Flaming Hearts - Fourth Wing

Chapter 6

When Ace wakes up, Rhiannon and Violet are nowhere in sight. She contemplates skipping today's lessons, but then decided against it. Rhiannon would drag her to the lessons, if she wanted to or not. After getting dressed and brushing her hair, she left it open for now. Her hair tie on her wrist for the challenge later.

She walked into the hallway at the same time as Ridoc and Sawyer, greeting them. Both murmuring a quiet reply. Ace realised on the second day that both boys aren't morning people and are only approachable after coffee.

After getting their breakfast, and greeting Violet who was behind the counter, the three sit down at their usual table. Ridoc on Ace's left, Sawyer across from her. All three of them are digging into their food, when Violet joins them, sitting down across from Ridoc, next to Sawyer.

Violet looks at Ace, who yarns, blinks a few times and shakes her head a little. "Tired?"

"You have no idea." Ace nods, snatching a sausage off Ridoc's plate, earning an offended "hey".

"You weren't eating it anyways." – "How do you know; I haven't finished yet." – "Too bad. It's mine now. And this one is too." Ace snatches another sausage of his plate with a grin. Ridoc opens hit mouth to speak again, but closes it again, both eyebrows raised towards the entrance. Ace follows his line of sight, before a shit-eating grin steals itself onto her face. Rhiannon sits down next to Ace.

"Well look at you in last night's clothes. Had a good night?" Rhiannon groans, looking at Ace annoyed. "Must you always do this?"

"Yes of course, what are friends for, no?"

xx

"Keep the temperament of each specific breed in mind when you decide which dragons to approach and which to run from at Threshing. Red Scorpiontails, like Ghrian here, are the quickest to temper. So, if you offend on of them, you're – "Professor Kaori starts, and Ridoc interrupts.

"Lunch." The class laughs. "Precisely. So, what's the best way to approach a Red Scorpiontail?" Professor Kaori looks around the room. "You don't." Rhiannon mutters between Ace and Violet, making both huff a quiet laugh. "They prefer to you approach from the left and from the front, if possible." A girl from sitting in the front answers. "Excellent. For this Threshing, there are three Red Scorpionstails willing to bond." Professor Kaori replies, using his signet power to show a different dragon.

"How many dragons are there in total?" Rhiannon asks.

"A hundred for this year. But some might change their minds during presentation in about two months, depending on what they see." Professor Kaori answers, changing the picture to another dragon.

"That's thirty-seven fewer than last year." Professor Kaoris dark brows rise.

"Yes, cadet Sorrengail, it is, and twenty-six than the year before that."

"Will they tell you why they won't bond?" a dark-haired first-year asks behind the girls.

"No jackass, dragons only talk to their bonded riders, just like they only give their full name to their bonded rider. You should know that by now." Jack scoffs, his eyes narrowed on the cadet. Professor Kaori shoots Barlowe a look that shuts him up.

"They font share their reasons. And anyone who respect their life won't ask a question they're not willing to answer."

"Do the numbers affect the wards?" Kaori's jaw ticks twice.

"We're not sure. The number of bonded dragons has never affected the integrity of Navarre's wards before, bur I'm not about to lie to you and say that we're not seeing increased breaches when you know from Battle Brief that we are."