Page 105 of Flameborne: Chosen

I scowled and splashed another scoop of water over my chest.‘Shut up.’

Then Iwasangry. Because my dragon didn’t stop laughing until well after I was dried and dressed.

30. Chivalry is Not Dead

~ BREN ~

“…do not take this lightly. Though this is not one of your trials and you will be given another opportunity if you do not pass today’s assessment, it is an important step in proving that you’ve absorbed your training, and are ready to begin working with your team.”

I didn’t know the Captain who walked up and down the line where we all stood to attention. We had been told to refer to him as Captain Gunnar. He was Wing Commander of the Flight Wing and would be assessing our ability to fly today. He was extremely handsome, which was disconcerting, because his expression was stern and cold.

I hadn’t seen him before, but he’d spoken to Donavyn like they were friends before launching into this very stern lecture. But now he stared at the five of us, Flameborne, who’d been gathered for assessment, and his gaze was piercing. Like he lookedthroughour clothes to what was underneath. I wanted to shrink and had to brace myself to stay at attention.

“Flameborne who prove they can mount, launch, fly, obey simple formation commands, and land will be cleared to take the first trial on the date their Wing Captain measures them ready. Make no mistake—this assessment is simply to see if you are ready to function in our world, up there,” he said, tipping his chin up, towards the clouds. “Only after your first trial will you be allowed to fly patrols and work with your squads.” His expression softened slightly, which surprised me. “Fear not. Passing today doesnotmake you a Furyknight. But neither does failure mean you will never be. It is simply a step. Do your best to take it with pride. But if you cannot, accept defeat with humility andkeep working.”

I swallowed. I had been pleading with God ever since Ronen told me I could take the assessment to help me pass the first time.

They all thought I didn’t hear the whispers, but in the past week I’d heard the stablehands twice, and one of the female servants in the kitchen pulled me aside.

There were rumors flying in the Reach that the female Flameborne was a fake. An indulgence. Allowed to fly only to draw attention, but never a truecontenderfor the pin.

The first time I heard the stablehands discussing me—they didn’t know I was outside the stable they were cleaning—they weren’t being malicious. They were confused by my presence. I’d taken longer to doeverything.And as far as they could see, that meant I wasn’t supposed to be here.

Only Benji, who still visited me every morning to see if Akhane needed help, or to run errands for me if I was training, had stuck up for me.

“She’s a real Flameborne, she’s just learning!”

I didn’t want the others to target him, so I coughed andaccidentallykicked a bucket in the aisle before hurrying past the door and they all went quiet until after I’d passed.

I knew they were young and ignorant. But the memory still burned.

Ineededto get this right today.

I was one of five Flameborne being assessed for solo flight. If we passed this assessment, we no longer had to be with a Furyknight to fly.

I’d been so proud to finally get here—until I learned that two of the men had only been Flameborne for days. The other pair for less than a month. Those two probably would have been cleared a couple weeks earlier if the Captain hadn’t been consumed with other duties.

I was the only one who’d taken nearly two months to get here.

It wasembarrassing.

When he first called us to attention, Captain Gunnar had stared at me like a horse brought to market that he suspected was lame. I’d never met the man, yet heclearlyhad opinions about me.

I needed to do this. Ihadto.

‘Be at peace, Bren. When it is meant to be, it will be.’

I tried to send Akhane as much reassurance as I was capable of. But the truth was, I didn’t want peace. I wantedsuccess.It may have taken me longer to gain the strength to get this far, but now that I was here, I didn’t want to take a backwards step.

My brothers had been very patient, taking their turns to train me. But I was done being the little sister who had to be babysat.

I wanted to be part of my squad.

I wanted to stop collecting expressions of pity—or indulgence—in the dining hall.

I wanted to show these fuckers what we could do.

‘You can do this. There is nothing we will be called upon to do today that we haven’t done before,’Akhane assured me.