“I stopped today, during a flight through clear skies. No storms, no wraiths, no Silaisans. What if I didn’t hear you in the heat of battle?” Marek strokes Sei’s arm, trying to convey his concern through touch as well as voice. He wishes they were on the ground, where he could look Sei in the eyes. “This was the least of my magic. What if I needed a larger spell, and I took too much before either of us could react?”
“You wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t let you.”
“You couldn’t stop me,” Marek snaps. Then softer, in Sei’s stunned silence, “I know I promised to listen to you, but this isn’t up for debate. I won’t take that risk.”
Grails can’t control their own magic. It’s a sick joke of nature. If Marek wanted to use Sei against his will, Sei couldn’t resist.
Sei can’t do anything if Marek refuses to use him either.
“I understand,” Sei says.
Marek’s stomach twists. “I’m sorry, Sei, I know—”
“Please don’t talk to me right now,” Sei whispers. He clings to the saddle as if desperate for any inch of space he can put between him and Marek.
It’s useless. They’re trapped together in the sky as Loska carries them north. The rest of the flight is quiet. Even Loska doesn’t comment, and Marek’s nausea lingers. The sky has never felt so empty.
Marek’s grim determination doesn’t falter. Sei is upset now, but surely, eventually, he’ll understand.
***
Arriving at Talorna is nothing like arriving at Ostomar. Dragons swoop through the sky like colorful banners, spinning around Loska in greeting. Loska weaves between them, mindful of his inexperienced passenger. Marek listens as Loska greets sunny yellow Liliana, dark pink Malyra, and mottled brown Antex. He envies Loska’s lifting mood as they descend to an empty landing court.
Talorna is a massive patchwork of light and dark stone. Centuries of repairs and renovations have shaped the fortress into a city-sized maze of towers. The great walls house entire neighborhoods of civilian staff, dragon corps and adjacent drasgard barracks, and cavernous halls large enough to fit three dragons at a time.
Four dragons, if none of them are as big as Loska.
The dragons prefer to roost outside. In addition to today’s welcoming committee, Marek spots Kamil’s Yavran and Zilata’s Raiba sunning themselves atop the northern towers.
Beyond the towers is a length of open ground, large enough to field armies with room to spare. But when this land sees violence, the battlefield is in the sky. The shoreline stretches beyond the open ground. Dark waters break white upon its rocks.
Far to the north, the sea disappears into the ghostly, eternal fog.
Mountains and towers flank the shoreline, nature and humankind united against their common enemy. These mountains are where ancient Draskorans first bonded to dragons, the beginning of a long-burning alliance. The tower-tops can be lit by torch or dragonfire to warn of wraiths.
As Loska lands, a small group waits at the edge of the courtyard. Marek is grateful to recognize Clem among them, as well as Wing-Captain Velka. Clem can show Sei to their rooms while Marek meets with Velka for a status update.
Marek wants to escort Sei himself. But judging from Sei’s silence as Marek frees them from the harness, Sei doesn’t want anything to do with Marek right now.
“We’ll talk more later, all right?” Marek says, braced on Loska’s side.
Sei’s face is only visible in profile. “Thank you. I just need an hour alone.”
Climbing down after Marek, Sei navigates the rig with far more grace than before. He’s a quick learner.
His talent would be so valuable in the skies.
Marek forces himself through the next few hours. It’s easier after Clem leads Sei away, except for how guilty Marek feels that it’s easier.
At least Marek can lose himself in the minutia of survey missions and watchtower renovations. A storm damaged one of the far western towers, but repairs are underway, and the warning fire is functional. Three newly graduated trainees arrived from Parsk last month, and they’re settling in well. Ludvik is doing well too, assigned to care for riderless Miklan.
Only two recent wraith sightings, and neither of them came ashore.
After Velka’s report, Marek takes off to inspect the main towers. He tours the towers every time he returns to Talorna, but today, he can’t deny that his real purpose is avoiding Sei.
It doesn’t work. Every new room and hallway is somewhere Marek had wanted to show off to Sei.
Later. Marek will show Sei around Talorna later. They just need space to calm down before Sei realizes Marek is right.
