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I took him that same afternoon. Not because he’d insisted and threatened me with his grandfather—that had only made me angry—but because I got a call from the soldier at the Training Center who was trying to convince the dragon that he was his new Rider.

And he told me the situation was beginning to be dire.

The Rider was the same lieutenant we’d met earlier, by the name of Lt. Mythe. From what I found out about him, he was a good soldier, and one of the few who had stepped up to volunteer to be the Golden dragon’s Rider.

I believed this to be because the vetami was almost a complete unknown.

The fact that he chattered away all the time was disconcerting and odd.

Potential riders wondered how large he would eventually become, and what his temperament would be like.

Even how long he might live—all were a mystery to us at the moment.

Once I’d had him transferred to the Training Center, I’d made some calls to various breeders to try and research Goldens, with only limited success.

I found some old reports of Goldens on Thalios dating back years ago and learned that they didn’t spit fire at their enemies, nor did they breathe it out like a Red could do.

However, it was said that the Goldens had been exceptional fighters.

They were fast and fierce in battle even though their numbers had always been extremely low.

Rumor had it that they had eventually all died out twenty years or more ago, but that was obviously false.

My uncle and later on his son, Travon, must have been breeding them all along and lying about it.

The only thing we knew about this little Golden so far was that he was intelligent, an excellent communicator, and extremely stubborn.

I also discovered that he wasn’t eating because he was literally on a hunger strike at the moment because he hadn’t gotten his way and got Prince Rylan as his new handler.

The situation was intolerable, and I made sure to make my feelings about it known to Rylan on the way to the training camp to see him.

“I understand, Quinn, believe me,” Rylan said. “But as you’ve told me, the vetamis are extremely stubborn creatures. I hope you’re not implying that I had anything to do with that. I merely hugged him when he was crying about leaving.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon. I must have misunderstood you when you said he was ‘coming home’ with you, and that you’d use your influence with your grandfather to make sure of it.”

He flushed and lowered his head. “I may have gotten carried away in the moment. Just a bit. But I didn’t like to see him so upset.”

I blew out a long-suffering breath and looked over at him.

We were in my private hovercraft He was still pale and had still needed my arm to walk to it, but he was much stronger, and his headaches were being controlled by the medicine he was taking.

One thing I knew for sure was that nobody should look so good after what he’d been through.

He had pulled back his hair and tied it behind his head for our outing, which didn’t help my feelings at all because he was still unreasonably beautiful.

The severe hairstyle only served to emphasize the classic features of his face and those damn long eyelashes of his.

“When you talk to the vetami,” I said, “explain to him that you haven’t been trained as a Rider. You’re not even from Horvath. He’s a smart creature, even as young as he is, and I’m sure he realizes that his own choices are limited. He needs to accept someone new.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. But what if he still refuses?”

“I’ll figure something out.”

He glanced over at me like he didn’t believe a word. “I don’t think my dragon will like whatever it is you have to say.”

I glared at him, though it didn’t seem to bother him in the least. I was used to men quaking with fear when I gave them that same look, so it was a little disconcerting to realize I didn’t scare this boy one bit.

Not that I wanted to scare him, exactly, but I did want him to take what I was saying more seriously.

He had fought me in that Lycan warehouse the first time I met him, as little as he was compared to me.

And though I’d been irritated by it, I was impressed by his courage too.

Or maybe I should call it foolhardiness.

I felt as if he must not be afraid of anything.

I’d had to revise my opinion of him as the pampered prince I’d thought he must be.

We arrived at the training facility, and I took Rylan down to see the little dragon, who still had no name, because he’d refused to accept the name that Lt. Mythe had given him and wouldn’t answer to it.

I told Rylan and right away, he wanted to know what the name had been.

“Mythe’s Golden,” I replied.

“Well, that’s just a stupid name.”

“Other riders have used their names as part of what they call the dragon. It’s not that unusual.”

“I didn’t say it was unusual. I said it was stupid. It’s too long for one thing. And it’s dumb. Anyone can see what color he is, so what’s the point of putting it in his name? No, I don’t like it at all. No wonder the poor baby refused it.”

“Again, he’s not a baby, and he doesn’t need a baby name.

It’s customary to give them a name that’s regal or at least fierce.

Some name them after famous generals in our history.

When he’s fully grown, he’ll be enormous.

Since he’s been here, he’s already gained a lot of weight and gotten taller despite his current hunger strike.

I think you’ll be surprised when you see him. ”

“I can’t wait. Now for this name…you say it should be something majestic or fierce, since he’ll be a battle dragon?”

“Yes, that would be ideal.”

“What would you name him, just for an example?”

“Maybe after a famous general in our history. Remingly, for example. He was a great Horvathian hero during the war.”

He sniffed. “I don’t like it. I could do much better than that.”

“Oh? And what would you name him?”

“Since he’d be mine, I think I’d name him after a famous general on my planet—a brave and loyal warrior named General Tallon. I’d drop one of the L’s and just call him Talon —like a sharp, curved claw.” He smiled over at me. “It sounds tough. I think he’d like that name.”

I had to agree he probably would. What the training facility would think of it was a different story.

A dragon named after an alien general and a dragon’s body part?

They’d have a collective stroke, though it did sound like something the little dragon would approve of, as much as I hated to admit it.

We didn’t have to tell them about the alien general, I suppose.

We arrived at the front gate, and I took Rylan through, still holding tightly to his arm.

Not that he particularly needed it anymore, but it made me feel better, and I didn’t like to think about why.

As we walked by some of the training grounds, we stopped to observe a few adult dragons taking off and landing.

We had put them in new, lightweight armor for future flying missions but it could still feel heavy to them until they got used to it, so they needed to learn to land properly so they wouldn’t injure themselves.

These dragons were both Reds, and Rylan was amazed by their size and by how beautiful they were.

They were indeed as big as a small building, like I’d told him, with massive bodies and a huge wingspan.

They kept their wings folded neatly over their backs as a general rule.

He looked impressed. He should see my beautiful dragon, Sulamon, and his impressive wingspan.

I made a mental note to take him to see him soon.

We stood watching for a few minutes, but Rylan was clearly restless and anxious to go see the Golden.

I took his arm again and led him down to one of the last of the large enclosures.

There we found the little dragon sprawled out on his stomach, his head between his outstretched paws, and looking like he’d been crying again.

I cleared my throat to let him know we were there, and he raised his head to look at us.

His face lit up with joy as soon as he saw Rylan and he leaped to his feet and came rushing toward the fence.

As for Rylan, he was already opening the gate to the enclosure.

I followed him in, a bit reluctantly, but I was afraid the Golden would jump on him and reinjure his ribs.

I rushed over and caught hold of his harness just in time to prevent him leaping into Rylan’s arms and knocking him flat.

“You came! You came to see me! Oh, I’m glad. They’ve been so mean to me.”

“No, we have not,” I told him and then I turned to Rylan who was giving me an incredulous look. “We have not. ”

Rylan, who had plopped right down on the floor of the enclosure and was holding out his arms for the dragon’s squirming body, looked over at me accusingly.

“My goodness, dear, what have they done to you?” I let the vetami go and he plopped down in front of Rylan and tried to climb in his lap, but he was far too big.

“They don’t play with me, and they don’t pet me, and they hardly ever give me food. I’m soooo hungry.”

Rylan looked at me accusingly again, and I shook my head. “He’s a little fraud. He’s been offered food every day—several times a day—but he says he’ll wait for you to feed him. He says he’s on a hunger strike, though I have no idea how he even heard of such a thing.”

“Please bring him something to eat now then, and I’ll feed him right away.”