‘Stay quiet, Bren. He speaks with the Primarch.’
I nodded. My heart raced, pounding in my chest, chilled by his threat—stripping my rank. I didn’t know if that meant they’d strip me ofAkhane as well, or just my chance to become a Furyknight, but either way I needed to fight.
The General paced back and forth between the dragons muttering under his breath. But by the time he stopped in front of me again his shoulders were no longer hunched around his ears, and the blazing anger in his eyes had eased to sharp warning.
I swallowed when he stopped in front of me and folded his arms.
“It is true that we can’t expect you to do this in the same manner as other Flameborne—”
I sucked in a breath, but he raised one hand to stop me, and his expression grew hard.
“But the safety of yourself, your dragon, and your squad are not pointless rules that can be ignored.They areimperativeto the success and discipline of the Furyknights, Bren. If you are ever to become one of us, you musttakeorders without hesitation.And follow them even when you’re not watched.”
I nodded, heart racing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“No, you didn’t care. You decided you knew better and—let me be very clear with you: you do not. It is not up to you to understandwhywe give orders, Bren. It is up to you to follow them. There is no but, no if, no and. Either you can be trusted to follow orders until they are changed, or you cannot. Which is it?”
I swallowed. “I can be trusted.”
“Then, prove it,” he growled.
“How?”
His jaw tightened and his eyes strayed to his dragon as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to answer. I was about to ask the question again when Akhane hissed at me to remain quiet as he’d instructed, so I swallowed the words back.
“Bren, I believe you have the strength and drive for leadership. But you lack self-discipline in ways that could be fatal in battle—even on a mission in the field.”
I swallowed hard.
His lips pressed thin. “If you are truly this determined, I’ll help you so that the burden is not solely on your brothers.”
I sucked in, but he raised a hand again.
“I am going to give you orders, and if I ever find you in breach of even one, I will do as I said and turn you over to a tribunal to decide your fate—and Iwilltell them of this night,” he growled.
I nodded, barely breathing. Did that mean he’d let me stay?
“You are never to fly alone again until your Wing Captain clears you. Kgosi, give that order to her dragon as well.”
The dragon gave a long low huff and the General nodded once.
“You areneverto tie down. You are to make no further changes or adjustments to your harness without receiving my direct permissionfirst.”
“Yes, Sir.”
He shot me a dark look, but then he sighed. “In the meantime, until youhavebeen cleared, I will train you myself in my spare time. Probably in the evenings like this—until you’re able to fly patrols.”
I gasped. “Thank you!”
But he shook his head. “Don’t thank me yet. You think your Wing Captain pushes you, Bren? You think he asks much of you? I promise you, the day will come that you may beg me to stophelping, and I won’t do it.”
He leaned in until our noses almost touched. “If you want to be a Furyknight, I will give you the best of my advice and experience. But I willnotrelent. Are you willing, Bren? This is your final chance. You can bow and walk away. I’ll give you to a Tribunal and recommend they make you a messenger, or transport.”
“No. I want this. I want to do this.” A fiery burn warmed my chest.
He nodded. “I believe you. But this is your last chance. Don’t take it lightly.”
“I don’t. I just have totry.”
