Page 83 of Flameborne: Chosen

As I turned back to my dragon, I was uneasy. And uncertain why.

I’d stood alongside countless Flameborne and Furyknights, encouraging them toward a goal. Pushing them when needed, and celebrating with them when they reached the summit. And happy to do so.

But something had happened just then—

‘Will we be allowed to sleep now? Or do you plan to grace us with further pearls of wisdom?’

‘God, you’re obnoxious sometimes.’

‘Your kind do claim that we Choose to reflect ourselves.’

I snorted as I reached him and he extended his head to let me scratch behind his eye-ridges, and ears. He closed his eyes and gave a long, low groan that vibrated in the stable walls.

When he sighed happily and dropped his head to the floor, I patted his neck.‘Thank you for your patience.’

‘There is no patience in it. A newly Chosen is a child. Every time. Children must be taught. And their confidence bolstered.’

He opened the eye closest to me and met my gaze with a knowing look in that fathomless, amber orb.

That squeeze in my chest became a pressure. Adrive.

Shaken, I petted him one more time, then bid Akhane farewell, and started for the door. But my chest felt fragile. Was it becauseshewas so small? So breakable? Was I growing soft? Forgetting that the Flameborne needed to be pushed to find their feet? Or was there something different about—

No. No, of course not. Bren was special—definitely. Unique. A woman where no woman had been before. That in itself was an achievement. Of course as her leader I was drawn to encourage her on the path.

That was all.

I grimaced.‘Kgosi?’

‘Mmmm?’

‘What do the dragons do when they want to recognize a landmark in another who doubted themselves?’

‘We give honor,’he drawled, meaning when Dragons heralded each other with calls, and flying to call others to see, as they did when a Flameborne was first Chosen.

But that didn’t help. I huffed.‘Well, what would you do to acknowledge the achievement of a human woman, then? How would you recognize her without making a fuss?’

Kgosi took look enough to respond that I wondered if he’d fallen asleep. But then finally…

‘Those whose bonded have mates say the best recognition is a gift,’he replied confidently.‘Something suitable to her rank, but personal to her nature.’

I frowned. I barely knew Bren, and I had no desire to overstep or confuse her. But I was driven forward—she had been put down too much in her short life. She needed a tangible reminder when things got tough again. Which they would. They always did. Even for the Flameborne that weren’t female.

But what?

And then a memory whispered in my mind. That moment I’d taken her to the Quartermaster and she’d seen those shelves of books.

Her eyes had brightened and gone round.

I smiled.

I had my answer.

25. Spread Your Wings

~ BREN ~

I had the dubious honor of being the longest grounded Flameborne in Emberquell Academy history.