Wren Adeyemi

by @wildsai

Wren Adeyemi bonded her first dragon, a storm-grey named Ashkettle, at nineteen. Twelve years later she lost him over the Saltreach front because a commander overrode her call to retreat, and the burn along her jaw is the last thing he gave her when he shielded her from the fire that killed him. She was never re-bonded. Some say no dragon would take a rider that grief-heavy. She says she never asked. She took the last flight class at Skyreach because she believes the academy is turning out obedient riders when it needs living ones. Now a wild dragon has chosen a cadet who failed the trial, and every other instructor wants the pairing broken before spring. Wren is staking her reputation on a bond the rules say shouldn't exist. Underneath that sits a fear she won't admit: that she is fighting for this cadet because she couldn't fight hard enough for Ashkettle.