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I shake my head, rethinking my decision with each murderous screech. "Maybe this isn't a good – "
A very pissed off Seraxes slams through the doors, stomping beside the two trainers who have somehow managed to strap a white saddle around her torso. The chilly stare in her blue eyes intensifies the moment her gaze meets mine. For a split second, I believe she is going to freeze me, but instead, she roars at me, her high-pitched shriek telling me everything I need to know. I won't be riding her today or any other day.
"Go to her," Sylvane gently shoves me forward.
"Are you insane?" I hiss, shaking her hand from my person. "If I go to her – "
"You must show her you do not fear her."
"But I do fear her," I snip.
"A Basilius does not show fear," she quips, non-relenting, and I realize immediately where my stubborn nature stems from. "Approach her slowly, with your hands visible. Show her you mean her no harm, that you do not fear her, and that you will take your rightful seat."
I dare a quick glance at Atlas. I fully expect him to voice his concerns and give me a reason to disregard my mother's instructions, but instead, he nods his head in agreement.
"She's right," he says. "A dragon will never respect you as its rider if you cower."
"That's your advice?" I huff, irritated for once he's not trying to keep me from doing something reckless.
Atlas eats what little distance remains between us and slides his hands on either side of my face. I can feel Sylvane's curious gaze pinned on us, but I don't dare tears my eyes from his. "Strenlys, you can do this."
"I'm scared," I whisper.
"I know." He nods, swiping strands of hair from my face. "Do it anyway."
Sylvane clears her throat, finally drawing my gaze, and provoking Atlas to release me. "Your bodyguard is right," she says with a teasing tone, making it clear to me she knows for certain Atlas isn't who I claim him to be. "Seraxes will never let you ride her if you stand down now."
I suck in a deep breath and roll my shoulders back. If I am going to approach the beast, I will do it with my head held high. I might have trepidation stewing in my belly, but I will do as I have always done in the past when I felt uneasy – pretended to be who everyone believed I was.
The first step is the hardest, but once I force myself forward, I take another step and then another, until I find myself within a few feet of the majestic, white-scaled dragon. Her nostrils flare as she snorts a chilly blast of air at me, whipping my hair over my shoulders. I narrow my gaze and stare up at her.
I'm not sure if I'm supposed to speak to Seraxes or just maintain unwavering eye contact until one of us backs down, but I'm determined to show her that I am not afraid of her, nor am I her enemy. For a split second, the harshness in her face irons out, and I see the pain in her eyes. Abandonment, loneliness, and the feeling of being unwanted – everything I feel is staring back at me and it hurts. Slowly, gently, I reach my hand up, but that was the wrong thing to do. Seraxes takes a step away from me, her vengeful mask firmly rooted back into place.
I raise my hands above my shoulders to show Seraxes I am unarmed and mean her no harm. She backs away, narrowing her eyes and showing me her rows of sharp, dagger-length teeth. To my credit, I don't retreat, but take a sure-footed step forward.
"Seraxes," I say calmly. "I am not going to hurt you and you are not going to hurt me. I am your rider and today, I will take my place."
Seraxes lowers her head and growls, showing me each glistening tooth she has.
This is not going well.
Suddenly, Drexel, the Frost King's dragon, bellows in the sky and spears toward us. He lands with a great thud, shaking the foundation and I barely manage to keep my footing. He lurches toward my dragon and lets loose a thunderous roar. Seraxes screeches in return but takes a defensive stance against the much larger dragon.
My heart drops the moment I see Drexel open his enormous mouth and my first thought is he's going to harm my dragon.
"No!" I scream and without thinking, I cast a golden shield in front of Seraxes to protect her.
The wall between the dragons doesn't just draw their attention, but every Basilius rider in the vicinity.
Drexel slowly turns his head toward me, eyeing me with great curiosity, and its then I realize what he was doing. His intent was never to harm Seraxes; he was putting her in her place, like an alpha would chastise a pup in his pack. He's keeping order and I inserted myself where I shouldn't have.
Seraxes, on the other hand, doesn't flash her typical angry eyes my way, but a momentary look of wonder and confusion flashes across her face.
Sheepishly, I lower the shield and nonverbally offer my apologies to Drexel. I am in no way trying to get on that dragon's bad side.
"What an excellent start to your first day."
I glare in the direction of the one-man applause and catch sight of Thrane Basilius leaning against Artax's scaled leg as if it were a wall. He claps twice more before lowering his hands slowly. He's definitely one for theatrics.
