Chapter 1

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Cora, fortunately, lived when there were. Her hair whipped into tangles around her face as she and Alec circled the mountain peaks around their home. They soared over the valley below, watching as chimney smoke puffed higher and small shadows of people emerged to feed the livestock or gather water from wells. They didn’t have much time before the dragon handlers would notice Taudra and Eykil missing, but the promise of a clear morning and the thrill of doing something they shouldn’t had distracted Cora from her nerves.

They landed in a clearing near a small lake on an eastern peak to watch the sunrise. The dragons were well trained, and could be trusted to remain within sight of their riders. Cora dismounted quickly, patting Eykil’s side before turning away to perch on a rock near the lake. Alec took more care and ensured the dragons’ reins wouldn’t tangle in their feet before removing some bread and cheese from Taudra’s saddle pack.

“I brought breakfast,” he said, leaning close to Cora against the rock. The two dragons curled up to sleep behind them, under Alec’s watchful eye.

The sun seemed to rise faster today than normal as they ate in silence, Alec fidgeting with a small, wrapped box in his pocket. He glanced sideways at Cora as he turned the box round and round, trying to determine her mood.

“I also brought you this,” he said, finally removing the box from his pocket and holding it out to her, not really making eye contact.

She looked at the box sadly, as if resigned to a fate she couldn’t change.

“You didn’t need to get me a gift,” she said, taking the box from his hand. She held it gently, and looked at it. She was quiet for a moment before suddenly deciding she needed to explain herself. Her words tumbled out in a rush, as if she couldn’t contain them anymore.

“Things don’t need to change you know. We can make it work.” Her eyes teared up at her words and she brushed them away before they could fall.

“I think we know that isn’t true, Cora,” Alec said quietly, moving closer to her perch, nearly touching her. He hesitated, then took her hand. He sniffed softly as he turned his face back towards the rising sun. “We knew this day was coming.”

Her tears fell then but she began to open the box, carefully trying to preserve the paper in a futile attempt to stop the passage of time. Inside was a small, glowing sapphire on a simple silver chain. The necklace was dainty and beautiful, and glinted in the light as she pulled it from the box.

“You should keep this,” she said, lowering it back to the box. “I can’t take your mother’s necklace. It’s yours and it should stay with you.” She tried to push the box into his hand but he refused it, closing his hand carefully around hers. He opened his mouth to reply when the dragons jumped up from their naps, alert.

Two other dragons with riders swooped in at near breakneck speed, the riders flipping gracefully off their mounts without them landing. They were armed, but kept their weapons stowed, looking to the two saddled dragons first, checking for signs of injury. Their own dragons landed nearby, and ambled calmly over.

The men made quick eye-contact before the older of the two turned sternly towards Cora and Alec, now separated by several feet. Alec’s hand rested on his knife, but he moved it away when he recognized the riders - Cora’s older brothers.

Andras did not address him, focusing solely on his sister’s back since she had refused to turn and acknowledge the newcomers’ presence. He moved to stand next to her, sighing.

“Cora,” he began, but stopped himself. He knew her motives perhaps just as well as she herself did, and understood them. He started again.

“We need to go back.” Never looking at him, she stood and tucked the small box into her pocket. She glanced quickly at Alec then turned to follow her brother to his dragon. Her other brother, the sterner one who had a love of rules and tradition, looked at her with disappointment in his eyes.

“You would do well to remember your place in this family, Cora.” The words came quickly as if he had no trouble scolding her. “It isn’t just your life you are endangering now,” he continued. “Maybe you should think about how this will look for Alec the next time you decide to steal some dragons and go gallivanting off to gods know where.”

She didn’t speak as she mounted Araina behind Andras, wrapping her arms around his waist. Eldron seemed to want to continue the lecture, but catching his brother’s eye, he stopped, rolling his eyes. He stooped to gather the reins of the borrowed dragons and motioned for Alec to get moving.

Alec walked over and took Taudra’s reins from Eldron’s outstretched hand. He looked over at Cora one last time, but she would not meet his gaze and instead stared intently forward, head held high and back straight. Andras urged Araina forward and they shot into the sky, neither rider looking back.

“You’re lucky we’re the ones who found you and not the guards,” Eldron muttered to Alec as they mounted their own steeds, Eykil’s reins still in Eldron’s hand. “She’s eighteen now, and doesn’t need childish friendships to distract her or ruin her reputation.”

With that, he took to the skies, Eykil following behind. Alec allowed himself a small moment of sadness to wash over him before he followed.

******

The palace was quiet when Andras and Cora returned, leaving Araina in the paddock outside. Andras walked his sister towards the side entrance, steering her by her upper arm.

“I know how to get back to my own room,” she snapped, yanking her arm free. She started to storm away before he gently caught her by the shoulder, turning her towards him.

“Don’t be mad at Marta for alerting Desmond,” he said. “She was worried about you.”

“I will be angry with Marta if I choose to be,” Cora retorted, walking away from her brother.

“Father knows,” Andras said quietly, making her pause. Cora sighed. She didn’t look back at him before changing directions and marching towards the main entrance.

“Aren’t you at least going to change before you talk to him?” Andras questioned as he fell into step with her. She ignored him and the small chuckle her response earned her.

******

An hour and a half later, Cora muttered under her breath, sweating, while she shoveled up the seventh pile of dragon dung in Ragyl’s stall. She paused for a minute, leaning on her shovel. Her hair stuck to her forehead and the nape of her neck. She pulled off her working glove to push the hair out of her face, then glanced cautiously at Ragyl.

Ragyl watched Cora haughtily, swishing her spiky tail in annoyance.

“I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here,” Cora said to the dragon, pulling on her glove to get back to work. Ragyl lifted her tail to leave Cora a fresh pile in response.

Cora scowled at Ragyl’s back and walked out of the stall, letting the door slam behind her. Plopping down on the bench outside the dragon stables, Cora watched storm clouds build over the western range of the valley.

Her father had been furious with her, naturally, and had carried on about her responsibilities as a princess of the realm, her duty to marry well and produce strong children to defend and lead the people in times of peace and war. He had blabbered on about the importance of the Elite, the strength they represented and the protection they provided. Cora nodded when needed, throwing in a few “ahhs” and “yes Fathers” when he had stopped to take a breath. But she really hadn’t listened. It was the same story that had been shoved down her throat for years. It was all dragon shit if you asked her, which of course, no one ever did.

Alec’s sweaty head emerged out of a different barn. He spotted her and came over, sitting down on the same bench.

“What did you get stuck with?” he asked, wiping sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.

“Stalls,” she said, “you?”

“Hay.”

Lightning flashed in the distance as they sat in silence.

“How did I end up with dragon shit and you didn’t?” she asked, turning towards him, arm draped over the back of the bench.. He shrugged.

“You’re more important I guess.” They laughed, catching each other’s eye.

“Dragon stalls are a way worse punishment,” she started, getting ready to defend her argument.

“No matter what you think,” he interrupted, “there are only 14 dragons, but there are hundreds of horses.” He smirked, thinking he won. She let him, giving in easily for once.

“Thank you for the necklace,” she said, a bit awkwardly. They fell into an uneasy silence, not wanting to acknowledge what was quickly becoming inevitable.

“Ready for your big ball tonight?” he asked, looking at his hands. He was invited, as a member of the dragon forces training program, but not as anyone of significance. Not as a member of the Elite, because he wasn’t an Elite. Alec and his father fell somewhere in between the Elite and the Middle, in an unnamed place that wasn’t quite important enough to be Elite and not quite poor enough to be Middle. Not enough to be excluded, but not enough to be included either. His place would be with his fellow trainees in the back, far away from the spectacle of a princess coming of age.

“You mean am I ready to make a fortuitous match and get whisked away to gods know where and start popping out little fighters for the Elite?” she asked. “Sure. No big deal.”

He snorted a laugh getting ready to argue with her but Marta appeared then, searching. She scanned the yard several times before noticing Cora and Alec on the bench right next to her.

“Ack, there you are,” she said pulling Cora up from the bench. “Look at you, covered in grime. How anyone thinks cleaning dragon stalls a fitting punishment for a princess I will never know.” She continued muttering to herself as she dragged Cora away. Cora glanced back once, just for a second, to wave at her friend before she disappeared around a corner.