"Sendros, calm down!"
Dan shouted as he stepped forward, placing himself in front of the slowly emerging Sendros. He waved a hand, signaling to Valenna not to follow. Then he inched forward, step by cautious step, toward the dragon.
"Sendros, listen to me. Don't be rash."
Dan spoke in fluent High Valyrian. Among his generation, his command of the language was second only to his elder brother. But without taming a dragon, such skill held no real value.
Sendros tilted his head, casting a hostile glance toward the high ledge where Starsong perched. He didn't even acknowledge Dan. To him, whichever little worm had come made no difference.
What mattered was a good fight. Of his peers, Skyfire and Hovendes were familiar. Hovendes was no match for him, and although Skyfire could trade blows for a while, Sendros's larger size gave him a clear advantage. As for the older dragons—Vermithor, Silverwing, even Shadowmare—he couldn't best them. But Starsong… Starsong was the one he sought to challenge now.
"Come fight me, Songbird!"
Sendros roared, preparing to leap onto Starsong's high perch. He didn't notice that Dan, seeing the dragon ignoring him, had quietly crept beneath its massive neck.
Starsong cast a single glance at Sendros and then buried its head, exposing a pair of enormous crown-shaped horns.
Enraged, Sendros roared and was just about to leap when suddenly, he froze.
Only now did he realize that something small had appeared on his back.
Dan had leapt onto Sendros's jagged-scaled back, clinging to his scales with all his strength. They wore sleeveless tunics while attempting to bond with dragons, to make it easier to endure the process.
The blood of House Vaelarys held a mysterious magic. Jacaerys had once told him in secret: the blood and scars spilled during dragon bonding were the mark of a true dragonrider. The more blood shed, the deeper the bond.
Dan had half-believed the tale—but he had no choice now. His failure in the last attempt had crushed him. He needed this chance to prove he was worthy of being Draezell's son.
He clung tightly to the dragon's back. His arms were immediately shredded by the razor-sharp scales, blood gushing freely—only to be evaporated by the intense heat radiating from Sendros's body.
But Dan felt no pain. The moment he pressed himself against the dragon's back, a strange sensation overtook him.
Indescribable.
It felt like… another self had awakened.
Sendros hesitated. Then the entire cavern filled with his furious roar. He twisted his head around and spat a blast of sickly green flame, but his horns were too large to let him reach his own back. The dragonfire surged across the cavern and exploded against the black stone wall, leaving behind a massive crater.
"Quiet, you wooden hatchling!"
Vermithor's thunderous voice boomed out just as the fire exploded, drowning out Sendros's rage. The bronze dragon slowly emerged from his own lair, nudging Draezell's outstretched hand as he extended his head toward the opening.
Sendros growled lowly, unwilling to back down, and swallowed his dragonfire in frustration. He turned and thrashed violently, trying to throw Dan off.
Last time, Dan had lost his grip during this exact moment and was thrown off. Had it not been for Starsong and Shadowmare nearby, things might have gone very badly.
But this time, the youth of House Vaelarys had come prepared.
"Skyfire, pin him down!" bellowed the brawny Jacaerys, a bold and cheerful soul. Seeing Sendros go berserk, he quickly patted Skyfire's neck, signaling it not to provoke Vermithor. Skyfire swallowed back the fire that was about to erupt and lunged without hesitation. Its massive, spike-covered head slammed into Sendros's face, knocking it sideways.
"Get off me, you spiked bird!"
Sendros snapped, ignoring Vermithor's earlier warning. He lowered his head and bit down on the spikes along Skyfire's neck. His tail swept across in a wide arc—like a butterfly's club—colliding with Skyfire's spiked tail midair in a thunderous clash.
Skyfire, with its beak-like jaws, clamped onto one of Sendros's giant horns just as Sendros bit down, stopping him from using the horns to attack.
"Zarafax, let's go!" cried Seryna. Seeing Skyfire restrain Sendros, she patted her stunning sapphire-colored dragon. The beast bounded forward and sank its teeth into Sendros's other horn, while one claw pressed down firmly on his body.
"Dan, now!" Seryna shouted. "Remember the techniques your brother and father taught you!"
Zarafax's massive body cast everything around Dan into darkness.
But that wasn't a bad thing.
It helped him focus—to truly bond with Sendros.
He was reaching for the other presence in his mind.
A more volatile version of himself.
And then Dan saw Sendros.
The furious dragon was curled up in a pitch-black cave, but in this mental realm, it looked timid as a kitten. Though it roared at Dan, the boy heard something deeper.
Fear.
That's not like you, Dan thought, his thoughts drifting outward.
He saw what surrounded the dragon.
Giant bears, wolf-beasts as large as hills, icy-blue spiders, serpentine beasts writhing beyond the cave… and more dragons—many of them—roaring in the sky.
He saw mountains exploding, and flames reaching to the heavens.
Dan suddenly understood.
He didn't know why Sendros had such memories, or fears.
But he did know one thing: only if Sendros believed he could stand with him—beside him—would he accept Dan.
Dan slowly approached the cave-bound Sendros. The small dragon didn't hesitate, sinking its teeth into Dan's exposed arm. Scalding blood poured into its throat.
And Dan wrapped his arms around Sendros.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Sendros clenched his jaws tighter and tighter as a pale green flame suddenly surged up, engulfing both himself and Dan.
But Dan didn't let go.
Sendros, I know what you're thinking.
Don't be afraid. I, Dan Vaelarys, swear by my father and the gods of old.
I will be by your side.
From this day, until the end of my life.
The flames completely consumed the man and the dragon.
Starsong let out a soft, timely roar. Its voice was still as melodious as ever, but it caused the other dragons to turn their heads toward it. Even Hovendes, who was guarding Valenna at the entrance of the Dragon's Nest, couldn't help but slowly lower himself to the ground.
Sendros's rage gradually subsided. He let go of the spike he had bitten into on Skyfyre's neck, released the claws tangled with Skyfyre's, and Skyfyre and Zerafax also released their grip.
Jacaerys and Seryna exchanged pleasantly surprised glances.
They had only allowed their partners to relax once they received the signal that Sendros no longer resisted Dan.
It meant Dan had gained the dragon's approval.
Sendros let out a roar. He no longer resisted being mounted by Dan.
Dan straightened up and patted Sendros's neck.
"Congratulations, little brother," Seryna beamed, nearly bouncing off her dragon's back. "You did it!"
Jacaerys laughed heartily, and Orion raised a smoky palm in the air to high-five Dan from afar.
"Daddy, look! Uncle Dan tamed a dragon!" Daenerys hugged Rhaegor's neck excitedly. "Daddy, when can I tame a dragon?"
"When you're as big as your Aunt Valenna," said Daenyra gently.
"What are you waiting for? Go take a flight!" Seryna shouted. "Or do you need your big brother to give you a push?"
Dan waved a hand. "No need. Sendros, take off!"
Sendros blinked in confusion, turning his head to look back at his rider.
Only then did Dan realize he had forgotten to switch languages. He quickly shouted in High Valyrian:
"Sōvēs!"
Only then did Sendros, under Valenna's joyful gaze, crawl toward the mouth of the cave and leap out.
The next moment—
The dark green dragon soared into the sky, unleashing a thunderous roar.
House Vaelarys had gained another dragonrider.
At the same time—
In the Targaryen camp.
Viserys stared blankly at young Aegon.
"Aegon, tell me—which dragon are you aiming for this time?"
Aegon looked helplessly at his father. So what if he'd fathered at least three bastards? Did that really justify forcing his own son to do such unpopular work?
But he could only answer firmly:
"Vermax, Father. I will bring him back to the family."