Page 16 of Kingdom of Spirits

Already sweating, Tahlia took the reins and wished with everything her dragon would curb her rebellious nature for the afternoon. Maiwenn was already going to be horribly mean. She’d proven that in their other training sessions. Tahlia didn’t need anything making Maiwenn even less pleased with Tahlia’s existence.

“Follow me,” Maiwenn said, her Mistgold blood raising her words’ volume so that her voice echoed through the arena.

Tahlia and her dragon took off as ordered. A bank of clouds soaked Tahlia’s face and made the saddle slick beneath her. She should have kept her bottom firmly set, but it was tough when Donan flew so fast and Tahlia’s dragon was trying to display that she had no problems keeping up.

“You’ll lose me if you fly like a maniac, darling,” Tahlia said to the Seabreak.

The Seabreak broke through the bank of cover and the sun glittered across her lovely horns.

“First,” Maiwenn said as Donan wheeled around to face them, making Tahlia’s mount rear and list to the side, “we will run a triangle with an imaginary third. On my count… Three, two, one!”

Donan was a slash of ocean blue in the pale wash of the sky. Tahlia’s dragon roared in frustration that Tahlia felt like an itch just beneath her skin. They were not in formation no matter how Tahlia imagined said third rider and dragon.

“She can’t fly that fast, Maiwenn. She’s trying!”

Maiwenn had Donan turn sharply and they flew overhead, their shadow throwing Tahlia and her dragon into darkness. “Sorry, I can’t hear your weak human voice,” Maiwenn called out, using that power that only those with hefty amounts of Mistgold in their blood possessed. “Shout louder maybe?”

Tahlia wanted to flip her off and fly away, but she bit her tongue and tapped her Seabreak’s neck, urging the dragon to take up one point of the triangle formation.

Before they flew in the right position, another rider burst from the thick strip of clouds.

Tahlia’s heart stuttered, and she drew the reins back to slow her dragon. Maiwenn had Donan pause too; her face was unreadable.

Ophelia.

The female’s blue-green hair whipped in the wind. “Good afternoon, riders.”

Her Green-flanked Terror snarled and flapped its ratty-edged wings to hover in place.

“Lady Ophelia,” Maiwenn said, nodding respectfully.

Gods, how Tahlia wanted to strangle Ophelia. She’d sleep better at night, that was for sure.

And why was Maiwenn acting like they needed to show extra respect for Ophelia? They were all of the same rank. Was Maiwenn behaving that way simply because Ophelia was Commander Gaius’s daughter?

Tahlia jerked her chin in a reluctant greeting. She’d be damned if she bowed her head to the one who had likely poisoned her.

Ophelia’s grin sent a shiver through Tahlia. “Let’s see that triangle formation you were sadly attempting again, shall we?” Ophelia called out.

“No problem.” Tahlia’s throat burned from trying to shout as loudly as possible over the wind and across the distance between the three riders and their mounts.

Ophelia cocked her head. “I’m so sorry. You’ll have to say that again. Didn’t catch it.”

Tahlia waved her off.

Ophelia shrugged. Maiwenn’s Donan took off like a shot. Ophelia’s Green-flanked Terror took up the lead spot in the formation with ease, but Tahlia’s Seabreak flew hard and couldn’t quite hit the right mark. The dragon’s sides heaved as she struggled to speed up.

“It’s too fast,” Tahlia shouted out. “She’s not big enough.”

“Or is her rider too clumsy?” Maiwenn called back.

So they could hear Tahlia, at least some of the time. She gritted her teeth. It was one thing to bully Tahlia, but they were treating her dragon poorly too.

“You are perfect. They are just being ridiculous,” Tahlia said, doing her best to aim her words toward the dragon’s ear. The Seabreak twisted its ear toward her, so hopefully she heard and understood.

“Order a new formation, Tahlia!” Maiwenn commanded.

Would double square be a good one? They would still be missing a rider, but it was one they practiced less, so perhaps that would be a good challenge. Or bow and arrow? Then she could call out a drop, which would be easier on her smaller dragon.