Ashborn Chapter 8
Grounded. Guarded. Silenced. The Riders are confined to their quarters under the Order’s watchful eye—but Dareya’s secrets burn too brightly to be caged.
As I entered the deserted corridor leading to my quarters, the intercom system crackled to life, shattering the stillness.
“All Riders, this is a direct order from Warden Brielle.” The disembodied voice droned. “Effective immediately, all Riders are to remain confined to their quarters unless summoned for training or command review. All flights are suspended until further notice. Compliance is mandatory.”
The line went dead.
I froze, the weight of the order sinking in. No flights. No freedom.
I wanted to run to Veyrakh, but his warning echoed in my head: They want to clip our wings.
I clenched my fists. This wasn’t just politics. The timing wasn’t coincidence. Someone had noticed. Maybe the Archivist. Maybe that smug bastard with the black robe. Maybe Ageli. Maybe all of them.
My instincts told me to reach for Veyrakh through the thread I knew that bound us. I wanted to feel his mind against mine, his cocky and teasing voice reassuring me that all this wasn’t as bad as it felt.
But I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
We had agreed that for now to not contact one another unless it was absolutely necessary. Our bond was different, not public. I didn’t understand it, but it was far too volatile to survive if we fell under the scrutiny of the wrong sets of eyes. I was on my own in this.
Confined to quarters, eh? What about meals? Although I had just eaten before leaving the archive, I was already thinking toward tomorrow morning. The encounter with the man and announcement had left me shaken and I was trying to reach for any bit of normalcy.
I saw an open letter on my desk that had not been there when I left this morning. I wandered over and picked it up, greeted by my mother’s handwriting. I removed the letter from its envelope.
Dearest Dareya,
I cannot tell you how proud your father, brothers, and I are for your success in the Crucible. The high-speed rail line has made it out to our little village so we’re going to book a trip to the Capital next month. It turns a two-day trip by carriage into a mere morning of travel, and we’ll be there by around lunchtime. We hope you will be able to make time for a visit with your family while we are there.
With Love,
Mother
Finally, the rail line had made it out to our village. This had been discussed for years, to the point that many people had started to doubt it would happen. But now it had. A two-day trip reduced to a mere few hours. And it went both ways. I’d be able to go back for visits when I had leave to take. I picked up some of my new stationary from its box and penned a response.
Dearest Mother,
I am excited to hear about the rail reaching our village and do look forward to your visit. I will ensure that you receive a grand tour of the Citadel and the Order’s compound. Perhaps the boys will be able to meet one of the dragons. They aren’t as scary as they appear. Most are actually pretty nice, at least to us. If nothing else, we’ve reached a bit of an understanding with one another. In fact, I think my dragon and Sethus have so much in common they’d quickly become fast friends. Right now, though, we have visitors and have been grounded from flight. I’m going a bit stir crazy, to be honest. Until next month.
Love from your favorite daughter,
Dareya.
I laughed at the close as I folded the letter and addressed the envelope without sealing it. Favorite daughter. I was their only daughter. I hoped Mother would read between the lines.
I would post the letter in the morning.
For now, I changed into my sleepwear and brewed a nice cup of tea. My mind racing and unable to fall asleep right away, I snuggled under the pile of blankets and quilts on the bed with one of the smutty novels I had picked up at the bookstore during my shopping spree a few months ago.
While reading one of the spicier scenes, I imagined what it would be like for Veyrakh to touch me like that. Of course, it was physically impossible, but in my mind, it wasn’t impossible. Then I remembered the passage I’d read about dragons being forbidden to shift into human form. And I realized that I wanted him. Needed him. Ached for him.
I set the book aside. Where had that come from? I wished that the bond wasn’t forbidden. The one thing I wanted was to talk with someone. Someone with first-hand experience who could understand and guide me. But there was no one. This was just one thing more that I would have to figure out on my own.
Even though my mind still raced, I set my book aside and turned off the lamp. This problem would have to wait until morning.
The next morning, after I had dressed, I prepared to go to breakfast. Opening the door, I notice an armed guard posted at each end of the hallway and I nearly stepped on my breakfast which was sitting in a covered tray outside the door.
The note attached instructed me to set it back out once finished. I sighed as I took my meal into my room and sat my desk. I guess the confinement to quarters was absolute.
I found the rules about the confinement of the Riders printed on a paper tucked under the plate.
As I choked down the cold bacon, rubbery eggs, and tepid coffee, I read the list.
We were confined to our individual quarters unless summoned. If we were summoned, we’d be escorted under guard. Leaving our quarters for any other reason and without authorization would result in detainment and disciplinary review.
As I’d already figured out, all communication in and out would be monitored. We were not even permitted verbal conversations without a “neutral third party” witness. Us Riders were not allowed to talk amongst ourselves.
Meals would be delivered by noncombatant staff and placed outside the doors. When finished, we would return the trays to the hallway. They were not permitted to speak to us or deliver messages. However, they could take mail, which the note said to leave unsealed.
No communication with dragons was permitted. No weapons permitted.
If we needed anything such as cleaning supplies or hygiene supplies, we were to request the needed items by note, with the money to purchase the item attached, when our dishes were picked up after meals.
I remembered some things being a little bit out of place when I had returned yesterday.
My room had been searched while I'd been in the Archives. And they hadn’t bothered to hide it.
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