After her disastrous training with Zayd, Niva stayed away from the Draqons. She returned to her dwelling and, even though it was still early in the morning, crawled back into bed to hide beneath the heavy fur blanket.

Another place, another group of people who would never accept her.

She had to consider the possibility that it was something about her that drove people away. Maybe the kindness she’d seen in Zayd’s eyes back at the Vilkas’ mountain had been a momentary lapse in judgment. Maybe his friendly demeanor on the trip back to the hive had been nothing but her being a voyeur on his friendship with Maxsym.

Perhaps, in truth, she’d misread everything just like she’d misread Gerrit. She’d taken the Alpha’s kind words and caring nature and spun an entire relationship around it. And look where that had gotten her.

She curled up into a ball, refusing to let the tears fall. It didn’t matter what Zayd thought of her. She wasn’t one of his people, and he owed her nothing. Why then did it sting so much when he said no Draqon male would ever let her ride? She found the Draqons beautiful. Dangerous, frightening, and even intimidating, but their massive bodies, when they flew through the air, filled her with a sense of exhilaration that she knew would only double if she were able to join them.

There had to be a place for her here. When she looked around at the men and women of the hive, she saw how they seemed to know exactly what the rest of the group was thinking without words. She longed to be part of a community like that.

She’d never longed to be part of the Vilkan community, only to be part of Gerrit’s life. Maybe that was why he had never noticed her feelings for him. Because she didn’t love his people the way he did.

Here, she found herself wanting to join in with everything the Draqons did. But Zayd’s words hung heavily around her neck, dragging her down into the volcanic fires beneath the mountain.

She fell into a fitful sleep and didn’t wake up until evening. On the small table next to her cot was a cold bowl of meat and vegetable stew that tasted like heaven. As she ate, she realized she had missed the entire day. What would the Draqons think of some woman who just hid in her dwelling and allowed herself to be served meals?

After eating, she felt the deep fatigue of so many miserable months in her bones and body. She’d spent so long trying to hold herself together and yearning for something that would never be hers. It all crashed down on her and the tears fell.

She didn’t want to be this person. She wanted to be more like Kinyi, more confident and capable. Someone Zayd would notice.

Before her exhaustion overwhelmed her, she promised herself that tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow she would go back to Kinyi’s class. She would join in every activity she could, and she wouldn’t let Zayd’s words continue to pull down her confidence. Yet his cruel words still rang in her ears, mitigated only by the sensual rumble of his voice.

Even if she never figured him out, she was determined to make this her home.

The next morning, she awoke and dressed in another set of leathers she had been given.

Before she left her quarters, she paused and closed her eyes. She took a long, deep breath.

Today is going to be a new day, she told herself. A better day.

Yesterday she’d allowed herself to succumb to her self-doubt, but no more. This was another step forward. Another stage in becoming the woman she wanted to be. No more letting a man, any man, make her feel like she didn’t deserve everything she wanted.

When she swept open the door to her dwelling, she found an older woman with gray-streaked black hair and a strong, tall build climbing up her ladder.

“Morning, little miss,” the woman said, peering up at Niva. She hung onto the rope ladder with one hand and waved with the other, her considerable muscles flexing. “Instead of me climbing up, why don’t you climb back down with me?”

The woman’s warm exuberance bolstered Niva’s earlier resolve. With Draqons like this woman in the hive, how could Niva not find her place? She smiled and said, “Sure thing. I’ll be right down.”

At the bottom of the ladder, the woman stood dressed in leathers so light they glowed in the morning sun. Her dark hair and soft features made Niva think of the old story of Snow White, though she was far from her young princess days. Her face was lined with fine wrinkles, her skin darkened with sunspots, but her eyes twinkled at Niva and her mouth quirked into an easy smile.

“Am I late for something?” Niva asked, instantly worried.

“Hardly.” The woman waved her concern away. “Zayd requested I take over your training. Kinyi can be a bit gruff sometimes, especially when she suspects someone is moving in on her territory.”

Niva tilted her head. Her territory? She wondered again if there had been something going on between Zayd and Kinyi, but didn’t allow herself to dwell on it. Zayd had requested a personal trainer for her, which she decided to take as a good sign. “In that case, good morning. My name is Niva.”

The woman laughed, the sound brighter than the morning sun on fresh snow. “I know that. Everyone here knows your name. You’re the first human to ever come to the hive. And believe it or not, it’s a point of excitement for many of us. My name is Grace, and before I was mated, I had Kinyi’s job training the unmated females. But that was a long time ago.”

Niva looked up at her with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Grace. I’m ready to learn anything you have to teach me.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” The woman’s face broke into an even brighter smile. “Now, the first thing you need to know is that Draqons try to be very scary, especially the men. They grow up waiting to shift and find a mate and fly into battle. So, all their time is spent trying to prove they are worthy of a female’s affection. No matter how old they get it doesn’t go away. Even our humble leader,” Grace said with a wink, “can sometimes be a bit overenthusiastic about trying to prove himself.”

Niva listened to the older woman’s words, soaking it all in through her dry, thirsty pores. She wanted to know everything about Zayd and the Draqons. And she had a feeling Grace might be willing to tell her.

“I didn’t think Zayd would be interested in my training anymore after yesterday.”

Grace frowned for a moment before saying, “Zayd is a good man. He’s suffered a loss, one that happened a while ago now, but it hardened him against even his own people. I’m sorry he took that out on you, but he did tell me you have potential as a fighter. That’s not small praise from someone like Zayd, who parses his words so stridently.”

She was surprised he’d had anything kind to say about her, but she would take whatever she could get from him. “He’s, ah, difficult to anticipate,” she said, uncertain there were any words to adequately describe his nature.

“That’s our Zayd. But he’s a good leader and we love him.”

Grace walked toward the eastern field where she had trained with Zayd yesterday, away from Kinyi and the other women. As much as Niva wanted to be included in what the others did, she understood that she needed to catch up on over twenty years of training and lifestyle. At least she wouldn’t make a fool of herself in front of the other women this time.

Grace walked with slow, purposeful steps, pointing out different areas of the hive. “Early morning tends to be very active. There’s a lot to do before the morning meal. If you look around, you’ll see that most of the men are working to prepare the meal.” She pointed to a small building with three walls but an open front. Inside raged a massive fire, and meat hung from the ceiling and a pot hung right above the flame.

Niva nodded and looked around. She pointed to another area where a large weaving loom was set up. It was easily double the size of the cooking building and had ladders built directly onto it. “Is that how the fabric is made?”

“We make all of our own clothing here. All the hides and the leathers you wear are from animals we’ve hunted. We’ve been able to last for hundreds of years up here without ever needing to trade with the other clans.”

“Then why have you been at war with them if you don’t need anything from them?” Niva asked.

Grace stopped walking and turned to her. “War has become a way of life. For some Draqons more than others.”

Niva couldn’t help but think about Kinyi’s comment about the hive needing a warrior Queen. She had so many questions about Zayd’s previous mate, the hive’s dead Queen, Sotu. Even thinking her name gave Niva a shiver, as though her ghost hovered right over Niva’s shoulder. “Is it a way of life for Zayd?”

Grace inclined her head in thought. “It used to be.” She resumed walking and Niva followed. “But things changed when Sotu died. Zayd changed.”

A glance around confirmed that no one was near. Quietly, as if it was a secret, Niva asked, “How did… did she die? Sotu? If you don’t mind my asking,” she hurried to add.

“That’s a story for Zayd to tell. It’s a painful one for him, and we Draqons don’t like to toss around another’s pain.” She smiled sadly at Niva. “But it was during battle when he lost her. It was a tragic day for all of us, but Zayd never quite recovered. So, when he has his moments like he did yesterday, forgive him if you can. At least the first couple times. But if he keeps being mean, kick his ass. Or let me know, and I’ll kick his ass.”

The laugh bubbled up from Niva’s throat before she could stop it. “Okay. I will. Thank you for the information.”

“Of course. You’re one of us now.”

Niva’s heart skipped a beat. One of us. How long had she waited to hear those words? She felt like she was floating on cloud nine as the two women crossed the bridge and climbed the cliff wall toward the eastern mountain field.

When they reached the ice, Grace placed both hands on Niva’s shoulders. “Out here on the ice, the most important thing is to learn your balance.”

“Zayd taught me some yesterday.”

Grace shook her head. “He skipped essential steps in teaching you how to manage your body and how to communicate with the ice. You have to feel it through your feet and legs, up into your bones. You must listen to what the ice tells you, not try to force a movement it won’t allow. Just like the wind, you have to listen to the whisper in your ear and let the flow guide you.”

As Grace spoke, Niva realized she was guiding them around on the ice. Face-to-face with Grace’s hands on her shoulders, they moved gently and easily. After a few moments, Grace dropped her hands but continued her seemingly nonsensical dance around the landscape. Niva allowed her body to slide, bending her knees and shifting her hips so she could follow the natural path the ice seemed to lead.

“That’s good. You have a good temperament for this. To be able to listen without arguing with the ice, to be able to adjust and accommodate will make you an excellent rider.”

Niva wanted to counter her words and point out that Zayd had said she would never be allowed to ride, but instead she held on to Grace’s affirmation and focused all her energy on listening with her body. She would ride one day. She just had to prove herself first.

After about an hour of gliding around, a call sounded through the mountain, high and bright.

“That would be the morning meal.”

Niva was warm, even beginning to sweat from the activity, but she felt alive in her body like she never had before. She made her way next to Grace and slid to a stop. “Thank you so much. Can we train again tomorrow?”

“We’ll train every day until you no longer need me. It’s delightful to be able to do this again. I was once the private tutor of Sotu. It’s nice to be needed again.” Pride beamed from Grace’s face.

Niva tilted her head. “Really? Before she was Queen?”

“Yes. She was quite gifted, much like you. Graceful on the ice and able to keep her own counsel. What she went through…” Grace shook her head.

Niva wanted to ask more to understand what had happened to the Queen and how the hive survived without her, but she could respect that it was Zayd’s story to tell. Her curiosity went deeper than just how Sotu had died. She wanted to know about Zayd, his past, and the woman he’d loved. What had she looked like? What had she done to win his heart? Niva couldn’t help her almost morbid curiosity about the Queen, but she wanted to know everything, especially as it related to Zayd. The shadow on Grace’s face told her that now wasn’t the time to continue asking questions.

As they skated back toward the ladder down to the hive’s center, Grace turned to Niva, her eyes suddenly wide and excited. “Once we’ve trained for a while, it would be good for you to work with others. But I don’t think Kinyi’s group with the adult women will work for some time. There’s a group who goes out on the ice, farther than most of us venture, to gather supplies. If you are as much of a natural at this as I think you are, that might be something you would have fun doing.”

Niva’s heart soared. The idea of having a purpose, a use within the hive that would prove her worth, filled her with joy. “I would love that. Whenever you think I’m ready to go, I would like to try.”

Grace wrapped an arm around Niva. “So enthusiastic. I think you’ll do a wonderful job. We’ll meet again tomorrow morning. If you have any downtime this afternoon, come back and practice. It’s safe up here.”

“Oh.” It hadn’t occurred to Niva that she hadn’t been safe up here or anywhere, but they were outside in the wild and she was still new here. Surely there were creatures other than the Draqons who dwelled in these mountains. “Why would it not be safe?”

“The Skax live around here. They’re nasty carnivorous birds. More of a nuisance, really, but if they catch one of us out alone, especially someone as small as you, they might try an attack.”

“Skax,” Niva said slowly. They even sounded scary. “I’ll be sure to keep a lookout.”

When the two women reached the main area, Grace pulled Niva into an embrace. Niva let out a small squeak before wrapping her arms around the older woman.

“Thank you,” Grace said.

Niva laughed, feeling herself unfurl from the tension of the day before. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

“Then we’re both thankful, and that’s the best kind of relationship possible.” After another squeeze, Grace made her way toward the other Draqons who were sitting down for their morning meal. Niva approached a large table covered with bowls and dishes full of food to choose from.

Men and women bustled about, refilling empty bowls and bringing out new dishes as they were ready. The atmosphere was friendly and inviting. But as Niva approached, everyone’s eyes turned away from her, and no one offered her a seat.

When she saw Kinyi and a few women sitting around the edge of a small fire, she approached them. Hoping her voice wouldn’t crack with nerves, Niva asked, “Can I sit with you?”

“It’s our new recruit,” Kinyi said, looking up as Niva approached. She patted the seat next to her.

Holding back her smile so she didn’t appear too excited, she settled down with the group as Kinyi introduced the other unmated females, telling her a little something about each of them, stories to make her laugh and to make them seem less foreign and intimidating. Even Kinyi’s previously harsh face lit up with a smile every time she spoke to Niva.

“So, rumor is you’ve been training with Grace this morning,” Kinyi said when she finished with her stories. Placing her dish down, she leaned toward Niva.

Niva nodded, chewing quickly to respond. “She was amazing. I feel so much more confident on the ice than I did yesterday. Thank you for your advice, but I was too far behind everyone. I can’t wait until I catch up and can join you again.”

Kinyi gave her a crooked smile that made her ice-blue scales along her cheek glint beneath the morning light. “We’re all very impressed. It’s been a long time since Grace has decided to take anyone under her wing.”

The group chuckled at Kinyi’s pun, and the remainder of Niva’s tension drained away. Maybe she could belong here and even have friends, but even as she thought it she found herself looking around and wondering where Zayd was.