Chapter 19 THE SKY ANSWERS
LYRA
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of aching muscles and cautious glances. After the disastrous ground drills, Yvaine and I retreated to the dorm for a short break. I collapsed onto my bed, wincing as my bruised hip protested the movement.
The new leather uniform, once exciting, now felt stiff against my skin where it pressed against fresh scrapes. My low braid had loosened during the fall, violet curls framing my face in messy waves that still carried the faint scent of wind and earth.
Yvaine handed me a small tin of healing salve from her side of the room. “Here. Rub this on the worst spots. It’s got comfrey and a touch of dragon-scale essence, it helps with bruises from training"
"You took that fall like a champ, by the way. Most new riders would’ve stayed down.”
I accepted the tin with a grateful nod, rolling up my trouser leg to apply the cool ointment. The relief was immediate, a soothing tingle spreading across my skin. “I felt like an idiot out there. Calista called me ‘dragon fruit’ in front of everyone. And then the thunder…” I shook my head, still stunned by the memory.
The sky had answered my embarrassment with real thunder and wind. Tempest’s power bleeding through me so quickly terrified and thrilled me in equal measure.
Yvaine sat cross-legged on her own bed, watching me with quiet understanding. “Calista’s like that. She and Cassius come from one of the old rider families, lots of pressure to be perfect. She’s good, don’t get me wrong. Her wind dragon, Gale, is fast and precise. But she hates when someone unexpected steals the spotlight. You bonding with Tempest on day one? That’s spotlight the size of a thunderstorm.”
A soft rumble echoed in the back of my mind, Tempest’s presence, warm and faintly amused. 'They all fear what they cannot control, little storm. You are not their own to judge'
The words, clearer than yesterday wrapped around me like a gentle current. I smiled despite the lingering ache. “She just told me something like that. That they’re scared of what they don’t understand.”
Yvaine’s eyes lit up. “See? Your bond’s strengthening already. That’s rare for the first full day. Most of us spend weeks just getting basic feelings through.”
We talked a little longer, voices low and easy, about the strange new rhythm of Academy life, the way the stone walls seemed to hum with latent magic, the distant roars from the dragon roosts that made my chest tighten with anticipation for our next flight.
My violet curls kept falling into my eyes as I worked the braid loose and re-tied it, the color vivid against the black leather of my uniform. It no longer felt weird. It felt like armor.
By midday, we headed to the cafeteria for a quick meal. The hall was lively, students trading stories from their first drills. A few new riders nodded at me with cautious respect; others whispered behind their hands. The thunder incident had already spread. I kept my head high, focusing on the warm stew and fresh bread on my plate.
The food tasted better than it had any right to, rich, hearty, exactly what my battered body needed.
Kai found us halfway through the meal. He slid onto the bench across from me, green eyes scanning my face with that familiar mix of concern and quiet amusement. His black hair was damp from training, curling slightly at the ends, and he carried the faint ozone scent that always seemed to cling to riders fresh from the fields.
“Heard about the drills,” he said without preamble, voice low enough not to carry. “Calista being her usual charming self?”
I snorted softly, pushing a piece of bread around my bowl. “Dragon fruit. Really? And then I fell flat on my face and accidentally called a storm. Perfect first impression.”
Kai’s grin was quick and crooked, the rugged charm I’d known since we were kids shining through. “From what I heard, you didn’t just fall, you made the sky answer. That’s not nothing, Lyra. Most new riders can barely feel their dragon’s emotions on day one. You’re already channeling power. Father mentioned it in passing. Sounded… impressed, in his own way.”
The mention of Ser Thorian brought back the uneasy flutter from yesterday’s meeting.
I set my spoon down, meeting Kai’s green eyes directly. “Your father’s supposed to watch my progress with Tempest. Madame Cerys even called me an anomaly. I was expecting her to be angry with me for sneaking in"
"They want me to report everything she shares, visions, feelings, whatever. It feels like they’re waiting for me to mess up.”
Kai’s expression sobered. He leaned forward slightly, elbows on the table. “Father’s strict because he has to be. The Academy lost good riders to uncontrolled storm bonds in the past. But he’s fair. If Tempest starts showing you anything important, tell him, but trust your gut too. You’ve always had good instincts.”
I nod, my chest feeling lighter. "I will"
Yvaine chimes in, 'I’ve been dying to ask, how do you two actually know each other? You seem… comfortable. Like you’ve got history.”
I nearly choked on a piece of bread. Kai just chuckled, settling across from me.
“We grew up together,” I said, keeping my tone light. “Same district. Kai was the annoying neighbor kid who always dragged me into trouble, stealing apples, racing through alleys, that sort of thing. Then he turned seventeen, got chosen by Zephyr, and the Academy swallowed him whole for three years.”
Kai leaned back, green eyes warm with nostalgia. “She’s underselling it. Lyra was the one who taught me how to skip stones and once braided wildflowers into my hair just to see if I’d actually wear them to market. She’s been my best friend since we were small enough to fit under one market stall together.”
Yvaine’s eyebrows rose, a delighted smile spreading across her face. “That’s adorable. Childhood friends turned riders? The Academy’s going to eat this story up.”