Page 18 of Black Wing and Shadows
I remembered my mother's words—an aggressive infection was spreading fast. If I didn’t see the Healers soon, my condition could worsen dramatically. Tears welled up and traced down my cheeks, some entering my mouth and tasting salty. It finally dawned on me that I was crying.
“Hey, you okay back there?” Asher whispered.
"I have an infection that’s spreading fast, and I need to get to the infirmary soon."
“It’s okay, you’re okay. Close your eyes, I got you.” He kept this voice low and steady.
“Hey squad, we need to pick up our steps a little faster. Auri isn’t doing so well.”
I could feel our speed increasing slightly. I needed to remember to thank all seven of them for this. The bouncing of being carried reminded me of when I was a little girl, and my mom would bounce me to sleep. I drifted off into darkness.
“Hey Auri, we’ve made it...” Jeremy was tapping my thigh. I was currently on his back, but I wasn’t exactly sure when I had shifted from Asher's to him. I gradually opened my eyes. It was dark outside, illuminated only by the stars and the moon. We were now at the base of the mountain, the starting point of this journey four days prior. I could see a mix of blurry figures standing near the college, my eyes struggling to stay open, vision coming and going..
I caught sight of the striking light blue eyes that had mesmerized me from the very first moment I saw them. He locked eyes with me, butmy heavy eyelids made it difficult to keep my gaze on him. His worried expression puzzled me, yet I couldn't quite figure out why. He didn’t entirely know me. I felt a strange chemistry between us that I couldn't explain. My head jerked forward, and my eyes shut.
“Instructor Pascal, we need your assistance. NOW!" Beau shouted.
I felt shifted from one arm to another, I felt us through the air. I thought we were flying, but I wasn’t sure. My bones ached, muscles burned, vision cloudy, the arms that held me were warm.
“Please don’t die Blackcreek, your father will…”
My eyes sealed shut.
CHAPTER 8
ZANE
PAIN.
AGONY.
SADNESS.
An overwhelming nausea and pain coursed through my body, overtaking everything within me. My knees weakened under me, heart beating faster each second, it was like she was siphoningfrom me.
I felt a wave of emotions that didn't exactly belong to me, which I recognized as my Anam Cara. I was aware that her platoon was heading toward the mountain pass of terrors. When I experienced it two years earlier, I barely made it out alive. An arrow struck my right wing, almost causing me to fall off the cliff. While having wings was usually an advantage, Drusearons were forbidden to use theirs during basic training—not that we could.
I still felt the silver string that linked us. She was alive. I couldn’t help her, and that devastated me. My fist locked tight, my fingernails dug into my palms. Wings twitching to open. Every part of me wanted to fly up there. If I leapt now, if I gave in, they’d ban me from ever staying here during leave. But I couldn’t do that, or I risked getting kicked off campus. Hell, there could be worse punishment for involving myself in the pass challenge. But gods, it would be worth it if I could reach her. If I could bleed for her instead. I couldn’t leave her. I just found her. She was my Anam Cara. I never understood what my aunt meant about our connection until I experienced it myself.
Six years ago, I saw her for the first time but didn't feel it. She didn’t know I was there, nor did she see me. I was about to approach her, but a grey, dappled dragon lifted her into the air. She raised her arms as the dragon swooped down with its sharp talons. My stomach dropped into my chest. I initially thought she faced danger. Instead, she let out a joyful yell as the dragon tossed her playfully into the air and swooped underneath, gently settling her onto the saddle. Her laughter and delighted shouts filled the air, swelling my heart. Within moments, she disappeared into the sky. I returned to that spot many times over the following months, but I never saw her again.
Nine months later, my two uncles were killed in an attack, and I felt confused and angry. I was furious at everything and everyone. It changed our family’s dynamic and brought on responsibilities I didn't want.
The last two years at this place were marked by the necessary growth. Focus was placed inward, and anger eased through sparring sessions. Genuine friendships were formed, and sincerity was finally experienced. In my village, friendships were found, but motives often remained hidden.
Her unexpected appearance really disrupted my plans for this place. I’d intended to graduate, return, and find her again—determine whose dragon it was to track her down. It was obvious it wasn’t hers, since she was too young to be bonded, implying it was one of her parents. Here, I learned that dragons can be selective about their bonds, though occasionally they form smaller bonds with their Rider's children.
I sensed her approaching, feeling intense pain ripple through my body. The agony overwhelmed me, inducing nausea as if I myself endured the torment. I stepped outside and pressed my back against the cold, rough stone of the college wall. I observed movement descending the mountain pass, the tension mounting as her presence drew near.
“What are you doing out here, Cadet Braegon?” Professor Pascal asked in a low voice.
“Just watching the new cadets complete the mountain of hell…” I said, completely lying.
He glanced at me sharply, raising an eyebrow as if he sensed there was more to the story. I had known Pascal since childhood, long before he became an instructor here. He had been stationed at Winterhand Stronghold and shared a bond of brotherhood with my father. Among the professors here, he was one of the few who truly knew who I was.
“Don’t get yourself in trouble, please,” he pleaded to me.
“I won’t—”
