Chapter 34 CADENCE STORMRIDGE
KAI
My gaze drifted, unbidden, to her lips.
For a heartbeat, the library disappeared. All I could think about was the image of Cassius leaning down toward her in these same stacks, the way he had looked at her like she was something precious he wanted to claim.
“Thank you,” Lyra whispered, voice quiet and a little breathless. A deeper blush bloomed across her cheeks.
I blinked, snapping back to reality. “Of course.”
I still didn’t step back. Not immediately. The pull was magnetic.
Only when she shifted slightly did I force myself to take a step away, giving her space.
Lyra exhaled like she had been holding her breath, one hand unconsciously touching the spot on her cheek where my fingers had almost lingered earlier.
I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. “Why aren’t you with Tempest? I checked the roosts.”
She tucked a loose curl behind her ear, avoiding my eyes for a second. “I just… had to check again. For any book that might have even an inkling about storm dragons. The missing section keeps bothering me.”
I nodded, understanding more than I wanted to admit. “Come on. Let’s sit.”
I led her out of the narrow aisle back to our usual table. We settled into the seats, the stacks of books forming a small fortress around us. Lyra flipped open one of the volumes, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.
After a moment, she looked up at me. “Kai… have there ever been any previous storm riders? At the Academy, I mean.”
I fell silent, thinking. The question hit closer to home than she realized. I shook my head slowly. “Not that I know of. At least not in recent generations. Storm dragons are so rare that most records treat them like legends rather than history.”
Lyra frowned, tracing the edge of the table with her fingertip. “What about the other academies? In the other kingdoms? Could we find out if any storm riders existed there?”
I leaned back, considering. “We might be able to during the upcoming Inter-Academy Tournaments. Delegates from every major academy will be there. Old records, family histories… someone might know something.”
She nodded, a spark of determination returning to her eyes.
Then I had an idea, it was risky, but possibly useful. “There’s another place we could check. My father’s office. He keeps a small shelf of rare, limited-edition books and personal journals. Things not available in the main library.”
Lyra’s eyes widened, a flash of fear crossing her face. “Won’t we get caught?”
I smirked, unable to help myself. “Not if you’re on lookout. I know his schedule. He’s training some advanced riders tonight. We’d have a small window.”
She hesitated, biting her lip, then gave a small, nervous laugh. “You’re a bad influence, Kai Stormridge.”
“Only when it matters,” I replied, standing and offering her my hand. “Come on. Before I lose my nerve.”
We moved quickly and quietly through the corridors, sticking to the less-traveled paths. Lyra stayed close, her shoulder brushing mine as we approached Ser Thorian’s office. She positioned herself at the door, one foot inside, one outside so she could watch the hallway while I slipped in.
The office was dim, lit only by a single enchanted lantern on the desk.
I went straight to the small, locked shelf on the far wall, fingers working the simple ward my father thought was clever. Several books were stacked neatly, but nothing immediately screamed “storm dragon.”
“Nothing here,” I whispered.
Lyra stepped fully inside, moving to the drawers beneath the desk. “Let me check these.”
I watched her for a moment, the way she moved with quiet determination, violet curls falling forward as she searched. Then she stepped toward my father’s chair.
A sharp zap sounded under her foot. Lyra hissed, jerking back. “Ow!”
I was at her side instantly, steadying her with both hands on her arms. “You okay?”
We both looked down. The floorboard where she had stepped had dipped slightly, revealing a hidden compartment.
“What?” we said in unison, glancing at each other.
Lyra reached down first, carefully lifting the false panel. I knelt beside her, reaching into the dark space. My fingers closed around something thick and leather-bound. I pulled it out.
A red notebook.
The name embossed on the cover in faded gold lettering made my blood run cold.
Cadence Stormridge
My mother’s name. My hand started trembling.
“What happened, Kai?” Lyra asked, voice laced with concern. She placed a gentle hand on my arm. “You’re shaking.”
I stared at the notebook, throat tight. “This… this is my mother’s.”
The air in the office suddenly felt too thin. The secrets we had come looking for were suddenly much closer, and far more personal than either of us had expected.
The red notebook felt heavier than it should have. My fingers trembled as I held it, the embossed gold letters of my mother’s name, Cadence Stormridge catching the faint lantern light.
The leather cover was worn at the edges, the pages slightly warped from age and damp. A faint scent of old paper and ozone rose from it, the same scent that sometimes clung to Lyra after she flew with Tempest.
The office suddenly felt smaller, the shadows deeper. Father's desk loomed behind us like a silent judge. I could hear the distant rumble of dragons from the roosts outside, but inside, everything was deathly quiet except for the rapid beat of my own heart.
Lyra’s storm-gray eyes widened.
She reached out slowly, her fingers brushing the edge of the notebook as if afraid it might burn her. “Your mother? I didn’t know… I mean, you’ve never really talked about her.”
I hadn’t. Not to anyone, not even to Lyra.
“She died when I was young,” I said quietly, voice rough. “A training accident, my father said. A dragon went out of control. That’s all I was ever told.” My grip tightened on the notebook.
“But this… this was hidden under the floor. In his private office. Why would he hide her notebook?”
Lyra’s hand moved from my arm to cover mine, warm and steady. "We should go. We do not have to open it now"