"War...there might be war coming, beyond the hidden city and beyond the troll golem." Neveah replied with a nod but she knew there was more to it.

King Jian knew well enough that there would be those who stirred trouble if he left Dragon Keep, and to avoid this, King Jian could surely assign another dragon lord to subdue the troll golem.

Yet he was chosing to lead the dragon lords out to the fodder grooves himself, and it could not be without purpose.

"Your Grace intentionally wants the tributary races to move. It could only be because you believe the dwarves have external help and you want to know who..." Neveah realized.

"It could be the Black Network." King Jian murmured thoughtfully.

"The group that attacked Menarx and I out in the forest?" Neveah asked, recalling she had overhead Kirgan mention this.

"You know of the Black Network?" King Jian asked with a raised brow.

"I have heard it once... Menarx sent a thought to Lord Kirgan on our flight back from the forest. He said the Black Network was behind it." Neveah admitted.

"Menarx and I were attacked by monsters... and it was never mentioned since. I guessed it was because the authorities already knew well enough who was behind it." Neveah added when King Jian just stared at her in silence.

"You know a lot more than you let on." King Jian commented finally.

Neveah was not certain if the dragon king meant those words in a good way, or otherwise but she did not dwell on it.

"That is as far as I know." Neveah replied honestly.

King Jian’s gaze narrowed suspiciously before he nodded.

"It could be the Black Network...no, it certainly is. But there is more, I must know all who are involved... I will not harbor traitors in my lands." King Jian said decisively.

Neveah understood it was tasking to maintain an iron clad grip over an empire as large as the Asvarian stronghold, encompassing so many different races all of whom had their own agenda.

The rulers of the tributary races would only ever see the dragons as their bond masters, regardless of how much free reign they were granted.

No race wanted to be under the control of another, but the reality of the supernatural race was that there would always be one race standing supreme above the others.

There was no such thing as coexistence, whoever faltered would be pulled under, the dragons already had a taste of this harsh reality and so they knew it better than everyone else.

The supernatural realm was a world where only the strong ruled, and of all the races, Neveah could say it was the blessing of the stronghold that the beasts of Asvar were the supreme power.

The dragon shifters were far from perfect, but Neveah had witnessed the supreme rule of her own father over the Eclipse Domain.

When one had seen worse, one would surely recognize a just rule and Neveah’s personal thoughts of the dragon king placed aside, his rule was nothing like her father’s.

"Why are you telling me this?" Neveah asked with a raised brow.

"My brothers want you safe, and I am obligated to honor their wishes."

"In the time I am away, the Keep will be base to the twelve squadron, all residents are to return to their homes in the citadel for the time. As for you, the academy is the safest place."

"You wanted an explanation, this is it. Menarx will be safe amongst his kin...you are different."

"As I have said, there are many eyes on you... the walls of the academy will keep you out of sight, and the skills you shall learn here will protect you in the long run, this is as much as I am willing to do."

"If you intend to be a rider on the King’s guard, you must be an asset. Menarx’s love is not enough to keep you. By the way... I was never here." King Jian said blankly as he strode past Neveah and headed out of the hall. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"All that was to say he sent me here for my own safety?" Neveah asked in bafflement, wondering if that was the ever quiet dragon king who could hardly spare a word on who he deemed unworthy.

’You should be more concerned with how we are going to explain what happened here.’ Neveah’s wolf reminded her.

Neveah glanced around the hall, realizing King Jian’s last statement, she heaved a quiet sigh.

"I try not to dislike him for just a moment and he gives me another reason the very next." Neveah groaned just as the doors came open and in came a horrified looking Elina.

_______________

"All you had to do was stay put Neveah! Do you even realize what that place is?!" Elina hissed at Neveah and Neveah rolled her eyes in exasperation as she was lead into another hall where her judgement awaited her.

"Disregarding Master Maloway, disregarding our liege, attempting to break out of the academy, hurting a fellow rider and now trespassing and destroying the hall of history has been added to your charges. What have you to say for yourself?" Master Gerwin asked in a quiet tone.

Neveah’s hands were clenched in agitation as she stood facing Master Maloway and the other two senior masters of riders academy, along with ten junior masters seated around a table.

Now, Neveah had known her first day in the rider’s academy would not go so well, but she certainly had not anticipated she would be called before a board of elders.

The first three accusations Neveah could easily admit to, but the destruction of the hall of history had nothing to do with her.

"For the hundredth time, I did trespass. But I have nothing to do with the rest of it." Neveah replied with a sigh.

"Then would you happen to know who else trespassed the hall? You were there, you should know." Master Heather asked with a raised brow.

"It was..." Neveah began and then heaved a sigh.

"I don’t know... I didn’t see anything." Neveah murmured beneath her breath.