(COMPLETE)
Lady Mhysra Kilpapan was blessed from birth with a distinguished family, a glorious home and a giant eagle miryhl of her own. Fully aware of her luck, she wants for nothing in life - except a chance to become a Rift Rider. The elite force...
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Ten
23rd Sun
For the next month all anyone spoke about was the kaz-naghkt attack. Speculation was rife, though most reports were greeted with scepticism. Everyone knew kaz-naghkt came from the west, usually in large numbers – the only surprise was when they appeared.
"I ain't never seen no kaznak," a kitchen maid grumbled one morning as she wiped the work table. "I bet Riders make 'em up to scare us normal folk."
Eating her breakfast in the corner, Mhysra grimaced. She'd never seen a kaz-naghkt either, but the look on Derrain's face whenever they were mentioned was enough to convince her that they existed. Not much made her merry friend grim, but the word kaz-naghkt never failed.
"I 'eard they're yumans what sold their souls to the Dark God for wings," a footmen said, snatching a fresh roll while Cook's back was turned and winking at the chatty maid.
She turned her nose up at him. "People don't fly. Gods, or no. They ain't real."
"I 'eard they was dragons from the Stormwash what lost their magic. Sounds mad ter me." The bootboy shook his head, apparently disappointed by the world's most ferocious enemy.
"Dragons," the maid scoffed. "They ain't real neither."
Cook picked up a broom and poked the girl in the back. "If yer lucky Maycie, ye need never think different. Me, I'll believe all kinds of things, so long as the Riders keep 'em far from me. For somethin' that don't exist, plenty of people think they do. Call me a mug, but I'll stick to trustin' the Riders to keep me safe."
The maid scowled as she took the broom. "I know what I think, an' I'll be stickin' with it."
How quickly they forgot Feather Frost, Mhysra thought. Not just Feather Frost, but Thrift Edge, Heston Point and Shune. All were Rider bases with reputations for defeating the enemy. Only Feather Frost was destroyed, but the others had been damaged enough to allow women back into the Riders.
Cook shrugged at Mhysra and snapped her fingers at the maid. "Floor needs sweeping."
Not that any Rider complained if the city folk didn't believe the stories. Better a sceptical populace than a panicked one. Not that there was anything to worry about, according to Captain Myran's official statement. A small scouting party of kaz-naghkt had been spotted and sent about their business. Since no Riders had been killed and all injuries were minor it was easy to believe the placating words. But Mhysra didn't and nor did her friends.
How could they when the enemy had been sighted over well-protected Imercian, to theeast of Nimbys? Kaz-naghkt never came from the east. No one would bother making that up.
Luckily for the officers at the selection school, the majority of their pupils soon had other things on their minds.
