Page 6 of Wild Bond (Wild Bond #1)

T he next day, I took the morning meal down in the dining hall with the other dragon riders. It was in a separate building located between the trainee barracks and Rider Tower itself. Tables and chairs were spread out over the wide space, and upon entering, the smell of cooked meat and fresh bread made my mouth water.

Skye had decided to go hunting this morning for her breakfast, so she wasn’t with me, though I could feel her flying over the woods just north of the city. Up until now she had been content to simply eat the raw hunks of meat Millie brought her, but I guess every few days a dragon her size would need a more substantial meal to sustain her. She had been reluctant to leave me at first, after only returning a few hours before from escorting the other dragons, but I assured her I would be fine, and she had eventually flown out our chamber window.

None of the other trainees seemed to know what to make of me, so after getting my food, I sat alone at a far table. No one came to join me, which suited me just fine. I was enjoying the food too much to care, and probably ate more than I should. I was contemplating getting another helping, even though my stomach felt as if it would burst, when someone stopped at my table.

I looked up and met the warm brown eyes of one of the last people I would have expected to see. Dembe Matara—Rakim’s second—stood there, towering over the table with his large, imposing frame. The dark skin of his bald head gleamed in the morning light pouring in from the window behind me. He wore black fighting leathers and a friendly expression.

“Good morning, Rin,” he greeted, his white teeth flashing in a wide smile.

I didn’t reply, too taken aback that this famous dragon rider was here and that he knew to call me Rin. Had Commander Rakim told him the name I preferred? Or had he been at the ball last night and heard me tell the queen?

“Dembe Matara, at your service. But please just call me Dembe. I’m here to escort you to training.”

“Oh,” I mumbled, rising to my feet. “Um . . . you don’t have to take me. If you just tell me where it is, I’m sure I could find—”

“Nonsense,” he waved me off. “You’re training with me this morning.”

I nearly stumbled in surprise as I followed the big man out of the dining hall and into the morning sunlight. “ You’re training me?”

He glanced back, that wide smile stretching his face again. He seemed oblivious to the awed stares and a few respectful nods he was receiving from trainees and other dragon riders as we walked briskly toward the training grounds I had noticed the night before.

“The council decided I would be the best one to assess your abilities and your skill level when it came to weapons training and hand-to-hand combat.”

“So, you’re the best, then?” I couldn’t help but tease him a little. This rider was incredibly intimidating, but despite his size and fearsome reputation, his smile and warm manner put me at ease.

He chuckled deeply. “I suppose I am,” he replied, though there was no boasting in his tone. “Though Rake might have something to say about that if he were here.”

“Rake?” I asked, confused.

“Commander Rakim,” he explained. “We’ve been training together for years. I knew him back when he was just an angry, insufferable kid. But now we’re pretty evenly matched most days. Though the bastard is nigh unbeatable in hand-to-hand. Must have been all that street fighting he did.”

“Street fighting?” I repeated, incredulous. “When did he—”

“And here we are,” Dembe interrupted, gesturing widely with his massive arms.

I looked around and nearly gaped at the size of the training grounds. There was a large, well-worn dirt field sporting several fighting rings defined by chalk outlines, a running track, and weapons racks, as well as wooden and straw practice dummies. Dozens of people wearing the same brown trainee leathers were spread out around the field, sparring, or using the equipment. The oldest seemed to be around my age, while the youngest couldn’t have been more than five or six. I saw what appeared to be a small class of these little ones along with their tiny dragons sitting on the ground, staring up at a female dragon rider in black leathers as she attempted to teach them. Her own dragon sat at her side in its full-size form, looking annoyed as it tried to keep its tail out of the reach of the smaller dragons. I noticed that Declan, the young boy from the Exodus Ball, was among them.

I took this all in as Dembe led me over to an empty area of the field away from the other trainees.

“Do you have any fighting experience?” he asked, eyeing me up and down in an assessing manner.

I tried not to feel self-conscious. The few days of good food and rest had helped, but I was nowhere near the physical condition I had been in before being imprisoned. I was basically just skin and bones with no muscle to speak of. Not even my new rider healing and other abilities could compensate for two years of abuse, neglect, and near starvation.

“I can hold my own,” I finally replied. “But I was never formally trained.” I was being somewhat modest. I was skilled at hand-to-hand, and at one point had been rather lethal with my daggers. But it had been two years since I had used them. For all I knew, I had lost my skills completely.

He nodded, his eyes still assessing, and waved toward the weapons rack beside our empty patch of field. “Choose a sword.”

I glanced at the array of blunted practice weapons and picked a short sword that looked light enough for me to handle in my current state. Of course, my eyes couldn’t help straying to the daggers. My fingers itched to grasp them.

The sword was surprisingly heavy as I made my way out onto the open grassy field. Commander Matara followed me, his broadsword like a twig that might as well be weightless in his massive hand.

Swords were not my forte, and as we began to spar, that became apparent immediately. He disarmed me with embarrassing ease. He said nothing as he handed the blade back to me. We exchanged blows for a few minutes, and I could tell he was going easy on me and probably only attacking at half his speed and strength. Eventually he called a halt, and I was disgusted to find I was already breathing hard. I was even weaker than I first thought.

His dark eyes evaluated me before he said, “I’m guessing a sword isn’t your weapon of choice?”

“What gave me away?” I gasped.

He chuckled as he took the practice sword from me and placed them both back on the weapons rack. I grabbed a pair of dull practice daggers, weighing the feel of them in my hands. I gave them a few practice swipes, testing the grip while Dembe chose a pair of his own.

“I should have guessed,” he murmured. “Considering where you grew up . . . a sword is not practical.”

As we both returned to the center of the field, I couldn’t help but think of the pair of daggers I had lost the night I was captured. I wondered where they had ended up after they had been taken from me. I had stolen them off a drunken man at a pub who hadn’t even noticed when I swiped them. They didn’t match and weren’t of the best quality, but they were mine.

“Ready?” Dembe asked.

I nodded.

He attacked immediately, and I blocked the blow with one blade and thrust out with the other, narrowly missing his stomach.

He grinned at me and spun away.

Gathering my energy, I attacked first this time. His eyes widened at the swiftness of the move, and he barely managed to block it, more out of surprise than anything else.

We sparred for some time without stopping. The big man was skilled and surprisingly fast for his size. I was holding my own with him but couldn’t wait to fight again when I was at my full strength. I got the feeling he was still holding back.

When we finally took a break, my muscles ached, and my heart felt like it would pound right out of my chest.

Dembe picked up two water skins from the ground that I hadn’t noticed before and threw one to me. I caught it and was just taking a hefty drink when I felt Skye drawing near. A few seconds later a shadow passed overhead and there was the sound of great wing beats before I glanced up to see her landing in her natural form several feet away.

I heard several shouts of excitement from the younger trainee class. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us, and Skye in particular.

Show off, I thought to Skye as I watched her preen and hold herself with a dignified air.

I made my way over to her and she bent her head so I could rub her snout in greeting.

Skye gazed over my shoulder curiously at Dembe, and I turned to see the large man standing a respectful distance away. I suddenly wondered where his own dragon was. Maybe hunting like Skye had been?

“Oh, right. Dembe, this is Skye. Skye, this is Dembe Matara.”

Dembe bowed his head slightly. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Skye.”

Skye returned the gesture, and I could tell from our bond she tentatively liked the rider.

“Well, it seems like I’m just in time for introductions,” a new voice said from behind me.

I turned to see a man, only a few years my senior, standing a few paces away, staring at the three of us with a smile on his rather boyish face. He too wore the black rider leathers. His face was clean-shaven, his skin sun-kissed, and his shoulder-length blonde hair was tied in a queue at his nape. He held himself with a cocky, self-assured manner, which I wondered if he could back up. But then again, that tattoo on his bicep proved that he was a full-fledged dragon rider, so I supposed he couldn’t be too bad in a fight.

A bright green dragon came to land on his shoulder, the creature’s eyes a striking yellow.

Skye shrank down to her minor form and landed on my own shoulder as Dembe spoke. “Rin, this upstart is Zade. For some reason Rake likes to keep him around. He says he can be useful, but I have yet to see evidence of that.” Dembe flashed me a wink as he said this last.

Zade put a hand to chest in exaggerated affront. “You wound me most deeply, old man. How will I ever recover from your low opinion of me?”

Dembe snorted, but grinned.

Zade laughed good-naturedly and stroked his dragon’s back as he glanced toward me. “This here is Valla.”

For the first time, I realized that Zade’s dragon was female. I couldn’t hide my surprise. Traditionally riders usually bonded with dragons of their same sex. Every so often a rider bonded with a dragon of the opposite sex, but it was rare.

I bowed my head, trying to keep with the custom, and introduced them to Skye. Then I inquired curiously, “What exactly do you do for Commander Rakim?”

“Anything and everything our illustrious commander requires.”

“That was a very vague and uninformative answer.”

Zade’s eyes twinkled as he grinned. “Oh, I like you. We can be friends.” I rolled my eyes, but somehow, I found myself grinning back. It also hadn’t escaped my notice that he didn’t really answer my question. “It is on one such errand, however, that I have been asked to escort you to your first official class.”

“The commander asked you to take me to class?” I repeated, incredulous.

“That’s what I just said, Button. Do keep up. Now hurry and put those weapons away before you’re late. Skye is meant to accompany you to this class as well.”

I felt Skye’s intrigue at this statement, so I decided not to remark on the fact that he just called me Button.

Striding to the weapons rack, I peeked up to make sure the men were busy, seeing that Zade was ribbing Dembe about something.

Good.

While placing the two daggers back, I slipped one of the other daggers on the rack into the back of my waistband. It was a practice weapon, so not the best quality and blunt as a hammer, but that was okay. I’d sharpen it later.

A mixture of humor and pride came from my dragon at my little act of thievery. There wasn’t a hint of judgment or censure, which I appreciated. I think she understood that it went against the grain for me to not have something to protect myself with.

The two riders had finished whatever they were saying, and Dembe now looked to me. “Meet me here at the same time tomorrow.” I nodded, and with a final look at Zade, he was gone, making his way from the field.

“A man of few words, that one,” Zade observed with a shake of his head as we watched him go. “Well, Button,” he said after a moment of silence, “we better get going.” He too began to stride from the training grounds toward Rider Tower.

“Why are you calling me that?” I demanded as I followed him. As we walked across the grass, I noticed the younger class of trainees had left as well.

“Don’t know,” he said, not looking back. “Just feels right.”

“Well, stop.” He didn’t reply, just smirked, and after a moment, I couldn’t help but ask, “Is it normal for new trainees to be escorted everywhere?” I finally caught up, so I was walking beside him.

“Not usually. Unless you’re a child.”

I instantly felt affronted. “Commander Rakim thinks I’m a child?”

Zade’s face scrunched up. “That came out wrong.”

I glared at him.

He sighed. “No one thinks you’re a child. But it is your first day, and in light of everything that’s happened, I’m sure he just wants to make sure you get to your class safely.”

We had now entered the courtyard and were making our way to one of the stone buildings that connected to the lower portion of Rider Tower.

“Why wouldn’t I get to my class safely?” My mind immediately went to the council meeting the night before. Did Commander Rakim think one of the councilors would try to hurt me? Surely not. “Am I in danger?”

Skye, who had been mostly ignoring the conversation up to this point, was now paying much closer attention.

“I’m not explaining this well,” Zade said. “You are safe, but for now, it’s probably best if you don’t leave the rider compound.”

“I thought I wasn’t a prisoner?” Rakim had said as much.

At my look, he said placatingly, “You’re not. This is just until things settle down. The city is still in an uproar about you and your dragon.”

“And I’m guessing this uproar isn’t favorable?”

He shrugged as we entered the building and started down a long hallway. “Actually, most people are fascinated by you and Skye from what I’ve heard. Though, some aren’t too pleased about a thief being the one to bond the Jade Dragon, and no one knows what to make of you being older. You’d have to ask Rake if you wanted details, though. He’s the one with the pulse on the city.”

“I will,” I said. “Maybe during my first flying lesson. But I don’t think he’ll—”

“Wait.” Zade stopped in his tracks and turned to face me, which made me halt as well. “The council assigned Rake to train you?” His tone was incredulous. “When did this happen?”

“Last night, I guess some of the councilors called an impromptu meeting.” I shrugged. “And Rake—I mean, Commander Rakim—volunteered, actually.”

Zade’s eyes widened, then he seemed to consider me more closely. “Interesting.”

I frowned as we both started walking again. “Why is that interesting?”

Zade laughed and smiled at me. “Because, Button, Rake has never offered to train anyone.”

Something warm and confusing fluttered in my chest at this revelation. “Never?”

He shook his head, a wicked grin I wasn’t sure I liked on his face. “Never. Not to my knowledge, anyway.”

Not sure what to make of his words and their implications, I stayed quiet until we stopped at a wooden door near the end of the wide corridor.

Zade motioned to the door. “Your destination, milady.”

I could hear odd sounds coming from the other side. I could make out what sounded like the low growls and cries of several dragons and was that . . . children?

“After this class, you’re free for the day,” Zade informed me, all business now. He raised a long finger and pointed it in my face. “And don’t leave the compound. At least, not yet.” He didn’t wait for my acknowledgment of this before he stepped around me, heading back the way we had come, but not before he glanced over his shoulder and hollered, “Oh, and have fun with the hatchlings!”

Apprehension washed over me at his statement. Hatchlings?

I faced the door and tried to swallow down a sudden wealth of nerves. A wave of encouragement and comfort came from Skye, and I stroked her wing gratefully before opening the door and entering the room.

I found myself in a classroom with a dozen pairs of eyes suddenly regarding me with wide-eyed curiosity, as well as those of their dragons. This was obviously the class of younger trainees I had seen earlier on the training grounds. Now I understood what Zade had meant.

“Uh . . .” I began, each child was sitting on a cushion with a low desk before them.

“Come in, Rin,” the teacher motioned to me from where I hadn’t noticed her standing at the head of the room. “Please take a seat. Don’t be shy.” I was stunned to realize the woman was the councilor with the kind smile that I’d heard the other councilors refer to as Gemma. It amazed me that a council member, with all the duties and responsibilities that came with that position, would make the time to teach the youngest of our order.

As I took a tentative step forward, she continued, “Trainees, I want you to welcome Rin and her dragon, Skye, to our class.”

There was a chorus of loud hellos from the students and a few welcoming growls—at least I thought they were welcoming—from their dragons.

I quickly made my way to the back of the room where an empty desk and cushion waited. As I sat, one little girl with pig tails, sitting toward the front, asked, “Is she supposed to be here?”

“Yeah,” another boy added. “Isn’t she too old?”

I looked around. None of the children appeared older than seven or eight. I noticed Declan looking back at me from his seat in front of mine.

Gemma gave the children a stern look. “Rin and Skye are newly bonded, just like many of you. They have a lot to learn, and so I expect all of you to be kind and help them when they need it. You all remember your first day, don’t you?”

“Yes, Councilor Gemma,” the class intoned.

“Now everyone, settle down and let us resume our discussion on the dragon bond. Remember we talked about how every bond manifests differently for each dragon and rider?”

Several hands went up.

Gemma called on the little girl in the front. “Yes, Stella?”

“My dragon talks to me in my head. No one else can hear her but me.”

A boy who was hopping on the balls of his feet next to her called out, “My dragon talks to me with pictures.”

Then all the children began shouting at once.

“Mine shows me pictures, too.”

“Sometimes I hear music and—”

“I just know how my dragon is feeling all the time.”

“Why don’t dragons talk out loud like we do?”

“Why am I a rider but my sister isn’t?”

All the little dragons were fluttering around the room as well, twittering as excitedly as their young riders.

I watched the madness unfolding around me with the biggest grin on my face. A happy sense of peace overcame me amid the chaos.

Skye had retreated under the table with her wings over her head as if hiding from the noise.

The cacophony was just starting to reach an unholy pitch when Gemma rang a tiny bell at the front of the room, and everyone immediately quieted. Gemma’s dragon, a beautiful creature of pale blue, huffed in annoyance into the silence from where she sat at the councilor’s feet.

“Now children, remember, we ask questions one at a time.”

As the lesson continued, I found myself completely engrossed, and in no time at all, Gemma was calling an end to the class. My mind was swirling with information about bondings and the etiquette associated with what was and was not appropriate to say and do in regard to another rider’s dragon or bond.

“Rin? I’d like a word with you before you go,” Gemma called.

I walked to the front of the room as the rest of my little classmates filed out. Skye stood at my feet and ignored the younger dragons that chirped or tried to get her attention as they passed by with their riders. I fought my sense of amusement at Skye’s obvious irritation at the eager hatchlings.

Be nice , I thought to her.

Her emerald eyes just narrowed.

“I hope you aren’t insulted, Rin,” Gemma said in her gentle tone, returning my attention to her.

My brow furrowed in confusion.

“That I placed you in this class,” she explained. “I just felt that, at least to start out, it might be good for you to begin with the fundamentals when it comes to learning about our world. And though you and Skye are adults, it might be good for you to learn with the youngest among us.” She smiled warmly as the last little rider and his dragon bounded out the door. “After all, in many ways you are just as much a beginner as they are.”

“I don’t mind,” I assured her. “I actually rather enjoyed myself today.”

Skye, who was now exploring one of the seating cushions in the corner, huffed loudly. She might as well have said, Speak for yourself.

“You did well.”

“Thank you, Councilor,” I said, not sure how to address her.

“Call me Gemma, please,” she smiled. “I only go by Councilor Naline when I have to.”

I nodded and we said our goodbyes.

Realizing my body wasn’t nearly as recovered as I first thought, I made my way back to the trainee barracks and crashed onto my bed. Skye snuggled up beside me, and before I knew it, I was sound asleep.