The Sword and The Mountain (Kathardra book 1)

Without warning Storm launched into the air. Lessa was forced down into the saddle and scrambled to find the handgrips hidden by wind buffers.

At once Storm turned her nose vertical and climbed directly into the air. The angle was not something they could achieve before the saddle, Lessa would have fallen off immediately.

Excitement gripped Lessa, her heart thrilled as they shot higher. The wind ripped at them but Storm cut through it with ease. Lessa whooped out loud as they reached the clouds.

Storm stopped flapping. For a single moment, they hung in the air for a fraction of a second. Lessa couldn't see anything but the fluffy white water condensing around them.

And then they were falling. Storm fell backward so that Lessa was hanging under her. Lessa twisted her head around and looked at the ground approaching them. She could see Haven in its entirety. She could also see the mountains to the east, the Great Forest to the south, plains, hills farmlands. All of it rushed toward her as they fell.

Halfway to the ground, Storm rolled right way up and her wings snapped open, the air filling them immediately like sails that carried them forward.

The joy they shared overcame Storm and she broke the air with a thundering roar. Lessa shouted along with her but her voice was mute compared to Storm's tone.

"I really could stay up here all day now."

Storm sang out a long happy note. "Wait until I try this."

The dragon climbed rapidly, and then she tucked her wings tight against her body and barrel rolled tightly through the air. Lessa had to swallow a scream as the forces tried to pull her body from the saddle. But the straps held tight and she even managed to maintain her grip on the handles.

"Hey! Warn me next time!" She laughed aloud as Storm once again started climbing skyward.

"This is your warning." Storm flashed a toothy grin and arched her neck as far as she could while bringing her fanned tail down, giving herself enough leverage to complete an entire loop.

Lessa was disoriented for just a moment as the world turned upside down.

"Storm. This is amazing. I've never felt this...."

"Free?"

"Yes." The emotions that flowed between them confirmed for Lessa that Storm felt the same. She had been eager for weeks to share fully, these feelings with her girl.

At once, Lessa's emotions fell. How could she leave this behind when it was time for her to go home? How could she ask Storm to leave this behind?

She could never ask Storm to go back to what she had been before. To be tethered to the ground felt like a death sentence after this flight.

Storm jerked her back up and down in a rolling motion. "Stop that." The anger was clearly evident in her tone.

"Storm...."

A burp of fire erupted from between Storm's teeth, their forward motion carried them directly through it, Lessa's face overheated for just a second, and she frantically beat at herself trying to make sure nothing had ignited.

"Hey!" Lessa had to shout to be heard over the rush of air.

"If you singed off my eyebrows I swear I'm going to skin you and turn you into boots!"

Storm chuckled her throaty dragon laugh and swooped low over Haven again. She liked the attention she got when she flew low. horses reared, children would run in her shadow, and the odd soul would scream. Even after all this time.

"Storm, really though." Lessa became serious. She didn't know how to broach this with Storm. "I don't belong here. I need to go home."

"Who is that with Zar?" Storm asked as she lazily started to circle Zar's tent.

Lessa had to push herself high on Storm's shoulder to look directly down.

"Probably his friend... Worran?" Lessa knew she had fallen directly for Storm's less-than-subtle attempt to change the conversation. She resigned herself to try again another time because Storm was sinking lower and lower.

Storm's back feet dipped low and her claws caught the ground, slowing their momentum enough that her front feet touched down just as her wings lost enough lift to support her bulk.

"It's so nice to not worry about falling when you land!"

"It's nice not having you scratch at my scales when I land."

Lessa quickly unbuckled her legs and slid from the saddle. She grasped the leathery handholds on her way down and dropped lightly to the grass.

"Gods Lessa, how you can ride a dragon like that, without fear or falling, is beyond my comprehension." Zar had walked closer with who Lessa presumed was Worran.

"Zar, Zar, Zar, where have you been hiding her?" The other boy asked just as Lessa turned to meet them.

He was tall, taller than Zar, but built like a stick where Zar was broad. His head was topped in scruffy, rusty hair and he wore an animal skin vest. At his hip were a quiver of arrows and a bow was in his hand.

With great force, Lessa managed to not take a step back from him. His grey-blue eyes were on her with an interest Lessa had never received before.

Zar had gone rigid, his voice a growl. "Worran."

Worran didn't respond to Zar at all. A smirk was playing on his lips. "It is so good to meet you." He raised his hand for the traditional Kathardrean arm grasp.

Lessa glanced at Zar before reciprocating, but his eyes were fixed on Worran. His deep blue eyes were so intense Lessa was surprised Worran's head wasn't aflame.

She warily raised her hand to grasp Worran's forearm but he grabbed her hand instead. He bent low and kissed her knuckles. Shock shot through Lessa like electricity, she tried to yank her hand away but he held it fast. He looked up at her and cast her a, what might have been, a dazzling smile.

"Wow, you have the most stunning eyes." He straightened but didn't let go of her hand, despite her efforts to jerk away. "It can be so lonely traveling, but don't you worry I-"

Zar cut in grabbed Worran's leather vest and wrenched him roughly backward. "Leave her alone, Worran."

"No harm meant!" He brushed off Zar's fist.

This boy was somehow impervious to Zar's intimidating anger that was radiating off of him like heat waves.

"He's your friend?" Lessa's eyes shot between the two boys.

"I'm his best friend." Worran corrected her cheerfully.

She frowned with a furrowed brow.

"She's trying to figure out how we could be friends!" Worran backhanded Zar's chest. "You know, he wasn't always so uptight. He used to actually be fun."

"If your idea of fun is pranking Worran's brothers, then yes. I was once fun. But alas, I grew up, and he did not."

"Didn't Rina catch you putting moon berries in the harvest festival juice?"

"She can't prove that."

They looked at each other for a beat and then laughed.

Lessa stared at Zar with wonder, she had seen him smirk, and she had seen him chuckle. But she had never seen him laugh with such abandon.

A tightness spread through Lessa's chest.

"I've got to get packed, and tell Da I'm leaving. I'm eager to get to know you better Lessa." Worran turned and trotted from the clearing.

"Sorry about him." Zar sobered at once. "He can be... A handful."

"It's fine." She spoke to the grass. Trying to banish the negativity within her.

"You're jealous."

"He's not so bad when you get used to him."

"It's really fine. I'll have Storm set him on fire if he bugs me too much."

"Will she set him on fire if he bugs me too much? Hey, I've got a couple things for you."

Lessa looked up curiously.

"Wait here." He jogged away behind his tent.

"You are jealous." Storm nudged Lessa's shoulder.

Lessa did not respond. It was silly of her to be jealous of Worran. They had probably known each other their entire lives. Lessa had been around for a couple of months. Of course, Zar had other friends. Just because Lessa didn't have other friends didn't mean Zar couldn't.

He came back around the side of the tent, a horse in tow.

"What's this?" She looked on with wonder.

"Well, I figured it's my fault you don't have a horse anymore. So I figured..."

"Thank you!" Lessa's eyes met Zar and resisted hugging him. "But, I thought since Storm has a saddle now I'd just be riding her."

He shrugged. "Well, there will be times it'll be better for you to have a horse. It would be weird if Worran and I were riding, but you were walking."

"What's his name?" she at once started rubbing the horse's cheek. He was tall, a buckskin with dark legs and a golden coat.

"His previous owner called him Leo, but you can change it if you'd like."

"No, that's a perfect name for this guy..." Leo lipped at her hands, clearly looking for treats.

Storm lowered her head, nearly to the ground and slunk closer.

Lessa tightened her hands on the reins, this horse was about to bolt. Most of the horses in Haven still bolted anytime Storm got too close. Lessa knew for a fact that many citizens had complained to Zar about their horses bolting away every time Storm flew too low.

The entire town had to adjust to Storm taking up residence in the main gathering field. No one ever brought their horses down the roads that ran along it anymore. Or any other livestock for that matter.

Leo planted his feet and flattened his ears along his neck.

"And that is exactly why I picked him." Zar had a triumphant smirk on his face.

"What?" Lessa asked Zar, still slightly amazed that this horse wasn't fleeing. Storm was nearly in arms reach now.

"His previous owner said he's a little loose in the head. Apparently, he isn't afraid of anything.

"I thought that would be perfect for a girl whose other mount is a dragon."

"Thanks, Zar." Lessa smiled at him, hoping to let him know she really was grateful.

"I have some other business to attend to before we leave. I'll be busy, but let me know if you need anything. We leave the morning after next."

The moon was high in the sky, drenching Haven in celestial grays and whites. Even the deepest shadows were banished this night.

Girl and dragon sat together in the grass central to Haven.

Turmoil had Lessa's heart twisted into knots.

All of the people in Haven were hanging their hopes on her. She had seen so many people who had come here because they had been pushed from their homes.

So many people had lost members of their families to Golathar's army. Either through conscription or confrontation.

And they had taken all of their desires for revenge, restitution, and justice and put them squarely on Lessa's shoulders.

She didn't think she was a worthy carrier.

She didn't even belong here.

"Lessa?"

She hadn't noticed Zar's approach.

"What are you still doing up? We're leaving early, you should probably get some rest."

"You're up," she said up to him, his face partially obscured by the brightness of the moon behind him.

"True enough."

He was staring down at her, Lessa looked away, anywhere but him. She knew he would be able to see the emotion on her face.

"May I sit?" he asked pointing to the open space on Storm's leg next to her.

Lessa lifted a shoulder and dropped it trying to be nonchalant and hide her emotions.

He perched on Storm’s leg inches from her. "Lessa," his voice was kind. "Do you want to talk to me about it?"

She was barely holding back tears when she turned to look at him.

"I don't think I can do this," she was barely audible.

This time, his voice was a caress. "Lessa, I don't think you understand what you are capable of. You became a master sword maiden in a couple of months.

"I've been training every day, for years to achieve this level of mastery. For you, this came as naturally as breathing.

"And I know it is not something you like to hear but within you lies more magical energy than I have ever seen."

Her eyes stayed on the moon's white grass. She had heard all of this before. But it didn't make her any more capable of fulfilling his hopes.

"Lessa. It is a fact often overlooked but this prophecy is about more than one person."

Her eyes finally tilted up to Zar, her brows creased together in confusion.

"It is often overlooked that it talks about me as well."

She realized how stupid she had been. How entirely self-centered. Of course, the prophecy talked about Zar. He was the heir she was supposed to put on the throne.

"Lessa. This is not a burden you must carry alone. I am in this with you."

"Every step of the way?" she leaned back against Storm, the tension draining from her body.

"Every step, " he nodded deep and serious.