Page 10 of Wild Bond

My gaze drifted to the dragon fast asleep beside me, and I smiled. A hum of pleasure reached me through the bond along with quicksilver images that I couldn’t quite grasp onto. They confused me at first, but then I realized Skye was dreaming.

Careful not to jostle her, I slid back down in the bed, still marveling at how soft it was. I lay there for some time, listening to Skye’s soft breaths, part of me still half-convinced that I was the one dreaming. I didn’t want to close my eyes for fear that when I opened them again, I would be back in my cold prison cell, starving and alone.

Eventually my mind quieted, and just before I drifted back to sleep, I realized that Millie hadn’t locked the door behind her. For some reason that felt significant.

Ispentmostofthe next day sleeping and recovering in bed. Skye kept me company when I was awake. The bond between us still felt new and alien, but I couldn’t help but love it. I had yet to hear any more words from her, but the images and emotions that accompanied the dragon’s thoughts were fascinating. She had seen so much more of the world than I had. Having never been outside of Dessin, that wasn’t hard to do. I especially loved seeing views of the land from above when she was flying. I couldn’t wait to start flight training, and Skye couldn’t either. She also didn’t understand why we couldn’t just go now. I tried to explain to her that in my condition I would probably fall to my death, being barely strong enough to hold on. Not to mention, we would need a saddle.

When the sun was just beginning to set in the sky, Millie returned to help me get ready for the Exodus Ball, where I would be presented to the queen.

I thanked all the gods that she was carrying what looked to be the rider training leathers in her arms, rather than a dress. I would not have known how to handle myself in a dress, let alone trying to curtsy in front of the queen or whatever I was expected to do.

As I stood from the bed, I noticed that for the first time since awakening yesterday, my head was no longer throbbing, and I didn’t feel nearly as weak. I was well-rested, and it was the oddest sensation not to feel the gnawing hunger of an empty stomach.

I was able to pull on the brown pants and boots but had a little more trouble with the leather straps of the vest-like top. Millie helped to secure them over my shoulders and around my waist. Then she had me sit at the desk and braided my hair partially back with part of it still hanging around my shoulders.

When I looked in the full standing mirror, the girl staring back at me looked like an imposter. I was clean, but I was still gaunt and too thin. My features were all sharp angles, and my skin was pale, not the normal tan I used to have before, when I spent most of my days outside.

Thanks to my new healing abilities, there wasn’t even a bruise on my cheekbone to mark where Holt had struck me. I glanced down to see the burn scar on the inside of my left forearm was still there, though—the skin still ugly, smooth, and glassy. I guess my new healing ability didn’t apply to marks and scars sustained before I bonded with my dragon.

“You look beautiful and fearsome, miss,” Millie declared from where she stood behind me. I gave her a short smile in the mirror. I didn’t look beautiful or fearsome. I looked a little pathetic, to be honest. I was grateful for the lie anyway. But I made a vow to myself then that I wouldn’t waste this opportunity I had been given. I would work and train hard and become a rider worthy of the title.

Skye surprised me by landing on my shoulder. She perched there, her small wings folded behind her and her tail brushing lightly against my back. She huffed slightly, blowing strands of my hair out of her face.

I smiled. It was because of this magnificent creature on my shoulder that I now had a second chance at life.

There was a knock at the door, and I turned and nodded at Millie to open it.

She did, revealing a woman around my age standing on the other side, dressed in training leathers like mine. She was taller than me, with a lean, muscular build and beautiful dark skin. Her black hair was pulled tightly away from her face and secured in a knot. A cream-colored dragon in its minor form stood at her feet, reaching to about knee-height.

She glanced at Millie, then her eyes fell on me, taking in the dragon on my shoulder. She didn’t look impressed.

“I’m Nesenya,” she said in a brisk, no-nonsense tone. “I’m here to escort you to the keep.”

“Oh, right.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

I gave Millie a small smile and a wave as I left and followed the other girl out.

Nesenya and her dragon strode purposefully down the hall while I followed a few steps behind. When she seemed content not to speak, I ventured, “My name is Rin, by the way.”

“I know,” she replied, not turning around.

“And this is Skye,” I continued, not letting myself be dissuaded by her apparent disinterest.

To my surprise, she stopped in the middle of the narrow stone hallway, turned, and inclined her head respectfully at Skye.

Skye just blinked and stared back at Nesenya as if the deferential nod was her due. I refused to let myself smile at the feeling of smug superiority that trickled to me through the bond.

“And this is?” I asked, gesturing down to the cream dragon staring up at us with large golden eyes.

“Tencilla,” Nesenya finally answered.

I mimicked her gesture and bowed my head slightly to the dragon. “Nice to meet you, Tencilla.”

The dragon snorted as if she was as unimpressed by me as her rider.

We continued down the barren hallway, passing several closed doors on either side which I could only assume were more trainee bedchambers. I followed the trainee and her dragon down a set of stone stairs that opened into a small entryway before leading us outside into the cool evening air.

“Do all the trainees live here?” I asked curiously, glancing back at the large rectangular building that was several stories high.

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