Child of Ardor

xvii

TEAGAN RIORSON

After a few minutes of the Empyrean debating it was decided that both Violet and my dragon choices shall stand and we are going to be allowed to keep our dragons. Colm was very happy with that as he thought no one — not even the empyrean — should have a say in the decisions of dragons.

Garrick and Bodhi did warn me however that I'll probably be watched to see if I have a second signet as they don't know how the familial rules work with my brother and I and our dragons being siblings. They said it was like that for Xaden.

"Welcome to a family that knows no boundaries, no limits, and no end," my attention is snapped towards General Sorrengail who makes the remark. "Riders, step forward."

Everyone looked around in confusion.

"Just a few steps." Colm muttered to me, snarling slightly as he also took some steps back.

I complied as I saw others following along as well.

"Dragons, it is our honor as always ... Now we celebrate!" General Sorrengail yells.

And just like that I feel heat all around me. My head looked from side to side as I attempted to comprehend what was happening before I felt it. It was like someone had basted lava at me — pain seared in my back as I cried out, stumbling forward a little bit at the sharp blast of it. At first it was like a sharp hit, then just the heat of it burned, moving onto a brief second of agonizing pain before it turned oddly ... cold.

"I'm done." Colm told me.

"Done with what?" I snapped back. "Literally melting the body I need to survive?" I groaned, attempting to get a look at burns on my back now.

"You'll live." Colm said simply but I could sense a smirk in his tone. "Besides, it's tradition."

"I don't like traditions." I murmured.

"Ah, that's why you don't like your rebellion relic." Colm said back to me like he knew everything about me.

I stiled. What the fuck—

Before I could think too much about it, suddenly my vision went black and then I could see again, but this time I was looking at myself, seemingly through my dragon's eyes. Jump scare.

There was a black silhouette — including little blue marks with Colm's discoloration — stretching from the base of my waist on the left side up to almost my right shoulder. Although, there was some abstract fire coming out of the dragon's mouth that went over my shoulder and connected perfectly with the rebellion relic I had going down my arm. The entire thing is a little — sway-ie as if it was a painting someone smudged. But it made it cool ... like the image was distorted from under water or something like that.

My vision blackened again as I returned to my own eyes.

"I like it." I told Colm softly.

Colm chuffed a little in disapproval. "You'll love it. It's my best work." He moped around.

"Maybe." I muttered back for the fun of it.

xxx

After we were 'marked' I guess you could call it, they quickly ushered us away to show the new sleeping arrangements. After sleeping in the crowded barracks for the last two months, it's weird, but also amazing, to have my own room. I'll never take the luxury of privacy for granted again — especially as this is really one of the first time I've had my own room after being in foster care for so long.