Page 34 of Wild Bond

“Corrine Darrow, come here, girl. I wish to speak with you.”

I froze then lowered the treat from my mouth as a dose of trepidation filled me. Why would she want to speak with me? I swallowed the bite in my mouth, nearly choking on it in my haste. Mourning the pastry’s loss, I set the plate back on the tray of a passing servant and hurriedly scrubbed at my mouth before turning.

The eyes of the room were on me as I made my way over to where the queen and princess sat. Nerves assailed me as I curtsied, almost positive I had done it wrong, and bowed my head.

Queen Elaide motioned for me to rise, and I noticed she now had a cup of tea in her hand as those keen eyes regarded me. Her cane now rested against her chair.

After an awkward pause where I wondered what, if anything, I should say, the queen finally spoke. “Well, sit down,” she commanded.

I jumped slightly but did as she bid, taking a seat close to where the queen sat. Daisha and one of her friends sat close as well. Their dragons glared at me from their spots on the floor.

“We were just discussing how training was going in preparation for the trials,” the queen explained.

“Uh, oh?” I responded, pretending like I was totally comfortable in the current situation and not like I was internally wishing to be anywhere else.

A servant girl who had been standing against the wall rushed over to pour me a cup of tea. I nodded my thanks as she handed it to me.

Daisha turned to me with a bright smile, not a hint of the normal distain or disgust I was used to seeing anywhere in evidence as she said, “I was just telling Her Majesty that everyone in our group is eager for the trials. I myself feel more ready than ever. I only wish the trials were sooner, not several months away.” There was a practiced pout on her face before it transformed into a look of fake concern. “I’m just sorry you will not be competing with us, Rin.” She reached over and patted my arm in consolation. “There’s just no way you would be ready. Especially knowing the prospective riders from Zehvi and Halmar will be there as well.”

I tried not to give her an equally fake smile in return. In the bond, Skye was contemplating burning her face off, and I was inclined to let her. “Don’t trouble yourself,” I replied. “I have no intention of competing in these trials. I never did. As you said, I just began training and would be woefully unprepared.”

“I hear my spymaster volunteered to train you,” the queen interjected. “Is that correct?”

I had no doubt she knew the answer, but I answered anyway.

“He’s been teaching me to fly, yes.”

“It’s not like him to take an interest in any of the trainees,” she mused, sipping her tea. “He’s far too busy.”

It wasn’t a question, but it sure felt like one. I flushed, thinking of the discussion I had with Rake the other night. I wondered if Rake had told the queen about the dragon we found. But then I could feel Daisha’s gaze boring into me at the queen’s words and decided that wasn’t important right now.

Luckily, the queen continued before I could respond. “Any idea why he decided to break with tradition and take a special interest in you?”

“None, Your Majesty,” I said, and it was the truth. Rake hadn’t really answered my question. Swallowing down a sip of tea to give myself something to do, I had to fight a grimace at the awful taste.

“Hmm,” she said eyeing me closely. “And how is your training with him going?”

“Ra—I mean, Commander Rakim, is a wonderful teacher,” I stammered, correcting myself at the last moment. “All of my instructors have been. Skye and I are learning a lot, and living at The Tower has been a great opportunity.”

“Much better than your previous accommodations, no doubt?” Daisha commented. Several of the other women hid smirks behind their hands.

I shot Daisha a look, but she simply arched an eyebrow in response.

Trying to just ignore the jab, I found myself answering honestly. “Yes. I’m very fortunate to have bonded with Skye.” Absentmindedly, I reached up and stroked Skye’s tail and could feel her contentment as I continued. “She saved my life that day in more ways than one. Without the bond, I could very well be back on the street or in a cell. I will always be grateful to Skye and the gods for allowing me to bond with such an amazing creature and giving me a chance at a life and opportunities that I never would have otherwise dreamed of.”

Everyone was silent for a moment after my little speech, and I tried not to feel self-conscious. I wasn’t ashamed of what I had said or admitted. It was the absolute truth.

“And what makes your bond so unique, do you think?” the queen inquired, her gem-like eyes studying me closely. “So unique that you were able to bond with a fully mature dragon at your age?” Some of the other talk seemed to quiet around the room at the question, and I could feel several of the other women listening intently, waiting curiously for my answer.

“I honestly don’t know, Your Majesty. I wish I did.” The number of times I had asked myself that very question since bonding with Skye were too numerous to count, and I was still just as perplexed as ever. I had even asked Skye, and she had only shown me a series of images by way of answer that didn’t make sense. The best I could figure was she recognized me as hers, and that was enough for her. The why didn’t matter.

The queen sat back in her chair. “The bond between a rider and their dragon is a sacred thing,” she pondered aloud, her voice lowering, almost as if she were speaking to herself, “something unique to each pairing. Something I would do anything to experience again.”

My heart panged along with a note of sympathy from Skye. It wasn’t until moments like this that I even remembered our sovereign was Hollow. She hid her pain well.

Then, like a candle being blown out, the queen seemed to snap out of whatever melancholy she had momentarily sunk into and leaned forward again. She set down her teacup and grasped her cane, then thumped it once on the ground. “Even after all these many centuries, we still are no closer to discovering what it is that triggers a bonding. Rider numbers are dwindling more and more every year. How will we defend ourselves if Baldor is no longer producing dragon riders? Our peace with Zehvi is already tenuous. Rakim’s spies tell me this phenomenon is being experienced in Halmar and Zehvi as well, but no one has the faintest idea why.”

The queen’s words were sobering and unexpected to say the least, and it was obvious this issue had been weighing on her for some time. I had had no idea such a trend was even occurring, at least not to the degree she was implying.

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