Wingborn (22 page)

“
What?
Because I’
ve been tied to this grump my whole
life?
”
She yanked out a
bent feather and stumbled as the reflexive twitch of
Cumulo
’
s wing knocked
her sideways.
“
Believe
me, there are nicer miryhls out there. I
’
ve met them.
”

“
Lucky,”
Corin said again. “You had a dream childhood. And whatever you say
about Cue, I know you don’
t mean it. If he was that bad half
the Riders wouldn
’
t have
tried stealing him away.
”

Cumulo
’
s head came up and he puffed out his chest. When he
nudged Mhysra, fishing for compliments, she gave him a shove.
“
They only want him for
his looks. And yes, growing up at Wrentheria was a dream –
I
’
m not disputing that.
But that
’
s where I was
born, and Cumulo
’
s part
of that.
”

“
So
what’
s not lucky about turning old enough just in time for
the proclamation?
”
Corin
asked slyly, picking up a feather from the floor and stroking it
straight.

“
That
had nothing to do with me,” Mhysra protested as Cumulo hopped onto
a low perch, putting his legs at waist level. “And you’
re
here too. Does that make you lucky?
”

“
I’
ve always been lucky,
”
Corin agreed, blowing the feather into the air.
“
Just not as lucky as
you. Can I help?
”

Knowing she wasn
’
t going to win this argument, Mhysra handed her
friend a cloth.
“
Use
this on his talons. I
’
ll
do his legs – the oil needs to be applied by hand and it
stinks.
”

“
Wow.”
Corin bent to study Cumulo’
s huge talons. Despite needing a
clean the golden claws glinted, the edges sharp and deadly.
“
Remind me never to
offend a miryhl.
”

Cumulo chuckled and shifted his feet, while
Mhysra poured oil into her palm and rubbed it between her hands.
“
Good advice. Most calm
down once they
’
re
bonded, but there are always ones with short tempers.
”

“Like people,”
Corin agreed, oiling the cloth and setting to work. Dust and grime
smeared away as she rubbed in small circles, revealing the
translucent shine beneath. “Is this right?”

Cumulo arched his neck and nodded.

“
You’
re a natural,
”
Mhysra agreed, tugging loose feathers from where
they were caught on the rough skin of Cumulo
’
s legs and cursing when they stuck to her
sticky fingers.

Coming to her rescue, Corin also removed
some fluff from her braid.
“
Thanks for letting me help.
”

“
It’
s good practise. For you and Cue. He needs to get
used to being tended by others.
”

Cumulo made a sound of protest and engulfed
her under a wing, tucking her head and shoulders against his
side.

Chuckling, Corin pulled her free.
“
I never knew how much
care they needed. You hear stories about them talking, being
created by Maegla and being as intelligent as us and all, so I
always assumed they could look after themselves.
”

“
Of
course they can,” Mhysra said, while Cumulo squawked at the slight.
“Like any wild eagle, miryhls are perfectly capable of looking
after themselves. But the rigours of Rider work mean they deserve
extra care. Like horsats and pyreflies. Besides I like looking
after him and it’
s a good way to strengthen the bond.

“
As
Lieutenant Lyrai says –” Mhysra cleared her throat and adopted a
lecturing tone, “ –
the form of a weapon is only half its strength. Without
care the edge dulls and it will let you down in a thousand
ways.
A miryhl is a
Rider’s first and most formidable weapon.” The bird gave another
disgruntled squawk, and she chuckled. “Not that Cumulo would let me
down, but oiling his claws every half-moon helps prevent cracks and
keeps them strong. Preening the parts he can’
t reach easily
also makes him more comfortable. They
’
re just little things here and there, but they add
up.
”

“
I’
d never have thought of these things on my
own,
”
Corin said
admiringly, shaking her head as she moved onto Cumulo
’
s left foot.
“
You
’
re a useful girl to have around.
”

“
Not all
of us think so.”
Lieutenant Stirla chuckled as they both
jumped, startled to find him behind them
“
Sorry, I couldn
’
t help overhearing.
”
He lounged against a perch, a bridle
draped over his shoulder. Across the aisle, Atyrn ruffled her
feathers in preparation for being taken out. She gave them a regal
nod, looking glossier than ever, eyes bright, beak shining.

“
All the
miryhls are grateful Lady Mhysra showed up,” Stirla continued.
“Cumulo likes to talk
, so no Rider gets any peace these
days. It
’
s all nag, nag,
nag. Preen me, bathe me, oil me, feed me more.
”

Mhysra hid her face against Cumulo and
mumbled something apologetic about baby miryhls and demanding
natures.

The lieutenant chuckled.
“
It
’
s a good thing, mostly, and it does help with the
bond. I know my Atyrn appreciates the extra attention.
”
He crossed to his miryhl and she
crooned in welcome.

Corin sighed wistfully.
“
I don
’
t know if I can wait another month.
”

“
It’
ll pass quickly,
”
Stirla promised, slipping the bridle over
Atyrn
’
s beak.
“
You
’
ve already waited six moons. Not that any
of you know enough to pick a miryhl yet. Most pairs muddle along
and by the end of their time at Aquila they
’
re familiar enough. No one gets a perfect
match right off, except those two.
”

Mhysra and Cumulo snorted in unison.
“
Right off?
”
she contested.
“
We
’
ve been paired for sixteen years. We grew up
together. We
’
re not a
match, we
’
re
family.
”

“
You
make that sound like a bad thing,” Stirla chuckled, slipping
Atyrn’
s saddle into place.

“Do you have
brothers, sir?”

“No.”

“Sisters?”

“Oh, yes.”

“
Then
you’
ll know why it isn
’
t always a good thing.
”

Laughing, he secured the two girths tightly.
“
Even if you had the
worst sibling relationship in history, you
’
d still have a better partnership than
half the Riders. But I only have to watch you to know it
’
s far better than that. I hope
you
’
re taking notes,
Corin.
”
Winking, he
slapped his saddle and sent Atyrn outside.
“
Enjoy your Starday, students.
”

They said goodbye and Mhysra finished oiling
Cumulo
’
s legs, before
wiping her hands clean.

Corin leaned back against the rail again,
shaking her head.

“What?” Mhysra
asked, packing up her kit.

Corin
’
s lips quirked up.
“
Lucky.
”

Hefting her stuff towards the tack room,
Mhysra smiled as she watched Cumulo preen in the sunshine. Perhaps,
though she wasn
’
t about
to admit it, Corin had a point.

9
^th
Fledgling

LYRAI WAS IN
a
contemplative mood as the exams approached. Out of his nine
students, he had some doubts about Naelyn, Devane and Mouse, but
was mostly proud of his group. Jermyn and Dhori were naturally
gifted, while the rest worked hard. It boded well for the future
and he carried his good mood away from the morning session into the
dining room.

“What are you
so happy about?” Stirla grumbled, a pile of paperwork at his elbow.
Never one to work when he could be having fun, he ended each moon
with a two-foot stack and a bad temper. At least this month he had
plenty of study supervision sessions to fill to help him catch
up.

“Thinking of
the future,” Lyrai replied cheerfully.

“I hate this
time of year.”

Considering
that the school exams always happened in the second quarter-moon of
Fledgling, Lyrai knew he should hate it too. Five afternoons of
dull prep sessions, supervising his students and taking questions –
most of which he wasn’t allowed to answer. The sixth day was the
written exam and the seventh was the physical. Hethanon assessed
that and clerks marked the papers, leaving Lyrai and Stirla
free.

After another quarter-moon, the results were
given out and the real excitement began. That
wa
s why Lyrai was so cheerful: the Choice
was only twenty-one days away. Soon he
’
d have wings again.

Stirla gave a surly grunt and reached for
the top of his stack.
“
Knowing my luck my lot
’
ll ask questions all afternoon, leaving me no time
to work. Stupid exams.
”

Lyrai shook his head, not bothering to
remind Stirla about his free evenings and Stardays. Instead he
finished his pastry and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
“
Good luck with the
Paperstack of Doom. See you at dinner.
”

Stirla grunted again, showing no signs of
leaving. Lyrai pitied the students who had the lieutenant as a
mentor. Remembering his own study sessions six years ago, he
winced. No matter how often he
’
d been assured the exam was easy, he
’
d still fretted, certain that he
would fail. He hadn
’
t,
of course, and the written paper had been laughably easy, but it
was no use telling the students that. It was something they had to
discover for themselves.

The real test was to survive seven months in
the company of Hethanon and the tedious clerks. If a boy could do
that, he
’
d earned the
right to try his luck at Aquila. The girls too. The reward was the
chance to partner one of the most wondrous creatures in
existence.

Smiling, Lyrai
collected his subdued students and led them to a classroom,
wondering what he would look for in his new miryhl. Twenty-one
days, that was all, then he would be able to fly again. He couldn’t
wait.

14
^th
Fledgling

“GODS, IS IT
really over?” Mouse stumbled shakily out of the
room.

Walking behind
him, Mhysra wished he would shut up. When Lieutenant Stirla had
told them to stop writing she’d felt pleased, certain she’d passed.
The questions had been as easy as everyone said. Or so she’d
assumed, until Lieutenant Lyrai took her paper away and Mouse
started moaning.

“Gods, Maegla,
Gods. I’ve failed, I know I have. I know it.”

“Enough.”
Derrain hooked an arm around Mouse’s neck, muffling him under his
arm. “It’s done. You can’t change it. Give it a rest, before you
mutter Mhysra into apoplexy.”

She jumped,
not realising she’d been so obvious. “I’m not worried.”

“Of course
not,” Corin chuckled. “That’s why you’re about to dash back inside
and stab Lyrai with your quill until he gives you back your paper
so you can check if you spelled Aquila with two ls.”

Mhysra
stopped, eyes widening. “It has two ls?”

Derrain and
Mouse blinked. “I hope not,” Mouse whispered.

Mhysra
grinned. “Got ya.”

Which earned
her a round of quill tickling, until she protested that Corin said
it and Mouse started it. Ever fair, they doled out punishment to
the others and by the time they reached the streets they were all
in high spirits, even Mouse.

“Went well
then?” Harlan asked, as he joined them.

“Easy,”
Derrain assured him.

“Could have
done it blindfolded,” Corin boasted.

“I wouldn’t go
that far,” Dhori tempered, smiling. “Perhaps with my hands behind
my back.”

“Even you
would have passed,” Mhysra assured Harlan, who narrowed his
eyes.

“Must have
been easy then,” he said, smiling. “I’ll buy the drinks. You’ll
need them.”

“A toast,”
Derrain agreed, his happiness revealing how worried he’d been,
despite all protests to the contrary. “To the easiest exam in
history!”

The others
cheered and Harlan smirked. “Well, that too, but I was thinking you
need to keep up your strength and spirits up for tomorrow. Doesn’t
Hethanon get his claws into you in the morning?”

Their
merriment vanished.

“You’re always
the happy one,” Corin told him bitterly.

“So you don’t
want a drink?” Harlan chuckled. “All the more for me then.”

“Ha!” Derrain
snagged his collar before he could escape. “With you buying? Who’d
be stupid enough to pass that up?”

“We won’t get
another chance this century, that’s for certain,” Mouse agreed.