Fire Breather

53.

DAYS later, I slung my pack over my shoulder, ready to head to Samara with Violet after spending the last few mornings training Sloane who hated how tough Imogen and I were on her, but at least she was starting to make progress.

"Green dragons, especially those descending from the line of Cruaidhuaine, have an especially stable connection to magic, which some believe is a result of their more reasonable, defensive nature," Violet mumbled to herself in a whisper.

I leaned back against her desk, raising a brow at her. "What have you been reading lately?" I asked her, cocking my head toward the bookcase where she hadn't hidden tomes as well as I bet she thought.

Her back stiffened as she faced me. "Nothing important," she quickly said—too quickly, earning a knowing look from me. "I've just been brushing up on my facts. How else am I supposed to know everything?"

No. There was something she was hiding. From meeting in secrecy with Jesinia to hiding tomes, I knew there was something she didn't want me to know.

"You're hiding something," I drawled, pushing off the desk. "But I won't push you on this." I shrugged my shoulders when she sent me a skeptical look. "I've got my secrets and you have yours."

"That's weirdly...understandable," she murmured walking toward her door.

I followed her with a small laugh. "You and my brother have some underlying issues."

"No, we—" She clamped her mouth shut when she opened the door and my hands flew straight to the daggers sheathed to my thighs at the sight of Varrish standing there instead of Bodhi, flanked by his two henchmen.

A quick step backward put us both out of reach even though I wouldn't be able to pull him or anyone into Violet's room.

"Relax, Cadets." He smiled and my blood started to boil just from the look. "I just came by to check your packs and walk you out to Tairn and Nim."

Violet slipped her pack from her shoulders and held it out to him while I just threw mine straight out the door, not caring considering all I had in it was Liam's sweater and food...like every trip.

The henchmen dumped our belongings on the ground and the male looked to me, raising a brow at the number of biscuits in my pack.

"What?" I shrugged my shoulders, crossing my arms over my chest. "I like my biscuits." Then I narrowed my eyes on him. "Don't judge a girl for what she eats or how much she eats."

The man quickly diverted his gaze, shoving Liam's sweater and my snacks back into my pack. "It's clear."

"So's this one," the woman said, putting Violet's things back into her pack.

"Excellent." Varrish nodded. "Then we'll just escort you to your dragons. You can't be too careful around here, given the rash of attacks these last few weeks." He tilted his head. "Funny that most seem to be focused on those of you who disappeared during War Games, don't you think?"

"Not sure I'd call assaults 'funny,'" Violet replied.

"And we don't need an escort," I muttered, looking him up and down with a distasteful gaze.

"Nonsense." He stepped back and gestured into the hallway. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to the daughter of the commanding general."

Cool, because I almost forgot no one cared what could happen to the daughter of Fen Riorson. "I've got her back," I firmly stated.

"It's not a suggestion." His smile slipped.

I moved a hand to the hilt of my daggers sheathed to my ribs before walking into the hallway first, then I looped my finger into the belt around Violet's waist, keeping her stuck to my side. If shit were to go down, I planned on melting Varrish's brain to give Vi a head start.