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)
“Ha. Very funny.”
“Never know with you,” he surprises me by replying.
Bodhi goes first, nailing the running landing like it’s part of his everyday workout, then uses the momentum to continue into the projection, twisting his left hand and swinging the sword with the other, decapitating the fake model.
Cuir banks hard to pivot back to Bodhi, but it’s too steep, and his green swordtail takes out a small section of boulders halfway up the hill as he pulls the turn.
Bodhi breaks into a run from the projection, and Cuir returns, extending his left foreleg as he slows his speed. The two are parallel just long enough for Bodhi to leap onto Cuir’s claw, and the dragon is already accelerating, gaining altitude as Bodhi climbs up to the seat.
Oh…we’re fucked.
“I can’t do that.” It’s not self-doubt talking. It’s just fact.
“You will,” Tairn decrees. “It just won’t look like that.”
Right. Because I’ll be dead, lying face down on the muddy flight field from the impact.
“Sometimes I forget just how nearly perfect Bodhi is at everything,” I say to Xaden. No one thought of him during Battle Brief yesterday, and he should have been the first name that came to mind. Countering signets might not be the best offensive tool, but damn if it isn’t a hell of a defense.
“He’s my cousin,” Xaden replies, locking eyes with me. “Of course he’s exceptional.”
“Hmmm. Just like you, but without the arrogance.” I cock my head to the side. “Maybe I fell for the wrong—”
“It would be a shame to kill my last living relative.” Xaden tilts his head to mirror mine, then straightens, and on today of all days, I choose not to remind him that he has two half brothers. “And that is how it’s done,” he calls out. “In this scenario, the smaller dragons have the advantage. Maneuverability is key, so do yourselves a favor and talk out your approach before the attempt. We only have one mender on campus.”
And I’d rather fly to Aretia than let Nolon touch me.
“Maybe we should wait a month and try when we’re on the Aretia rotation,” I suggest to Tairn.
“Or you could simply not break anything,” he suggests oh-so-helpfully.
First Squad begins. The initial two maneuvers are successful. The next cadet breaks her leg on impact.
“Ouch,” Rhi hisses through her teeth and glances my way. “You all right to do this?” she asks as the first-year stumbles off, cradling the appendage.
“I’m never all right to do this,” I reply. “I just do it anyway.”
“Sounds about right.” She nods, then her eyes narrow at something across the field.
I track her line of sight to Xaden and shake my head. “Don’t.” I can’t say more out in the open, but it’s not like she doesn’t know what I’m talking about.
“It’s hard not to,” she admits without apology. “But I’m trying.”
“I know. Thank you.” I adjust my new saddle strap and pray the stitches I finished this morning will hold. Instead of keeping my thighs at the seat like the original one I’ve left fastened in front of me, this one wraps around my waist like a belt and buckles in front with three different notches I can tighten or loosen depending on how much maneuverability I need.
A second-year nails the running landing but misses the leap for his Red Morningstartail’s claw and slams into the mud.
I wince. Movement catches my eye, and my gaze runs up the hill behind Xaden, finding Andarna perched on an outcropping fifty feet overhead, her scales the same color as Tairn’s. “Change your mind?” I ask with what I hope is the right amount of encouragement.
“No.” Her tail flicks a second before she launches, leaping from the outcropping with sure beats of her wings, climbing up and over the ridge of the box canyon.
Fuck. I blow out a frustrated sigh. I can’t say or do anything right to help her.
“She’s adjusting,” Tairn says.
I glance across the field and find Xaden watching me. “It’s going around.”
First Squad ends with five successful maneuvers, four failed attempts at landing, and two failed launches, resulting in a total of three broken bones and one bloody nose.
“This does not bode well for us in battle,” Rhi says.
“Let’s hope we have time to get it right.” It’s the most supportive comment I can come up with. “You’re the squad leader, so you’d better go set the example. Good luck. Don’t die.” I flash a smile her way.
“Thanks.” She fights the smile she returns, then pretends to puff out her chest. “I will bring honor to the patch.”
“See that you do.” I watch as Feirge steps forward and launches once she’s clear of Tairn.
Xaden looks my way, and for a second, the mask falls, giving me a glimpse of longing that tightens my chest.
“You getting any sleep?” I ask.
“I sleep better when I’m next to you,” he admits.