Page 145 of Flameborne: Chosen

“You are both grounded. Be grateful you haven’t achieved first rank, because if you had, you’d have lost any chance to redeem yourselves. As it stands, you’ll take up messenger and transport duties for three months, after which time you will be returned to your squads and allowed to Trial again. Your Trial for now isover.Do you understand?!”

“Sir, I understand your words, but—”

“Son, I would highly recommend you shut your mouth at this point.” Gunnar’s voice appeared at my right shoulder. I jumped. I hadn’t heard him approach. But as he moved to stand right behind my shoulder, I was grateful for the steadying presence.

My hands shook.

“What the General is telling you,” Gunnar drawled, “is that we saw your shenanigans, and we agree that no Flameborne will be raised on the basis of cheating or sabotage—”

“Cheating!”

“Yes, Flameborne,” I snapped. “We watched you, both of you. Thank God no one was hurt further.”

“But we were just flying—we were told to be selfish! We were told to fly the fastest route regardless of how others might be affected!”

“And you were told to take your own line, to strategize for your dragon’s best, andnotto assist each other,” I snarled.

Lorr looked at Faren, but Faren’s frown deepened. “What happened to the Furyknight tenet ofbrotherhood?”

Lorr’s eyes widened when his friend argued, and he wisely took a step back to put space between them. Meanwhile, I stepped closer, right up to Faren’s toes and hissed at him through my teeth.

“When you’ve spent a few months growing somehumility, you will be given one final chance toproveto me that you have embraced the Furyknight tenets ofservice, andunity. If you do not, I will fail both your asses and send you back to the messengers for the duration of your careers. Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir!” Lorr said immediately.

Faren’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth like he’d argue again, but I felt Gunnar shift at my back, and Faren froze. After a few, tense seconds, his Adam’s apple bobbed, then he nodded.

“Yes, Sir,” he said quietly. But there was fire in his eyes.

Bring your flames, you little bastard. I’ll show you how easily I can snuff them out.

‘Donavyn! He’s practically a child!’

I swallowed and clenched my teeth to keep the words back. “Furyknights are men of honor,” I said quietly, looking back and forth between them. “Both of you demonstratednothingbut selfish ambition, and even delight at the potential failure of a fellow Flameborne.” I glared back at Faren. “You don’t have a clue whatbrotherhoodis. Get out of my sight, both of you. Report to the Air master for your shifts as messengers. I’ll see you in three months.”

They both blinked.

“Go!” I snarled.

Both snapped salutes, then scuttled off the stage like insects running from a bird.

It was unfortunate that at that same moment, Bren was mounting the stairs to the stage, her cheeks flushed and eyes red, though clear. Both men glared at her as they passed either side of her on the stairs. I watched, begging either of them to speak or touch her and give me an excuse to evict them. But neither did.

Bren looked at me once as she topped the stairs, a single, miserable glance, her gaze barely brushing mine before she dropped it to her feet again.

I would have reached out to her, reassured her, explained what we’d done, but at that moment there was a shout and we all turned to see the dragons lowering the platform holding the King and Queen, both clutching the straps to keep themselves steady as they were returned to earth.

So, rather than check in with Bren and make certain she was unhurt, I was forced to contain every burning ounce of the rage flooding my veins. Teeth gritted and hands clenched at my sides, I made myself walk calmly to greet the King and Queen and tell them the ceremony would begin in a few minutes.

Then I followed Gunnar to Akhane’s side, to stand with him to watch the healers dress her wound.

It took every one of my twenty years experience to contain the energy that theburningrage lit in me. I didn’t want to stand aside and watch. I needed todo.To address. To call out. To discipline. To punch those little fuckers right in the throat for the careless risks they took—

‘Donavyn.’Kgosi’s tone was deep and disapproving.

He didn’t need to say more. I nodded once and sent him a rush of reassurance through the bond. I knew there were eyes on us, as well as innocent Flameborne who weren’t involved watching on. But my jaw ached with tension because despite my authority, I couldn’t doanyof the things I wished to do.

I couldn’t rush to Bren and make certain she wasn’t hurt. Couldn’t continue to roar at thosefuckerswhose petty idiocy had wounded Akhane and could have gotten Bren killed. I couldn’t give the female pair any attention at all, beyond ensuring that the healers were satisfied that Akhane wouldn’t be permanently injured.