Page 6 of Burning Heir

Setrephia glided over the ocean, her wings casting shadows on the dark waters below. The black smudge from the previous day now loomed, churning with waves. Her claws skimmed the sea before she tucked her wings and soared upward. I raised my hand, feeling the breeze curl through my fingers. A yell broke free, part joy, part terror. For a moment, freedom felt boundless.

Charles yanked me back, his elbow digging into my ribs. “You’re distracting her.”

I turned to face him, wind tousling his hair, sand sticking to his temples. “Do you ever have fun, Charles? Have you ever lived a day without being tense?”

Charles, always the golden child, shook his head. It was hard to imagine him laughing.

His voice softened. “Lorna and I enjoy moonshine once a month.”

The thought of Charles drunk was strange. “Will you and Lorna ever marry?” I asked. They’d been bonded griffin riders for years—it seemed inevitable.

Setrephia cried out, almost in agreement.

Charles chuckled. “My life’s too busy for marriage. Besides, her father wants her to marry a Serpent, not someone like me.”

Lorna turned around, glaring. Apparently, their bond was open.

“Do you regret not staying at the academy?” I asked. Charles had been a perfect fit for a Serpent.

“No,” he replied. “I did what was right for Verdonia. I still work closely with Saani, who won Serpent the year I attended. You’ll meet her today. She’s a mentor now, keeping me updated on the dropouts. The title system places you where you belong. Most years, no title is earned.”

His guard demeanor shifted as Galthyn came into view, the island shrouded in smog.

I knew Charles wanted to lead. Being a commander eased that desire, but it never satisfied him. Even Mother’s stripped quell was more than a family secret—it was a lie.

A faint electric hum thrummed through my chest as the academy’s ward came into view. I tightened my grip on Setrephia’s reins. The island stretched before us: towering forests, crystalline peaks, and griffins landing on the beaches below. The island was shaped like a hexagon, divided into six distinct realms—one in constant shadow, the other drenched in sunlight.

Charles veered sharply. “Hold on, Severyn!”

A dragon’s scaled wing grazed Setrephia, and I caught sight of it—a creature of vermilion wings and a sharp snarl.

“Dragon,” I breathed, awe-struck. I had never seen a dragon before.

“Yeah, stay away from dragon riders. Conceited assholes, all of them,” Charles yelled over the wind. “Better yet, stay away from the male gaze until your first year ends. You can't risk any distractions.”

Setrephia’s golden wings stretched wide as we descended. The air hissed around us.

“I’ll keep thatin mind,” I muttered.

Charles’s voice faded as we neared the academy. “Welcome to the Serpent Academy, Severyn.”

Fear gripped my chest as I stared at the waves below, white stripes of fury breaking against the rotted docks. I turned to Charles one last time. “I take it back. I’ll go to Malvoria with you!”

Charles chuckled, but there was sadness in his tone. “Mother would disown me if I let you do that. She’s more worried than Father.”

We landed at the docks, where a dozen first-years waited. Knox had already dismounted Julian, scanning the academy grounds. Lorna wiped sweat from her brow, pouring water into Julian’s mouth.

“We made it,” Lorna said.

Setrephia cawed, her talons gripping the wooden dock. She dipped her head low, allowing me to dismount. My boots hit the planks unsteadily as waves pushed beneath us.

“Put your cloak on,” Charles said, pulling the hood from my bag and placing it over my head. “Neval hair isn’t common around Verdonia.”

“It’s a birthmark,” I muttered.

“It’s a mark, Severyn. Now, go find Knox.”

I tightened the cloak around my neck, my hands trembling. My legs wavered as I crossed the dock, every step feeling like I was still clinging to Setrephia.

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