Page 95 of Veiled Flames
“They’re calling out to each other,” he tells me. “Warning that a rider is trying to mount.”
“How do you know?”
Roule turns toward me, and I’m glad to see that he looks more pleased than annoyed by my question. “I don’t know. Notwith certainty. But I have some level of communication with Nyxarious, my dragon, and over the decades I’ve deduced that dragons have some level of communication with each other.”
“Do dragonstalkto their riders?” I know the bond is strong, but thus far, the masters haven’t gone into detail.
“Yes.” Roule nods. “In their way.” He shakes his head. “You should have all learned these things before getting anywherenearthe enclaves.”
He turns to face the group and then speaks more loudly. “Once properly mounted, information can be exchanged between rider and beast. Each bond is unique, but riders can see what their dragon sees and vice versa, and there is a form of communication, more like anunderstandingbetween man and beast.”
“They know our language?” I ask.
“Nyxarious understands me,” Roule answers. “But what she speaks back to me…it’s not exactly in words. More likefeelings.”
I turn my attention back to the enclaves, not wanting to miss any more action. I’ll save my questions for later.
The dragon seems to be considering Tynan, sizing him up. Occasionally, the dragon’s head moves closer to Tynan, and hot steam erupts from its nostrils. It’s almost as if the dragon is smelling Tynan, but I can’t be certain.
Shifting, the dragon turns again to face Tynan, opening its mouth as if threatening fire, but then it turns back, the side of its head moving closer to Tynan. Tynan seems to be speaking, and I wish I knew what he was saying.
Four massive dragons land atop a high wall near the other side of the canyon. The dragons flap their wings even after they land, and more screeches rise from the dragons penned below.
Saxon, atop Surath, is one of the dragon-rider pairs. Treacher is on another, and the other two riders I recognize as Stran and Jakeon.
The dragon shifts, moving his neck very close to Tynan’s outstretched hands. This dragon has spikes not only along the spine of its neck, but also on the sides.
“Mount him now!” Treacher’s command echoes in the acoustics of the canyon.
Still holding the coiled rope over his arm, Tynan leaps forward, grabbing onto a spike protruding from the side of the dragon’s neck, leaving Tynan’s body dangling.
The dragon shifts its head, and Tynan’s body flies up and away from the dragon’s.
My breath catches in fear, but Tynan holds on with one hand as the dragon thrashes, trying to buck Tynan off.
I hold my breath as he’s tossed up and down, back and forth, his body repeatedly flying up and then slamming down against the side of the dragon’s thick neck. Somehow, Tynan holds on. Somehow, he hasn’t been smashed against the stone wall or trampled under the dragon’s massive talons.
Thirty-Six
Tynan
My grip is slipping. My fingers ache, but the biggest risk to my life is my own sweat. I try to calm myself to keep my palm from dampening further.
“Easy,” I say calmly, talking to both myself and the dragon. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to set you free from this pen, so you may fly with your brethren.”
I rest the hand that’s not holding on for dear life against the dragon’s scales. They pulse under my palm and fingers, and I can sense the dragon’s anger—and his panic. I’ve touched several dragons before. This isn’t the same. This dragon is most definitely male. Every bone in my body tells me that.
And he’sfurious.
I could actually die today.
Across the canyon, Treacher and Saxon, along with Stran and Jakeon, have landed their dragons atop a high wall. The dragon I’m holding, raises his head and shoots fire so far it nearlyreaches the dragons ahead of us. Then he shrieks so loudly I fear for the integrity of my eardrums.
Surath shoots fire back in response.
My dragon—the dragon I hope will become mine—seems to calm. I continue to stroke his scales, and hope rises inside me. Perhaps I won’t die. Not just yet.
The dragon has granted me permission to mount him. I’m sure of it. If I’d properly secured the mounting rope before leaping, I’d be able to climb atop him properly. Treacher’s command took me by surprise, and I leapt without thinking. Early in life, I learned to instantly obey commands or suffer the painful consequences.
