Page 85 of Flameborne: Chosen

I couldn’t stop smiling—then remembered I was supposed to salute him for these moments, so I snapped to attention and did so.

Ronen chuckled. “No, no. Not here. Not for this. This is for you and Akhane, Bren. Well done. You’ve truly earned it.” Then he stepped back and opened an arm towards my dragon.

My hands shook as I tested her buckles, made certain the straps were in their keepers, and then stood at her side.

‘Are you ready, Akhane?’

‘I’ve been ready longer than you,’she sent with a burst of pride and excitement.

I laughed as I grabbed the mounting strap, put my feet in the loops, and climbed to my seat.

When I was positioned and clipped in, Akhane backed up so her tail was in the trees. She shivered with delight, her scales glowing and pulsing like hot coals in a fire.

There was another shout from one of the men and I turned to find them all waving.

Someone whistled as I took a grip on the neckstrap and whispered to Akhane to go.

I was aware of nothing but the approaching edge of that cliff, my heart in my throat when Akhane gave a high cry, threw her wings wide, and perched on that edge.

Then it all happened too quickly.

My heart dredged up the memory of Ruin, his delighted, laughing voice telling me how he’d broken his nose on his dragon’s neck in this first flight. Stomach trilling with nerves, I tipped sideways to make sure I wouldn’t make the same mistake, but it was just as Akhane dropped.

I screamed as that awful sensation I’d felt only once before in my life—plummeting like a stone—sent my heart into my mouth.

Ruin sneering.

The cliff giving way under my toes.

The overwhelming terror—

With a choking scream I grabbed for Akhane’s neck—but it was too wide to get my arms all the way around, and then I was tilted forward as she spread her wings and tried to catch the updraft.

We were still dropping!

‘No, Bren. No, look up, Little Flame. See your life. See the gift you’ve been given. Don’t let the past drag you back!’

‘Akhane, I’m—’

‘Hold onto me, sweet one. Hold onto me. I have you. I had you then, and I have you now—this is your life now. Lift your head and look!’

There was awhomph,and my stomach swooped. But suddenly, we were no longer falling and even though I hunched over Akhane’s neck, shaking, eyes blurred with tears, that terrifying sensation of the plummet stopped and instead we were gliding.

‘Look, Bren. Look at what we’ve been given!’

Eyes squeezed tightly shut, I did battle with my own mind for a moment. But then I felt it—that warm thrum in the bond. My dragon’s heart—compassionate, merciful, andhurting for me.

‘Akhane! No! You’ve done nothing but—’

‘Be with me, Bren. This is why we were given to each other. This is our purpose. Lift your eyes. Look!’

And so, I did—and what I saw took my breath away. Akhane flew over the waves, those jagged, teeth-like rocks that gave the cliffs their name, looking black against the white and blue waves that crashed over them.

My stomach churned at that sight, remembering my fall, but then I did as Akhane told me and lifted my head…

She flew me into the sunrise.

That glowing orb, so bright and warm, offered its life-giving light over the world, casting shadows in the woods and behind the buildings still visible off to our right.