Instead, he said, “This isn’t the usual spot.”
“No,” Catria said, pausing when laughter erupted from a nearby group of guards. “After the battle, Falka decided we could no longer justify letting the recruits risk the lives of their dragons by dropping over ground. He moved the death drops to the waterfall. If they mess up, falling into water won’t kill a dragon.”
“But it could kill a rider.” Tauran looked across the tent to where Falka stood with the younger recruits and a few medical specialists. Emilian was there, too, as well as a number of ground guards lucky enough to get time off to witness the ceremony.
“Luckily, sky recruits are more replaceable than their dragons,” Catria said grimly. “Are you sure you want to be here?”
“I’ll be fine,” Tauran said, waving her off. “I did the drop. We all did. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
Catria looked uncertain, but kept quiet.
“Tauran.” Falka detached from the crowd. “I’m glad you came. Tirys will be ecstatic. I promised him he’d get to shake your hand once he lands.”
Tauran rose and greeted Falka with a handshake. “Who’s he riding?”
“Salvani,” Falka said. “Two-year-old statera male. A feisty one, but they’ve been making a lot of progress.”
Emilian gave Tauran a faint nod in greeting when Falka stepped aside to address the recruits. He joined them, holding a glass of water for Tauran.
“Where’s your brother?” Tauran asked, accepting the glass.it can’t be long
“Roric’s up on the plateau with the recruit,” Emilian said. He exchanged a look with Catria, who smiled at him. “It can’t be long, now.”
They all filtered down to the bank of Lake Virastos. The rush of the waterfall was louder there, the three-thousand foot height turning the raging river above to mist near the bottom. Shimmering colors danced in the scattered water drops.
Falka stood with his back to the lake and waited for them all to still. Then he raised his hands.
“This is a big day. For the first time since the Battle of the Broken Wings, we’re welcoming a new rider into the skies.”
Catria found her place alongside Tauran. She nudged his shoulder and offered him a slight smile.
“As he takes his Leap of Faith, we trust in the will of the winds and in the bond he has formed with his dragon so they may land beside us as new guardians of the open skies.” He held a theatrical pause.
Tauran looked up. A form appeared near the edge of the cliffs, maybe fifty feet beside the waterfall. He tracked the cliffs all the way down. Three lines stood out starkly against the dark gray of the rock - the highest for titans, the lowest for swiftwings. Tirys would aim for the middle line, roughly two hundred feet from the water’s surface. A tight margin for such a long fall.
“Let the test begin.” Falka turned and drew a black-handled pistol from his belt, raising it into the air. The shot echoed across the water.
Salvani perched on the edge, gray scales appearing almost black against the bright sky. He rocked forward as if hesitant to jump.
Tauran narrowed his eyes. “What’s with the saddle?”
Brown straps stretched from the dragon’s chest to its wings. Salvani shook himself, but the straps kept his wings in tight.
“The new wing straps. Like on the fledglings,” Catria said, voice lowered to not disturb the moment.
Tauran looked at her. “I thought those were just for the young ones.”
She shook her head. “Salvani was a wild dragon, and he’s still only two years old. He’s been difficult to control. Both Falka and Tirys were sure Salvani would pull out of the death drop prematurely, so they had to strap his wings in. Tirys will release the straps himself when they reach the line.”
Graduating an out-of-control dragon? Falka must be desperate to rebuild the guard as fast as possible. “That’s...”
“I know,” Catria said. “It’s not great.”
A quiet ‘oooh’ rolled through the crowd, and Tauran raised his gaze to the sight of Salvani falling.
The dragon was face-down, wings taut against the straps. Tirys lay flat against his back, nearly obscured by the dragon’s curved neck.
“Keep him steady,” Tauran whispered when Salvani twisted in the air, straining against the straps, trying to right himself. They were falling so fast.
In an instant they were near the line. Tirys leaned back and yanked once, twice. Tauran’s breath bottled in his throat. The straps were stuck, it was too late. Tirys yanked again, his cry of fear echoing across the water.
Salvani’s wings unfolded with an audible snap.