The Immortal / Fourth Wing

Chapter Thirteen

POV: Xandor Galadon

"There are forty-one unbonded riders who would kill to be standing where you are," Kaori said. "And your dragons know that your bond is as its weakest point right now, so if you fall, if you fail, there's a good chance your dragons might let you if it thinks the unbonded will be a better choice."

A few hours later, after the rearranging of the squads and death roll reading was over, every first-year rider from Fourth Wing stood on the flight field, their dragons behind them.

The uniform they were given is thicker than the ones the others used to wear before with nothing on it, that could give away who they were.

From where I stood a few meters away from everyone else I could see the wide berth the other dragons gave Tairn. Dâmoren didn't bother to come down for the instruction. He flew over the clouds, observing everything but couldn't be seen und waited for me to call him.

"As today was only for learning to stay in the seat, there was no reason to fly in the line." He had said this morning as I ate my bread next to him. "There's never a reason fo me to fly in line." Pompous ass.

I could still feel his amusement through the bond and had to block him out yesterday after he mocked me for my feelings for Liam.

"You know I could" And there it was again. Mocking one for having feelings wasn't nice.

"Don't you dare start again." I threatened and he snorted.

"You know as well as I that you could just take-" I stopped him right there.

"Human relationships work different than the dragons'. Now end of discussion." When concentrating back on Professor Kaori, I noticed the curious glances he sent my way. He was probably thinking the same as everyone. Where was his dragon? Humans were too curious for their own good.

"Now, we're going to mount, then follow a series of specific maneuvers your dragon already knows. Your orders are simply today. Stay in your seat," Kaori finished.

I didn't take orders. I gave them. But I could follow advises.

Kaori turned and broke into a sprint, racing the dozen feet toward his dragon's foreleg and making a vertical climb to mount. I watched as the other riders did the same mounting maneuver and how Tairn dipped his shoulder and made his leg into a ramp, so Violet could mount him. Good boy.

As if he had heard, he shortly glanced my way and huffed.

One after the other, the dragons followed Professor Kaori and climbed in the sky with Tairn as the second. Then the flight field was empty, and I saw the last rider look down at me.

"Now."

A roar sounded through the air, and I noticed a few dragons break out of line but quickly getting back in.

Dâmoren broke through the clouds and threw a massive shadow on the city of Basgiath. I could hear the citizens screams from up here. Even with my back turn to Dâmoren I knew that he approached with incredible speed. Facing the line of dragons flying away I raised my left hand.

As soon as he had reached me and his massive body almost touching the ground of the field, with his head hovering closer over, I grabbed one of the spikes at the side of his head midflight and was off the ground. With me holding onto the spike, Dâmoren climbed steeply into the air, and we quickly left the ground behind us. As soon as we broke through the clouds, I swung myself upwards onto his back and landed in a crouched position. It felt good to finally get to do that again.