Wingborn (23 page)

“Better check
your pockets for change,” Dhori advised. Cheered up, they spent the
walk into town teasing Harlan and his tight-fisted ways, all
thoughts of the next morning temporarily forgotten.

15
^th
Fledgling

BY THE EIGHTEENTH lap
, Mhysra was struggling, but at least she wasn’t the only
one. In fact, she was close to the front. Derrain, Dhori and three
others were still romping along at a swift pace, but they were all
tall and athletic, and at that moment Mhysra hated them. However,
there were only two laps left, so she pushed on to complete the
first challenge, pleased not to collapse when they were finally
allowed to stop.

Which was for
the best, really, seeing as Hethanon was as merciless as ever,
immediately pairing them off for the exercise routines. Finding
herself opposite Haelle, Mhysra smiled and started stretching,
turning to her partner when two people were needed rather than one.
Then they faced a timed obstacle course. No one was surprised when
Dhori won, while Haelle just beat Mhysra.

Then it was
weaponry and more competitions to see how far each of them had
progressed. Naelyn surprised everyone – herself included – by
coming top of the girls in staffs, and placing fourth overall, with
Mhysra and Haelle just behind. The top place was fiercely contested
between Jermyn and Dhori. Jermyn came out the eventual winner, but
only by taking advantage of a perilous pocket of ground that
tripped his opponent. Corin came second in archery, beating all the
girls and most of the boys too.

It was
exhausting but enjoyable, and Mhysra was pleased by how well she’d
done. Thanks to Hethanon’s rigorous training, she felt she’d
acquitted herself well, as had the rest of her friends. Even those
near the bottom, like Mouse and Corin, were competent. For the
first time her goal seemed within reach and it was likely that all
her friends would make it to Aquila.

“At last,”
Corin groaned as the girls entered the officer’s bathhouse, which
had been temporarily assigned to them over recent months. “I’m
finished.” Stretching her arms wide, she belly-flopped into the
steaming pool.

Jumping in and
letting the heat wash over her, Mhysra sighed. The hardest part was
over, now the waiting began. But as she scrubbed away the sweat and
laughed with her friends, she was unable to shake off the feeling
that everything wasn’t quite perfect yet. Perhaps it wouldn’t be
until they reached Aquila. Or until after she’d finally told her
parents.

Grimacing, she
shook her head and let the warmth soothe her worries away. Their
exams were done. Soon they’d be real Rift Rider students. Now that
was something worth celebrating.

28
^th
Fledgling

A
COOL BREEZE
washed over the mountain as Cumulo soared
in widening circles. Mhysra lay against his back, enjoying the sun.
It was a beautiful morning, made all the more special by the news
three days ago that she
’
d passed her exams, along with all her friends.

“It’s nearly
ready,” Cumulo called, dipping a wing and banking sideways.

Mhysra
’
s knees tightened as the world tipped, giving her
an excellent – if unusual – view of the activity below. A quarter
of the flying field was covered in scaffolding, explaining why she
and the rest of the students had been given a half-moon break.

“
Glad I
don’
t have to stay there.
”

Chuckling, Mhysra smoothed Cumulo
’
s wind-ruffled feathers.
“
If you weren
’
t already bonded you
’
d be too excited about the Choice
to care about the accommodation.
”

Cumulo snorted.
“
Hardly. Humans get excited about the Choice.
Miryhls don
’
t. All the
Choice does is bind us to a lifetime of work.
”

“
Charming,” she replied. “Are you
saying miryhls
don
’
t gain anything from
the bond?
”

“Yes.”

“
But
Riders get to fly, so that’
s the only reason they care about
their miryhls?
”

“Something
like that,” he agreed, flapping away from the city-side of the
mountain.

“So the fact
you roost in the best eyries and get fresh meat regularly, whether
you work or not, is not worth having?”

Cumulo didn
’
t answer, taking them on a skin-tingling dive down
a gully instead. Clinging tightly, Mhysra gasped, heart racing with
the exhilaration of being at one with her miryhl. It was true,
Riders did gain a lot through the bond, and the gift of flying
wasn
’
t something she
would ever willingly give up, but miryhls were more than just
mounts. They were partners, protectors, friends. Even family.

The base of the gully broke over the
mountainside and Cumulo drifted down to the Cloud Sea, its
turbulent winds making Mhysra
’
s teeth chatter. Skimming over a low outcrop,
Cumulo kicked off the frozen rocks and took them back up to where
the air was warm and clear.

Passing a Rider patrol, Mhysra waved.
“
Are you
sorry?
”

Swooping under the other flyers, Cumulo
tilted his head and eyed her curiously.
“
About?
”

“
Being
bonded to me.
I know neither of us had a choice, but do you
mind?
”
She
’
d never considered it before, but
his comments worried her. He was the one constant in her life, as
important as home or friends. It wasn
’
t quite breathing, but with Cumulo life was worth
living. She
’
d always
assumed he felt the same, but what if he didn
’
t? If he
’
d been free to accept another Rider, would he have
jumped at the chance, even if it meant leaving her behind? Was
their Wingborn status a hindrance to him, where it had always been
a gift to her?

Cumulo tucked his wings in and dropped
several feet, before catching them again – an airborne sigh.
“
You think too
much.
”
His voice was a
reassuring vibration against her.

“It was a fair
question, after what you said.”

He clucked reproachfully.
“
I was joking. Since you started training
you
’
ve lost all sense of
humour. Not that you had much to begin with.
”

She smiled into his feathers, loving the
clean smell of him touched with a sweet hint of dust.
“
Did it ever occur to you that
you
’
re not
funny?
”

“Of course
not. The fault has always been yours.”

“Naturally.”

“But even
without a true appreciation for my genius, I’d rather have you than
anyone. I can’t imagine a better flight partner. You’re my
Wingborn. Even though I can’t live without you, I don’t wish to
either. I’m yours as you are mine. If I made disparaging remarks
about the Choice it’s because I pity all other miryhls. They’ll
never have what we have, nor comprehend what they’re missing. You
are like flight to me.”

Stunned to hear such words from her proud
and often irreverent Wingborn, Mhysra couldn
’
t speak. Instead she reached forward as
far as she could and hugged him tightly. Tears stung her eyes, from
the cold and the wind as well as emotion, and she buried her face
in his feathers.

“Are you
crying?” he rumbled. “You’d better not be crying. Your nose always
runs when you cry and it ruins my feathers. I am not a
handkerchief.”

Chuckling, she sat up and wiped her face.
“
I
’
m not crying.
”

“Good. It
would damage my reputation should anyone catch you being so
unashamedly sentimental. There is no room for maudlin emotion in
the Riders.”

“Yes, sir,”
she chirped, saluting cheekily.

“Are you
mocking me, student?” he growled, in a perfect impersonation of
Sergeant Rees.

“Never,
sir.”

“Because if
you were, student, I would have to take severe action.”

“I would never
dare mock you, most gracious and brilliant sir.”

“
Good. I
should hate, for example, to have to do
this!
”
Wings tucking in tight, he clamped her
legs against his sides and plummeted into freefall. Had Mhysra been
a little less familiar with her miryhl it would have been
terrifying, especially when the world turned and the clouds rushed
up to meet them, but after years of flying together she knew him
almost as well as she knew herself. Which was why when she felt his
wings twitch, she gripped his neck feathers, tightened her thighs
and held on.

She still screamed, though, when Cumulo
began to spin. Her heart thundered, her chest felt squeezed and her
eyes closed. The wind roared in her ears, slapping her face and
pulling at her hair as it raced over them while they tumbled down
and around. With a final roll, Cumulo righted himself, swooping
across the clouds and scattered rocks below.

Mhysra laughed breathlessly, face buried
against his neck.
“
You
’
ll
kill me one day.
”

He didn
’
t answer. Fresh tension shivered through him and he
powered upwards with heavy beats of his wings, lifting them higher
with each hard pull.
“Ship,” he
growled.

She sat up in surprise. A skyship was
drifting over the Cloud Sea towards them. Specks circled the
unfamiliar vessel, swooping in and out of the hatch doors on the
bottom of the ship
’
s
five tiers. Thinner than the broad hulls her family favoured, the
dark craft was sleek and slender, perfect for cutting through the
air. The gasbag was red and black, the insignia unknown.

She was intrigued.
“
I
’
m game, if you are.
”

He chuckled.
“
Far be it for me to deny you your pleasure, my
lady.
”

As they approached, the specks retreated to
the hull until only a pair of horsats and some pyrefly patrollers
were left. They had been sighted.

“Behave,” she
warned as the horsats approached, and Cumulo gave a contemptuous
snort.

“Ho, Rider!”
the foremost flyer called in a heavy accent. “From Nimbys?”

“Yes,” she
shouted back, unsure what more to add.

“
Our
captain
invites you aboard
Thorncrest
. You will
honour us?
”

Thinking they would be disappointed when
they discovered that she was only a student, she nevertheless
accepted the invitation. Cumulo needed a rest and if they could
catch a lift back to Nimbys that would be even better.
“
We would be delighted.
”

With a nod,
one of the horsat fliers reined his mount around and galloped back
to the ship. The second waited patiently for them to join him,
before showing them the best approach.

“
Welcome, welcome!” A tall, dark-skinned man dressed in buff
leathers and a deep blue coat, strode across the deck as Cumulo
glided over the rail and hopped to a neat halt. “Welcome, Rider and
fine miryhl.” He bowed respectfully to Cumulo and grinned at
Mhysra.
His smile faltered as she pulled off her flying hat,
untucked her braid and slid from the saddle. The crew drew back in
confusion.

Mhysra smiled nervously and rested a hand on
Cumulo
’
s wing for
reassurance.
“
Thank you
for the invitation, captain. You have a wonderful ship.
”

The flattery smoothed over the awkwardness
and the captain
’
s bright
smile sprang back.
“
True,
”
he agreed, reaching for her hand. After a hearty shake, he raised
it for a kiss.
“
You
grace it so beautifully, fair lady. Tell me, have things changed so
swiftly in Nimbys? I heard they allowed women Riders again, but did
not know they already had such fine jewels in their
midst.
”

Slightly overwhelmed, Mhysra freed her hand
while Cumulo tucked her protectively against his chest.
“
You heard correctly,
sir,
”
she said,
gathering her composure.
“
I
a
m a
new student.
”

“But you fly
so beautifully. Have we missed the Choice? Do you learn to fly
before Aquila now?” The captain acted confused, though his dark
eyes glimmered. He was a fine-looking man who clearly knew how to
use his charms to disarm unwary women.

Determined not to fall under his spell,
Mhysra stiffened.
“
I am
Wingborn, sir.
”

An excited whisper spread across the deck
and the captain straightened to his full, impressive height.
“
Wingborn, you say? Then
we truly are honoured. Permit me to introduce myself. I am Captain
Khene Torven of
Thorncrest,
out of Zvenera. We have sailed
across the lonely sea from the edge of the Stormsurge, bringing
students and miryhls out of the far south for the
Choice.
”

“A pleasure to
meet you, Captain Torven. I am Mhysra Kilpapan, student Rift Rider,
and this is my Wingborn, Cumulo.”

“
Ah.”
The amusement sprang back into his eyes. “A Kilpapan. I would be
delighted, were your family not so adept at cutting out my trade.
You have the look of your mother, Lady Mhysra. Were you not so tall
I would have noticed sooner. Still, be welcome aboard
Thorncrest,
such as she is.
”