Page 32 of Creatures of War

“Continue like this, and none of you will be able to come out of this unscathed,” Captain Corniz said in a lower voice. It was softer this time.

I swallowed and gave him a nod. I stared at my dragons, trying to let them know I was okay, but hating how it felt like my message was being bounced off them. Whatever was being used to separate us was too effective. Feeling lonely and scared, I settled on the cold ground, not caring about how my butt was beginning to feel wet.

Tanja stayed at my side doing the same. Captain Corniz gave me one more warning before stomping off to help organize the students.

Then, I was left to stare after my guys. Once they saw me settling down, they did the same. Then, it began. Riders climbed up with the help of the guards around them. I noticed there were more guards around them than the other dragons. And some of the riders were too scared to get on.

Every time a rider was rejected, a pleasant triumph ran through me.

“See,” Tanja said, leaning closer to me with a softer voice. “It’ll be fine.”

“I’ll believe that once this is all over, and they’re okay.”

While riders had to be talked into getting on my dragons, I took a moment to watch the others. More pairings were happening, and the amount of dragons unmated was dwindling down. It was clear that there were far more riders than there were dragons. One tall, lanky boy had to get helped to the top of a massive male dragon.

I watched as they mated, becoming one.

If it wasn’t such a big showcase, it would be a beautiful thing to witness. Even I could remember that pleasure that slammed into me, stealing all my breath, how it felt like all of me connected to the dragon… How we practically became one. I breathed and my dragon breathed with me. My thoughts were practically their thoughts.

It was a magnificent experience.

Yet, like this, it felt degraded, like it was no big deal or just common. And people watched. I was so glad my experiences were private enough, even though they were amidst battles and danger. It still felt best that we got that moment without prying eyes, without people who expected what would happen and took pleasure from watching that moment.

I finally spotted Aylia. She was talking with an animated girl, whose her hands were moving fast. Then, she laughed and slid into another group. I watched her with a small smile as she went from group to group, actually talking.

Where did her shyness go?

She was sociable now, even getting others to laugh at whatever she was saying. She looked like she was having fun. At least someone here was enjoying herself. Though she needed to try getting on the dragons. Maybe she was scared? I would be too. I had to admit, the first time it happened to me with Philit, the whole experience scared the crap out of me. It was sudden, extremely unexpected, and not completely wanted either. I had been attracted him–to all of them—since meeting my guys, but being attracted to them and being impaled by them without warning were two different things. I never imagined my introduction to becoming a mated rider would have been like that.

I sighed and went back to watching my guys, taking in their indifference or annoyance. Even Landers, who I expected to get a kick out of the experience, seemed miserable. I was right there with them.

This class needed to end and fast too.

Chapter Eighteen

The class quickly became too long. My bond with the guys, while muted, felt completely strained by all their forced interactions with other riders. I grimaced every time a rider got on their back. My hands were buried into the ground now to hide the way my fingers curled, ready for violence.

And considering I was like that, the guys were worse. They were done. It was clear with how they kept moving and from the scary glares they sent everyone’s way when approached.

“Rayna,” Tanja said in warning.

“I know,” I snapped out. “But you can’t expect me to find my Zen when even my guys don’t want this.”

“All of you need to deal.”

I bit my lip before I said something to Tanja that would get me in trouble. Deal? With this? Why? We were bonded; we were as we should be. Why were people so against this? Because we were different than normal? That was a load of bullshit.

A roar broke through the air.

“Rayna! If you stay calm, they will too.”

“I can’t be calm if they aren’t,” I practically growled, my voice rising to get the attention of those around me.

Even the captain was over there now. My hearing was able to pick up what he was saying, and it only pissed me off. He was warning them, but he was also using me by saying if they didn’t behave, then I was going to be hurt. That pissed me off more. Or maybe it pissed them off, and it was bleeding into me. Even if I couldn’t quite feel their emotions like I should.

The guards were able to get a man on top of Philit, and my body grew tingly again. A small pulse of something flashed inside of me, and for a moment, I saw red. Then, my eyesight cleared as Philit shook his body, practically throwing the rider off. A dragon caught the rider and righted him as the guards all surrounded Philit and tried to get him to behave.

That only got Landers and Zilon going too. A door slammed out and a thunder of feet practically shook the ground as guards poured out of the academy. I jumped to my feet; Tanja grabbed my hand.