Page 25 of Dragon Valley
Naturally, Dusa had to jump on him and ruin it completely.
“Agh!” Caden hit the dirt hard with the weight of the dragon on top of him. Dusa rubbed her horned, scaly head against him so aggressively, I was afraid she might really hurt him.
“Dusa! Get off him now!” I yelled.
She rolled off of him with a resentful snort, but still pawed at him like she was begging for treats.
“Aw, you got all my charred rabbit earlier today, girl,” Caden said apologetically.
“This is what happens when you spoil them,” I said matter-of-factly. “They literally run right over you.”
“Tomorrow I’ll have some more for you,” he promised, scratching her horns. “When Nadi’s not looking,” he added with a wily smirk.
“Don’t you dare put my dragon against me!” I said with mock horror as Dusa snorted in delight.
She moved further away from Caden but still pawed at him, growling and snorting.
“What is it, girl?” Caden shot me a questioning looked.
I shrugged, just as confused as he was. “She wants you to follow her, it seems.”
“What is it, Dusa?” he said with a sweet gentleness as if he was talking to a shy horse. Few Riders were truly affectionate with their dragons and the way he treated her just made me melt.
She coaxed him further away from the fire and nearby tents, with me following cautiously. When she lowered her wing, my heart stopped in my chest.
“Dusa!” I cried, more out of shock than anything else.
She roared at me in reply, her emotions coming through loud and clear. I was floored, and scared.
“What is it?” Caden looked between us with confusion.
I swallowed but my throat remained dry. Could I even say the words? What was about to happen was completely unheard of. The dragon and Rider bond was sacred, something never to be replicated. It was the first thing we learned in our training.
But there was no mistaking what she wanted him to do.
“She wants you to ride her.”
10
NADIYAH
Caden staredat me with wide, bewildered eyes. He was frozen until Dusa nudged him toward her back with her snout again.
“How is that possible?” he demanded. “You told me—”
“I know what I told you.” My voice trembled. I couldn’t believe it myself. A mixture of emotions swirled through me.
“Dusa.” I approached my dragon and took her large head in my hands. “What are you doing, girl?”
Those golden, reptilian eyes gazed up at me with brightness and impatience. She just wanted to show Caden the valley from her back, and was annoyed that I was delaying this.
I laughed and planted a kiss on her snout before looking over at Caden.
“You better get on before she changes her mind.”
“But wait! Isn’t this wrong? You said no one’s ever supposed to get on another Rider’s dragon.”
“It’s only wrong because they told us it was,” I said softly. “Dusa likes you. She considers you a friend, so she wants to show you something special. It doesn’t diminish the bond that she and I have.”
