𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𓆩⟡𓆪 𝕏𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕟 ℝ𝕚𝕠𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟

「 ✦ 0.26 ✦ 」

"Dain lost his vote when he tried talking you into leaving," she counters and I nod in agreement, not responding and just listening to their conversation.

"What about you?" Violet asks Rhiannon and she grins widely.

"I was thinking the same as you, one of the green ones. The one closest to me when they got all up close and personal with Ainsley." Rhi responds. "If we both get a green, I hope they're friends, that would be so cool."

"Well, it didn't eat you, so that's a promising start." Violet says and I smile despite the fear racing through my veins.

"I think so, too." Rhiannon links her arm through mine and Violet's, and I focus back on what Professor Kaori is telling us.

"If you go in groups, you're more likely to be incinerated than bonded," Professor Kaori argues with someone near the center of the valley. "The scribes have run the statistics. You're better off on your own."

"And what if we aren't chosen by dinner?" a man with a short beard to my left asks.

Looking past him, I catch Jack Barlowe running a finger across his neck, staring straight at Violet and I roll my eyes. So original. Then Oren and Tynan flank his sides.

So much for squad loyalty. It's everyone for themselves today.

"If you're not chosen by nightfall, there's a problem," Professor Kaori responds, his thick mustache turned down at the ends. "You'll be brought out by a professor or senior leadership, so don't give up and think we've forgotten about you." He checks his pocket watch. "Remember to spread out and use every foot of this valley to your advantage. It's nine, which means they should be flying in any minute now. The only other words I have for you are 'good luck'" He nods, sweeping his gaze over the crowd of us with such intensity that I know he'll be able to re-create this moment in a projection.

Then he leaves, marching up the hill to our right and disappearing into the trees.

My mind whirls. It's time. I'll either leave this forest as a rider...or likely never leave.

"Be careful." Rhiannon says, before pulling Violet into a hug, her braids swinging over Violet's shoulder as she tightens her arms around her. When they break apart, Rhi wastes no time in pulling me in for a hug. She tightens her arms around me and I instantly melt into the hug. "Please come back to me alive."

"I promise, Rhi." I whisper, smiling softly, before we both pull away.

"Don't die," Ridoc orders, looking between the three of us and I smile widely.

That's our only goal as what's left of our squad separates, each heading in our own direction like we've been flung apart by centrifugal motion, at the mercy of a spinning wheel.

⁂    ⁂    ⁂

Guessing by the position of the sun, it's been at least a couple of hours since the dragons flew overhead, landing in the valley in a succession that sounds like thunder and making the earth shake. I have not found any dragons that I feel such a deep connection with and I'm starting to lose some hope.

I've come across two green, a brown, four oranges, and---

My heart stumbles and my feet freeze to the forest floor as another green steps into my field of vision, its head just under the canopy of enormous trees.

This is not my dragon. I have no emotional connection with this green dragon, nothing is feeling familiar with this one.

I bow my head towards the dragon, hoping he will just leave me alone and go searching for another person.