Gold Dragon (Heritage of Power #5)(2)
Those aren’t predatory thoughts, Rysha explained to the dragon. I believe they’re lecherous ones. You may have noticed Captain Trip having similar ones about my, uh, hindquarters.
Are they welcome or unwelcome?
From the sergeant? So long as he doesn’t try to act on them, they’re fine.
For a moment, Rysha forgot all about the course and the training, and flashed back to that freighter in Lagresh, where a bronze dragon in human form had tried to sexually force himself on her. Fortunately, it hadn’t gone further than kissing and groping, but the memory still angered and shamed her. She felt the fool for not having sussed out what the dragon was sooner. She still hadn’t told Trip about the incident, and she hoped she could get away with never doing so. He wouldn’t blame her, she was certain, but he might think… Oh, she didn’t even know. It was more her own shame that she didn’t want to face or share with him.
“Four minutes and eight seconds,” the timekeeper announced, lifting a pencil to his clipboard. “You made it with twenty-two seconds to spare. Impressive.” He looked toward Colonel Therrik and Major Kaika, who were walking up. “I believe that’s a little faster than Major Kaika ran the course when she first passed twenty years ago.”
“Sixteen years ago, Sarge,” Kaika drawled. “Don’t make me sound older than I am.”
“My apologies, ma’am.” He saluted both officers.
Rysha did the same, doing her best to look professional and not at all giddy as she did so. That wasn’t that hard since Colonel Therrik’s dour face did not inspire giddiness. And the dark frown he directed at Shulina Arya made Rysha uneasy.
“How do we know the dragon didn’t help her?” Therrik growled.
A shot of fear went through Rysha. He outranked Kaika and everyone on the field, so if he decided she had cheated somehow, he had the power to nullify her test results. King Angulus had said Rysha could become Shulina Arya’s rider, making it an official military position, but only if she passed the elite troops training. Specifically, this test.
“She didn’t help me, sir. She only came to lend moral support.”
“A morally supportive dragon?” Kaika asked. “I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“You got over the wall easily for a woman,” Therrik said, his eyes still narrow.
“Are you being sexist, Colonel?” Kaika arched an eyebrow, looking as calm and relaxed as ever, but there was a dangerous glint in her eye.
Since Therrik outranked her, Rysha couldn’t imagine Kaika challenging the colonel in any serious way, but she was glad to have Kaika standing up for her.
“Just stating facts,” Therrik growled. “Women can’t pull themselves up as easily as men.”
“I have no problem gripping things and pulling myself up. I can climb anything or anyone.”
Therrik grunted. “So the barracks rumors say. You know I don’t have a problem with you being here, Major, but this young… officer—” he waved at Rysha, specifically her spectacles, and she was certain that wasn’t the first word that had come to his mind, “—isn’t you.”
“No,” Kaika agreed. “We’re clearly different people. I don’t have a morally supportive dragon.” Her gaze lifted to the sky, warning Rysha that Shulina Arya had left her perch.
As the soldier Rysha had been partnered with trotted up, his lip bloody from his own encounter with the sergeant, the dragon flew down and landed behind them. The soldier squealed in alarm and sprinted toward the barracks.
“Fail that kid,” Therrik growled to the timekeeper, as he eyed the dragon warily. He looked like he was trying not to step back and appear intimidated.
Rysha tamped down a smug smile. Even though she hadn’t asked Shulina Arya to claim her as her rider, nor had she truly dreamed of that as a possible career path, Rysha had to admit it was delightful having a dragon standing at her back.
“I’ve already noted that he didn’t finish the course in sufficient time,” the timekeeper said.
“Also note that he wet himself when he saw a dragon,” Therrik said.
The sergeant hesitated. “There’s not a place for that on the form.”
“Make one.”
“Er, yes, sir.”
Kaika clucked and shook her head.
“What?” Therrik asked.
“We were all hoping Lilah would mellow you, but you’re still hard and crusty.”
“Don’t tell me you want that kid defending our country when dragons show up.” Therrik pointed to the retreating back of the fleeing soldier.
“Perhaps not, but I do want Lieutenant Ravenwood defending our country.”
Therrik squinted at Rysha and at the dragon. He looked like he was going to voice a protest again, but Shulina Arya lowered her massive head so that it hung over Rysha’s shoulder. She felt like a doll in comparison.
The dragon’s violet eyes gazed into Therrik’s. Is there a problem here? Has the Storyteller not sufficiently proven her skill and ability in your warrior course?
Seconds passed as Therrik stared back at Shulina Arya, his body not moving, his eyes transfixed on hers. Even though Rysha wasn’t the recipient of the dragon’s stare and had no aptitude for sensing magic, she could feel the power radiating from Shulina Arya. Kaika, too, gazed at the dragon with that slightly blank and transfixed look.