Page 26 of Realms of Swords and Storms
I laughed, taking his arm. "Lead on, Lord Jalend, though I suspect your dragon may still have plans to reacquaint you with the ground."
"Your confidence in me is overwhelming," he said dryly as we walked toward the training field. "Perhaps I'll surprise you today."
"You often do," I replied honestly, and was rewarded with a genuine smile that transformed his features from merely handsome to something that made my heart skip a beat.
As we joined the other students, I felt Sirrax's thoughts brush against mine, a mixture of amusement and warning.Be careful, mate. He sees too much.
I know, I replied silently.But I think he might be an ally. Someone we can trust.
A noncommittal rumble was his only response, but I could feel his watchfulness as Jalend and I took our positions for the morning's exercise. Whatever was developing between Jalend and me—friendship, alliance, or something more complicated—I couldn't deny the pull I felt toward him. His intelligence, his quiet rebellion against Imperial doctrines, his surprising kindness beneath that arrogant exterior—all of it drew me to him in a way I hadn't expected.
The morning's training proceeded with the usual mix of exhilaration and exhaustion. Sirrax and I performed flawlessly, as did Jalend and his bronze dragon, though not without a few close calls that had me holding my breath. By midday, most of the class was exhausted, their dragons panting from exertion. Instructor Varius dismissed us with a curt nod that, for him, was high praise.
As the others dispersed toward the dining hall, Jalend approached me again, a slight limp in his gait that he was trying to conceal.
"I told you so," I said with a grin, nodding toward his favoured leg. "Your dragon got his revenge after all."
"A minor disagreement about the proper angle for the final dive," he said with dignity. "Nothing serious."
"Of course." I tried to keep a straight face. "Just a small miscommunication that ended with you plummeting fifty feet."
"Forty at most," he corrected primly. "And I recovered with exceptional grace, I'll have you know."
"Is that what we're calling that awkward tumble across the field? Exceptional grace?"
He narrowed his eyes, though amusement played at the corners of his mouth. "You're enjoying this far too much, Livia."
"I am," I admitted cheerfully. "It's not often I get to see the great Jalend Northreach brought low. Your landing was quite spectacular—I especially liked the part where you rolled through that puddle."
"You're a terrible person," he said, but he was laughing now. "And here I was, about to invite you to join me for lunch."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'd accept?"
"Because I've discovered a hidden courtyard where they serve food that actually has flavour, unlike the bland porridge they feed the rest of the academy." He leaned closer, as if sharing a great secret. "And I may have procured a bottle of wine that would make even the Emperor's sommelier weep with envy."
I pretended to consider, though my stomach was already growling at the thought of food more exciting than the academy's standard fare. "Wine during training hours? How scandalously un-Northreach of you."
"I contain multitudes," he said with a mock bow. "So? Will you join me, or must I drown my wounded pride alone?"
"Well, when you put it that way," I sighed dramatically. "I suppose someone should make sure you don't drown in that wine bottle."
His smile was bright enough to rival the midday sun. "Excellent. Meet me by the western courtyard in half an hour. I'll make sure Sirrax gets proper care in the meantime."
As I watched him limp away, I felt a curious lightness in my chest. For all the complications in my life—Sirrax's true nature, my mission, the tangled relationships with Marcus, Tarshi, and Septimus—somehow Jalend had become a bright spot. A friend, perhaps. Or something more.
Likes mate, Sirrax's thought voice rumbled in my head, startling me.Not just friend.
I glanced at him, surprised.You can sense his emotions?
A mental equivalent of a shrug flowed through our bond.Some. Not clear like mate. But genuine. Wants more than friendship.
I felt my cheeks warm at the implication.That's... complicated.
An impression of Sirrax's amusement flowed through our bond.Life always complicated. For mate especially.
I couldn't argue with that.
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