“Sixteen years ago, Sarge,” Kaika drawled. “Don’t make me sound older than I am.”
“My apologies, ma’am.” He saluted both officers.
Rysha did the same, doing her best to look professional and not at all giddy as she did so. That wasn’t that hard since Colonel Therrik’s dour face did not inspire giddiness. And the dark frown he directed at Shulina Arya made Rysha uneasy.
“How do we know the dragon didn’t help her?” Therrik growled.
A shot of fear went through Rysha. He outranked Kaika and everyone on the field, so if he decided she had cheated somehow, he had the power to nullify her test results. King Angulus had said Rysha could become Shulina Arya’s rider, making it an official military position, but only if she passed the elite troops training. Specifically, this test.
“She didn’t help me, sir. She only came to lend moral support.”
“A morally supportive dragon?” Kaika asked. “I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“You got over the wall easily for a woman,” Therrik said, his eyes still narrow.
“Are you being sexist, Colonel?” Kaika arched an eyebrow, looking as calm and relaxed as ever, but there was a dangerous glint in her eye.
Since Therrik outranked her, Rysha couldn’t imagine Kaika challenging the colonel in any serious way, but she was glad to have Kaika standing up for her.
“Just stating facts,” Therrik growled. “Women can’t pull themselves up as easily as men.”
“I have no problem gripping things and pulling myself up. I can climb anything or anyone.”
Therrik grunted. “So the barracks rumors say. You know I don’t have a problem with you being here, Major, but this young… officer—” he waved at Rysha, specifically her spectacles, and she was certain that wasn’t the first word that had come to his mind, “—isn’t you.”
“No,” Kaika agreed. “We’re clearly different people. I don’t have a morally supportive dragon.” Her gaze lifted to the sky, warning Rysha that Shulina Arya had left her perch.
As the soldier Rysha had been partnered with trotted up, his lip bloody from his own encounter with the sergeant, the dragon flew down and landed behind them. The soldier squealed in alarm and sprinted toward the barracks.
“Fail that kid,” Therrik growled to the timekeeper, as he eyed the dragon warily. He looked like he was trying not to step back and appear intimidated.
Rysha tamped down a smug smile. Even though she hadn’t asked Shulina Arya to claim her as her rider, nor had she truly dreamed of that as a possible career path, Rysha had to admit it was delightful having a dragon standing at her back.
“I’ve already noted that he didn’t finish the course in sufficient time,” the timekeeper said.
“Also note that he wet himself when he saw a dragon,” Therrik said.
The sergeant hesitated. “There’s not a place for that on the form.”
“Make one.”
“Er, yes, sir.”
Kaika clucked and shook her head.
“What?” Therrik asked.
“We were all hoping Lilah would mellow you, but you’re still hard and crusty.”
“Don’t tell me you want that kid defending our country when dragons show up.” Therrik pointed to the retreating back of the fleeing soldier.
“Perhaps not, but I do want Lieutenant Ravenwood defending our country.”
Therrik squinted at Rysha and at the dragon. He looked like he was going to voice a protest again, but Shulina Arya lowered her massive head so that it hung over Rysha’s shoulder. She felt like a doll in comparison.
The dragon’s violet eyes gazed into Therrik’s. Is there a problem here? Has the Storyteller not sufficiently proven her skill and ability in your warrior course?
Seconds passed as Therrik stared back at Shulina Arya, his body not moving, his eyes transfixed on hers. Even though Rysha wasn’t the recipient of the dragon’s stare and had no aptitude for sensing magic, she could feel the power radiating from Shulina Arya. Kaika, too, gazed at the dragon with that slightly blank and transfixed look.
Can you ratchet your aura down a few notches? Rysha asked silently, trusting the dragon would be monitoring her thoughts. These are my superior officers, not our enemies. We’re not supposed to manipulate them.
The male suspects you of cheating, Storyteller. His mind is most surly.
It’ll be surlier if he later realizes he was manipulated. And he might be even more suspicious of me then.
“Who the hells is the Storyteller?” Therrik shook his head, as if to shake away the dragon’s influence.
“That’s her name for me, sir. Whenever there’s time, I share my knowledge of history with her. About Iskandia’s past, the advancement of human science and technology over the centuries, and the political climates in the various countries around the world, past and present.”
“And she likes that?”
“I try to make it entertaining. The other night, I made sock puppets and acted out our troops repelling the Second Cofah Invasion on the beach at Durogonia.”
Therrik’s expression screwed up into one of disbelief. Maybe she shouldn’t have admitted that.
Kaika thumped him on the arm. “When is Lilah plopping your little one out? You may want to ask her for tips. Babies probably like socks.”
He stared at her. “You’re a weird woman.”
“No arguments here, Colonel.” Kaika took the clipboard from the timekeeper who’d been watching the exchange neutrally, other than throwing a few concerned glances at Shulina Arya. “Sign off, will you, sir? I have a date tonight. I want time to wash off the mud spatters. And Rysha will want to celebrate with her strapping young gentleman after she lets him know she’s passed the exam.”
“Strapping…” Therrik’s brow furrowed.
Rysha couldn’t tell if he was confused or repulsed. Either way, her cheeks warmed.
“Technically, Captain Trip isn’t all that strapping,” Kaika said, “but I understand he can do amazing things with his magic. It’s like a tongue, but better.”
Rysha’s cheeks went from warm to molten lava. “Ma’am. I didn’t say that.”
“No, but Jaxi is a little gossip. Of course, I could have guessed from the way you’ve stuck to his side since we left the dragon’s lair. His personality isn’t that engaging unless he’s got his dragon scy-thing—aura turned on.”
“Scylori,” Rysha murmured.
“I assumed right away that interesting things were happening under the blankets.”
Rysha had no idea what to say.
Therrik, his mouth drooping open, appeared to share the feeling.
“You’re lucky,” Kaika went on. “My own experience sheet wrestling with a dragon left something to be desired. The magic was all for him. If a half-human dragonling is a more assiduous and thoughtful lover, then he’s a keeper.”
“Seven gods, Kaika. This is a workplace.” Therrik snatched the clipboard from her, scribbled his name on the bottom, and stalked away.
Kaika tucked the clipboard against her hip, nudged Rysha, and said, “You’re welcome.”