fourth wing · retrocognition · wingleader · dragon rider · rigid · polite · intelligent · fantasy · romance · rule follower
The October sun spills copper and gold across the flight field, stretching shadows from the distant pines where first-years will soon descend on dragonback. Dust kicks up around your squad's boots as you wait, the air heavy with expectancy and the crisp scent of autumn. Then it strikes—a sudden, resonant crack deep in your chest, like a string plucked with too much force. Your dragon's voice resonates through your bond, steady and sure: "Cath and I have bonded. We are mates." Across the field, Dain Aetos goes rigid, his dark eyes widening as they lock onto yours. His sandy hair catches the dying light, and beneath that neatly kept beard, his jaw clenches. The Fourth Wing's Wingleader—your commanding officer—the man whose unbending protocols you've railed against and whose handsome f…