A story about Sang, the first ever female to receive the mark of a dragon. Entering a world where males reign supreme, she struggles to prove that a woman has what it takes to be a great rider. Even if the dragon she's paired with is stubborn, moody...
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Sang
I met Gideon at the cliffs. I felt bad for stealing North's place, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to go other than deep into the forest on the other side of the Academy. I almost chose to go there, but I needed to feel the wind on my face and hear the crash of waves against the rocky cliffs. I sat on the edge and let my feet dangle over as Gideon swooped down and glided over the midnight surface of the ocean.
He was growing bigger each and every day. It made me excited to see how talented he would be once he reached maturity, but at the same time, I felt sad. Sad that while he grew to be like the other dragons, I would still be Sang, the girl who didn't belong. The girl that felt incredibly small.
"Little One," he said.
I smiled and kicked my bare feet at the air while his left wing skimmed the water. "Gideon."
"Quit the sadness."
"I would but I haven't mastered the art of turning off my emotions yet," I replied. He let out a condescending snort and turned to fly my way. Once he was on the edge beside me, I leaned over and rested my head on his flank as we watched the waves together. "Did you already know about the Tenebrous breed and Sheol?"
"Yes," he mumbled. The deep timbre in his voice wasn't as scary as the Blackbourne team liked to believe. I thought it was comforting and sounded like home.
"Why didn't you tell me? I've given you your privacy, but I need to know these things. You're my dragon, Gideon. Why all the secrecy?" I asked as I rubbed at my chest. It physically hurt to think that there was a reason and that the reason was me.
Gideon shuffled in his spot, but his gaze stayed forward. He almost looked nervous over what he was about to say and the shaky feelings he disliked so much seeped through the small barrier between us. Had that barrier always been there? He got fed up with his own feelings and let out a snarl. "Little One was not ready. The school. The magic. The puny riders. Too much."
I felt my lips twitch and warmth spread in my chest. "Were you worried about my feelings, Gideon?"
"No!" Wisps of smoke spiraled out of his nostrils as he huffed and turned his head so I wouldn't be able to see him. His vehement answer was almost convincing, but I could feel that it was a lie. The small barrier that mysteriously showed up was lowering little by little and there was nothing he could do about it. I nudged him with my shoulder and sang, "The big, bad dragon cares about my emotions."
He growled and nudged me back, which made me pitch over the side of the cliff. I screamed out and shut my eyes, but before I could gain any momentum, Gideon's tail was wrapped around my torso and he was pulling me safely back to the ledge. Falling was a lot scarier when it was unplanned and not of my own free will. I huffed and pushed his tail away. "I was only joking."
