Sky Warriors: Poleuthan's Thief (Sky Warriors Saga Book 1) (31 page)

The many subjects of science were interesting at times, making her realize how everyday events occurred, from weather to physical and kinetic forces such as gravity or conduction. Showl especially did not let up on this subjected, insisting it was the core to understand even the most basic magic.

She was not particularly fond of math but she endured the subject nonetheless. She often looked forward to the physical activities more than the intellectual ones. Every two days she would have an hour or two to exercise, complete obstacles, or work on battle forms and stances. She hadn’t even been able to try her armor on, she hadn’t even laid eyes on it yet since Showl had hidden it.

To her annoyance, Showl had insisted she was not ready to handle a weapon till she could actually keep up with a Dragonbound physically, in speed, strength, and endurance. At that rate she believed she was actually going to forget how to even defend herself. Amaris and Chrysaetos were often her partners in this field of education, while Showl worked out on his own as well, either in his human form or his dragon body. Mostly he trained in his dragon body, working on acrobatic flight patterns. Corvus often joined him or Falco or even Grace.

Once in a while the ancient dragons would show puppy like behavior and begin to play, which at first caused Ange confusion because she had thought they were fighting since they used their teeth and claws. Amaris had assured her that they were only playing, happy and excited to have a new dragon among the family and explained when a dragon was feeling particularly over joyous or furious their minds would sometimes slip into a more primal and animalistic state.

Ange knew immediately that her friend was right, she had felt the change in set of mind when Showl had reacted to the friendly advances of the other dragons. It was amusing and surprising so feel his mind happy and unburdened and it made Ange happy to see him in high spirits compared to his usual quiet and sad mindset which he had the majority of the time when had nothing to occupy himself with.

Today she was learning a new set of exercises to improve her strength and flexibility, something she was sure she didn’t need improvement in. Yet strangely enough she had noticed a gradual and steady increase in her athletic skills since she had begun her training after her arrival. If Showl was right, her body was changing into that of a
Dragonbounds’ and if her suspicions were right, it was due to the exchange of blood during the bonding ritual.

“Amy, where is
Saeto today?” Ange asked curiously as she flexed her arms between the posts on either side of her. It was a late and warm afternoon as the suns began to set in the sky.

Amaris stopped her stretching and turned to her, oddly she was serious today. “
Saeto went off with Grace for a while,” she replied.

“Why?” Ange asked stopping her stretches to look at her friend and her shadowed expression.

Amaris smiled slightly, though it was obviously forced. “As you know, spring began eighteen days ago, every few years…” she frowned seeming conflicted, “dragons mate.”

Ange froze and stood up straight. “Oh,” she blurted out suddenly understanding. “Grace is trying to have babies?”

Amaris nodded. “She hasn’t tried in twenty years though, not since the last clutch…it very depressing and something no one really likes to bring up,” she admitted quietly.

“Oh,” Ange repeated a bit confused. “They haven’t been successful, not even once?”

Amaris shook her head sadly.

Ange frowned, wondering how many clutches Grace and
Chrysaetos had lost, but she imagined that was a touchy subject she shouldn’t even be asking.

“Very true,”
Showl’s voice chipped in.

Ange growled annoyed as she turned her gaze out over the ocean where she could see a faraway white figure practice flight patterns with another black shape.

“Is it safe for them to be away?” Ange asked concerned. “I know the mist protects us from the Adherent…won’t they know that Grace and Saeto are gone, weakening the magic that protects this place and decide to attack or even attack them?”

Amaris let out a small laugh. “No, no, Grace and
Saeto are still here, just at the top of the island where they made an aerie ages ago. We just don’t disturb them for a few weeks.”

“Oh,” Ange echoed.
That makes more sense.

They were silent for a while as Amaris resumed her stretches.

Ange wondered vehemently when anybody was going to touch the subject of magic with her as well as more information pertaining to dragons and their Soulbounds, so far she had been left in the dark. She hardly knew anything more than what she was knowledgeable of since the day she had arrived.

“All will be revealed to you in good time,”
Showl assured.

Ange frowned irritated. “Amy, this is so annoying!”

Amaris jerked up from her stretch baffled. “What is? The stretches? Did I make it too boring again?”

“No, no!” Ange assured heatedly. “I’m talking about this mental bond I have with Showl, I swear, I can’t have one private thought without him dropping some annoying comment or another.”

“Oh,” Amaris replied relieved as a giggle escaped her. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I rather not,” Ange snapped dropping to the ground furiously and relaxing her legs.

“But it’s important to have a powerful bond with your dragon, after all, your thoughts are supposed to be conjoined when facing a challenge or foe,” she stated serenely as if she was repeating something she had heard.

Ange glared at her unimpressed as she sat down as well.

Amaris sighed depressed. “Let me guess. I sounded just like my sister right now, didn’t I?”

Ange smiled smugly as she nodded once.

“Ugh!” Amaris groaned as she rested her head on her hand as she slouched forward. “Well, that is sure depressing. But it’s true, you and Showl need to learn to get along, but it’s going to take some time and effort. Trust me, Corvus used to be the most annoying person of the face of this planet for me, even more annoying than my sister!”

Ange frowned finding that hard to believe since they were obviously so fond of one another.

“It just gets so infuriating,” Ange admitted tiredly. “I feel like I’m always in a bad mood. I don’t understand how he can hear all my thoughts but I can’t hear a peep from him unless I reach out to him. It’s so unfair, I wish he would stop criticizing my every passing thought!”

“Hasn’t he told you?” Amaris asked surprised.

Ange leaned forward. “Told me what?” she asked suspiciously.

“Look,” Amaris began sitting up straight, “why do you think he can hear everything you think?”

Ange shrugged since she didn’t feel his presence in her head so she really didn’t know.

Amaris sighed. “Sheesh, no one bothers explaining the important things around here, do they?” she asked rhetorically to herself. “You have a piece of his soul in your body, that’s why! Think of it like a two-way connection, he can hear everything going on in your head because a part of him is always with you, the part that makes a direct and solid connection between the both of you. Now, if a piece of your soul was in him, you’d be naturally hearing his thoughts all the time like they were your own because the mind naturally tries to stay connected with its stranded fragment.”

Ange frowned. “So…you’re saying he’s not doing it intentionally?”

Amaris nodded. “Exactly. But don’t get me wrong, you can still hear his thoughts, you just got to reach for the part of his soul in you and open up to it, then you can hear him without diving into his head but that takes practice and concentration.”

“That must get confusing,” Ange observed feeling suddenly bad for Showl. “Having more thoughts in your head then just your own.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t feel too bad for them,” Amaris sniffed. “They have far more evolved brains, it’s all just child’s play for them. They can stop whenever they want,” she added.

“Then why won’t he stop!” Ange snapped outraged losing her momentary sympathy. “I know that he knows that it bothers me.”

“Because he obviously doesn’t want to,” Amaris replied. “Corvus explained it to me once, it’s because they were so disconnected with themselves and others that they can’t help but feel a bit overprotective of their
Soulbounds once they find and bond with them. It’s in their nature to make sure we are alright all the time.”

“Well, I sure am not going to be alright with all this eavesdropping,” Ange snarled.

“Then why don’t you just block him? It won’t be pleasant for him but you’ll have your peace and quiet,” Amaris suggested.

Ange perked up suddenly eager. “You’re telling me I can make this stop?” she recalled the sensation when Showl had blocked her from his thoughts and wondered why she hadn’t thought of the idea before.

Amaris nodded sheepishly.

A sudden heavy thud rocked the marble platform.

“I rather you not,” growled Showl’s deep voice.

Ange nervously turned her head to gaze into a pair of giant yellow eyes as Showl stretched his neck towards them. His overwhelming size made them look like ants as they fell into his shadow.

“It is as you said Amaris, we need to learn to work together,” he reminded sternly.

Another loud thud rocked the marble balcony but to their right. Corvus clung to the side of the mountain side with his claws, his wings stayed partially open to balance out his weight as he peered down at them.

“You are obviously not making the experience easy for the girl, Showl,” Corvus interjected quietly. “I made the same mistake which only resulted in years of bitterness and fighting between me and Amaris. Give her space, when she’s ready to have her mind mingle constantly with yours, she will do it. For now, pushing her will not help.”

Showl turned his head to the black dragon and snarled furiously.

Corvus simply blinked his strange white eyes and continued to stare calmly.

“Showl, stop growling,” Ange growled.
“Besides, they have a point. You’re making me hate this more and more.”

He whipped his head to her, angry and
baring his black teeth.
“No. You are my Dragonbound and I say you need to get used to it. If not we will never be able to get along.”

“I am a free person,”
she snarled venomously as her blood boiled under her skin.
“You will not decide how or when I should like or do anything. I’m only asking for some privacy, I don’t need your snide comments every other second! How would you like it if I reprimanded you for how you think?”

He let out a thick snarl and crouched low, his hot breath suddenly in her face.
“There is nothing wrong with the way I think.”

“And neither is there anything wrong with mine!”
she whipped out violently with her thoughts, he recoiled with a furious roar and spun away furiously, his tail lashing only a few feet about their heads shuddering the air violently around them as he took off. She could feel his anger burn through their connection and hear faint curses in the dragon language she had been learning recently, though she didn’t catch or understand anything he was muttering to himself.

Corvus observed with a steady gaze, sniffing the air for a moment before extending his inky wings and flying after him from a distance.

Ange snorted and turned her eyes back to Amaris who was staring at her surprised.

“Can you teach me?” Ange asked trying not to snarl, her voice still came out harsh.

Amaris chuckled slightly and nodded. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I would think you think yourself as a dragon. It’s funny how you hold your ground against Showl even when he’s in dragon form.”

“How is that funny?” Ange asked hotly.

Amaris leaned back relaxed and smiled amused. “Most people are intimidated by a snarling dragon, I bet if you could, you would bite him,” she laughed.

“I bet you would do the same if you could,” Ange countered with contempt amusement in her voice.

Amaris smiled widely. “I was more afraid of Corvus when I was in your situation than you seem to be of Showl. Course, that’s our little secret, I’ll never admit it if you mention it.”

“Really?” Ange asked surprised.

Amaris nodded seriously, her eyes distant and bothered. “When he was furious he was terrifying to me,” she admitted quietly. “Nothing is as scary as an angry black dragon.”

Ange was silent, she couldn’t relate. She admitted Showl was a bit scary, not that she would admit it to anyone else but she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, and she had never been afraid to state her opinion. So why should she start now? Vera and the rest of the guild hadn’t respected her for nothing.

“So, how do I block him from reading my thoughts twenty-six hours a day?” Ange asked curiously, trying to break the awkward silence that had settled.

Amaris returned her eyes to her with a smile and a spark of mischief.

“This might take you a while, and it’s hard to keep up without constant concentration. As you get better at it, it will become second nature, but I warn you, it’s impossible to keep up in your sleep without a spell,” Amaris warned.