Page 71 of Black Wing and Shadows
I turned toward it, but the crowd heaved again. The younger cadet clung to my arm like a lifeline, and in the scramble, I realized getting to Zane wouldn't be simple. The dragon’s shadow swept over us once more, and in that heartbeat, I understood—if we didn’t move, it wouldn’t matter if I found him. The dragon’s cry split the air again, and the Healer cadet at my side flinched so hard she almost dragged us both down. The press of bodies shoved us toward the edge of the courtyard, boots skidding over spilled cider and broken glass.
“Stay with me!” I yelled over the roar, tightening my grip on her arm. A banner pole crashed to the stones ahead, splintering into jagged spears. We veered left, ducking under the cover of an overturned table. Smoke clawed at my throat as we crawled, the heat from the burning banner licking acrossmy cheek. Through the chaos, I spotted a familiar figure shoving his way toward us.
Alex.
He reached us in three long strides, pulling the cadet to her feet with one hand while steadying me with the other. “This way—clear path by the wall!”
We ran, ducking low as another wingbeat slammed into the courtyard. I caught glimpses of the dragon overhead—red scales shimmering, eyes wide and wild. The far wall came into view, lined with a row of supply carts.
Alex pushed us between them, using their bulk as cover. “Stay put,” he ordered the cadet. He shot me a look. “Go find Zane before he thinks you’ve been trampled.”
I didn’t argue. I darted out into the thinning crowd, scanning for him. My heart clenched when I saw him—shoulder to shoulder with two other cadets, helping an injured cadet limp toward the infirmary. His gaze locked on mine instantly.
He was at my side in seconds, eyes sweeping over me. “You alright?”
“I’m fine. Got someone out from under a bench.” My voice was steadier than I felt.
He nodded once, relief flashing across his face before he set his jaw. “Command wants everyone in their chambers and leadership to do counts.”
The square was mainly clear, but the red dragon still flew above, its wingbeats frantic. Lantern light caught in its eyes—bright, almost feverish—and I realized it wasn’t looking at the crowd in general. It was looking at me.
“Zane,” I murmured, “something is wrong.”
He followed my stare upward. “It’s young,” he said. “Too young to be out of the vale.”
The dragon descended again, a hot, gusty wind sweeping over us. The red wasn’t fully mature—its talons were thinner than an adult’s, and its movements were quick but still unpolished. It wasn’t attacking, but it was frantic, almost desperate motions indicated panic. It landed abruptly on thecourtyard ledge, claws sparking against the stone. Its sides heaved with ragged breaths, and its wings flickered as if caught between flying and falling. A deep, rolling, unsettling sound erupted—the beat of many wings filling the air. My stomach sank. Shapes appeared on the shadowed horizon against the moonlight. One, five, ten, more.
A dragon drift closed fast. The ground trembled as the first of them roared, the sound shaking through my bones.
What the fuck?
They burst into view and scattered just as fast. The group swept across the courtyard in a single wave, fading into the horizon—except for a blue one that dropped onto the ledge beside the small red dragon. A moment later both launched into the air, wings cutting the night before they vanished into darkness.
“Cadets, inside!” an instructor’s voice cracked like a whip over the courtyard. “Chambers, now! Leadership, get your counts!”
Another shout from the opposite side. “Move! Lock it down!”
Zane’s hand closed around my arm, firm but not rough. “You heard them.”
I moved into the Rider’s wing while Zane headed to his. Such situations had protocols. As a Flight Guide, my task was to ensure each cadet stayed in their room and then inform Persephone Emmen, our Squad Leader. She would escalate the report to Lili, who would then pass it to Corson, our Wing Commander.
Squad Leaders and Platoon Leaders stayed outside their chambers until they received reports from those below them. Sadie, Akira, Micah, Lorenzo, and Jackson were all accounted for, and no one was injured. After notifying Emmen, I went to my chamber on the second floor. During a lockdown, we had to stay in our chambers unless there was an emergency, you were in leadership, or on tower duty, until the bell tolled 12 times consecutively. There were no bells to indicate the time during a lockdown.
I sat in my chair, gazing out the window, wondering what had upset that little dragon from the vale—it looked so frantic. Knowing dragons, theydidn’t usually want to cause harm to any of us, all of us mutually protecting each other.
Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong.
Finally, not that it mattered, by that point, we were supposed to be in our chambers anyway. I could rest easy now, though, knowing we weren’t on lockdown.
“Coming in.”He projected down our mental connection and was in my room within seconds, standing before me.
“It’s past curfew.”
“And?”
“And you don’t need to get in trouble.”
“I can rove,” he said, stepping closer, “and they’ll never know.” I swallowed but didn’t move back when he reached me. The lamplight caught in his eyes, deep and dark, as he braced one hand on the back of my chair, caging me in.
