Page 52 of Swift Wings Shadowed Heart
—Good Morning, Zephyros, I say into his mind. The greeting comes naturally. I’ve always feared this skill, pretended it didn’t exist, and I now continue to block it with everyone, but with Zephyros it somehow feels… right.
My dragon’s response is an indifferent huff. I peer at him. He looks into the distance with a forlorn expression, a sadness that seems as immense as he is. I can’t even imagine what he has seen during his long life.
Next to me, Phoebe's eyes are round saucers. This is her first time being so close to a real dragon.
I lean in and whisper in her ear, “The one on the far left is yours.”
Her jaw unhinges and falls open. I smile at her awestruck expression, the same one I wore just two nights ago.
Two nights ago…
An image of my first free fall toward the ground appears before me, splashes of red bleeding around the edges of my vision. My smile dies. My chest tightens. My limbs tingle. Clenching my jaw, I take a deep breath to calm my suddenly panicked, racing heart.
In response, Zephyros rumbles deep in his throat. I look up from the ground. His silver eyes meet mine in the distance. Fragor shifts. Vaylen glances at me, a warning and a reproach written on his expression.Damn!It seems everyone is bent on blaming me for everything today.
Thankfully, my vision clears, and I take control of whatever the hells that was, and just in time because the Primes break their conference and face us, the dragons looming behind them.
“Formation,” Vaylen commands in his deep voice. He stands in the center, two Primes to his left and three to his right.
We arrange ourselves in the same elemental pattern, so Phoebe and I end up in the middle. Prime Emberstone is to Vaylen’s left, so Silas and Nate end up to our right. Silas makes sure not to stand next to me, pushing Nate in between as a buffer.
Great!I guess this means he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore, which is ridiculous. I had nothing to do with whatever happened to his brother.
“Skyriders,” Vaylen says, his voice carrying well despite the howl of the wind, “as you already know, your training will be cut short due to events on the front lines. I doubt this seems like a problem to any of you due to your eagerness to ride the clouds on your very own dragons, but I assure you… this expediency isn’t optimal. Training at Sky’s Edge is already accelerated even under normal circumstances. We will work you to the bone and will require everything you can give. Understood?”
“Yes, High Prime,” we respond in unison.
“Before we get started,” he continues, “I want to make you aware of a change. Surely, you have noticed your mate Gilbert Drifttown has been replaced by Phoebe Breezehart.”
Phoebe stiffens, standing straighter.
Vaylen goes on, “I regret to inform you that Skysinger Drifttown passed away the night of Rite of Flight.”
A chorus of gasps goes up.
“There was an unfortunate accident, and everyone regrets the loss of a comrade. An investigation is ongoing, and his family is receiving prompt updates of all relevant information.”
Silas huffs. He gets a dirty glare from his Prime. I brace for Vaylen’s next words, but he doesn’t say anything, and, instead, approaches Phoebe and me. He looks us up and down, inspecting our uniforms. Once satisfied, he turns and walks off.
“Follow me,” he says. “Your training begins right away.”
He guides us to a distant area as the other Primes peel away and do the same with their riders. The dragons break rank too and follow. They walk gingerly, keeping their wings tucked in and their tails stiff. Phoebe nearly trips on her own two feet as she walks with her neck craned in Trueno’s direction.
I don’t miss the fact that the dragons aren’t wearing saddles. I smile to myself, glad we’re jumping right into the exciting part. Not that I haven’t had enough excitement the last couple of days.
“First things first,” Vaylen says. “An agreement. Zephyros, do you admit Skysinger Rhealyn Wyndward as your rider?”
The silver dragon’s molten eyes lock onto mine, the question hanging between us. A low rumble emanates from his massive chest, a sound that resonates deep within my soul. Then, a shift, a subtle change in the air that surrounds us. It’s an acknowledgment, an agreement.
Zephyros nods once.
A frantic sensation rushes through me, and it’s like a dam has broken. Suddenly, I feel a hundred times stronger, my now amplified power singing in my veins. There’s so much energy the very realm seems to vibrate with potential.Goddess!I am no longer just Rhea. I am a storm.
—Thank you, Zephyros.
—It is nothing,he replies, and I’m reminded he wants to bond with me, and this is, indeed, nothing. I only wish I knew when he will create the connection, but it’s something I don’t dare ask.
Vaylen turns to Trueno then. “Do you admit Skysinger Phoebe Breezehart as your rider?”
