Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Dragon School: The Ruby Isles
Dragon School, Volume 4
Sarah K. L. Wilson
Published by Sarah K. L. Wilson, 2018.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
DRAGON SCHOOL: THE RUBY ISLES
First edition. January 8, 2018.
Copyright © 2018 Sarah K. L. Wilson.
Written by Sarah K. L. Wilson.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Behind the Scenes:
For my nephews,
Evan & Seth
Chapter One
“It’s set in stone. We have to move you all up a rank within the month. Three more knots arrive here within the week and the Dominar arrives before Autumnal Sounding. When he arrives, all Initiates are to be Sworn in and all Sworn are to assume their apprenticeships to their Colors.” Grandis Elfar was talking to our knot in our lodgings. Artis sat on the edge of her bed with her mouth firm, like she was worried about how this would work and Olla and Orra had stopped teasing each other long enough to put on intent expressions, too.
“You can’t be serious, Grandis,” Lenora said. It was always the children of nobility who felt free to talk to teachers like that. “I’ve only been Sworn for a month. Artis for only six. We should have at least a year or two before we are taken on by the Colors. What about our mentorship roles? What about mastering the lore?”
Grandis Elfar sighed. “Things change, child. In my day, there would be years before you could even be trusted to fly formation on your own and last week we let your knot fly alone. A knot with three Initiates, I would add. In my day, there was as much book learning as practical work and we took the measure of each rider with care. Now...” She shook her head. “...Now we push you and we break those not strong enough to endure. There’s too much waste, but there is nothing we can do. The Initiates in this group will be sworn in. First, they will face examinations. Lenora, Artis, as the only Sworn in the fist, you will take on their mentorship. You will drill them and teach them and be sure to get them ready to be tested. Your own test, to enter the Colors, is of a different variety. The only preparation for it is the preparation of life. This mentorship will help you get there.”
“And what happens if we succeed?” Artis asked quietly.
“If you succeed, we will send you to your Colors for mentorship and training. Each of you – Artis and Lenora – will be taken on in an apprenticeship by a Dragon Rider of your Color. Olla, Orra and Amel will join another knot.”
“And if we fail?” Lenora sounded more nervous than I would have expected.
“The same penalty as always. You will join the ranks of servants.”
“But I’ve only been Sworn for a month! I’m not ready. What if I fail?”
“See that you don’t,” Elfar snapped. “You think you have a difficult time? Think of the Initiates here who have been with us scant weeks or months while you have been with us for years. They are not more ready than you are. We desperately need more Dragon Riders, but the Dominar is correct – if war comes to us, we won’t be able to expend our time teaching or training.”
“War?” Lenora said. “I thought they were giving one of our High Castelans to the Dark Prince to prevent that.”
“Do you see Savette around here?” Olla asked, her tone derisive.
“I see Starie Atrelan around here. And she looks like a child with a pocket full of sweets. Isn’t she Savette’s replacement?”
“Enough,” Grandis Elfar said. “Continue your training. Do your work. Work like your lives depend on it because it turns out that they might. Artis, it is your job to get Olla and Orra ready for the test. Lenora, it is your job to get Amel ready.”
“What?” Lenora said, her face painted in shock.
“You heard me, Castelan. Your job is to train her in etiquette, history, and as much lore as you can manage in the weeks ahead. How well she does will determine your final grade as a Sworn.”
“No!” She looked positively green and I shuffled my foot a bit. What if she failed because of me?
“Enough talk,” Grandis Elfar said. “Get to your work and show me I was right to depend on you. Except for you, Amel. I need a word with you.”
I followed her to the balcony at the side of the room – my crutch had been returned to me by Artis after the struggle, bless her for her conscientiousness! - and she carefully shut the door behind us so that we stood in the open air, unable to be overheard by those within the room.
“I received both your messages,” she said. “Your loyalty to your friend is touching, but believe me when I tell you that we are doing everything we can to recover Savette Leedris. Your assistance is not necessary. We appreciate your fervor that night in trying to recover your friend. How or why Leng’s dragon agreed to carry you is a mystery, but I want to warn you again to stay away from other rider’s dragons. You are not safe from them and purples are notoriously unpredictable.”
“Do they have any idea where to look for Savette?”
She cleared her throat. “Like I said, this is Dragon Rider business, not the business of Initiates. You should never have been involved in the dangerous mess of her kidnapping in the first place.”
What about Savette? She was an Initiate, too. She should never have been there that night, either. She should have been protected from all of this. I had another problem – not as big as Savette, but close to as big.
“Starie-” I began, but Grandis Elfar cut me off.
“I have interviewed Starie Atrelan myself and she has a very different account of things than you do. Since Leng Shardson was ill at the time, it is your word against hers. For the present, I will judge neither of you. Prove yourself loyal and we will say no more of it.”
“Wait,” I said, stunned. “She’s the reason that the rest of my knot died! You can’t trust her!”
“I think I said that we would say no more of it, did I not? Starie is as much a victim in all this as you are, and we are grateful to have her returned to us.”
What had Starie said to make Grandis Elfar trust her again?
“You will show her respect, as a fellow trainee and a High Castelan.”
I bowed my head, frustration biting deep into my belly.
“I need to hear you say, ‘Yes, Grandis.’”
“Yes Grandis,” I mumbled, but I was not happy. Starie wasn’t trustworthy. She had arranged for Savette’s kidnapping an
d now she was tricking them all!
But if no one else could see it, then it was up to me to bring it into the open.
“Good. Dismissed. I’m sure Lenora will have much for you to do.”
My heart sank as I realized that she was right about that. Lenora was going to be completely insufferable.
Chapter Two
“And how do you greet a High Castelan?” Lenora asked, tailing me doggedly as I hobbled to the alcoves.
“With my hand to my heart.” I was concentrating more on keeping my load from spilling than I was on what she was saying. It’s hard to carry a kettle and climb up to dragon cotes at the same time.
“Fist to heart. Be sure of this, Amel, I am not going to fail because of you!”
She wasn’t going to fail. Even if Grandis Elfar had said she was responsible for me. Lenora knew everything perfectly just one month into being Sworn.
“Let’s try something in history. When was the Dominion founded?”
“The fifth year of the Great Plague.”
The alcoves were quiet. No one was flying today except the guards. They’d been flying double shifts since Savette was taken as if care now could make up for their earlier neglect.
“Which was when?”
“The year two hundred and forty by common reckoning.”
“Good. Now, name the first Dominar.”
“Can we take a break for a moment?” We were at Raolcan’s alcove and I couldn’t wait to give him his treat.
She sighed. “Fine. I’m going to check on my dragon, but find me as soon as you are done here. We have to cram years of study into your head in just a few short weeks.”
I nodded and tried a timid smile but Lenora was already gone.
She’s an interesting one. I’d like to know her better.
She was going to drive me crazy. Not that it was my biggest worry. No, my biggest worry was that no one seemed to be taking Savette’s disappearance as seriously as I was.
The dragon rider guard here continues to search. I hear the thoughts of their dragons.
Well, that was something but Grandis Elfar wouldn’t listen to my questions and Leng had disappeared.
He left that same night and has not been back. I think he also searches.
Could he do that? I thought Purples were dedicated to message-bearing. I took out a dish from the shelves and set it on the ground before him. I couldn’t wait for him to see his surprise. Raolcan shifted excitedly, his eyes bright as I tilted the kettle and poured the hot honey into the dish.
You remembered.
His mental voice sounded so satisfied that I felt a genuine grin forming on my own face. He stuck his tongue out, licking the hot honey up slowly as if he were savoring it.
Oh. I am.
Now that I’d kept my promise to him, I needed to work on a way to find Savette. No matter what the Grandis said, I didn’t trust the guards were doing enough to find her and I didn’t trust Starie not to make things worse for Savette - somehow.
Do you have any idea where she is? If you do, then it is easy. We fly out of here together and go after her. If you do not, well, that’s more tricky. We need somewhere to start beyond a hunch.
And that was the problem because I had no idea where to start.
Or do you? Is that girl Starie still here?
He knew she was. He must have an idea.
Perhaps she knows more than she is saying.
She definitely did but she wasn’t going to tell me about it.
Bring her here and let me try to see if I can figure it out. Until then, you need to start readying supplies and stashing them here so that when we get a chance to leave, you will have what you need for a journey.
How would we do that with him bound to the alcove?
We’d have to sneak out when you are about to launch for formation practice. Or you could find out how to free me from my bonds.
I hadn’t thought of that. My breath seemed to be coming quicker. This was real. We could really do it. Yes, it would mean risking everything. Maybe they wouldn’t let me back into Dragon School afterward, or maybe they would make me a servant, but Savette had said she trusted me. She said I was her only ally. I couldn’t abandon her when she needed help the most.
I promised you we wouldn’t and we won’t. Just get that Starie girl up here and let me fish the answers out of her mind.
It seemed that I was going to have to swallow something a lot more deadly than boiling honey. I’d have to swallow my hatred of Starie Atrelan and invite her up here. I chewed my lip as I gave Raolcan a good-bye hug and went to find Lenora. What would tempt Starie into doing anything with me?
Chapter Three
“Don’t forget what we call the consort of the Dominar,” Lenora whispered.
“The High Consort.” We filed into the large room in a single file line. There were only a dozen of us, but the room had been cleared of the many clerks that usually worked here and several of their writing tables were placed in a long row with crisp papers and quills laid out. It was five days since the Grandis had told us to prepare for this. Five days since I determined to get Starie up to the dragon cotes and I hadn’t seen a glimpse of her. Five days since Raolcan promised me we would find Savette and I had found nothing. Lenora, however, had made good on her own promise. She had never left my side, drilling me morning, noon, and night on everything she thought I might need to know for the examination. I was so tired of her voice that I’d come close to asking her to be quiet. Me! To a High Castelan! But it really was that annoying.
“Take your seats,” Grandis Elfar said from the front of the room. My knot was all there, but there were six more students I’d never met before. They’d arrived last night and were going to be examined alongside us. “In a moment Tamas will move the cloth and you will see the chalkboard with the questions of your examinations written on them.”
Tamas?! He was here? I snuck a look and saw him standing deferentially to the side, eyes on the floor before him. Someone must have brought him along as a servant. Perhaps even another Grandis.
Grandis Elfar was still speaking and I forced myself to concentrate on her words instead of speculating about Tamas. “Initiates will answer the questions listed on your side of the board. Sworn, those listed on your side – this is only the written portion of your examination. In the coming weeks, we will do the practical examinations one-by-one on dragon back, but this will serve as examinations before then.
“Initiates, your answers are important. These are not simple yes or no questions. They require thought and the drawing of correct conclusions. Answer them carefully. Where and what you are assigned during your Sworn studies will be dependent on your ability to answer these questions. You Sworn already know this. You have seen who was given greater opportunity and better position in formations based on how they did on this test, but what you do not know is that your test now is even more important. Ranking within your Color is a careful thing. From here on in, you will be required to adhere to internal ranking strictly and where you place in that ranking will depend on numerous things ... including this test. Do your very best if you don’t want to be called on to do the irritating tasks every other member of your Color wants to avoid. Understood?”
We saluted, fist to heart.
“Take a seat,” she said and we sat at the tables. I leaned my crutch carefully against my seat and dipped my quill in ink. “Begin.”
Tamas reached across the large fabric that had been draped over a chalkboard in the front of the room and pulled a cord. The fabric dropped to the floor and as he began to gather it up, I read the first question.
“As a Red Dragon Rider, you are called up to assist a group of Black Dragon Riders at Leedris Castelan. The Dominar has declared the situation to be under the sign of the Raven and bandits roam throughout the area. The highest-ranking member of the Blacks has deemed the bandits of little importance and demands that you guard the walls without concerning yourself with them. However, Leedris Castelan is
marrying into Haruk Castelan the next day. What is your role in this situation and what would you suggest to the High Castelan if called upon for advice?”
I was suddenly feeling grateful to Lenora for drilling these answers into me over the last few days. The Sign of the Raven meant that the Dominar was personally ensuring the safety of all people in this Castelan. As a Red, it was my job to wage war on the Dominar’s enemies, but Blacks had the right to make decisions for the defense of a Castel. But that marriage had something to do with it, didn’t it? Could I remember what? I focused hard, trying to recall what Lenora had said about when Castelans married into each other. Oh yes. There would be a procession from one Castel to the other. That procession would fall out of the jurisdiction of the Blacks because it went between Castels. If I was a Red Dragon Rider, that made the procession my responsibility – especially under the sign of the Raven. I glanced up at Lenora whose intense eyes were fixed on her own paper, her pen scratching across the paper wildly. Thank goodness, she took my education so seriously. I set my own pen to work.
The next questions were of a similar vein, requiring knowledge from multiple different areas and then expecting you to combine them into a judgment call. I forced Savette and Starie and Tamas from my mind so that I could tackle them one by one. This was one area where my disability didn’t affect what I could do and I was determined to shine here.
At the end of the hour, Grandis Elfar rang a small bell and we set our pens down. I’d just finished my last question but there hadn’t been enough time to reread what I wrote. I hoped it would be enough.
“You are dismissed to dinner,” the Grandis said. “Tonight, we are all invited to a display at the docks. Wear your best and I will collect you at eighth bell.” We stood up at her nod, but she gestured to me. “I’ll have a word with you, Amel Leafbrought.”
Of course she would. Was there ever a time when I could just be like everyone else?
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