“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I replied, my voice steady despite the rage churning beneath my calm exterior. “I will serve with all my heart.”
At least that wasn’t a lie. I would serve — not the Empire, but justice. Not the Emperor, but the memory of my murdered family.
I took my place in the line, standing beside Jalend. His fingers briefly found mine, a fleeting touch of congratulations.
“And so we welcome our newest class of dragon riders,” the Emperor concluded. “Tomorrow your training begins in earnest. For tonight, celebrate your achievement, but remember that you now bear the weight of Imperial expectations. You are the wings upon which our future flies.”
With that, the formal ceremony concluded, and servants began bringing out elaborately prepared dishes for the feast. The accepted initiates were seated at a long table near the dais, honoured guests of the evening.
I found myself between Jalend and Cassia, with Valeria several seats away — close enough to glare but too far to cause immediate trouble. The food was exquisite — roasted meats, exotic fruits, delicacies from every corner of the Empire — but I barely tasted it, my mind racing with the implications of everything I had learned tonight.
The Empire was escalating its war against the Talfen. We would be deployed directly into combat after our training. And Jalend... Jalend seemed to have doubts about the Emperor’s course. Could he possibly be an ally? Or was this simply another trap?
“You’re quiet,” Jalend observed, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
“Just processing,” I replied. "It's been an eventful night."
"Indeed it has." He lifted his wine glass. "To the newest dragon riders of the Imperial Academy. May we live long enough to regret it."
I laughed despite myself, clinking my glass against his. "Your toasts need work."
"I save my eloquence for matters that deserve it." His eyes moved to the Emperor, who was deep in conversation with Legate Varius. "Some things are better met with honesty than flowery words."
The feast stretched on for hours, the wine flowing freely as the night deepened. I maintained my careful restraint, sipping slowly, keeping my wits about me even as others grew increasingly boisterous. Beside me, Cassia tried relentlessly to flirt with Jalend, despite his cool responses. After a while, she seemed to get the hint that he wasn’t interested, and her overly cheerful demeanour descended into sheer petulance.
“You don't look like someone celebrating a triumph," she grumbled.
"The real challenges begin tomorrow,” replied Jalend. “This is just pageantry."
"You don't enjoy pageantry?"
"I prefer substance to show." He pushed his plate away. "And the substance of what we face is going to be brutal."
"You mean the accelerated training?"
He nodded. "Six months instead of the usual year, then straight to the front. Half of us will probably be dead within a year."
I shook my head in exasperation.
"Such cheerful dinner conversation," I said. "You'll have to forgive Jalend, Lady Cassia. He has the unfortunate habit of seeing things as they are rather than as the Empire would have us believe they are."
Jalend's mouth twitched in what might have been a smile. "Someone has to."
The feast had finally begun to wind down as midnight approached. The Emperor had already departed, and nobles were beginning to make their farewells.
"I should retire," I said, rising from the table. "Tomorrow will come early enough."
Jalend stood as well. "I'll escort you.”
As much as I was trying to ignore Jalend’s growing attention to me, I couldn’t ignore the little jolt of glee as Cassia glared daggers at me when he slipped my hand through his arm.
“You did that on purpose,” I hissed at him as we moved away from the table.
"Did I?" Jalend smirked, his eyes dancing with mischief in the dimming light of the banquet hall. "I thought I was simply being a gentleman."
"A gentleman wouldn't take such obvious pleasure in Cassia's jealousy," I countered, though I couldn't quite keep the amusement from my voice.
"Perhaps not. But I'm not known for my gentlemanly qualities." His hand covered mine where it rested on his arm, warm and steady. "Besides, she'll recover quickly enough. Her type always does."
