Page 82 of Flameborne: Chosen

“These wounds need dressing,” he muttered darkly. “Did Ronen know about this?” he asked sternly. “These are exactly the injuries that can cause infection, tonight was never the night you should have been challenged with this.”

Slipping out of his grip, I put both my hands behind my back. “I didn’t tell him,” I said. “I—”

“Next time you tell your Commanding officer if you’re injured, even if it seems minor to you. Let him make the judgment call about what’s appropriate for you. That’s an order,” he said firmly. “Now, have you hurt anything with that fall?”

I shook my head and my smile came back, but it was nervous exhaustion. I just wanted to lay down. “I’m fine. I just need to get that harness off now.”

Thankfully, I knew that part. I’d been through it enough times with my squad brothers. It was just going to take time because I had to be careful not to unbuckle the wrong straps so the harness would be ready for work tomorrow.

As I worked through the steps, Donavyn cleared his throat and folded his arms, standing aside, but eyes intent. “You’ve done well tonight,” he said gruffly.

I snorted and the unhinged laughter threatened to return. “I’ll wager I’ve taken longer to harness and mount than any man you’ve trained before,” I said flatly, because I didn’t doubt that it was true.

Donavyn gave a low rumble—and Kgosi reflected him, his deep resonance vibrating in the stones under the stable dust.

“The strength to throw harness and haul yourself up a rope doesn’t automatically equate to an elegant dismount,” he muttered. “It’s true I made it to my seat the first time I attempted it,” he said, his tone saying that it wasn’t a great achievement, though I felt a stab of envy. “But I was so cocky about it, I tried to dismount without thinking it through. I felt backwards, knocked my head on the ground and stunned myself. I was grounded for two days and by the time I returned, the other Flameborne who’d been Chosen was already taking his first flight. I washumbled. And teased for weeksby my squad brothers,” he said dryly.

There was a flash in my head of Voski teasing Harle with all the shit jokes, and even though I knew the words were funny, my heart pinched.

“Why do men insist on insulting others to increase themselves?” I muttered. The shadows in my mind wanted to conjure a particularly handsome face and bright smile, a heavenly body, and—

“In most cases, between brothers, the insults are a sign of regard,” Donavyn said with a shrug. “Keep that in mind when your turn comes to be the target of jokes in your squad. However, the desire to belittle another to raise yourself is a human flaw, not restricted to men. If you don’t indulge in it, it will serve you well.”

Neither of us spoke until I’d finally unbuckled the last of the harness and it dropped to the straw. I gathered it up, then turned to face the General with it in my arms.

He looked at the modified harness rubbing his chin, then smiled. “You’ll need to work on getting faster at every step. But for a first time, well done, Bren. You faced a true challenge and found a way.” Then his gaze went thoughtful. “When I arrived you told me that you couldn’t do this. Yet you have. Remember that: you lied to yourself. You couldn’t solve the problem in the normal way, but you found your way through—and quickly. A nimble mind is a sharp weapon when paired with a strong body.”

“My body’snotstrong, though.”

“Perhaps not compared to your brothers, or me. No. But there are few scenarios in my life where I’d choose brute strength over intellect and self-control. Keep that as your focus, Bren. Meet difficulty with determination, not despair.

“The moment you glimpsed an answer, your countenance changed.Thatis the place you should work from every day. Be curious. Be thoughtful. When a challenge comes, don’t see it as defeat. Address it as a problem to be solved.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I huffed. “No, I mean it. You didn’t have to stay here and help me. You’re too important to spend hours with a Flameborne like me. But you did. And you helped me do things I didn’t think I could. So, thank you. I understand why Ru—excuse me,the menrespect you.”

He blinked like I’d surprised him. I thought perhaps he’d heard what I was about to say—Ruin’s name—but then he tipped his head.

“Bren, I think perhaps you haven’t heard this enough in your lifetime, so listen to me carefully. You’re worth a few extra hours of work. If that hasn’t been made clear to you before, let it be clear now. You’re worth a great deal more than that.”

He said the words with casual conviction—as if there were no question.

I stared at him and his eyes locked on mine, and the hollow of my chest crackled. A tiny, warm tug, as if a rope that had lain in the summer sun tightened like a noose around my heart and yanked at me. Just once.

Donavyn’s eyes narrowed and his brow lined.

I blinked and turned away, towards my room. “I need to wash,” I squeaked, confused and thrilled and uncertain why, so I hurried for that door.

“Sleep well tonight, Bren. You have a purpose here. I believe you can do this.”

My breath caught and I almost tripped on my own toe. I wanted to drop the harness, turn, and run back to him, to throw myself into that broad chest, weep with weariness, and thank him.But the urge wasinsane.

“Thank you!” I called without looking back, then disappeared into my room and kicked the door closed behind me.

~ DONAVYN ~