Called by the Dragon
6

“Sit”

Anzi shoved herself off the cot and leaped to her feet to stand atattention, arms locked at her sides and back ramrod-straight in militaryfashion. She faced the doorway where the colonel stood in all hisimposing, white-haired dignity. He was clothed in his formal, dark blueand white Service regalia as always - of course he would never striphimself of any of it, even in this sweltering heat.

Colonel Alexandre Bisset, dragon rider, Premier Guard. His bristlingwhite brow suggested advanced age, and yet his face was smooth andunlined. He looked not a day over forty, if that, and yet it was wellknown that the man had been a loyal member of the Service for overeighty years. This was the youth imbued by a deep bond with animmortal dragon, evidence of his unwavering devotion and prodigiousskill.

"Get dressed and prepare to leave,” he said, voice curt and raspy as hestared at her with his usual glower. “We're returning to the ImperialCity."

She answered with an automatic salute, snapping a hand up to herforehead without hesitation. “Yes, sir!”

And that was it, nothing else. No explanation as to why the rest of hertraining was being canceled or why they were returning to the ImperialCity after just two weeks away. There should be more stages, moretrials, but those were questions she was conditioned to not ask. Whengiven an order, she obeyed, nothing more. No wondering whether shewas being summoned alone or if the others were coming along, noworrying whether this was a bad turn or a good one. She turned andbegan to pack, throwing off the last eerie vestiges of the dream earlier.The memory of it had run raw and sharp in her veins, making her skinprickle with inexplicable anxiety and adrenaline every time her thoughtsdrifted back to it on accident, but no more. Focus.

And yet she touched her forehead again despite her better judgmentand probed the bruise once more. No. She was overreacting. She hadalways had an inhuman constitution, something Pierro had hinted atearlier. She didn't like it when it was mentioned, but the truth was out:she was of mixed blood. That wasn't atypical; she knew several othermixed-bloods from her first recruit group who were experiencingsomething similar. Ironic that she clung to some of the old prejudiceseven when many others didn't - against herself. It cheapened heraccomplishments, and she hated when others used it as an excuse fortheir failures against her.

“Good luck at the Imperium.”

With her bag slung over her shoulder, Anzi turned in the dark hallwayto see a familiar hulking shape step out of the next room. Pierro. Hadthe noise woken him up? It was the middle of the night, and everysound was amplified in this barracks cabin. He must have heardeverything. But seeing him like that made one thing clear: he wasn'tleaving with her, so she must be the only one heading back to theImperial City. A cool thrill rushed through her chest. She hadn't daredto hope until now because it was better to expect little than to bedisappointed, but now that she knew she was going alone, didn't thismean good news? Clearly it wasn't a military emergency of any kind.Had she really exempted all remaining training? That could mean shewas being inducted already. She had to swallow past the sudden lumpin her throat and take in a deep breath to steady her excitement.“Thanks,” she said after a moment. “I'll see you when you get back.”“Sure. I'll tell Aimee and Doufan you said so.”

She paused. It hadn't occurred to her that she should say goodbye tothem too, via Pierrot at least if not face to face. But it was still hard tothink of them as comrades when they weren't on the field.

"Okay," she said, well aware how awkward and stiff she sounded, andleft without another word.

Colonel Bisset didn't give her an opportunity to ask what was going on.He hadn't even nodded to acknowledge her presence when sheappeared in the darkness, simply turning to climb onto his dragon'sback using the multi-rung stirrup that trailed down its scaled side infront of its wing joint. She knew the drill. After he was settled in, shewould do the same. But every time, the sensation of the gigantic beastsheaving side under her hands made her shiver so much she couldbarely hold onto the braided leather ropes. An adult dragoness, grownlarge and strong over the past century at the very least. Blue scalesrimmed in white, like dangerous flower petals gleaming in themoonlight. It took her breath away every time.

This was the only dragon she had ever had the privilege ofapproaching, much less touching. She and the others had beendumbstruck when they first saw the enormous creature alight upon theground three months ago. It had been right in the middle of the elitetraining grounds after their graduation, and at first, Anzi had beenterrified they might be under attack. What else was she supposed tohave thought? What else was she supposed to have felt except fear andawe at the immense shadow that blotted out the sun above theirheads, at least twenty meters long from the head to the tip of itsbarbed tail? The only times she had ever seen dragons before was froma distance when the Premier went on their aerial patrols, always risingin the air from the closed-off palace courtyard far in the distance. If shehadn't already been determined to be one already, that moment alonewould have been enough to make her dedicate herself to becoming adragon rider. She couldn't have named a reason if anyone asked her,other than the expected response of for the Empire. She had simply -felt it. A connection, strong as a storm and just as chaotic, a callinginside her that made her realize she was on the right path.

She wouldn't give this up for anything. Underneath her as they flewthrough the night sky, buffeted by winds strong enough to topple overanyone else, Anzi reveled in the delight of taking flight. Dragon flight.She only wished she knew the dragon's name. Colonel Bisset had neversaid it aloud, never introduced them to her so they could admire herscales and enormous size or her glittering, dark blue eyes that matchedthe colonel’s Service uniform perfectly. Why not? Why hadn't he? Sheboth resented and admired the colonel for it. Such a creature deservedmore than silence. If it were her, she would proudly announce everyarrival, every departure of her dragon companion, but perhaps that wasthe point. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do. A dragon was far toodignified to be toted around like a trophy.

Whatever her name, Colonel Bisset's dragon suited her human partnerperfectly. Both austere, silent, as solid as three layers of brick and assevere as a a brewing thunderstorm. What would her dragon be like,she wondered. Which dragon would choose her? What part of herwould they be drawn to, and she to them?

She was so entranced by the wild, colorful turns of her imagination thatshe didn't notice until hours later that she felt queasy. Her stomachchurned with something like - fear? No, not fear, a vibrating, anxiousapprehension. She frowned. She wasn't airsick, was she? She had flownon this dragon's back dozens of times with the others and neverexperienced any discomfort. But now she felt a niggling urge to put herfeet back on the ground soon.

Her eyes widened. Absolutely not. She was not going to develop someinexplicable phobia of flying when she was literally on the brink ofbeing inducted into the Premier Guard. That was absolutely not goingto happen. If it did, she would spend her entire life in the air just so shecould force herself to become numb to it. Whatever it took. Sheclenched her teeth and fought back the uneasiness until it was leftsquashed at the back of her mind, and after a moment, took a deepbreath to clear her thoughts.

It had taken two weeks to travel east to the desert fringes from theImperial City on foot, since crossing rough terrain had been part of therequired training. But now they were flying and taking a straight pathback. Two nights and half a day, accounting for rest, and then shewould be home.

She smiled. Was this her time? Finally, she was answering her calling.This was what she had been meant for all her life. Why else would shefeel this way, as if she were teetering on the verge of fulfillment, on thebrink of victory?

Two nights and half a day, and then...

She closed her eyes.

“He says he’s a chieftain, Your Excellency. I believe him.”

“Because of his wealth?” the emperor asked lightly as he leaned back inhis chair. He looked around the study as if searching for something, butthe only other person in the roomwas his advisor, who looked at himwith a meaningful frown and furrowed eyebrows.

“You know it isn't just that. The jewelry he wore. Dragon claws, Sire.Whether those are old relics passed down from his predecessors or hehas access to wild dragons somehow, an ordinary man would be in noposition to benefit from either.”

“And yet we've never heard of his tribe before.”

“That's not surprising. Nomad politics aren't our forte. If they were, wewould have been able to take all the lands east of the Adaraat Desertby now. But nomad tribes are enough of a mystery that I canconfidently say it would be stranger if we had heard of these people.”“Alright. Let him stay in the city. I'll meet with him in two days.”

“Two days, Sire?” The advisor’s frown deepened. “They've been here aweek already.”

“Better to let them simmer a bit more in anticipation, don't you think?We don't want to seem too curious, even if we...Never mind. Just do as Isay.” He waved the advisor away, who stood up from his seat anddelivered a deep bow.

“Yes, Your Excellency.”