Chapter 14 SER THORIAN
LYRA
A surprised snort escaped me before I could stop it. I tried to cover it with a cough, pressing my fist to my mouth. Yvaine shot me a sideways look, lips twitching with amusement.
Heat flooded my cheeks, but I couldn’t help the small grin that followed. That was the Kai I remembered, my childhood friend who could make me laugh even in the middle of a serious lecture.
The orientation wrapped up with final reminders about collecting uniforms and reporting to morning drills. Students began filing out in orderly waves, voices rising again in excited chatter.
Yvaine stood and stretched. “Come on. Uniforms first, then we can—”
“Lyra Voss.”
The voice cut through the noise like a blade. Madame Cerys and Ser Thorian stood at the front of the platform, looking directly at me. The hall had mostly emptied, but a few stragglers turned to stare.
My heart slammed against my ribs. Yvaine froze beside me, eyes wide. “Oh no,” she whispered.
I stood slowly, legs feeling wooden. “Yes?”
Madame Cerys offered a small, unreadable smile. “Stay a moment, please.” She murmured something quietly to Ser Thorian, then swept out of the hall through a side door, her crimson robes whispering against the stone.
Ser Thorian gestured for me to approach. "Come forward, Miss Voss.”
I walked toward the platform on unsteady legs, Yvaine trailing a few steps behind me for moral support. My violet ponytail bounced with each step, the curls suddenly feeling too bright, too noticeable.
Across the hall, near the far exit, Kai stood chatting with a small group of new riders. His head turned the moment I moved. Even from this distance, I could feel the weight of his green gaze following me.
When I reached Ser Thorian, I stopped a respectful distance away, heart racing so loudly I was sure he could hear it. “Ser Thorian,” I said, voice quieter than I intended.
He regarded me for a long moment, his expression unreadable but not unkind. “The Headmistress, Madame Cerys, would like to see you in her office. Immediately.”
I blinked, words failing me for a second. My mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “I… yes. Of course.”
Yvaine gave me an encouraging nod from a few paces back, but her eyes were worried. I swallowed and followed Ser Thorian as he turned and led the way out of the assembly hall through a smaller side door. The corridor beyond was quieter, lined with portraits of past Headmasters and tapestries showing legendary flights.
My boots echoed softly on the stone. I kept my eyes on Ser Thorian’s broad back, but I could still feel Kai’s gaze burning into me from behind until the door closed and cut off the hall completely.
We walked in silence for several minutes, climbing a wide staircase and turning down another passageway. My mind raced. Was this about the illegal Choosing? Would they expel me after all? Or was it something about Tempest, about the “important things” she had promised to share?
Finally, Ser Thorian stopped before a heavy oak door carved with intricate dragon motifs. He knocked once, then opened it and stepped aside for me to enter.
The office was spacious and elegant, with tall bookshelves lining two walls and a large window overlooking the training fields. Madame Cerys sat behind a massive wooden desk, her silver-streaked hair glowing in the late afternoon light.
She looked up as I entered and offered a warm, measured smile. “Lyra Voss,” she greeted, voice gentle but authoritative. “Please, come in. Take a seat.”
I bowed awkwardly, the motion feeling clumsy after the day’s chaos. “Thank you, Madame Cerys.”
I lowered myself into the chair opposite her desk, the cushioned seat surprisingly comfortable. Ser Thorian moved to stand just behind and to the side of my chair, his presence solid and watchful. My hands twisted together in my lap, violet curls brushing my shoulders as I tried to sit straight.
Madame Cerys folded her hands on the desk and regarded me with quiet interest. “I wished to welcome you to Aetherwind Academy personally, Lyra. What you accomplished today is… unprecedented. We have never had a rider above the required age successfully bond with a dragon. And to bond with Tempest, of all dragons…” She shook her head slightly, a hint of genuine wonder in her eyes.
“She has rejected every candidate for generations. You are quite the anomaly.”
Heat rose in my cheeks. I ducked my head for a moment, then met her gaze again. “Thank you, Madame. I… I know I broke the rules by sneaking in. I’m sorry for that. I just couldn’t let the chance pass me by. Not again.”
Madame Cerys’s smile softened. “Your apology is noted, and accepted. The bond has been formed, and the dragon’s choice overrides many of our written laws. However, because of the unusual circumstances and because no rider has ever successfully tamed Tempest, we will need to monitor your progress closely.” She glanced up at Ser Thorian. “Ser Thorian has agreed to keep a personal eye on your training with her.”
Something uneasy settled low in my chest, cold despite the warmth of the room. I turned my head slightly to look at Ser Thorian. He gave me a tight, professional smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Whatever Tempest expresses to you through your bond,” he said evenly, “whatever feelings or visions she shares, you should feel free to bring them to me. Immediately. We are here to help you succeed, Lyra. Storm dragons carry unique burdens. You will not bear them alone.”