Page 53 of Swift Wings Shadowed Heart
Trueno nods.
Next to me, Phoebe trembles, receiving the same energy boost as me.
“Good,” Vaylen waits a moment, then continues. “Normally, on the first day, we tackle learning how to communicate with your dragons. We will also start there today, but in addition, we’ll learn how to Tether ourselves.”
“Yes, High Prime,” Phoebe says, standing at attention. Her fingers twitch as if she’s itching to take notes. She was always taking notes at the Academy. I’m surprised she doesn’t have her battered booklet and stubby pencil tucked in somewhere.
—Maybe I should tell him we can entirely skip the communication lesson,I joke to Zephyros.
—Sure, go ahead and get yourself sent to the gallows, he replies.
—It was a joke.
—Ha ha, he replies dryly.
Wyrm’s rot!He has the sense of humor of a rock. I roll my eyes, then notice Vaylen looking at me with a frown. I crack and rub the back of my neck, acting nonchalant.
—Smooth. Very smooth, Zephyros says.
“Is something the matter, Skysinger Wyndward?” Vaylen demands.
“No, Sir.”
“Then pay attention!”
I bite my tongue when I notice Phoebe’s incredulous expression. She thinks I’m being callous, undisciplined—something she has never seen from me.
“On cogwings, you had reins,” Vaylen continues, his blue gaze set on me this time, “since practicing your Tethers was impossible without a dragon to connect to. Though your training on the machines can’t be fully discounted, Tethering is much different. Cogwings are stiff. The reins don’t need to adjust to the movement of a living creature. You’ll have to learn to continuously modify your Tethers in order to maintain balance. With time and practice, the task will become instinctual. Getting to know your dragon will help greatly. So this is what we’ll do first… you will climb onto your dragon’s head, Tether to him, and practice directional commands while on the ground.”
“On the ground?” I complain before I can stop the rogue words.
Phoebe looks scandalized and reproachful. She’s not appreciating my behavior in the least, and I can’t blame her.
“I apologize, Sir.” I say quickly. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I’m just eager to fly. That’s all.”
“I will have a moment with you, Skysinger Wyndward.” Vaylen walks off.
Wincing, I follow.Shit!Already in trouble. Discipline has never come easy to me after my mother died. Not surprisingly, I stopped believing in authoritative figures after making Neutro Cindergrasp’s acquaintance. I succeeded at the Academy because my goals required me to be the best. Now, on the other side of many years of hard work, I find myself in possession of all I ever wanted and more. Needless to say, I feel somewhat… derailed. Not to mention the fact that this man has an outstanding ability to get under my skin.
“Is this the sort of childish behavior I’m to expect from you?” Vaylen hisses when we’re out of earshot.
I bristle, literally feel my hackles rise as if I’m some sort of feral cat. I want to shoot a biting comeback, but what can I say that doesn’t confirm his assessment?
“No, Sir,” I say, straightening my posture.
Vaylen seems to deflate at my response. Apparently, he was expecting pushback.
“All right,” he says after a moment. “From this moment on, I’ll tolerate nothing but exemplary behavior from you. Anything else, and you will find yourselfbelow ground. Understood?”
Even if most things about Sky’s Edge are kept secret, the forms of punishment Primes use on unruly pupils aren’t one of them. On the contrary, we’ve all heard about being sentbelow ground. All the waste generated by Sky’s Edge’s residents travels downward through a variety of refuse and maintenance shafts. Dirty clothes, garbage, sewage, and who knows what else, end up deep at the base of the plateau. A certain level of maintenance is required to keep things running smoothly down there, and the Primes don’t shy away from using us to lend a hand if we misbehave.
“Understood, Sir,” I reply, reminding myself of what I decided this morning. I don’t need this man. I don’t need to treat him as if he matters. At the moment, he’s just a means to an end, same as all my Academy teachers. Well… perhaps not the same. He’s much more powerful than any of them, even more powerful than the other Primes here. But I have the chance to learn from the best, and maybe even surpass him. That needs to be my next goal. I always work better when I have my sights set on a target.
I follow him back to Phoebe, who is bowing respectfully in front of Trueno. The silver dragon stands majestic, giving Zephyros a sidelong glance. Maybe it’s my imagination but Trueno seems to be telling my dragon he’s glad I didn’t end up being his rider. Except, how could I possibly decipher all of that from one look?
Vaylen resumes his lesson. “The very first thing you need to do is figure out the fastest way to climb onto your dragon. It’s different for every rider given their height.”
He approaches Fragor, who bends his front knee just so. Like last night, Vaylen barely appears to touch the creature as he climbs. In an instant, he stands on Fragor’s large head, looking down at us.
