The image of Thane, this stoic, composed Warlord, struggling to earn his dragon’s trust is . . . unexpectedly human. It makes him feel less like some untouchable figure ruling the realm—and more like someone just trying to figure it out. Like the rest of us.
I tilt my head, drawn in now. “So how does it happen? That trust?”
His voice lowers, the amusement fading. “It wasn’t about earning his trust. It was about surviving long enough to prove I was worth it.”
I blink. “That sounds brutal. Why call a rider if the dragon’s just going to break them?”
Thane continues, his voice low and thoughtful. “Some dragons are like that. Some call to their rider and accept them without hesitation. Others . . . they challenge you. Even after the bond is sealed, they push. Test your strength . . . your resolve.”
He glances toward the sky again, as if he can still feel Xaroth circling somewhere above. He probably can.
“Every dragon has their own will, their own past, their own reasons for choosing who they choose—and how they treat you once the bond is sealed. It’s not just instinct or magics. It’s personal.”
I follow his gaze skyward. I’ve heard the stories—that dragons have their own minds, their own culture—but hearing it like this, spoken with such certainty . . . it hits differently. The ideathat they are individuals, not just creatures of legend, sparks something in me.
They choose. They remember. They feel.
Thane looks back at me. “Dragons are taking a risk when calling to a human, just like we are taking a risk by answering that call. They need to be sure after they call. For me, like most, it started in dreams. Xaroth was there, waiting, testing me before we ever met.”
He hesitates. “When the time comes, the rider is called to the cliffs.”
I frown. “What cliffs?”
“They are called ‘Velkar’s Descent’,” he says, his voice quieter now. “Named after the first dragon to ever bond with a rider. Legend says Velkar was different from the others—stronger, smarter, more willful. He didn’t bow to anyone until he chose his rider, an outcast warrior with nothing to lose. They say Velkar appeared in his dreams, calling him again and again, until he finally followed the vision to the cliffs. That’s where it happens. The rider has to jump and trust that the dragon who called them will catch them. If they don’t trust, the dragon won’t. They must believe completely—not just in the dragon, but in themselves. We call it the Trust Fall.”
I stare at him, stunned. “So you just . . . jump?”
Thane nods. “There is a bit of fear, a small part of you doesn’t really know if they’ll catch you until you’re already falling. But if you’re hearing their call, you doknow,deep down, that theywillcatch you, if that makes sense.”
I swallow, my mind reeling at the thought. “But what if they don’t?”
His voice doesn’t waver. “Then you die on the rocks below.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Riders are crazy.”
Thane huffs a quiet laugh. “Maybe.” A ghost of a smile flickers at the corner of his mouth. “Or maybe we’re the only ones willingto risk everything for something greater than ourselves.”
That hits wrong.
Too pointed.
Like he’s not just talking about riders anymore. Like he’s talking aboutme.
My jaw tightens and I glance away. “Right. Just jump off a cliff and hope it all works out. Sounds brilliant.”
He exhales, sharper now, clearly hearing the edge in my voice, connecting the dots. “Every day, people die. Villages burn. And we’re running out of time.”
A beat.
“But sure—let’s wait untilyoudecide the moment’s right. The rest of us don’t have that choice.”
His words hit like a slap—sharp, angry, and far too close to the truth.
I can’t breathe. Can’t speak.
My gaze flicks to his and for the first time, I reallyseehim.
The tension in his shoulders, the heat simmering behind his eyes. He’s exhausted. Furious. And beneath it all, he’s desperate for me to understand.
