The Dragon Queen's Heir [book one]

20

MIKKI'S FACE DRAINS OF COLOR. For ten full seconds, she just stares at me, eyes wide, and for a moment I wonder if somehow I've already gotten my powers and managed to freeze time. Then Mikki releases a breath and rolls a lock of hair between two fingers. "Ashlyn, you're stressed," she starts, but I won't have it.

"No. No shutting me out." I narrow my eyes; in the back of my mind, Eira sifts through my memory in an attempt to figure out what in Nightshorne is happening, but I don't have the energy to stop her. All I'm focused on now is getting the answers to questions I should have asked a long time ago. "Who is she? Do you know who my older sister is?"

Even the words are foreign in my mouth. Henry, though he is a full decade my senior, has never been much of an older sibling to me. My earliest memories with him are me wriggling in a chair while he pored over paperwork from our father; the few times we hung out as brother and sister, he was distant, always focused on this meeting with Father's adviser or that court hearing for some petty criminal.

So to think of someone else being older, someone being to me what I am to Eve, makes my skin prickle. I've had enough of people controlling me, scolding me, telling me how to live every aspect of my life. I got lucky with Henry; I can't let my mother manifest herself in people like Mikki and Oliver, who refuse to give me straight answers and want to take advantage of me for whatever twisted reasons they may have.

"You know what?" I say, pushing myself off my bed, my cloak tightly clasped in one fist and my dagger in the other. "I don't need answers. You've already proven you don't care about me, just whatever you think you can use me for." I let Eira jump on my arm and take a step towards the dorm of my room. "This is me telling you goodbye and no thanks, Mikki."

Mikki's cocoa face twists as she tries in vain to reach for my arm. "Ashlyn, please--"

The slam of my door cuts her off as I take a deep breath, letting my eyes close for a brief second before hurrying down the stairs. Eira's fear and concern pour through our connection, and I feel a shred of pity, shoving her into this not even a minute after I officially meet her.

Don't be sorry, she says, her voice like a child, echoing through my mind like rays of light bouncing from mirror to mirror. Her presence calms my racing thoughts, and I take a deep breath, enjoying her weight on my forearm.

I let a smile touch my lips before apprehension from the foreboding Trials breaks back in and anxiety claws at my heart. Fighting it back, I follow the stragglers to the Dining Hall, subconsciously exploring Eira's mind while I walk. Like breaking in a pair of new shoes, the experience is awkward and a little weird at first, but gradually becomes more comfortable.

Since Eira was just hatched a couple days ago, her consciousness is relatively simple and clean. The few thoughts that waft lazily through are the subjects of food or mild curiosities; I almost laugh as she springs to attention upon seeing another boy's apparently "fine specimen" of a dragon.

What? she demands, sensing my amusement. Did you see his scales? Oh, and his eyes! I've never seen eyes such a dazzling shade of red!

Chuckling and shaking my head, I step around the corner and into the Dining Hall--except this Dining Hall looks nothing like the one I've come to know. Eira's awe merges with mine as I take it all in. The tables have been pushed up against the walls, the middle of the huge chamber cleared out and now filled with hundreds of students.

"Ciana!"

I turn around, meeting Nikolai's eyes. "Hey," I say, wincing as Eira jumps to my shoulder and nips my neck with her claw. Her snout brushes up against my cheek as curiosity flows through our connection, pushing my eyes down, towards Nikolai's own forearm.

"I know he's not much, especially considering yours . . ." Nikolai rubs the back of his neck with his free hand, but I tune him out, staring at his dragon, wonder flowing both ways with my connection with Eira.

Scales so dark gray they're almost black wrap around the torso of a large dragon as long as Nikolai's arm but with twice as much muscle as Eira. The dragon's tail wraps up and around Nikolai's bicep, and as he meets my eyes, a flicker of irritation I know isn't Eira sparks in my mind.

"Is it normal to . . ." I ask, trailing off as a wave of giddiness from Eira drowns out the foreign emotion.

Nikolai nods. "Yeah. Sara said Riders are sensitive to other people's dragons. Apparently, we'll eventually be able to sense other humans, too, even non-Riders." Giving a lopsided grin, he continues. "Judging from your dragon's sudden burst of joy, she's taken a fancy to Feris."

Without warning, Eira leaps off my shoulder the same time Feris jumps off Nikolai's forearm. The instant they're both on the ground, they begin sniffing each other out. Pushing down the almost overwhelming curiosity flowing from Eira, I turn my gaze to Nikolai and grimace. "Sorry about her. She was gushing about some dragon in the hall on the way here, and now she's sniffing out your dragon--"

Nikolai shrugs. "It's no problem. We have bigger things to worry about, anyway." He nods his head towards something behind me, and I turn, butterflies erupting in my stomach when Professor Singh walks to the center of the Dining Hall. The instant he clears his throat, the already-quiet hum of chatter ceases.

"As you know," he begins, his eyes roving over each of us watching, "today marks the beginning of the Trials. I'm sure your mentors have already told you what is going to happen, but just to clear any confusion, let me reiterate: the Trials are supposed to be your worst nightmare, but that's the point. Only by being on the verge of death will your powers awaken."

Professor Singh pauses, letting the full force of his words sink in before continuing. "That being said, we do not intend for you to actually die. Trained Riders will be on constant watch to make sure you are as safe as possible, given the circumstances."

"Are we allowed to work together?" someone asks.

Professor Singh nods. "You are allowed to form whatever groups you wish, but all players will be released into the forest separately." The way he says released sends a shiver down my spine, like we're just a herd of cattle to be shepherded through another ceremony the headmaster has probably overseen at least a dozen times now. "If there aren't any more questions," Professor Singh says, "I believe it is time for us to get started! Grab your bags and your belongings and follow me, please."

He steps through the crowd of boys and starts towards the entrance to the Dining Hall. I grip the strap of my backpack, adjusting it on my shoulder and shoving down the host of negative feelings that rise at the backpack's association with Mikki. Don't think about her, Eira says, flapping back up onto my shoulder. You'll need to focus completely on this. I nod, blowing out a long breath and glancing towards Nikolai. He's crouched in front of Feris, running his finger over the dragon's scales.

As if he senses my gaze, Nikolai glances up. "You go on ahead. You'll do great. I'm sure you'll manage to find me if you ever need me." I nod, gripping the strap of my backpack even tighter, then lose myself in the crowd of first-years following Professor Singh out of the school.

We're going to be fine, Ash, Eira says, nuzzling my head with her snout. You're meant for this.

Blowing out a long breath, I nod, letting warmth flowing from Eira fill my body and give me hope. I hope so.

Whew, I managed to get three chapters out this week! I'll try my absolute best to get chapters out consistently from now on. Again, I'm so sorry for the month or so since I last updated. Thank you guys so much for sticking with me!

~ Amber