The Shadow Sovereign: Rise of the Null

roken yet, but the Skyguard Academy never truly slept. Somewhere above him, dragons stirred in their roosts, their scales scraping

lden Sun-Drake did not tolerate incompetence, and it tolerated servants even less. But Kaelen had survived by keeping his head down, moving slowly, and ne

massive chamber-golden scales gleaming in the dim light, wings folded tight against its serpentine body, eyes closed in what m

l he performed every morning. "Just the floor, then th

and began

to mix the water with a special solution-salt, vinegar, and a pinch of crushed mana crystal stolen from the academy supply

hree days. Every youth in the Empire underwent it at fifteen. It was the moment a dragon chose you, your mana circuit activated,

hifted, and Kae

to slits as it stared at him. Kaelen stared back at the floor, his hands

ostrils flared, s

aelen told himse

h, and his fingers brus

elf backward, but the fire followed, licking at his clothes and skin

rang out from the entr

ack, gasping, his tunic smoking. His h

th sharp features and burnished gold hair, his uniform was imm

Solara lowered its head respectfully, all aggression g

ing his gaze down. "I was just cle

steel. "You don't touch a dragon unless you're bonded. You

rry, my

rry you exist." He stepped closer. "Do you know what I think, Null? I think you

g. Silence was the

r and sending him back to the floor. The bucket tipped,

ouch my dragon, I'll let her finish what she s

deep in his chest, a tiny voice whispered that he should give up. But small voices were the

-

mana lamps. Kaelen shared his room with three others, including Orin, an elde

leather journal. He looked up, studying

?" Orin

en n

ler

her

own, boy. Let me lo

gently. "You're lucky. T

ucky," Kaelen

believe that, but you should.

ut a small, cloth-wrapped bundle,

zed crystal glowing with soft b

get this?" Ka

is older than the Empire. There's something different about you,

ispered, tucking the crystal into his pocket.

Orin said. "Tomorr

a gaunt figure in a tattered gray cloak, his face hidden in sha

tly. His pale eyes swirled like smok

ou?" Kaele

." The stranger stepped closer. "You feel the mana

you talk

ad zero," the old man said with a thin smile. "It will read zero because it look

head. "You're wro

ad. A jolt like lightning ran through him. "There's a dragon out th

t dr

er what I said. When everything is taken from you, don't give

ned to

ambled up. "How do

parents. They died protecting a secret

into the darkn

s of the academy, a dragon roared-a deep, dark sound unlike Sol

ing. The pain was entirely gone. In the center of his palm, where the

empty. You'

a fist, hiding the mark, a