Wild and Out of Control

|chapter eleven|

"Just because you survive Threshing doesn't mean you'll survive the ride to the flight field. Being chosen isn't the only test, and if you can't hold your seat, then you'll fly straight into the ground."

- PAGE FIFTY, THE BOOK OF ANTONY

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|xaden|

"Are you done watching the generals' children? The same children you vowed to kill not a few months ago?" Sgaeyl teases after I watch Azare launch into the sky with Danica on his back.

     I ignore her, raising the walls I have in place to block her and her snide comments. I do not need those right now. What I need is a little chat with a certain Black Daggertail. I wince as I watch Danica fall from her seat on Azare, but instead of feeling solace that she's not going to be alive tomorrow, all I fear is a grip of fear on my heart. I shake my head at the feeling as I watch Azare dive down and catch her in his claws.

     "I didn't know Azare was willing to bond this year." I climb back onto Sgaeyl and get comfortable in the seat before she launches back into the sky.

     "Neither did anyone else."

     "He wasn't on the manifest," I point out, lowering my flight goggles as the winds became too rough without them. "Is he allowed to do that?"

     She chuffs. "This is Azare we're talking about. The only rules he follows are the ones he created. And don't think for a second that he cares for the rules of you puny humans."

     "You call me a puny human and yet you still bonded me."

     She falls into a dive suddenly, almost catching me by surprise. If I wasn't used to Sgaeyls antics, I might have slipped off, but being bonded to her for nearly three years has me learning all the stunts that she pulls when she's annoyed, pissed off, or just in a mood for some fun.

     "And what about Tairn?" I add, remembering Violet going up against three opponents to protect the little Gold Feathertail, and Tairn landing only a few minutes later. "I didn't know he was willing to bond."

     "As I said," Sgaeyl's voice turned on an annoyed tone, "they do what they want and they don't get any consequences because they are who they are. Who's going to tell them they're not allowed to bond? You?"

     I scoff. "You know what? Forget I asked." I could do without any of her snarky comments. I had bigger things to worry about.

     Like how I'm now forever bonded to the one person who would cause an inconvenience.

     The person who's the daughter of the general that killed my father.

     And the person I can't fucking stop thinking about.

     The wind blows through my hair as Sgaeyl speeds to the flight field where dozens of newly bonded dragons wait for their rider to announce their bonds to the rider keeping a manifest of the newly bonded riders. They steer clear of our arrival, most if not all fearful of Sgaeyl. Smart dragons. While Sgaeyl may look beautiful, there's a ruthless side to her that even I can't match. Maybe it's why we get along so great.

     "Yeah, that's why we get along so great," Sgaeyl chortles as she executes a perfect landing. "Incoming," she warns, raising her neck toward the giant Azar now poised to land, waiting for the other dragons to move out of the way. "Azare said she only fell three times. Which, in his opinion, is a lot less than the amount of times you fell when we first bonded."