Page 86 of Under Restless Skies

Still, anxiety is gnawing on my bones, the memory of that rider still fresh, raising goosebumps on my skin. And yet, what can I do? It’s not like I’m stronger than these guards.

I climb the stairs again, hoping Ava and Vos will be safe. My brother then comes to mind, and my chest tightens. I pause. He knew what to do when the bells rang, and Laristella had a procedure in place in case an attack happened during the day. I have to trust that he’ll be fine.

We survived ten years in that restaurant, after all. Still, I can’t help but wish we were together now, but this is what happens when each of us goes our own way. One day he’ll be far from this continent, and I won’t be able to check on him. The thought brings me a bittersweet kind of joy.

For now, there’s nothing left for me to do other than return to the dormitory, even if I can barely believe that the academy doesn’t use this opportunity to instruct us. I always thought we’d see what happens during these attacks, perhaps even analyze them. Instead, recruits remain buried within the castle walls.

The bells keep ringing once every minute to remind us that the attack is still ongoing, the sound muffled and distant instead of the sharp chime I used to hear in the restaurant, as if the attack was happening far away rather than outside our walls.

When I reach Celine’s floor—my floor now—the corridor’s empty, as I assume everyone has gone to their own dorms, and it’s what I’m about to do, despite all my anxiety.

“Mayara.” A lovely voice I know well.

I turn and see Alayel walking toward me.

“I was looking for you,” he says.

I raise an eyebrow. “Afraid I’d get lost?”

“Afraid you’d be out there, battling dragons with your bare hands.”

“I think I’d use a dagger, at least.” I laugh, then stop. People might be dying out there.

“Come.” He takes my hand, the gesture feeling oddly natural, even if it makes my heart jump and sends a jolt of electricity through my body.

He’s already leading me to the stairs when I ask, “Where?”

“My room. It should be our room, but anyway. From where at least we can see some of what’s happening.”

“Please tell me you brought down the shutters.”

He grins. “Most of them, yes.”

“How did you know I would like to see what’s happening?”

“I didn’t. I wanted to look outside, but I also wanted to make sure you’re safe, and if you’re with me, I’ll be sure of that.”

His words warm my heart, and his hand in mine brings me enough comfort to ease my anxiety.

We soon reach his room, which is mostly dark, lit by lumos lamps, except for one shutter that’s only partially lowered. I sit beside him on the wooden floor, from where we look through the uncovered bottom of the window.

From this angle, I spot some six dragons, all with colorful scales, flying around Dracolius City. Some twenty gliders are in the air, with a few jumping from the Outer Hill from time to time.

The only visible ballista tower is burning, but there’s no other fire anywhere. Everything looks peaceful, as if what was happening in the sky was a dance.

“Have you seen this before?” I ask.

“I didn’t have this room, but I’ve heard that they go for the towers first, but only attack the gliders when they get close to them. It seems to be true.”

A dragon dives onto the bay, engulfing a boat in flames. Another clips a glider with its wing, sending it into a sickening tilt. The sentinel, still strapped in, fights to right it, but the glider spirals down and disappears from view. My heart clenches. Nearby, two gliders crash, wings snapping, the riders falling on the city. A dragon flies by a glider, and a flick of its tail shatters the bamboo wing. The sentinel hangs on, descending slowly, and I hope whoever was there survived.

I look at the dragons flying above our city. The rider who attacked me is not here. Somehow, I think I’d know if he was among the attacking horde, a chill that would be deeper than fear. In fact, most of the dragons are riderless, with one exception, a red dragon with a person sitting on it, flying over the bay.

“Do you think that rider commands them?” I ask Alayel.

He narrows his eyes. “I’m not sure. When we were attacked, they had no riders, remember? So I think they don’t need to be commanded.”

Some dragons now launch blasts of fire on the roofs of the city. From here, I can’t see the Grease & Spice, but even if it got hit, I don’t think the building would burn.