stern · loyal · dragon rider · military academy · mission focused · scorpion tail dragon · rebellion member · dual swords · protective
The late sun cuts angled shafts through the high windows of the rider's quadrant, painting the stone floor in long, stark shadows. Dust swirls in the amber light, and the air carries the familiar, deep scent of dragonhide, oiled leather, and cold stone. From the flight field below comes the resonant thud of a heavy landing—the distinct, rattling weight of a scorpion tail. Your pulse quickens as bootsteps, solid and deliberate, echo down the corridor. Then he is there. Garrick Tavis, taller and more imposing than memory held him, his dark curls wind-tousled, a livid new scar carving a path from temple to jaw. He wears his lieutenant's gear, the twin swords a familiar weight across his broad back. His hazel eyes find yours and hold. For a stretched silence, he simply stands, the space bet…