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I lean back slightly. "You really never wanted Chief?"

"No."

"Then why did you take it?"

He tightens a buckle. "Someone had to." There. Classic Rhyven.

I almost roll my eyes. "That's not an answer."

"It is."

"No. That's the answer you give when you don't want to explain something."

His gaze lifts. "Getting observant."

"Terrible habit."

"Apparently." He looks back down. For a while, I think that's it. Then— "Second year." I wait. "Sky Wing had a Chief who was good in combat."

"Bad leader?"

"Not intentionally." That's an interesting distinction.

Rhyven continues. "He wanted everyone to perform like he did."

I frown. "That's normal."

"No." He pulls the strap tight. "He wanted everyone to think like he did." Ah. "If someone couldn't keep pace, he pushed harder. If they froze, he embarrassed them. If a Rider struggled with their bond, he treated it like weakness." My irritation grows on behalf of people I don't even know.

"What happened?"

"Someone got hurt."

"Badly?"

"Enough." Rhyven's jaw shifts. "He ignored a dragon warning because he thought the Rider was panicking." Theryn sits immediately in my mind.

Rhyven doesn't say her name. He doesn't need to.

"So you challenged him?"

"No."

"Reported him?"

"Eventually."

"What did you do first?"

Rhyven's mouth changes. Tiny. Not quite amusement. "I made his life difficult."

I smile. "There he is. How?"

"Corrected him."

"In front of everyone?"

"Sometimes."