Chapter 15 - The Unbroken Horizon
Two years had passed since the trials at the capital.
The Vaelen Military Academy was no longer a place of fear and brutal subjugation. Under Kalen’s watchful command as Commandant and Wyn’s independent oversight as the Crown’s Chief Dragon Liaison, the institution had transformed into a true sanctuary of balance and mutual respect.
The old iron chains in the lower stables had long since been melted down and recast into plowshares and structural girders for the mountain villages.
On a bright, crisp autumn morning, Wyn stood at the edge of the grand training courtyard, watching a new generation of riders learn the most important lesson the academy had to offer: that power meant nothing without understanding, and respect could never be forced at the point of a sword.
A familiar, heavy shadow swept across the flagstones.
Kestrel landed with a soft, effortless thud, his black-gold scales gleaming like polished obsidian under the sunlight. He didn't wait for commands; he walked directly toward her, lowering his massive horned head until his warm snout rested gently against her shoulder.
Kalen walked up beside her, carrying a pair of travel packs.
“The inspection tour of the eastern sanctuaries starts today,” Kalen said, a warm smile touching his eyes. “Are you ready?”
Wyn reached out, stroking the smooth, familiar plates of Kestrel’s neck. She looked up past the stone battlements toward the endless, golden expanse of the mountain horizon, where the wild dragons soared freely through the open sky.
“Always,” Wyn whispered.
May you like
She swung herself up into the saddle, taking hold of the steel lead-ring with a steady, unshakeable hand.
Kestrel rose to his full, magnificent height, spreading his massive wings wide to catch the morning wind, and together, they launched upward into the infinite blue, leaving the earth behind them in a world where no one would ever have to hide again.
