Nothing.
The dragon moved on.
I swallowed my disappointment and watched as it continued down the line. It stopped before a cadet three places to my left, Rula, one of the twins.
Even from this distance, I could see the moment the bond snapped into place. Rula's expression transformed from fear to wonder and then joy. She reached up to touch the dragon's snout, and a sound escaped her which was something between a hysterical laugh and a sob. Next to her, Rylon, her twin, looked like he was about to jump out of his skin, probably from worry for his sister.
The dragon knelt, and she climbed onto its back as if she'd been doing it her entire life. A moment later, they launched into the sky, spiraling upward in a dance of new partnership.
I was envious.
I wanted that to be me.
Four more bonds formed from that first group. Four more cadets found their wings and flew away. The rest of us remained, waiting, hoping, and fighting anxiety.
The second group of dragons landed.
Different colors this time. One was cobalt, another rust red, one of pale gold, a mottled gray, and one that seemed to shift between purple and black depending on the light. They performed the same lumbering walk down the line, the same careful assessment.
I lowered my shields further, pushing past the discomfort, the vulnerability.I'm here,I thought as loudly as I could.I'm ready. Choose me.
The purple-black dragon paused before me, and I was mesmerized by his eyes. They were the color of amethysts, deep, ancient, and knowing. I felt something brush against my mind, a presence, vast and curious.
My heart leaped.
Then the presence withdrew, and the dragon moved on.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from groaning. That had seemed so close.
Three bonds formed from the second group. Three more cadets flew away. The line was growing shorter, the remaining cadets growing more anxious.
None of the quintet had been chosen yet.
I glanced down the line toward Kailin. She stood perfectly still, her expression serene. Of all of us, I'd been certain she would be the first one chosen. She could hear all of these dragons, could communicate with them freely, and she was without a doubt the best among us, a future shaman. Surely one of them would recognize and claim her.
But no dragon had stopped before her. No dragon had offered her the bond.
I wanted to ask her what was happening, what the dragons were saying to the cadets they chose, but we weren't supposed to talk. We were supposed to remain silent and only communicate telepathically with the dragon who spoke to us.
And no dragon was speaking to me.
The third group landed. Five more dragons, five more chances. I watched them begin their slow procession down the line and tried not to let anger and despair creep in.
Open, I reminded myself.Stay open. Your dragon is coming.
I had to trust that somewhere among these magnificent creatures was one who would look at me and see a partner worth choosing.
The third group made their selections. Only two bonds this time, the other three dragons departed without choosing anyone. The line grew shorter still.
Sixteen cadets remained. The quintet was still among them.
A fourth group descended from the sky.
And still, I waited.
48
KAILIN
