The Time Tournament (Order of the Dragon #1)

CHAPTER 18

Killian

“ How did you make those shadow animals on the wall?”

“You just need to place your hands behind the candle like this. And now it’s a horse.”

“You’re so clever, Killian.”

July 1429

T he day started with a triumph. I had even slept in the Keep. Ah, I loved the subtle scent of victory in the morning. With the weakling no longer a concern, I could focus on more important matters, like strengthening Rider Taddeus’s battle skills and proving to the Solomonari families that I was the right choice as a Fire Legion Commander.

Humming a military tune, I jumped out of bed, went to the water basin, and splashed my face. I preferred sleeping naked, similar to my dragon form. One of the reasons I preferred sleeping on mountain peaks. But living at the Keep forced me to abide by the rules of human society. After I put on my boots, I left my chamber and headed toward the Rotonda. Today we planned on improving my riders’ swordsmanship skills. Laszlo was very young for a rider. Most started in their twenties. But he showed the determination I once had as a teen. He was destined to become a great warrior.

As I took my time climbing down the spiral stairs, a figure appeared in the doorway. The human. What was she doing up so early? Were my eyes blurred, or was she wearing her legion uniform?

“Good morning, Commander,” she said. “A good day for training, isn’t it?”

“A good day for training, indeed,” I muttered.

As I approached her, the daring gaze had returned. I assumed yesterday’s humiliation was enough. I was wrong. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I tried to give her a chance to back out.

“Yes, I am sure. One day is not enough to learn the ropes of fighting.”

She didn’t sound like herself. Who had been talking to her and filling her brain with hopeful nonsense? It didn’t matter. I would make sure to break her, no matter how long it took. “Of course. Then let’s go ahead and start.” I walked ahead as she followed behind.

“Um, Com- Commander. I heard about your mother. I’m really sorry for your loss,” she said.

I halted in my tracks. How dare she? I turned and scrutinized her insolent face. “Who gave you permission to speak of my mother?”

“No one. I just felt the need to share my condolences.”

“Why do you believe your feelings or needs matter, useless human?” I took a sharp breath and stepped closer.

“Your pain is understandable. I just wanted to say that.” She cowered. I liked that.

“What do you know about my pain?” My tone rose several degrees.

“I had people in my life who died too,” she said.

“Have you ever had someone die because of you?” I asked.

“I did, but she will live.” I saw a hint of hope in her eyes.

“How lucky you must feel that your mistakes can be erased sooner or later.”

“Maybe I haven’t lived through your traumatic experience, but at least you’re home with your family. I’m never going to see my family, and I can’t let myself mourn their loss because it’s me who went missing. They’ll always live with the hope of finding me someday, and I’ll always live with the truth that that will never happen.”

“I would take the life you have any day just to get my mother back,” I said through gritted teeth.

Tarra saw us and quickly made herself important. “ Mates, mates. This is not a competition. No one wins in a battle of losses. All pain is valid.”

“Then we should apply your statement on the training grounds,” I said and turned to the exit. “If you do not follow me now, you will be forever disqualified from joining.”

I heard hurried steps behind me. Good. Now was the time to put her in her place.

Once we arrived at the platform, all the other riders greeted me, but I didn’t care to answer. I took off the gloves I planned to use for sword fighting. This lesson needed to be taught with bare hands. I placed my fists behind my back and waited for my prey.

The first time I noticed the worn-out cloth around her neck, I wondered why she didn’t take it off. When I enlightened her with a claw to her neck on why she should leave my lair, I felt a distinct tremble. The same tremble I sensed yesterday when I held her in a chokehold. She feared anyone touching that spot. What an easy target.

As she took her stand next to the other riders, I said, “Riders, today’s lesson is about why emotions are a disadvantage in battle. In the wrath of war, it’s not hope that guides you, but a sense of duty. The mind, just like the body, must be toughened constantly. Weakness in the mind is worse than weakness of the body. Even with a crippled body, the battle of wits can be won. As long as the strength is there, nothing should deter you from winning—not the loss of your mates, not the loss of a limb. You must resemble a stone—tough on the outside and on the inside. Not like a soft-boiled egg, tough only in appearance.”

I walked closer to the middle of the Rotunda. “Costin, please step forward.”

She looked exactly as I wanted her to look—scared. It was satisfying to watch her struggle with her better judgment before deciding to face me.

“We will start our training with you attacking me, Rider,” I said.

She nodded and struck a fierce pose. A fierce pose for a kitten, that is. She launched at me in a daring, all-or-nothing attack. And right when I thought she wouldn’t come up with something new, she pulled out a small prismwater dagger. She went for my upper arm and stabbed me straight into my death mark. Even luck wasn’t on her side. The blade bounced off my skin and fell to the ground. The bewildered look on her face made me smile.

“If you had stabbed me anywhere else, you would’ve at least penetrated the skin. But this,” I said, slapping the raised edges of the round black emblem, “is impossible to break through. It’s a mark that lets me kill not only insolent mortals but also dragons. The only one who can kill me must bear one as well. So, I’m practically undefeatable.”

Her jaw dropped. “Though I commend your effort, prismwater metals don’t hurt me. I’m made of it.” I kicked the dagger further away to keep any new ideas from forming in her little head. “Now that you’re done with your attack, it’s my turn.”

I didn’t give her time to reflect on my words as I gripped her neck, using the black cloth as a guide. Her big eyes widened further. I dug my fingers deeper into her flesh until her face turned red. She stopped breathing, and I could see the will drain from her eyes. Finally.

I released her. Everything happened so fast that the others didn’t even realize it. She fell to her knees, struggling to breathe. She began trembling, and for a second, I thought she would faint.

“What did you do?” Tarra asked.

“A fear of being strangled is understandable, but it has no place on the battlefield. Even by human standards, you’re helpless. Just to be clear, it’s not because you’re a mortal human that you can’t be a rider—it’s because you are weak in body and, especially, in mind.”

“I’m not weak,” she croaked, covering her neck with both hands. Fluids streamed from all over her face—tears, drool, snot. Pathetic.

Tarra, once again, rushed to defend her little friend. “How can you be so cruel?” she retorted.

“Delusion is also a weakness, Sister. I recommend you tackle that as well. Now leave. Let the real riders continue their training—those who are not afraid of a little tug at the throat.”

She left like a kitten with her tail between her legs, helped only by my sister’s useless support. The day kept getting better.

After a day of training, I was about to go on a short hunt in the afternoon when my distraught father found me. He demanded to know what I had done to his “little survivor. ”

“I’m doing everyone a favor,” I said, continuing my walk to the Keep.

“In my study,” he said through gritted teeth. “Now.”

“Are you afraid your little time traveler will be hurt by the truth? Don’t bother. She already knows it,” I said.

“Why is it so hard for you to train her? The Pure and the village accepted her. Why can’t you?”

“Have you considered the Time Tournament? What will she do then?”

“We have yet to reach those times.”

“How can you, a Commander who fought through the Time War and witnessed all the atrocities, approve a mortal to become a symbol of hope? What will happen when she dies?”

“The Fates are her ally.” He dropped the book he was carrying. His ailment started to show.

I picked up the book from the ground, dusted it off, and handed it back to him. “What next? Are you going to hire a fortune teller as an adviser? His Majesty entrusted this duty to me, and you can be sure I’ll rise to triumph. You’d best take care of your arms. If not, you won’t be able to fly. And what is a sky dragon without his wings?”