Page 8 of Wild Bond (Wild Bond #1)

A t lunch the next day, I got a missive to meet Commander Rakim at the aviary for my first flying lesson with Skye. Skye was ecstatic to finally get to fly with me. Her excitement matched my own, thrumming in the bond between us and filling my blood with nervous energy. Part of me still couldn’t believe that I was a dragon rider, let alone that I would literally get to do what that name entailed and actually ride a dragon. The little girl in me wanted to crow with happiness.

And then there was a smaller part of me, a part I had been trying to ignore, that was even excited about who would be teaching me to do said flying—though I still couldn’t comprehend why he had volunteered in the first place.

Forcing those perfect blue eyes and that penetrating stare from my mind, I tried to pay attention to where I was going as I made my way past the training fields.

The aviary wasn’t quite what the name suggested. It was no bird cage, far from it. At the back of the rider compound sat a giant stone cliff face that jutted right out of the mountain itself. Several dozen cave-like holes of all different sizes had been painstakingly carved into the stone at different heights. The intention being to accommodate dragons in their natural forms. It gave them a place of refuge where they could sleep or spend time undisturbed while their riders were busy in the city or at the compound.

Dragons preferred staying close to their riders most of the time, so the aviary was never crowded. At least, not so far as I had seen since being here. A stairway had been carved into the stone to one side of the caves where the rock stuck out. It was to this stairway that I now headed. It took me nearly fifteen minutes to reach the top, and by then I was so winded that I had to stop and catch my breath. I couldn’t wait until I learned to fly, just so I never had to take those stairs again. I could feel Skye’s amusement in the bond, and it was then that I stood up straight and looked around.

We now stood at the top of the section of rock that housed the caves. The space, which had been worn flat over the centuries, was wide and open, and large enough to accommodate a dozen dragons in their natural forms, with no issue of crowding. The afternoon sun was warm on my skin, and I inhaled the soft breeze that whipped up over the cliff’s edge. I glanced up to take in the impressive sight of Dragon Spear looming overhead; it seemed to be piercing the heavens.

There was no one else up here. Commander Rakim must be running late, so I made my way over to the edge as Skye shifted to her natural form. I swear I felt a sigh pass through the bond as she did so.

As I gazed down at the several hundred-foot drop below me, I felt Skye’s presence behind me. The heat from her skin radiated at my back as her head arched over my shoulder, peering down as well. I could tell she was wondering what I found so fascinating about it. I supposed being up so high was commonplace for her, but the sight of The Tower compound and the city spread out below me was a little unsettling.

Skye’s head raised suddenly, and I felt her excitement and a small amount of wariness as Rakim and Naasir came flying into view. The black dragon slowly grew larger as they approached. It was only a minute before we turned to watch them land further back from the edge of the cliff, a buffet of wind brushing over my face as they did.

Rakim dismounted with the ease of long practice, and his presence was just as devastating as the last time I had seen him. He wore the black leathers that were customary for dragon riders, but no sword hung from his waist this time.

“Good. You’re on time,” was all he said by way of greeting.

Unfortunately, that was when my nerves got the better of me and I opened my mouth. “Which is a miracle after climbing all those stairs. Was that why you wanted to meet all the way up here for my first lesson? To torture me?”

He just looked at me.

I bit my lip, forcing my nerves and mouth under control. “Sorry, Commander.” Internally I berated myself. I had to remember who this man was. He didn’t know me, nor I him. Bantering back and forth with Dembe, and even Zade, the past several days, and hearing them talk about him, had loosened my tongue too much . . . and had also made me curious. More curious than I had any right to be about the man before me.

I began to fidget under his stare and unconsciously rubbed my scar. His eyes dropped to my arm, and I instantly stopped.

Something ticked in his jaw, and I got the sense that he was irritated about something, but I couldn’t begin to guess what. Then he finally spoke.

“For your first lesson, I only want you to focus on flying, not on ground takeoffs. This spot is high enough that Skye can simply leap off rather than building up the momentum from the ground.” He paused, giving me a pointed stare. “ That is why I had you meet me up here.”

“Right,” I mumbled, fighting hard not to acknowledge the color rising in my cheeks. “That makes sense.”

“Now,” he began, “we haven’t yet had a saddle made, so Skye will need to keep steady while in the air. No spinning or turning too swiftly until you can be strapped in.”

I nodded and felt Skye listening intently in the bond.

“The last thing we need is for you to fall to your death.”

“Saving that for lesson two?” I quipped, unable to help myself.

To my relief, a spark of something that could have been humor lit his expression, instead of the stern disapproval I had been expecting.

“Let’s see how today goes,” he replied dryly.

I cleared my throat. “Right, how do I do this, then?”

He gestured to Skye. “Have her bend down. Climb up using her front foreleg, then swing your leg over and sit at the base of her neck, just between her shoulders.”

I did as he said, finding there was a natural groove below her neck that seemed made just for a rider. I patted her neck, feeling an odd mix of anticipation, excitement, and fear of the unknown. Skye, for her part, was still thrumming with excitement in the bond.

“Sit up straight,” Rakim instructed, eyes assessing me. “Keep your legs slightly bent at the knees, and use your thighs to grip her sides, just as you would when riding a horse.”

“I’ve never ridden a horse,” I confessed.

He shook his head, dark hair glinting in the sun. “No matter. Riding one pales in comparison to a dragon, anyway.”

I grinned down at him, and his eyes dropped to my mouth. Something tightened in my lower belly when his eyes met mine again.

I fought to ignore the flutter in my stomach as he began speaking again. “When she takes off, bend forward over her neck. Lean into her turns and movements. Don’t forget to use the bond to communicate with her. Use it to act as one while you’re flying.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath, and facing forward. I had to focus. I was about to ride a dragon, after all.

Rakim climbed up onto Naasir and strapped himself in. The saddle itself was made of black leather and blended in with his dragon’s midnight scales seamlessly.

“Watch what I do and try to imitate it,” he instructed.

I nodded and felt a thrill of exhilaration as Naasir moved to the edge and leapt into the air. Skye and I watched as he soared into the sky, remaining level for the most part.

Leaning down and rubbing my dragon’s smooth, warm neck I murmured, “Are you ready, girl?”

Skye let out an answering cry of affirmation as her jade wings lifted partially behind and on either side of me. I felt her muscles bunch and contract beneath me. A hum of excitement filled the bond and then, between one breath and the next, she leapt.

Wind whipped my face, and my heart was in my throat as we plummeted toward the hard ground below. I couldn’t help the fleeting thought that I was going to die.

But before I could even scream, Skye flapped her wings and we rose back up in the air before leveling out again. I gasped in wonder as I stared around me, taking in the ground far below and the city beyond. The view was breathtaking in the bright light of day, and the feeling of the wind in my hair and racing across my skin was exhilarating. It was like nothing else I had ever experienced.

Rakim and Naasir were circling above us, and I could feel their assessing eyes on us, making sure I was safe. Skye stayed perfectly level, her wings outstretched and gliding gently on the air. I could tell that she was extremely conscious of me and making sure that I was okay. I reassured her in the bond that I trusted her, and for several minutes we both just soaked in the joyful and utterly unique feeling of flying together for the first time.

I was riding a dragon.

Something I had wanted since I was a little girl, dreamed of since the moment I first learned what a dragon was. And it had happened. It had actually happened. I tried to fight back the hot sting of tears but failed miserably. Luckily, the wind stole the tears away, which I thought was only fitting.

After a while, Commander Rakim lowered closer to us and shouted instructions, critiquing my posture and reminding me to use my legs and to always be in constant communication with Skye.

All too soon, he ordered us to go back and walked me through landing as we approached the cliff and lowered down.

The landing itself was jarring, but I didn’t fall off, for which I was grateful.

I glanced at Rakim with what I knew had to be a blazing grin on my face as he and Naasir landed beside us, already wanting to ask him when our next lesson would be.

There was something about him that seemed lighter, more relaxed after flying. His face was serene. Like he still enjoyed it just as much as I just had, even though it was my first time, and he had no doubt done this thousands of times.

“I hope I never get used to that feeling,” I gasped, brushing some stray hair from my face.

Rakim grinned—actually grinned. And my heart felt like it might stall in my chest at how breathtaking it made him.

“You don’t,” he vowed.

He climbed down from Naasir, then came over on Skye’s other side. Skye bent down so I would be closer to the ground as Rakim instructed me on how to dismount.

Even with his instruction and Skye helping as much as she could, I still ended up sliding down Skye’s side and landing in a sprawl on my backside.

I cursed violently and could feel Skye’s bubbling amusement in the bond. Her long neck curved to watch me as I tried to climb to my feet but ended up back on my butt. Even after such a short flight, my legs and lower back were already stiff and protested any movement.

A large hand appeared in my vision, and I grasped it as Rakim pulled me to my feet. “It’ll get easier,” he assured me. I looked up at him and saw a faint smile on his lips. Standing so close to him, I caught a hint of a citrus and sage scent and had to fight the urge to lean in and breathe it in more deeply.

Instead, I pulled back and brushed myself off. “Thank you, Commander.”

“Meet here the same time tomorrow,” he directed. “We’ll train every day unless I am called away like I was this past week. But if that happens again, I will let you know before I leave.”

I nodded, then shot Skye a scowl for laughing at me. She just ignored me and shrunk down to her minor form and came to stand at my feet.

I turned to leave but paused, deciding it was now or never. “Why did you do it?” I asked.

His brow furrowed. “Do what?”

“Why did you volunteer . . . to teach me?” I glanced away briefly. “Zade told me you’ve never taught anyone before, so why now?”

He stared at me with that overwhelming gaze, and for several moments I didn’t think he’d answer. But then he said, “Because once, a long time ago, someone did the same for me.”

I searched his eyes, but when he didn’t continue, I knew he wasn’t going to offer anything further.

I breathed out. “Okay, well . . . until tomorrow then, Commander,” I said, giving him a tight smile. I turned to begin heading back down the stairs, Skye following behind me. I had only made it a few steps when his voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Oh, and Rin?”

I looked back over my shoulder at him. “Yes?”

Those unnervingly blue eyes were unreadable as he spoke, “During our lessons, and when we’re alone . . . call me Rake.”