The Lost Child ~ [Xaden Riorson]

Chapter 7

There are 169 of us by the time the morning is done and, even with my penalty for the rope, we've placed eleventh out of the thirty-six squads for Presentation—the piss-inducing parade of cadets before this year's dragons willing to bond.

The fastest up the Gauntlet was a tie between me and Liam Mairi, of course, earning us the Gauntlet patch. I completely dismissed him when he tried to talk to me after we received it. I don't care if he regrets what he did, but I don't give second chances.

The box canyon that makes up the training field is spectacular in the afternoon sun, with miles of autumn-colored meadows and peaks rising on three sides of us as we wait at the narrowest part, the entrance to the valley. At the end, I can make out the line of the waterfall that might be just a trickle of a creek now but will rush at runoff season. The leaves of the trees are all turning gold, as though someone has brought in a paintbrush with only one color and streaked it across the landscape.

And then there are the dragons.

Averaging twenty-five feet tall, they're in a formation of their own, lined up several feet back from the path—close enough to pass judgment on us as we walk by.

"Let's go, Second Squad, you're up next," Garrick says, beckoning us with a wave that makes the rebellion relic on his bared forearm gleam.

"Into formation," Garrick orders, his tone all business, which doesn't surprise me given that his leadership style is more mission first, niceties last. Go figure he seems to be so close to Xaden. Unlike Xaden, though, the right side of his uniform has a neat line of patches proclaiming him Flame's section leader as well as more than five patches advertising his skill with a multitude of weapons.

We comply, and Rhiannon, Violet and I end up near the back this time.

There's a sound like rushing wind in the distance that stops as quickly as it starts, and I know someone else has been found lacking.

Garrick's hazel eyes skim over us. "Hopefully Aetos has done his job, so you know that it's a straight walk down the meadow. I'd recommend staying at least seven feet apart—"

"In case one of us gets torched," Ridoc mutters from ahead.

"Correct, Ridoc. Cluster if you want, just know if a dragon finds disfavor with one of you, it's likely to burn the whole lot to weed one out," Garrick warns, holding our gazes for a beat. "Also, remember you're not here to approach them, and if you do, you won't be making it back to the dormitory tonight."

"Can I ask a question?" Luca says from the front row.

Garrick nods, but the ticking of his jaw says he's annoyed. I can't blame him. Luca annoys the shit out of me, too. It's her constant need to tear everyone down that makes most of us keep our distance.

"Third Squad, Tail Section of Fourth Wing already went through, and I talked to some of the cadets..."

"That's not a question." He lifts his brows. A snort escapes me and I swear I see Garrick doning a soft smile when his gaze flicks over me.

"Right. It's just that they said there's two Feathertails?" Her voice pitches upward.

My brows raise. I know Andarna was bonding but I didn't hear of another being allowed to bond.

"A f-feathertail?" Tynan sputters from directly in front of me. "Who the hell would ever want to bond a feathertail?"

I grit my teeth, Vi rolling her eyes, and Rhiannon shakes her head.

"Professor Kaori never told us there would be a feathertail," Sawyer says. "I know because I memorized every single dragon he showed us. All hundred of them."