Page 3

Chapter 3

Marius

T he dragon expanded his great ruby-hued wings, and then they were flying through the mist and toward the blue sky above.

The rest of the knights followed him into the air and soon the formation was complete. Marius eyed Justus. He kept dropping back too far.

“Stop tugging at her reins, Justus!” Marius shouted over the wind with the power of his Mistgold blood. Those who had strong blood were usually gifted with the ability to send their voice much farther than other Fae.

The rest of the knights kept nicely in formation, and once they’d flown over jagged Sunthrone—the second-highest peak in the Shrouded Mountains behind the castle’s perch—he raised his arm and locked eyes with Ewan. The knight dropped below the formation, wheeled around, then came back at the group blowing third fire, a flame strength only a third of the power his dragon possessed. That level of flame was harsh enough for serious sparring, but not so fierce as to maim anyone if things went wrong.

The formation split into two and sandwiched Ewan and his Spikeback mount. The dragon’s pale blue scales and wings made him nearly invisible against the sunlight. Ewan had his dragon drop low and it took Marius a second to notice the shift. Titus and his Spikeback and Atticus on his Heartsworn dove to meet him with mock attacks of third fire.

They missed their target as Ewan, great rider that he was, had his dragon tuck his wings and dive. He knew exactly how to use the color advantages of his mount. Marius and Ragewing shot toward him, then increased speed and looped up under Ewan to drive him back into the tight spot between the formations. Ewan swore as he veered left, taking a flame on his dragon’s chest. He steered his dragon away, adopting the movement for a false injury.

“Titus! Morvan! Come around the back of unit one!” Marius tapped Ragewing’s shoulder and the dragon whipped himself into formation with unit one.

The two mock enemies flew as ordered then rushed the back of the unit, sending flames in quick bursts.

“Star maneuver!” Marius shot upward, taking the northernmost point of the group’s practiced position.

The others darted in all directions, spanning out like stars on a clear night. The mock enemies, Titus and Morvan, went after Ophelia and her Green-flanked Terror, knowing that she was the greatest threat.

Ophelia steered her mount around and let loose a bit more than third fire. Titus’s Spikeback wailed and roared. His right wing tip was singed.

“Ophelia! Too much fire. Maintain practice power or you’re done for the day!”

And if she showed cruelty to her dragon again, he would punish her as he would anyone else.

She shot him a glare, but the next volley of fire was truly just that and not flames.

Marius glanced at Maiwenn, who rode her Seabreak, a cyan dragon with four wings that could also swim if the need arose. She was his secret attacker in today’s practice. Maiwenn gave him a nod and wove her way through unit one, taking out two at a time with the lesser mock fire strikes.

Lifting his arm, Marius made a circle in the air before pointing to unit two, who flew around Morvan and his Heartsworn, surrounding the rider and dragon while they were distracted in their attack on Ophelia.

But none of the riders could catch Maiwenn. Seabreaks were known for speed just as Heartsworns were, but this particular Seabreak had been blessed with a quickness Marius had never seen in a dragon.

Trailing Maiwenn and driving her toward Ophelia, he drew his whip from his shoulder and snapped it toward Maiwenn and her mount’s tail. The tip nicked the dragon’s last spike, a spot most dragons wouldn’t feel unless they were Seabreaks. Maiwenn’s mount yowled and turned, eyes flashing with rage.

Leaning over his dragon’s neck and winding his whip around his upper arm, Marius aimed his voice at Ragewing’s ear. “Wait…”

Maiwenn’s dragon opened its maw to breathe fire—maybe to blaze full strength considering how angry she appeared to be.

Marius whispered, “Now.”

Ragewing shot upward and the wind blasted Marius’s face. He had to hold tightly with both his legs and his arms to keep from falling. He looked over his shoulder to see Maiwenn’s flames shooting at Ophelia. He’d turned the two mock allies on one another and they’d been marked enough by lesser flames to show a loss.

Marius led the two units back to the arena.

Maiwenn landed near Marius. “High Captain! That was clever.”

“Thank you.” Marius hopped off of Ragewing and opened the top of the water trough near the side of the public stands so the dragons could drink.

“I think we should increase our tolerance for fire, High Captain.” Ophelia’s voice cut the air as she led her Green-flanked Terror to the second trough, where Titus and Ewan were wiping down their dragons and checking for any serious wounds.

“The tournament calls for more aggressive training exercises on the final day. You’ll have your moment to show your fire, Ophelia.”

He studied her features, trying to get a read on whether or not she was angry or if she had indeed given in to his command. Though he outranked her, it was a delicate situation. Her father was the commander and she had sway due to the familial link even though it was not at all proper. He shouldn’t even worry about having to reprimand her, but the commander had shown her favoritism in the past, so he had to watch himself. Marius would have much preferred a unit with clear rank procedures so there was no question as to what actions were permitted. Ophelia’s gaze was flat, but she released her dragon’s reins and came closer.

She looked him up and down, then almost smiled. “I look forward to the tournament festivities. Will you be accompanying me?”

He inclined his head. “Of course. If you’ll have me.”

“I will have you.” Her smile grew teeth and he wasn’t sure he liked that tone.

“Good.” If she thought she could control him, she was wrong. He would wed her for the sake of Mist Fae blood and tradition, but he would not be cowed by her. They would be equals. Partners. Hopefully, she would be amenable to that situation.

The dragons lapped the water like massive cats, splashing so much that he had to step back to avoid being sullied. Ragewing stopped drinking and eyed him.

“Yes, I know what you are waiting for.” He scooped a handful of water from the trough and poured it over the back of Ragewing’s lowered head.

When Marius turned back around, Ophelia was already on the far side of the arena, leading her dragon back to the stables. He needed to tell her how he felt about their future and see what she thought about it. She’d shown interest through body language and finding him at meal times, but was she serious about their impending relationship?

He blinked. He shouldn’t think of their potential marriage as impending like one did a sense of doom. No, he didn’t feel like that. It was exciting. Correct. A good thing. Yes.

A shudder ran down Marius’s back and he froze. What was that?

“You look like you’re about to spontaneously combust, High Captain.” Remus was standing right beside him, offering a cup of mint water.

“Did you feel that?”

“Feel what, sir?”

A wave of energy had pulsed through the air. Or perhaps he was simply excited for the tournament. “Nothing. Never mind.”

“Are you upset about something? You seem pretty distracted.”

Marius took the offered cup and drank the cool beverage down in three swallows. “Thank you. And I’ll thank you also to mind your own business.”

“You are my business, Sir Marius.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Do you want me to take Ragewing back?”

The other knights were on their way out of the arena. None of them seemed taken aback by…by whatever that feeling had been. They walked and chatted as if nothing had happened. The next session would take place in the afternoon after the dragons had rested and then flown individually with their riders. All was as normal.

“No, I’ll tend him here,” Marius said, “and then I’ll put him back in the stables myself. You can take an hour off.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Remus said something else before leaving, but Marius couldn’t be bothered to listen. Ragewing lifted his head and eyed the gate leading to the market and the homes beyond the castle keep.

“Is there something on the air right now, Ragewing? I felt odd for a moment.” It wasn’t as if the dragon could actually answer, but oftentimes, Ragewing found a way to communicate if he was motivated enough.

The dragon bumped Marius’s side and snuffed a hot breath of dragon smoke. The black circles cloaked Marius’s view of the arena and gate for a moment. He set to washing the spring pollen from Ragewing’s wounded area and tried to let go of both his worries about Ophelia and the strange feeling.

King Lysanael and Queen Revna would arrive soon. He had to remain focused.