LOGINSkylar has accepted her role as dragon queen's rider.
And Ryuki waits, with sword and flame,To stand beside her, stake his claim.Together now, the fire burns,The tide will shift, the balance turns.SkylarI wake up feeling very strange. I have a vague recollection of feeling out of control and naughty in a way I’ve never felt before.When I open my eyes, the sun is high in the sky. It feels late, like I’ve slept much later than normal. When I start to sit up, I realize there’s an arm over my waist and the heat I feel behind me is Ryuki.That’s not unusual. What is unusual is that I’m completely naked and I smell like … oh my god!I sit up quickly and look at Ryuki. Did we …? Did he …?‘Oh yes, he did. Ymyl had her mating flight, do you remember?’ Cyryl asks.My hand goes to my stomach. I’m sore in places I’ve never been sore before. My stomach feels like I’ve got mild cramps, my breasts and nipples feel extremely sensitive, and between my legs I feel …‘Well used?’ Cyryl asks. I can hear the smirk in her tone.‘Cyryl, this isn’t funny
For love is fierce when bonds run deep,And dragon hearts no cage can keep.Let kingdoms fall and empires break, The Dragon Thief will rise, awake.RyukiIn the past, when Bynjym would leave to avoid mating a red or blue, I’d go with him. I gave into the dragon-induced haze once with Mara, but the next day, everything felt strange. I have a higher position in the thunder than the red and blue riders, so it made things strange between us for a few days. Add to that, Mara doesn’t discriminate when it comes to lovers. Being a rider means we’re free from the constraints that society puts on us. We live freely and that means we can have and take as many lovers as we want, as long as that doesn’t cause friction in the thunder.For me, once was all it took to realize that I didn’t want to do it again, until now. Skylar is different. Not only is she a queen’s rider, but I’ve already started developing feelings for this woman. I want her and I know Bynjym wants Cyryl. The only way to salvage
Still Skylar walks the narrow ledge,Her oath writ deep on mountain’s edge:To steal, to save, to pay the price,To shield the hatchling’s sacrifice.SkylarIt felt like my life went into fast forward the moment the hatchlings joined us. Life became simple. Feed the hatchlings, let them sleep, spend time with Cyryl, try to sleep, repeat.Cyryl’s annoyance with her hatchlings is obvious and on multiple occasions, I’ve had to step in to keep the peace. As a queen, she expects her hatchlings to do what she says. However, they aren’t old enough yet to understand the hierarchy of her being their future leader. To them, she’s just their fellow hatchling and they don’t care what she’s saying when they're hungry.It doesn’t take the other hatchlings long to realize that the silvers favor their sister, rather than them. However, no matter how much they cry, Bynjym and Pytryck only feed Cyryl and Ylys when she stays behind to help guard the hatchlings. Yntyn and Thyyd both bring food back for t
In elder days when flame met air,And dragons ruled the heavens fair,Where once they soared on winds of grace,Now storm and sorrow take their place.RyukiYttyc is really uncomfortable to ride.‘That’s because you were meant to be a silver’s rider, not a bronze’s rider,’ Bynjym says.‘I can’t believe he let me ride him.’Bynjym is quiet for a moment.‘It says a lot about the power of our future queens. I don’t know if queens in the past who bonded with riders had this same power, or if we’ve reached a time when our thunder is on the cusp of strengthening, but the dominion that Cyryl and Skylar wield with our thunder is unheard of.’It’s not just power, I realize. They have a way of getting the other dragons to do what they want them to do because the dragons are so anxious to please them.‘That’s a very interesting insight. You’re right, my rider. All the dragons want to please them. They want to please Cyryl mostly because she will be their queen and they want to gain favor with her
But in her breast, another fire,Not born of greed, nor dark desire.She hears the cries no court will heed,Of dragons torn, of mothers’ need.Skylar‘Cyryl!’ I say, knowing I need to go to Nyry. I don’t know if the royals are still after her, but as an injured blue, she’ll be difficult to calm.‘Go. Bynjym, do not let anything happen to my rider!’‘I will kill them if they come near her,’ he growls.“I take it you’re riding with me?” Ryuki asks, wrapping his arm around my waist and lifting me up as he quickly races up Bynjym’s back.He gets us settled just as Bynjym lifts into the sky.‘Jyshy, go with them, along with four other bronzes. The other half stay with the silvers to guard the hatchlings,’ Cyryl says.‘Ylys, you need to stay to guard the hatchlings, too,’ I tell her when she lifts into the sky to join us.‘But Nyry …’‘We will get her and bring her here,’ Bynjym says to her, flying fast to get back to Nyry.‘Tell me what happened,’ I say as we fly.“They must have already b
With Bynjym bound in soul and scale,He guards the flight, he guards the tale.He fights the lords who steal with might,And shields the eggs through storm and night.SkylarI seem to have no problem sleeping in Ryuki’s arms. Considering I’ve gone nearly eighteen years without sleeping in a man’s arms, it’s surprising how comfortable I feel in his.When Bynjym lifts into the sky, taking us back to the thunder, I refuse to let myself feel terrified. I am a dragon rider, a queen’s rider. I will not flinch when it feels like gravity is trying to suck my stomach out of my body, nor will I get dizzy when the world below me becomes so small that it looks like an ant farm.‘Someday, you’ll equate these feelings with riding on my back. They will not only be familiar, but welcome,’ Cyryl says.‘I look forward to that day, my dragon.’When we get back to the thunder, I can feel the envious looks aimed my way. I’m not sure if the envy is toward Ryuki because he spent a night alone with me, or tow
Yet danger breathes on every side,For truth too long must cease to hide.The king, with eyes like coals alight,Now scents the wind and smells the blight.Ryuki‘Tell me you didn’t know she was a princess,’ I snarl at Bynjym.‘How would I know that?’ he asks me.He’s been giving me the running comm
Yet in her eyes, no traitor gleams,But sorrow forged in broken dreams.She lifts her veil, she speaks her name,And dares to voice her house’s shame.SkylarI really don’t have time for this. Do they not understand how long it takes a person to walk versus fly? Do they not understand that I’m tryin
To him, these eggs are not to claim,But sacred birth, not bought by name.He wages war with truth and wing,To end the theft, to break the king.SkylarThe answer to my problem of getting to King Emmanuel's castle came the following day.“Skylar, now that King Emmanuel has an egg, I need to go hunt
Now mark this name in silver flame,Ryuki, rider none could tame.No crown he wears, no sword obeys,He walks the wild, the dragon’s ways.RyukiI was glad to see Tyffyn actually start training Soma properly the next day. After a couple of days of waiting and doing nothing, the riders and dragons be







