My chest creaked with the pressure of Kgosi’s scrutiny, but eventually, smoke drifted from his nostrils and he shook his head like a giant dog.‘We should return and rest while we can, before the day begins,’he sent absently, eyeing the sky and the growing pink light on the horizon.
Relieved that he’d decided not to press the point, I slapped his leg, then grasped the mounting strap attached to the top of his harness. I climbed up his side to throw a leg over his withers and straddle his back, between his wing ridges.
The relief I felt was real. Kgosi could be a dog with a bone if he felt it was needed. I had considered just telling him my plan more than once. Just to remove that weight between us. But that would open the door to a much greater conflict, because I already knew what he’d say about my intentions. And I had no desire to give them up.
As deeply as I belonged to Bren, so she belonged to me. Her body, her mind, her safety, the responsibility to protect her wasmine.She had been harmed by men under my tutelage.
Those men needed to pay in ways as personal and painful as the wounds they’d inflicted upon her. No one knew the depth of the pain she carried but me and our dragons. And the dragons only had responsibility for the discipline of their humans when the offence was against dragons, or breached the honor and sanctity of their bond with their dragons.
With an offence against our human codes, Kgosi and the others would expectmeto handle disciplinary action of a Furyknight.
In that much, at least, we were agreed.
My Captains might expect me to take this to Alexi, the king, if it came to light. But they were wrong.
While I didn’t believe our king was a rapist, or would condone the behavior, the man had proven that he overlooked anything he deemedboys being boys.Perhaps more alarmingly,that he would forgive trespasses from a man who pleased him in other ways. And these men pleased the king greatly. His hopes and expectations had flown with them the day they left the Keep. He’d promised them great rewards if they were successful.
I wouldnotallow them to walk away from accountability for what they’d done to Bren, no matter how many lives they saved elsewhere. They wouldnotget to live their lives without consequences. Especially Ruin, who’d made her think he loved her, then forced her to become a plaything for his friends.
I was suddenly glad we flew with the frigid pre-dawn air chilling my skin, as my hackles rose and rage flooded my veins.
Not only did I refuse to let these fuckers walk away from this without paying, I would take personal pleasure out of cutting Ruin’s dick off and feeding it to him while he bled to death.
I shook off the bloodthirsty images filling my mind. My breath was short, my skin flushed. I’d never been one to take pleasure in inflicting pain. But when I thought of what she’d been through, my rageburned.I wanted her free. Never again in fear of what might happen in the hands of Ruin. Until the man wasdead,she remained a slave to her fear. Even if our bond had healed some of that, even if she was stronger now… I could still feel the shadows in her at times. The flicker of fear when something I said or did reminded her of him.
He would pay for stealing her peace from us.
When he was dead, and the rest of the Furyknights knew of our bond, then, finally, she could be free. And we could all live the life we were intended for.
Until then, I just had to get her safely through this fucking war…
4. Happy?
~ BREN ~
Hours later I stumbled back into the stable shared by Kgosi and Akhane. Akhane bugled and leaped towards me, shaking the floor as she bounced, her gray scales shimmering and pulsing with that impossible light and heat, as if the embers of fire danced just under her skin. Kgosi, nestled in the straw, rumbled his mock-disapproval at her enthusiasm, his ebony-black scales only flickering.
‘You did it, Bren!’Akhane sent, nudging me with her snout so hard I almost sat down in the straw. I had to hug her nose and hold on to keep my feet.
I laughed.‘Thank you. Did you know?’
‘I suspected,’Akhane said smugly.‘My mate remained tight-lipped, but I tickled the truth from him an hour ago.’
I spluttered at the mental image of AkhaneteasingKgosi, who was a figure of such respect and power, I couldn’t quite imagine him engaging in puppy-games. But he only ruffled hiswings. He didn’t raise his head from where he lay in the straw, and I sensed Akhane’s delight as she teased him.
‘Well, that’s… lovely,’I stammered, eyeing Kgosi from the side and trying not to smile too broadly.
Akhane preened.‘He says you did well, and your brothers will be proudthat you did not hesitate.’
I was shocked and flattered by her approval. Akhane had always encouraged me, believed in me, right from the start. But this eager enthusiasm made me want to do some preening of my own.Allof us had been tense and struggling as the bonds took hold. So much of what we faced threatened to tear us apart. But now that I understood the role I’d been given, I was eager as well.
I didn’t want Vosgaarde to go to war. But if we would, if I could succeed within the Shadowfang and truly make a difference…
Nerves and pride and fear all swelled in my chest in equal measure.
‘Do we fly?’Akhane asked quickly.‘Or are you finished for today?’
I took a deep breath.‘No patrol today. But there will be plenty of flying, Akhane. I’ll have extra duties now, and… we have a lot to learn.’
