Page 56 of Veiled

“Droopy?”

“Never mind—just my future dog that I haven’t figured out how to kidnap or conceal quite yet.”

He raises an eyebrow. “All right. I’m going to leave that alone.”

“Probably best to be able to claim ignorance of my crimes.” I agree with a smile that he returns.

Maybe working with Zeke won’t be so bad.

Chapter twenty-one

Annalise

Walking across to the riding field with Matt, I can’t help but feel confident in the track choices I’ll be submitting, and not submitting, in a few days.

After yesterday’s rifle and pistol drills in Vanguard class, I felt like I’d gotten the loudest, most effective therapy ever. And now here I am, walking out to get my first experience of riding a freaking dragon.

Sure, I’ll be paired with a Bravo rider, just holding on and letting them do the work, but never in a million years would I have thought I’d even get to see a dragon up close. Getting the chance to ride one? Never!

Bravo Company will select their final tracks next month, so there are only a couple of classes left with enough Bravo riders to fly with our class.

Instructor Lorenson gives us all a quick rundown of the rules for the day: don’t piss off the dragons, and don’t give the Bravo recruits any reason to knock us off the dragons. Then we’re released to find a flying partner.

“You ready for this?” I ask Sasha, who had walked over early with some recruits from her Combat class, while Matt waited for me.

“Absolutely not.”

“But you did great with them last time.”

“You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me,” Matt snorts out, shaking his head as he looks over me, and toward the dragons.

Confused how someone could already be doing something that bad with a dragon, I follow his gaze and freeze.

…and then break out into a full-out sprint, barely giving my target time to prepare to catch me, as I leap into his arms.

“I thought you were on the infantry front line! What are you doing here?”

It takes Josh a second before he realizes who almost tackled him before he beams down at me, “Me? You never even mentioned wanting to join the Military! What the hell are you doing here?”

I slide off of him as he gives Matt a friendly nod before turning his attention back to me.

“Mine is kind of a long story that I’ll have to fill you in on later. Now, spill. How are you here? When did you get here?”

“Checked in yesterday,” he replies casually. “My commander on the line thought mine and Deimos's skills would be better perfected at Scion than learning at the Clowess border.”

It’s only then that I notice the magnificent silvered-grey dragon standing next to Josh. “Wait, he’s your bonded? I have so many questions.”

“Alright, riders, once you are settled in on your dragons, you can take off. Bravo recruits, I want Charlie Company recruits alive when you bring them back,” Lorenson bellows out.

Returning to our conversation, Josh smirks. “Yeah, that makes two of us. But for now, I think we should probably mount up. If you trust riding with me, that is.”

“That’s my cue to find a free dragon rider.” Not waiting for a reply, Matt heads down the field.

“If you kill me, I’m siccing Mattey on you.”

His voice is laced with sarcasm, “I’m trembling. Now, stay still and remember to breathe.”

I can see the mental conversation passing between Josh and Deimos before Deimos lies down flat for Josh to lift me onto his back.