Wingborn (36 page)

When Cumulo shot Kilai a sour look, the
Rider grinned.
“
No need
for jealousy, Cue. You
’
re perfect, but I
’
ve known you for years. And before you complain
that you
’
re wasting away
for want of a proper meal, remember your new friend
i
s going through the same. Even if
he
i
s
Lieutenant Lyrai
’
s.
”

Cumulo perked up and looked at Hurricane.
The marble miryhl didn
’
t
even twitch, he just kept on basking, serene as a cat. When
everyone stopped staring at him, he winked at Mhysra again, making
her grin. She liked Hurricane; he would be good for Cumulo.

While waiting for the others to finish
checking their miryhls, Mhysra perched on the edge of the hatch and
rested against Cumulo. Lounging in the sun with her miryhl at her
back, it was easy to forget that it was autumn and Aquila would
soon be buried in storms.

“
Pretty
thing,” Kilai said, stroking the nakhound by his feet. Bumble
wagged her tail, raised a wing and flopped over to present her
belly for a tickle. Chuckling, Kilai complied, looking at Mhysra
from beneath his curls. “One of mine.
Did you think I
woul
dn
’
t notice?
”

“
Don’
t blame me,
”
she protested, knowing how possessive her brother
could be.
“
She picked me
when she was barely a moon old. I never encouraged her. I even left
her behind, but Aunt Mhylla sent her after me, claiming she was
pining. So I left her with Milli every day, but the stupid pup
still wanted me. I don
’
t
have time for a nakhound.
”

Shaking Bumble
’
s waving paw, Kilai raised his eyebrows.
“
What a speech. Feeling
guilty?
”

“
No!”
She opened her mouth to defend herself, then noticed that Kilai was
laughing. “Brothers,” she grumbled. “I haven’
t missed you at
all.
”

Chuckling, he ran his hands over Bumble,
spreading her wings, pulling the silky plumes on her legs, ears and
tail.
“
She
’
s a beauty. Shame to lose her, but
Mhylla knows what she
’
s
doing. And if I can
’
t
give a pup to my own sister, who can I?
”

“
You’
re not taking her away?
”
Mhysra asked, surprised; Kilai was never
so understanding.

His smile was crooked and rueful.
“
Let me have a litter or
two from her and I
’
ll be
content. I
’
ve never seen
such perfect markings on the wings, though her body colours are a
bit messy.
”

“Messy?” she
flared up, defensive of her pup for the first time.

Kilai
gave a low growl. “I’
m trying to be gracious. Take her and
be happy.
”

Cumulo nudged her and she took the hint. For
all that she complained about Bumble, it was nice to know she could
keep her. Something had tightened unpleasantly in her chest at the
thought that Kilai might take her back. She glanced at the pup on
her feet, surprised to realise she did want her after all. Until
Kilai had said it, though, she
’
d never been able to truly believe she was
hers.

Smiling, she looked around in search of a
new subject before he reconsidered his generosity. Derrain waved
and she waved back.
“
They
’
re
done.
”

“
I’
ll be the judge of that.
”
Kilai gave Bumble another pat and
straightened up.
“
I
’
d best
check none of them have plucked their birds bald before we continue
the tour. I
’
ll show you
where to leave your pup later too. The kennel workers will look
after her while you
’
re
busy. She
’
ll be happier
with the rest of the pack. Come on.
”

ALMOST AS SOON
as
the sun rose over Aquila, Lyrai took Hurricane out for a brief
flight to familiarise him with their new home. Along the way he met
up with Stirla embarking on a similar mission. Afterwards, they
checked their flurries
’
miryhls, assessing whether all was well after the long flight and
noting areas of concern before going to find their Riders. By the
time they were finished it was midday.

“
I could
eat a horsat,” Stirla grumbled, patting his stomach as they entered
the officers’
mess.
“
I
’
d
forgotten how hungry real work makes me.
”

“
Well,
look who finally showed up. We
were about ready to send out
a search party.
”
Captain
Roumn was his usual charming self.
“
What
’
s
the matter, lads, new roles got you confused?
”

“
It’s
our first time,” Stirla said meekly, sitting beside Captain Myran.
Officers generally ate breakfast wherever they could, but the rest
of their meals were served in the mess. “We’re just humble Riders,
sir. Can’
t keep too many thoughts in our heads at once or
it
’
ll weigh us
down.
”

“I doubt a
thought or two would make much difference to you,” Lieutenant
Willym remarked from the opposite side of the table. Some might
have thought him handsome, if not for the perpetual sneer that
marred his face. “I’m astonished you can fly as it is.”

“
Well,
we can’
t all be skinny runts,
”
Stirla agreed mildly, and smiled at the stocky,
dark-skinned man beside Willym.
“
Good to see you, Hlen. Sorry you got the arithmetic
job.
”

Hlen smiled shyly, only truly comfortable on
miryhl-back or with a book in his hands.
“
Better than survival. Uphill battle
you
’
ve got, from what
I
’
ve seen.
”

“
If I
get too desperate I need only look at my friend here and thank the
gods for their infinitely small mercies.” Stirla slapped Lyrai on
the back, causing him to choke on his sou
p.

“
You
wouldn’
t be laughing if he
’
d just sprayed you,
”
Captain Hylan told the cackling Roumn, while
handing Lyrai some water. He was a big man like Stirla, making
Lyrai feel small, wedged as he was between them. But where Stirla
was gregarious, the captain was quiet.
“
Picking up where I left off, Lyrai? All the luck of
the gods, lad.
”

“
You’
ll need it.
”
One of Hylan
’
s lieutenants shuddered.
“
Give me history anytime.
”

“
As if
you ever taught a lesson in your life, Brath,” one of
Roumn’
s lieutenants laughed.
“
You could fill a library with the things you
don
’
t know.
”

“
Whereas
Nimbys wouldn’
t be big enough to hold your lack,
”
Captain Myran rebuked softly.
“
Even the best read
amongst us could use a little more knowledge from time to time,
Lieutenant Yordice.
”

When Myran spoke everyone else shut up.
Though Roumn was older and equally marked by Rider life, there was
an air of dignity around Myran, even before a man noticed his limp
or heard the story behind it. If family connections had netted
Fredkhen for Willym, the mere threat of Lyrai
’
s had gifted him Myran.

The meal continued in silence until Myran
cleared his throat.
“
How
fare your new Riders, Hylan? Roumn doesn
’
t seem confident about his.
”

For once the big man
’
s smile was smug.
“
Mine are fine. They
’
ve been trained as hard as could be
without breaking. I
’
m
fairly certain they
can
fly over a flock of sheep without baulking.
”

Everyone looked at Roumn, some knowingly,
the rest curious. The cynical captain
’
s cheeks turned red.
“
It was only once and it was foggy. Gods blast you
for bringing it up again, Hylan.
”

Hylan grinned.
“
Turn and turn about, old friend. All
’
s fair inside Aquila
’
s walls. No harm done.
”

Fredkhen raised an eyebrow.
“
That
’
s not what I heard. Five innocent sheep paid
dearly.
”

“
No,
that was Roumn when the farmer demanded compensation,” Myran
corrected
.

“But still, no
harm done,” Hylan repeated.

Fredkhen
chuckled. “Except to Roumn’
s pocket.
”

“
It’
s good for him.
”
Hylan grinned again.
“
And we got mutton for dinner. Very fine it was
too.
”

“
Enough!” Roumn growled. “Yordice, Thylek, round up the
others. We
leave tomorrow.
”

“
But
it’
s Half-Year!
”
his lieutenants protested, only to be silenced by their
captain
’
s glare.

“
We are
leaving,” he repeated, and they
hung their heads in
defeat.

“
Don’
t be like that, Roumn,
”
Fredkhen coaxed, as the two men left.

Hylan nodded, sipping from his glass.
“
Yes, old man, no need
to be such a
baa
d sport.
”

With a look as scorching as pyrefly breath,
Captain Roumn stalked out. The rest hooted with laughter. Stirla
was so entertained he reached across Lyrai to shake
Hylan
’
s hand. Even Myran
chuckled into his glass. Only Willym was unimpressed, regarding
them like mud splatters on his best breeches.

They ignored him and the meal continued
amidst splutters, snorts and chuckles as they
baa
’
d at random intervals. Until a
knock on the door was followed by a student wearing a green
messenger cap.

“Beg pardon, sirs,
”
the lad said, twisting his cap in his
hands.
“D
ean Marshall
says the North Point ship
’
s docked. Officers
’
meeting next bell.
”
Jamming his cap back onto his head, he swiftly
vanished through the door again.

“
Fun’
s over, lads,
”
Fredkhen announced, draining his wine.
“
Real work starts
tomorrow.
”

“
Best of
luck,” Captain Hylan murmured solemnly to Stirla and Lyrai,
clapping them both on the shoulder. Then he smiled, an amused glint
in his dark eyes. “You’
re going to need it.
”

16
^th
Harvest

“I
T
SHOULDN’T BE
too bad,
”
Mouse said, as Mhysra and her friends walked
through the eastern citadel.
“
Two captains and four junior lieutenants, right?
They
’
ll just divide us
into two for now. That
’
s
not so bad. Unless you
’
re last. I mean someone has to be. What if
you
’
re not picked at
all? Can they do that? Has that ever happened before?
”

Corin jabbed him in the back.
“
I
’
ve no idea and I
’
d rather not know, thanks.
”

“
I
shouldn’
t have eaten breakfast,
”
Mhysra moaned, feeling miserable.

Derrain rubbed her arm.
“
But you might have fainted.
”

“
Which
would have given us a laugh,” Mouse quipped, ducking
Derrain’
s swipe as they reached the hall.

Maegla
’
s Hall was considered the heart and wonder of
Aquila by many, Riders and architectural historians alike. With its
enormous, brass-inlaid doors flung wide to beckon the students
inside, it was both an inviting and intimidating sight. As large as
a cathedral nave, the floor all dark wood, polished to a high shine
to reflect the glory of the ceiling above. Lavishly decorated with
paintings of Riders, miryhls, dragons and clouds, its centrepiece
was devoted to the Storm Goddess Maegla, patron of the Rift
Riders.

At the front of the hall, gilded by the
sunlight streaming in through the high windows, stood Captain
Myran, his two lieutenants and four men Mhysra had never seen
before. From her brother
’
s descriptions, she guessed the man in the middle
was Dean Marshall. Straight-backed, a little above average height
and with greying hair, he had an unremarkable appearance – until he
glanced her way. The weight of his power and all of his authority
was in his eyes: this man knew what he was doing.

The short, slender man with a cheerful
countenance beside him had to be Fredkhen, rumoured to be the
nicest captain in the Riders. His lieutenants were as different
from each other as men could be. One was of medium height with a
stocky build, his brown skin, eyes and hair suggesting Sutheralli
roots. His hunched shoulders and constant shifting showed that he
was uneasy at being the focus attention, making Mhysra wonder why
he was training for captaincy.