Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
My stomach dips.
“You second-years seem pretty loyal to one another.” He drags his gaze back to mine. “They’ll pay each and every time you disobey an order or step out of line, starting now.” His head tilts as he stares past me. “You want to play with matters of war? Then you won’t mind serving on the front.” He glances at Rhi. “Squad leader, every second-year under your command is hereby ordered for two days of duty at the outpost of Samara, to begin tomorrow morning.” A cruel smile curves his mouth as he addresses me. “The fighting there is…rather intense, but surely your signet will keep your squadmates alive, and two days should get you back before your dragon feels the loss of his mate.”
“Tomorrow morning?” My lips part. “But it’s at least an eighteen-hour flight for a gryphon, and they’ll need breaks.” It’s more like twenty hours total, and they’ll be exhausted by the time we get there.
“Then I guess you’d better get going. I hope to see you all return…intact.”
Calling cadets into active service in times of war may only be authorized by the Commanding General of Basgiath.
—Article Eight, Section OneThe Dragon Rider’s Codex
CHAPTER NINE
Twenty-two hours later, the six of us report to Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi in Samara’s courtyard, bleary-eyed and swaying with bone-deep tiredness. We’re not the only ones exhausted. The lieutenant colonel has definitely seen easier days. His cheeks are gaunt, and dried blood cakes the side of his neck.
The fortress should feel familiar thanks to how many times I visited Xaden while he was stationed here in the fall, but the scene around us makes the place nearly unrecognizable. The western wall looks like a dragon crashed through it, demolishing nearly a quarter of the structure, and wounded in various states of distress line what’s left as healers in bloody smocks move between them.
“Not a dragon,” Andarna corrects me. “A wyvern.”
We flew over what remained of their burned bones a few fields away.
“Try to get some rest,” I tell her.
“I’m the only one who slept on the way here,” she argues. “And this thing itches.”
“Leave your harness on. There’s no telling how quickly we might be forced to leave.”
“I’m not wearing this when we find my family,” she grumbles.
“Then fly farther,” Tairn growls. “Some of us are trying to sleep.”
Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi finishes reading the orders Rhi carried, then looks up at us over the paper. “They really gave command of Basgiath to Aetos?”
“Yes, sir.” Rhi holds her shoulders straight, which is more than I can say for the rest of us.
Cat and Maren look like they’ve been through a hurricane, and Trager can’t quit yawning. Same goes for Ridoc. And after spending all night in the saddle, I’m all but leaning on him to keep upright. Every muscle in my body hurts, my hips are screaming, and my head pounds in time with my heartbeat.
“And he invoked Article Eight to send me cadets?” Degrensi glances down our line, his gaze lingering on the fliers.
“Yes, sir.” Rhi nods.
“Wonderful. Well, his intel is old.” Degrensi crumples the orders into a ball. “Fighting ended yesterday, and even if it hadn’t, I’m not apt to send cadets into battle.” He points to the gaping hole in the fortress. “The biggest wyvern crashed through as the wards came back up, but once our perimeter fell, venin didn’t need magic to get inside the post anyway. Nearly lost our power supply killing them off. We managed to repel them across the border, but the front is just over the hill.” His gaze drifts toward the fliers. “The casualties are far worse beyond the wards.”
“They always are,” Cat comments.
“Has Newhall been affected?” Maren’s face draws tight. “It’s a small village on the Stonewater River about half an—”
“I know where Newhall is,” Degrensi interrupts, clearly ready to be done with us. “As of this morning’s report, it remains standing.”
Maren’s shoulders sag, and Cat wraps her arm around her.
“What about Poromish civilians?” Trager asks. “Are you”—he flinches—“we offering them refuge?”
Degrensi slowly shakes his head. “We’re under strict orders not to allow anyone in unless something in negotiations changes, but we crossed the border and fought with your people up until the horde departed yesterday.”
“You have our gratitude,” Cat says. “Not everyone would do the same.”
He nods. “For transparency, don’t expect the others to be friendly, especially among the riders. This potential alliance isn’t overly popular.” Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi turns his attention to me. “We were all grieved to hear of the loss of your mother. She was an outstanding commander.”
“Thank you. She prided herself on it.” I adjust the straps of my pack on my shoulders to give my hands something to do.
He nods. “Do me a favor and ask that dragon of yours to stay out of sight. You are both formidable weapons, but you’re also a giant target. The enemy may see this as their opportunity to attack en masse and dispatch you both from our ranks, and we can’t afford to draw more daggers from the armory if we want to keep the wards in place. Not much we can do if he’s already been spotted, but let’s avoid additional opportunities.”