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It is said that in the early days of dragonriding, riders could summon their dragons mind to mind—but that hasn’t been done in centuries.
As Guardians, we’ve taken vows forswearing the earthly pleasures of money, marriage, and offspring—but
Annie flies like something out of the old order. She always has. The instincts that were trained, for me, by a childhood of watching dragons with their riders are, for her, instincts she was simply born with.
After years of being underestimated, written off by the ministry of this country and, by extension, the men sitting across from us, Annie has just proved herself competent in a crisis, capable of leadership, and worthy of the kind of promotion she was recently told not to pursue. And she’s sweeping her actions under the rug, for my sake.
Friendship will not justify treason. If Lee is compromised, it’s my duty to report him.
They operated with almost no legal restraints, cruelly and without mercy, and then they justified the wrongs they committed by claiming it was their blood-borne right.”
“Their power was inherited.” “Exactly. Power did not correspond to worth.
But with that greatness came arrogance, and with that arrogance corruption, and with that corruption downfall.
“You only deserve this mantle as long as you can be more reasonable and more virtuous than what came before.
“Your father would be ashamed of you, girl.”
Skyfish House, known for their moderation and mercy; Stormscourge, for their discipline and strength; Aurelian, for their judiciousness and learning.
“You believe in their vision,” she realizes. Her voice is cold with disgust. “You believe they’re better. Even after everything they’ve done. You’d be loyal to the man who betrayed us.” I lift my shoulders, lower them. “I think there’s more to this than questions of vengeance and birthright.”
I would give anything to ease the hurt on this girl’s face. Anything.
“It is difficult, knowing that your choices are ones whose consequences others suffer.”
the memories of weakness finally serve a purpose, and once used, they never hurt with the same strength again.
this boy who has grown into a young man, who is ready to become a leader, who’s through it all been my best friend, and the bravest person I’ve ever known. Whom I will trust to the end. My voice is shaking as I add: “And it will be my honor to serve as your Alterna.”
“Much of what you’ll be doing, as Guardians, will be deciding which is the lesser evil. Who lives, who dies. It will be—it should be—a terrible burden.
We’re monsters, even if they call us something else.”
You only deserve this mantle as long as you can be more reasonable and more virtuous than what came before. I realize I’m no longer sure we are.
I look down at this boy, vulnerable, at my mercy, and think, To the ends of the earth I will protect you.
Come back to me.
I see her and remember and it’s not enough. Because Annie’s right. There’s a war, and I have to take a side. Palace Day and the ties of blood aren’t enough to make me choose the wrong one. Whatever their claim on me, it’s a fact that the dragonlords reigned brutally and killed indiscriminately. They’re responsible for the deaths of thousands. They cannot be allowed to come back.
