Wild and Out of Control

|chapter thirteen|

"It is therefore only natural that the more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the signet its rider manifests. One should beware of a strong rider who bonds a smaller dragon, but even warier of the unbonded cadet, who will stop at nothing to seize a chance to bond."

- MAJOR AFRENDA'S GUIDE TO THE RIDERS QUADRANT (UNAUTHORIZED EDITION)

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|danica|

"This isn't going to be like Threshing, right?" I question Azare when I walk onto the flight field. "Where you made me fall three times."

     "First, you fell on your own doing, not mine," he grumbles. "And second, today is about following the leader, not complicated flight maneuvers. At least...for the others."

     There's a certain glint in his silver eyes that scares me. "What is that supposed to mean? Please don't tell me we're straying from what Kaori instructs."

     "Okay, then I won't tell you."     

     I groan as I readjust my newly issued flight leathers. It's stiff in some places and hasn't been worn in yet, making it just a little uncomfortable. Unlike our regular uniforms, flight leathers bear no insignia besides our rank at our shoulder and any leadership designation. No names. No patches. Nothing that could give us away if we're ever separated from our dragons behind enemy lines. 

     Each time Azare breathes out a breath I notice more than a few cadets look away or wince. And I sure as hell notice that each of them—and their dragons, besides Tairn—give a wide berth to him. Damn, he is actually a dragon to be feared.

     "I can't believe it took you this long to realize that," Azare snorts behind me. "I thought it would have been obvious from the start."

     "Stop reading my thoughts, you nosy dragon." He blows out a stream of smoke from his nose, causing a few riders beside us to gasp in surprise and back away a step. "Stop that. You're scaring the kids."

     "They should be accustomed to that," he defends. "This is a dragon's way of sighing, which, you'll see, we do a lot."

     "I knew dragons were all grumpy saps."

     "Not all of us. Now listen."

     I focus on what Kaori is saying from the center of the field, using common lesser magic to project his voice so we can all hear. Gods help us all when Ridoc figures out how to do that. I hold a smile back as I imagine all the things he would do to annoy not just our Squad but the whole Quadrant. Maybe I'll join him in it.

     "...and at only ninety-two riders, you are our smallest class to date. There are forty-one unbonded riders who would kill to be standing where you are." Yeah, kill me or Violet. "And your dragons know that your bond is at its weakest point right now so if you fall, if you fail, there's a good chance your dragon might let you if it thinks the unbonded will be a better choice."

     "You won't leave me, will you?" I whisper to Azare.

     "I will if you. Don't. Pay. Attention."

     "Please don't." If he does, I'll be left unbonded. My father will not be pleased, especially since he made a big show at Threshing about how "proud" he was.

     "Now we're going to mount, then follow a series of specific maneuvers your dragons already know. Your orders are simple today: stay in your seat," Kaori finishes, then turns and breaks into a sprint to do the vertical climb up his dragon's leg.