To become an adult dragonling in our society, draggies must claim their first life in the Trial of Blood to prove their strength.

This is Our Law.

~ From the Dragonling Grimoire

They say the Trial of Blood is an honorable thing. To win your place in our society by ripping the life from another.

Watching the two fyns snarl and slash at each other on the red-stained sand of the arena from the marble pavilion, I could really understand what they mean. Just the sight of the male dragonlings fighting made my heart speed up, the scent of sweat and blood making my veins burn with the killer instinct of my ancestors.

The fyns were evenly matched as they struck out against each other. The crowd cheered and booed as their favorites won or lost ground. Once or twice one would fall down, sending a burst of sand into the air that would obscure the view. The next second a burst of fire would alert the observers to where the two were. My heart pounded as I thought that soon I would be out there too - next, actually. I had drawn the first fight for the females.

To keep myself from starting a fight to satisfy the bloodlust creeping through my mind, I took a deep breath and focused on my hands. Thick calluses marred my palms and the bases of my fingers. A small scab from a cut on my left thumb from where I mishandled a knife earlier this week was peeling away. My skin was tanned from days of hard work under the sun, taut over muscles that I worked tirelessly to maintain.

This was a meditation practice taught to us Ryns when we learned to control our instincts in favor of rational thought. I found it a giant waste of time. Mostly because I hated anything that made sit still for more than two candle marks. Waiting and waiting and waiting for my turn to fight was driving me insane. The meditation bullshit wasn't working. I decided to appraise my possible enemies instead.

Around me were dozens of other wyks — female dragonlings — that were similarly waiting for their turn to fight. Several of them I knew and wouldn't find fighting. Most of them came from other colonies far away. We were all dressed in simple red tunics and black leggings. Not that it mattered what we wore. We wouldn't stay in this human form during the fight.

Just the thought of fighting made me giddy and made the blood lust swell. Call me violent all you want, but there's nothing better than simply living. War and bloodshed was my life's purpose, and fighting validated my worth in the world.

"Anita." The cold, emotionless voice of Lord Edik roused me from my, ah, cheerful thoughts. I looked up to see him dressed in a black and green uniform with a cutlass strapped to his hip. He wasn't handsome; in fact, he was ugly, with plain features paired with dull blue eyes and thin brown hair. A well-maintained mustache made his thin lips droop under the weight and his scraggly beard looked like wild bracken. God, I hated facial hair. Especially on sleazy old men.

"Yes, my Lord?" I asked and dipped my head respectfully. Every fiber of my being rejected this, wanted me to raise my head and stare the Lord down defiantly. But I am his vessel, bound to him by the contract passed down from my dead mother. He had rescued my mother from the lineup of captured soldiers ready to be killed. She always told me she had wanted to reject his offer, but the desire to survive overrode pride.

Lord Edik gave me a brisk nod to accept my sign of deference. "When you win the Trial, get to Astor and pick up a weapon. I need you on the front lines soon."

When you win the Trial. Not if. There was no doubt I would win. I should have felt gratitude to Lord Edik for his faith in me. Instead, an overwhelming sense of anger washed over me and muted my excitement. I was powerful, a Ryn from a long line of warriors. I shouldn't have to bend my knee for anyone. I should attack him for his insolence.

I held my tongue and bowed briefly to Lord Edik instead.

"Yes, my Lord. Understood." The words were acid on my tongue, but I kept it out of my voice. Barely.

Lord Edik nodded once and turned on his heel, striding out. Biting back a sharp answer to his briskness that would have earned me a flogging, I looked back to the arena. The fyns were done fighting. The winner was the violet-scaled and bloody-muzzled Ryn. Not surprising, as the dead dragonling lying in the dust was an Ina, a dragonling born to be a servant. It had been a miracle that the Ina survived that long.

That was the last fyn battle. Now the wyks would battle. In our Law, it was stated during the Trial of Blood males and females would not fight each other, for fear that a Mate Spark would go off and derail the fight.

The thought drew my mind back to the scrolls I had read only this morning to distract myself. I wasn't one for studying, but worn scrolls and ancient ink helped to soothe my nerves when the other trainees were boasting about how they would kill their opponent.

A Mate Spark is the identifying of a potential mate. I could practically picture the words on the paper, and couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself. The next passage spoke of the stories travelers would tell of werewolves who had some miraculous connection to their soulmate, someone who is perfect for them.

My people didn't believe in such foolish things.

A mate is simply a counterpart with whom a dragonling can produce the strongest offspring. Wyks may have up to eight mates at a time and has the ability to replace them as they die. Replace seemed like such an ugly word, especially considering it was your life partner. I felt my nerves begin to melt away again as I turned the ancient page in my mind's eye. Fyns will only ever have a single mate but have the ability to choose whether or not to accept the wyk. I hated the idea of anyone having such a power over me, but it wasn't like I could do anything about this one.

I would have to have mates and would be forced to raise draggies, something I dreaded from the bottom of my heart. Children just weren't my style. I had already decided that I would never get married like some non-mated couples decide to do. I didn't have a choice about having mates, but I did about that. No way in hell would I saddle myself down with another needless obligation. Freedom was precious.

"Anita Rhyan and Sara Mia. Report to the arena now." The clipped voice of the wyk in charge of us broke me from my wandering thoughts. Dragonlings grew to be ancient creatures, and I knew this wyk to have seen thousands of seasons, but the only indication was her dark black hair was shot through with gray. This wyk - Madam Kina - had been my instructor for most of my life. No affection showed in her eyes, and I expected nothing less. We were Ryns. Emotionless soldiers.

I took a steadying breath and made my way up through the halls of the holding block and to the sandy pit of the arena. Sunlight blinded me after the dim waiting room and forced me to squint against the bright glare. Cheers erupted from the amphitheater seats, mostly Ryns at the forefront while the other dragonlings held back, shaded by canopies embroidered with the insignias of each colony.

A wyk I didn't know directed me to a marble platform where I would wait until the fight started. The sound of blood-speckled sand crunching under my feet as I made my way there was drowned out by the roaring of the crowd.

Thousands of dragonlings, from every colony, had made their way to watch the Trials. They brought their oldest draggies, all at their eighteenth summer like me, to participate and earn their place in our society.

A place in society. The idea sent a thrill through me, blowing my apprehension away.

I climbed up on the starting platform and looked around. The amphitheater was packed with thousands of dragonlings, all chattering excitedly as my colony's leader - Queen Dominika - met with the other wyk's leader in front of a podium in the corner of the battlefield.

Behind the podium, a third dragonling set a massive book down, opening it to the very first page. A hush fell over the crowd as he began reading.

"From the beginning, our race is one of war and bloodshed. Today these young dragonlings will keep the spirit of our ancestors alive as they fight for their place in society." The fyn called, his voice strong. "We keep our bloodlines strong and weed out the weak. Death in battle is honorable, and both wyks will be honored after this day. May your fight be swift and fair." He shut the book and another cheer rose over the crowd.

"Are both draggies ready?" Madam Kina called. Her voice was directed to the other girl - Sara. She didn't need to ask me. Pride flared in my chest, forcing a savage smile to my face.

Sara just nodded in uncertainty and watched me warily. I watched her back with a keen eye. The platforms were close enough that I could even see the wyk trembling. She was thin and lanky, taller than me by a good four finger lengths or so. I could tell by her last name - Mia - she was a Mora, an artist.

"Begin."

With that single word, the most important battle of my life began.

I leaped from the platform, letting energy surge through my body. A dark blue light wrapped around me like clean, cool water. I had watched the transformation in the lake behind Lord Edik's complex enough times to envision the stunning transformation.

Smooth triangular scales, dark blue like sapphires and twice as beautiful as any gem spread over my body, which stood a dozen feet tall now. Two beautiful leathery wings, like sheets of blue silk, stretched on aquamarine bones, unfurled behind me. A sleek, almost prehensile tail stretched out behind me, the tip adorned with a curved blade of azure-colored bone.

No words I can say can describe the feeling of the change. It's like a shift that overtakes my body. I can't explain the feeling... it's like pure, unfettered joy flowing through your entire body. This is what power and freedom feel like.

It lasted for just a few heartbeats before my eyesight cleared. Sara lifted into the sky with a few beats of her wings, trying to get high ground. I reared up to meet her as her body collided with mine, claws digging into my shoulders. I fell backward purposefully, digging my hind claws into the ridges along her belly before rolling her over.

We tumbled across the arena, each desperately trying to reach the jugular. I ran my claws against the grain of her throat scales and the sharp tips caught underneath. Sara screeched as the scales came away and her leathery skin was uncovered, beating her wings frantically to escape. However, it just left an opening for me.

With a roar of victory, I lunged up and sank my teeth into the opening. They cut deep and true, piercing the great artery underneath.

Blood exploded into my mouth with enough force that I almost gagged. I pulled away, but to my surprise, the wyk slowly rose to her paws again and lunged for me again. The crowd roared their approval and I pounced on her once more, but it was too late. Her movements were quickly weakening and her blood coated both of us, making everything slippery.

The wyk collapsed, eyes glazed over, and I panted to catch my breath. Distantly, I could hear the crowd cheering for me.

After a few candle marks, I felt the gentle tugging of another dragonling on the base of my wing. I nearly whirled around to slash at my attacker, but I held back at the last second. It was a bulky red fyn with scars crossing his muzzle. Experience was written across his entire body. I can admit I'm not the smartest wyk in the world, but at least I knew how to pick my fights.

I shook the fyn away and strode out of the arena with my head held high, trembling as adrenaline took its course through my body. The euphoric bliss of the transformation and the fight was still flooding my veins and I didn't feel like changing back just yet.

Outside of the arena, the other victors were lounging around on comfy sofas made of soft angora wool or pacing the extra energy out in their dragon forms. Sweat and excitement filled the air with a heady musk that matched well with the low but cheerful murmurs of the winners. The waiting area should have been somber, considering every one of us in that room had just killed for the first time. Yet it felt almost... celebratory. I guessed that it made sense. This was something we knew we would have to do our whole lives.

Shaking it off, I started running beside a larger Lira - a royal and scholar - named Mako. We had been best friends ever since I could remember; in fact, he was one of my only friends.

Since he was a Lira, Mako could choose what his dragon appeared as. A useful ability for camouflage - but Liras hardly ever worked, let alone practiced espionage or ambushing. Most times a Lira would pick whatever gaudy color they wanted for an occasion. Today, he had picked a fierce shade of burning orange accented with dark blackish-red spots.

No, wait, the red was just dried blood.

After a few candle marks of silent pacing (well, running on my part. Mako's legs were much longer than mine), we finally settled down on one of the couches. Panting, Mako changed into his human form. I felt reluctant, loving the feeling of my stronger body, but I followed suit.

Mako was tall and slender, with a minimal amount of muscle due to his status as a pampered Lira. His dark brown hair was worn in long brown braids twined with fiery red feathers that matched his eyes. He flashed me a crooked smile, his pale orange eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Ani, I watched your fight. A little brutal for you, don't you think? All that blood made half of the spectators sick and the other half wanted to start a fight." Mako said in his soft-spoken lilting voice. He and his accent were from the Iciclecrash colony, far to the northeast. Mine was the Thundercrash colony just to the west of where the Trials were held.

All colonies came together for the Trial of Blood, which led to... interesting results. Fighting, death, sometimes mates, and the occasional revolution. I had about fifty bits riding on at least four wyks finding mates. Mako had ninety on sixteen non-Trial deaths. He had already won his bet.

"I did her a favor." I sniffed, reaching my arms above my head and letting my spine stretch out. "Poor thing was so weak she probably would have been slaughtered her first fight." It wasn't true at all - Moras hardly ever fought and she would have probably lived a long and happy life. But our Law was enforced above all else and our Law demanded we must prove ourselves by taking a life. My lies were to convince myself rather than Mako.

Even if I didn't regret what I had done, I still didn't want to think about it for long. My stomach twisted as I envisioned the blood spurting up from beneath my claws.

If Mako had noticed, he showed me mercy and quickly moved on. "Tone down the bitch, Ani. I can only take so much." He took my hand and pulled me onto one of the couches beside him. I rolled onto his lap and stretched out comfortably as he began to braid my hair with experienced nimble fingers. "You're not pretty enough to warrant all that pride."

I raised my eyebrow and put a hand over my heart in mock offense. "Darling, I am the prettiest girl you're ever going to get to touch. Don't be so picky. And," I gave him a sly glance, "I have a secret weapon."

My friend snorted and leaned back after he was finished with the simple braid. "What, you'll kill whoever calls you ugly?"

"Tempting, but no." I laid against him, closing my eyes. Forget Lord Edik. I was going to take a nap before I went to get a weapon. "I meant my incredibly beautiful scales. No one has such a vibrant blue as I do."

"Ah, yes." Mako waved his hand and some Ina brought him a blanket. He laid it over us. "You're only irresistible half of the time."

I elbowed Mako in the stomach and he laughed at me - just laughed! How rude. "I hope you get scale-rot and can't fly for a sun cycle," I muttered, trying to envision his scales infected with the disease that would cause dozens of tiny holes to invade his scales. Nope. I opened my eyes. Mako was too pretty, in a masculine kind of way.

Mako, however, apparently could imagine such a thing. He gasped dramatically. "Ani, you wretched Ryn! I should call my soldiers on you." Despite the offended note in his voice, the grin tugging at his lips gave away Mako's acting.

I laughed and flicked Mako's chin. "You can't stay mad at me for long."

"Who says?"

"Remember in our tenth sun cycle when you tried to ignore me because I dated that elf you liked?"

Mako sighed dramatically and closed his eyes. "I'm still waiting for an apology!"

"Never. He wasn't into fyns anyways."

"You only liked him because he was 'exotic,'" Mako emphasized the word with finger-made quotation marks, "and I hardly got to see him after that!" He huffed and went silent. I laughed and poked his cheek until he opened his eyes to peer down at me, looking caught between annoyed and amused.

"Hey. I still love you best."

"I don't date wyks."

We burst into laughter and drew stares from other dragonlings in the room. Meeting their gazes with a challenging smile, I settled back against Mako's chest. "I'm gonna sleep until Lord Edik comes to get me."

"Sleep well, Ani," Mako said, gently stroking my back in a soothing motion. "You're a full-grown dragonling now. Just a few more sun cycles and you can kiss that low life Edik goodbye. Actually, don't kiss him. He probably has the lover's sickness."

"I don't think that can spread by a kiss."

"Either way, would you risk it?"

"Mako, you're paranoid."

"Yes," Mako nodded sagely, "but I've yet to contract the lover's disease, so you should listen to my expertise."

That brought a small smile to my lips. "You're ridiculous."

All joking aside, I couldn't wait to get away from Edik. Since I was considered an adult, I would have to be paid and could work towards buying my contract. Now, the rest of my life could begin. No more training and waiting. All I needed was a little time and hard work.

I could finally be free.