Page 174 of Ashborne: Defiance

It shouldn’t have been that hard.

Regardless, there was no way I was allowing her to be questioned. She’d flown like a champ. So much more skilled than the man she’d been paired with—we could all see it.

I knew Donavyn prided himself on not making rash decisions. It was one of the reasons I followed him so willingly. But I wanted to get in his ear and demand he stop hesitating. She was clearly strong enough to fly solo.

For fuck’s sake, she’d very nearly remounted while her dragon landed! I knew Furyknights who wouldn’t have gotten as far in that endeavor as she had.

“The measure isn’t strength, then. It’s judgment, yes?” Donavyn said, meeting eyes with each of us in the circle.

“Sir,” I said as calmly as I could. “Surely you can see—”

“No one contends that she flew well, Voski,” Donavyn said, his tone strangely impatient. Ronen leaned closer at my side—a signal to shut the hell up—and I closed my mouth. But I wasn’t leaving the conversation. They’d asked me to comment, because I was the closest and first one there after she and the officer landed. Kham had seen what happened, and where they were because of the bond, thank God.

Donavyn turned to the queen. “Do you have any questions, or concerns to add, Your Majesty?”

“We agreed, the dragons and their men—and women—are solely within your purview, Donavyn,” she said tightly, which explained her tight-lipped silence. “I would very much like to meet the girl, though. To the uninitiated, she appears very brave. I am eager to see where her career might lead.”

Donavyn nodded, then looked at the officer who’d been at the watchpoint. “You’re certain about Kennik?”

A simmer of mingled satisfaction and frustration bubbled in my chest when the officer, named Trey, nodded.

“They weren’t simple mistakes—he missed the calls. More than once. And then, even in the face of danger to them both, refused to move off her line because he incorrectly believed we’d ordered him down with her. My concern isn’t for her, sir. If anything, she needs the practice to get some of that eagerness under control and steady out. I worry about him.”

Donavyn nodded. “I feel the same,” he said darkly to Gunnar, who nodded in return. Then Donavyn glanced over my shoulder. I knew if I turned, Bren would be behind me, probably somewhere near Grace, though no one was allowed to approach the Flamebornes until the verdicts of their failure or success were called.

Captain Gunnar raised his chin. “Very well, we’ll pass the three. Kennik will be held back until the next assessment round,” he added to the other squad leader as I slumped with relief. “But he’s to have instruction in etiquette and safety as well. There’s no way a man of his age and stature should have questioned the wisdom in falling off her line, if for no other reason than to ensure their dragons remained safe.”

Murmurs of yes sir, and nods peppered the little circle, then Donavyn offered his arm to the queen and led her away, walking slowly in deference to her silk slippers, though she seemed unconcerned, despite the dirt and sod of the launch hollow.

In every direction, Furyknights milled around, their dragons clustered up near the stable, and some down in the launch hollow now that everyone had landed.

This wasn’t usually where they’d announce the calls. But we’d rushed to make certain everyone was safe, and were all here now.

Ronen gave me a strange, blank look as he turned to follow Donavyn.

“What?” I muttered.

He shook his head. “I’m glad you’re so protective of our Flameborne.”

“I fight for all our squad members,” I reminded him.

“Yes, you do,” he conceded, but I didn’t like the way his lips twitched, like he fought a smile, as he walked off.

I should have followed him. Everyone else was. The captains accompanied Donavyn and the queen, and the others were moving to line up behind them for the verdicts. But when I tried to follow, my body refused to move.

If I drew close, would I be able to resist touching her?

I had to.

But I was terrified my body would betray me. So, I stood, staring, as the waiting Furyknights crowded up behind Donavyn and the captains, all leaning in to hear him speak. I had to peer between shoulders to see Grace beyond them.

“Flameborne! Attention!”

All four, who’d already been tense, snapped ramrod straight, staring over our heads, to the trees behind the launch hollow. Every other voice in the clearing went silent, so Donavyn’s words rang across the afternoon air.

“Captain Gunnar and I agree on our assessment of your flights today,” he announced solemnly.

All four Flameborne tensed, held their breaths.