well?
Except the shaman hadn't commanded me to keep it a secret. The only thing he didn't allow me to share was what he'd told me about his own special abilities.
"Thank you for telling me what you could," I said. "I appreciate that and won't press for more."
She looked relieved, then curious. "What about you? What did you talk about with the shaman?"
I'd been weighing up whether to tell Kailin who I really was and what I was doing here since my meeting with Saphir. There was no longer a reason to hide from her the truth about me. I didn't want the other cadets to know, but I trusted her with my secret.
"There are some things I cannot tell you, things that Saphir commanded me to keep private. But he found out some things about me that I was keeping a secret from you and everyone else,so there is no reason for me to keep it from you any longer, but I need you to promise not to tell anyone."
"Of course. You have my word." She put the tray on the floor. "What is it?"
I did the same, placing my tray next to hers. "My full name is Alaranthus Tekumuton." I watched her face for any sign of recognition. "The Fifth," I added.
Her brow furrowed. "Okay."
She obviously had never heard my name before.
"Prince Alaranthus Tekumuton, fifth son of King Tekumuton of Catonia."
Kailin's jaw dropped. "You're a prince? Actual royalty?" She stared at me in disbelief. "So, when Codric called you 'prince,' he wasn't just teasing you?"
"It was a slip." I grimaced. "Codric is my cousin. His mother is my father's cousin, Duchess Evelina, who is married to Duke Cordium Terassitan. We practically grew up together."
Kailin regarded me as if I had grown horns and then shook her head as if to dispel the apparition. "I must have sensed it. When I first saw you, I called youprincein my head." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Why would an Elurian prince want to become a dragon rider?"
I smiled. "Everyone wants to be a dragon rider. It's been my dream since I was a little boy."
"Is that the cover story or the truth?"
I put my hand over my chest. "It's the purest of truths. Sometimes I think that I came up with a special mission as an excuse for my selfish wish to ride a dragon and bond with one so I could live forever."
I'd never acknowledged that even to myself, but now that I had finally voiced it, I knew it was the naked truth. It was much more noble to come to Elucia not because I wanted to soarthrough the sky on the back of a dragon but because I fashioned myself as my people's savior.
"What's your mission?" Kailin asked.
