Born to Die BOOK 1-Wingless-

3

We arrived at the boarding school sooner than I had thought we would. I was still clutching the thing Emerald had given me, and as we halted, I tucked it into a pouch slung around my neck.

The carriage door was flung open, and Father wrenched me out. "Your mother will be expecting me home. go inside the school and sign up." He told me and then boarded the carriage.

I watched it slowly go away, then turned to the boarding school. To say it was huge was an understatement. It was massive. The place had towering walls and sprawling grounds that seemed to stretch endlessly.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward into the school grounds. The place seemed like a maze to me.

'It's ok. You're ok. breathe.' I told myself and slowly calmed down.

Following the signs toward the signup building, I finally found the enrollment office. Inside, a stern-looking Goldclan dragon sat behind a desk buried in paper. I approached slowly and nervously.

"Name?" the dragon asked, not bothering to look up.

"Hunted," I replied softly, avoiding their eyes.

"I need your first name too." they pressed, their impatience evident.

"That is my first name. My last name is Farlow." I muttered, shifting uncomfortably.

The Goldclan sighed, finally glancing up. "Fine, we'll sort that out later. I need you to fill out this form, and here's your schedule and dorm assignment," they said, handing me a stack of papers. "at the end of the day, hand your form back to me.'

I took everything numbly, my mind swirling the information. Classes, sleeping assignments, rules, and everything else—all laid out on the pieces of paper I was given. It all felt overwhelming, and I subconsciously rubbed the lines where I had cut myself.

Finding a quiet corner, I unfolded the papers and quickly scanned through them. Worry crept into my mind as I wandered the halls towards my dormitory. Other students had been here for ages, growing up in this town. A couple were in tehir first year here, but it was the middle of the school year, so I was left alone.

Reaching the tower for the dormitories, I found my assigned room and pushed open the door. It was a small, plain space with four neatly made beds. Three of them already had things laid out: a picture of a rather cold-looking family, a hand-made blanket on the bed facing the window, and books on the bedside tables of three beds.

I sat on the edge of the last bed. It was in the corner and had blue and white sheets, a dark blue pillow, and a wooden bedside table. I stared blankly at the walls, thinking about today. I thought back on Emerald, and tears threatened to slip down my cheeks, but I blinked them back fiercely, refusing to break down.

I took a deep breath, unpacked my belongings, and arranged them in the drawers of my bedside table. Emerald's gift caught my eye, and I retrieved it from the pouch around my neck. It was a small, detailed pendant, and a sad smile formed on my lips.

Clutching the pendant in my talons, I whispered a promise to myself. "I'll find my way through this. I'll survive, no matter what."

The room screamed at me, and I sighed before slipping the pendants around my neck. I got up from the bed and went to the door, checking my timetable.

MONDAY

7:30-8:30 AM Breakfast

8:45-9:45 AM Fire/Lightning/Blossom/Spirit Breathing and Control

10:00-10:45 AM Beginners Flight Class

11:00-11:45 AM Mythical History

12:00-12:45 PM Lunch