DragonRider by S. Rodman
I’m playing rugby. Well, apparently it’s a crazy, lawless bastardised version, but since I haven’t got the faintest clue about rugby, or any sport, I’m none the wiser.
Cai is forcing me to play with other riders. Team building, tactic practice and exercise. I call it torture. It’s June for Pete’s sake. I’m not made for running around in the midday heat. I’m sweating and I’m the only one wearing a baseball cap, but I daren’t take it off for fear of being burnt to a crisp by the sun.
Cai is standing to the side of the pitch. Hatless, probably even sunscreenless. He probably doesn’t get burnt, even though he is nearly as pale as me. The sun is probably too scared to touch him. No, Cai gets to stand there all perfect looking with his hair pulled back and casual white tee shirt and jeans that would look simple on anyone else but look Met Gala level stunning on him.
He has a whistle around his neck and occasionally shouts commands but mostly he is watching us intently, while leaving us to it.
Out of the corner of my eye I see something hurtling towards me, I turn and catch the ball before I realise what I’m doing. A surprising bolt of pride and joy sparks through me, but it is short-lived as every pair of eyes on the pitch turn towards me with blood thirsty intent.
Oh shit.
I run. I duck. I dive. The world blurs around me. I hear people breathing close to me yet somehow I avoid being thrown to the ground. I slide across the white line at the end of the pitch and punch the air in glee. I’m far too breathless to shout.
The whistle blows. “Take a break for lunch,” says Cai.
Not even a ‘Well done, Kirby.’ Or, ‘Good match.’ Nothing. He is such an asshole.
I stomp over with the others to a grassy bank shaded by trees. Cai stays on the opposite side of the pitch and gets his phone out and starts typing away. Work emails are my best guess. I can’t imagine him having Instagram. He probably thinks it’s far beneath him. Which is a shame. He’d be hugely popular.
Tegwyn hands me a bottle of water from the blue plastic cooler and I take it gratefully before flopping on the grass. I hate to admit it, but this enforced sporting activity is allowing me to get to know other riders.
Tegwyn is tall and lanky. With brown hair and eyes. His friend, Dai is shorter with a softer body shape. Carl has the darkest skin I have ever seen on a person and a truly awesome laugh. They are all in their mid to late twenties and have been friendly enough. I don’t think any of them have family members that were hoping to be chosen by Ri. Unlike the other rugby players.
At least I’m hoping that’s why the others have been a bit standoffish and wary of me. I don’t think I’ve done anything to annoy anyone.
Dai hands me a ham sandwich and I tuck in eagerly. It’s nice lying in the shade and not flipping running up and down. My lungs are calming down and sweat is cooling on my back.
My gaze is drawn back to Cai. He is still working on his phone. Is he going to come and join us when he is done? Am I ever going to get to talk to him about what happened on the solstice and assure him I’m absolutely fine about it? It’s been three days now and an opportunity hasn’t arisen. The thought of having to seek him out purposefully to have such a chat is making me feel a little queasy, but it is the adult thing to do.
“You’ll wear your eyes out if you keep staring at him like that,” says Tegwyn.
I stare at him in openmouthed horror for a moment before fixing my gaze on my bottle of water. Have I really been so shamelessly, blatantly obvious? That is so cringeworthy.
“It’s pointless anyway, the Flight Commander doesn’t mess around with his subordinates and everyone here is his subordinate,” adds Tegwyn around his mouthful of sandwich.
Images of being on my knees by the lake flash through my mind. I know I didn’t dream it so Tegwyn’s assertion is clearly not true.
“Except for full moons, but those don’t mean anything, he probably didn’t even see you. He was Je and you were Ri. You’ll get used to it,” explains Dai with a hint of a condescending tone that gets my back up. I ignore it though. It’s not worth making enemies over.
Movement at the far end of the pitch catches my eye and I look over to see Harlen jogging up to Cai. He is wearing a sleeveless loose cotton top and his biceps are on full display. His dark curly hair moves as he jogs, and it truly is a sight to behold.
Cai looks up from his phone, and the two men start talking. I’m concerned for a moment, but it soon becomes clear from their body language that whatever Harlen needs to talk to Cai about, isn’t terrible news. Probably just every day Dragonrider stuff.
“What about Harlen?” I hear myself asking and I wince but it’s far too late. The words have escaped me.
Dai laughs gleefully. “Harlen will fuck you, he will fuck anybody.”
“But he is second-in-command? If Cai can’t, then why…”
“World of difference,” says Tegwyn with a shake of his head.
“But it won’t mean anything either,” says Dai.
“Why not?”
“Because he is madly in love with the Flight Commander. Has been for years.”
That news sinks into my heart and my soul. I feel cold in the midsummer sun. I feel sick. I feel as if I might shatter into a hundred thousand pieces.
“What does Cai think of that?” I croak.
“He loves him too, you should see the way he looks at him sometimes, when he thinks no one is looking,” whispers Tegwyn conspiratorially.
“So why aren’t they together?” I say except it comes out more like a distraught wail.
My stomach is churning. My palms are sweaty. I always thought tales of people dying of a broken heart were utter nonsense. Now I’m not so sure.
“Because they are both top dogs, dominants, alphas, whatever you want to call it,” says Dai.
I blink. That is not true either. Well, not all the time anyway. Has no one else seen Cai with Harlen? Does no one else know what I know? Have I really blundered my way into discovering such a secret? This is a lot to take in. A huge responsibility. I’m like an open book, it’s impossible for me to keep secrets, but I’m going to have to. I can’t betray Cai.
“Well, apart from on moons when Zh bests Je. Then the Flight Commander is super pissed at Harlen for days afterwards and in a foul mood generally. Fouler than usual,” grumbles Tegwyn.
“But the point is, it would never work between them. They both need someone to boss around,” says Dai.
It takes every ounce of my self control not to leap up and go all Katniss Everdeen and yell across the pitch that I volunteer as tribute. They can both boss me around in the bedroom all night, every night. I don’t mind at all. I don’t mind in the slightest.
Hope blooms within me. Chasing away all my earlier despair. This could actually work. I could be their missing puzzle piece. Cai can take control of me. Harlen can dominate both of us. Everyone can be happy and get what they need. It could be perfect.
Now I just need to convince Cai and Harlen of that.