Sirrax rumbled deep in his throat, a sound of agreement and anticipation. He lowered his head to nuzzle against my chest, nearly knocking me over with his enthusiasm.
"Careful," I laughed quietly. "You'll wake the entire stable."
I ran my hand along his neck, noticing again how the iron collar around his neck seemed in even worse condition than before. It had been bothering me for days, the way it chafed against his obsidian scales, leaving raw patches that were slow to heal.
"Let's get you outside," I murmured, leading him toward the large exit doors that opened onto the training fields.
These doors were designed to allow dragons to move in and out during the day, but were barred at night. Still, the bars were meant to keep intruders out, not dragons in. With Sirrax's strength and my knowledge of the mechanism, we managed to slide them open just enough for us to slip through.
The night air was cool and clear, the sky above spattered with stars. A half-moon provided just enough light to see by without revealing us to any watching eyes from the Academy's towers. Perfect flying conditions.
I climbed onto Sirrax's back, settling into the familiar hollow just behind his shoulders, my legs fitting naturally against the curve of his body. No matter how many times we flew together, the rush of anticipation never faded—that moment of suspended potential just before we took to the sky.
"Let's go," I whispered, leaning low against his neck.
Sirrax needed no further encouragement. He crouched, muscles coiling beneath me, then launched upward with a powerful thrust of his hind legs. His wings unfurled with a soft whoosh of displaced air, catching the night breeze and propelling us upward in a steep climb that pressed me back against the harness.
Higher and higher we rose, the Academy shrinking beneath us until it was just one complex of buildings among many in the sprawling capital. The city stretched out around us, a constellation of torches and lamps, the grand avenues and plazas forming patterns visible only from above. Beyond the city walls lay the patchwork of farms that fed the Empire's heart, and beyond those, the darkness of forests and the silver ribbons of rivers.
And far to the north, barely visible in the moonlight, loomed the jagged silhouettes of the Cursed Mountains—the border between the Empire and Talfen lands.
Sirrax banked smoothly to the west, carrying us in a wide arc above the city. Up here, with the wind in my hair and the vast night sky surrounding us, I could almost forget the weight of my purpose. Almost.
Tonight wasn't for brooding on vengeance or plotting the Empire's downfall. Tonight was for flight, for freedom, for the simple joy of soaring through the darkness with Sirrax.
"Show me what you can do," I challenged, patting his neck.
He responded with a surge of speed that took my breath away, wings beating powerfully as we cut through the night air. Then, with no warning, he tucked his wings and dropped into a spinning dive that sent my stomach lurching into my throat. Just when I thought we'd plummet all the way to the ground, he snapped his wings open again, pulling us into a tight curve that bled off speed and sent us rocketing back upward.
I laughed aloud, exhilaration washing through me. This was what I lived for now—these stolen moments of pure, uncomplicated joy. Up here, I wasn't an imposter, a spy, a former slave playing at being noble. I was simply Livia, dragon rider, free as the wind itself.
We flew for what felt like hours, dancing through the night sky in patterns of our own devising. Sirrax seemed to understand exactly what I needed—speed and challenge, daring manoeuvres that required all my concentration and skill. He pushed me, as he always did, testing the limits of our bond, our trust.
Eventually, he began to tire, his wingbeats growing more laboured. I patted his neck in acknowledgment.
"Time to head back?"
But instead of turning toward the Academy, Sirrax continued northward, flying beyond the city limits toward the open countryside. I frowned, wondering what had caught his attention. It wasn't like him to ignore my suggestions, especially when he was fatigued.
"Sirrax?" I leaned forward, trying to see his face. "What is it?"
He gave no response except to continue his determined flight. I could have insisted, but something held me back. In all our time together, he had never led me astray. If he had a destination in mind, there must be a reason.
We flew over the farmlands surrounding the capital, the fields silver-grey in the moonlight. Finally, Sirrax began to descend toward a small clearing nestled between two hills, far from any visible habitation. The spot was perfectly hidden from casual observation, a natural bowl of land surrounded by dense stands of trees.
He landed with unusual care, settling onto the soft grass with barely a sound. I slid from his back, my legs slightly wobbly after the long flight. The night was silent around us, the only sounds our breathing and the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.
"What are we doing here?" I asked, stroking his neck.
Sirrax twisted his long neck, drawing my attention to the iron collar that encircled it. In the moonlight, I could see clearly what I'd only glimpsed before—the metal was deteriorating, patches of rust forming where it pressed against his scales. Worse, the areas beneath the collar were raw and inflamed, especially where the rusted sections made contact.
"Oh, Sirrax," I breathed, carefully examining the damage.
He rumbled low in his throat, a sound that somehow conveyed both pain and stubborn pride. I ran my fingers along the edge of the collar, feeling how it had loosened. The catch that secured it had begun to fail as well, the metal pitted and weak.
He nudged me gently with his muzzle, his golden eyes fixed on mine with an intelligence that sometimes unnerved me. In that moment, I understood exactly what he wanted.
"You want me to take it off."
