Page 107 of Flameborne: Chosen

“The others are planning to work against us if they can,” he said quietly when we were almost at our dragons’ feet.

“What?” I stopped dead and turned to look up at him. “What others? How?”

He gestured to me to be quiet. “I heard Faren talking to Lorr. They think you’re not a real Flameborne. That the King has set you up as entertainment. A showpiece to keep the Court enthralled. I don’t know. I just wanted to warn you. Watch out for them. If they have a chance to make you look bad, they’ll use it. Stay out of their way.”

I’d already had a nervous, fluttering belly. Now that flutter became a swarm. And my irritation turned to rage.

Anentertainment?

They thought I was a fuckingjester?

“Youcanfly, right?” Saul asked me nervously, looking over my shoulder towards the other Flameborne who were gathering on the other side of the clearing.

“Of course I can! I earned my place here exactly like you!” I snapped.

He put both hands up, palms to me. “Sorry, sorry. I just want to help. I just need to know if I need to—”

“You don’t need to do anything for me,” I said sharply. “I’ll fly Wing and you can fly pivot. If they think—”

“Whoa, Bren. Are you sure? I mean, I’ve only been flying a few days, but Bich is fast and—”

“I’mcertain,”I said through my teeth. “Let them tell whoever they want that I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ll show them the truth.”

I wasfurious.And possibly about to get myself killed.

When dragons flew in formation, every position they took centered on the pivot—the dragon who played the axle to the rest of the wheel.

I’d assumed because Akhane was small and the men would be stronger, I’d fly pivot when we did formations, because she was more agile, but naturally a little slower. Clearly Saul had assumed the same thing.

Saul was right to be surprised I’d demanded to fly Wing. But it was clear that I needed to show these men I was no royalshowpiece.

Then I looked at my dragon and my heart stopped.‘I’m sorry, Akhane, I should have asked you—’

‘I like it when you’re bold, Bren. These flights will not be difficult for me. You choose as you see fit.’

‘I’m choosing to show them what I’m made of.’

‘Even better,’she sent along with a rush of delighted thrill.

I smiled at her, then turned back to Saul. “If you think Bich can fly pivot, then I want to do this—and Akhane agrees.”

Saul’s smile broadened. “Bich can do anything. Let’s do it.”

I nodded. We quickly discussed the hand signals, clarifying that we used the same ones, then the whistle blew and we were running for our dragons as cheers rose from the surrounding trees.

I guess more of the Furyknights came to watch these tests than I’d thought.

As I clambered up Akhane’s strap—seconds behind Saul, but it didn’t matter because the Wing dragons took off last anyway—I felt eyes on the back of my neck and my nerves surged.

As I settled into my seat, I took one hurried look over my shoulder and sure enough, Donavyn stood under the trees at the edge of the clearing arms folded and his posture relaxed. But his eyes were fixed on me.

He nodded once, then turned back to Captain Gunnar, who pointed towards one of the other men and leaned in to murmur in Donavyn’s ear.

Pushing aside the new wave of flutters, I took a tight hold of Akhane’s neck strap and watched Bich launch, and once she was airborne, I urged Akhane forward.

Luckily the launch went well. The ground sloped slightly up here, which made Akhane a little slower, but the take off angle less jarring. Soon my stomach swooped as she took flight, and then we were wheeling right and flying to join Saul and Bich.

There were several groups of dragons already airborne, gliding and wheeling in small clusters, preparing to fly with us—or against us—through the exercises.