Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Sixty-Nine ۞ Amaranthine

From night to day. Valeriana was greeted by the busy air of the academy and she instantly felt a hum of excitement run through her. Femeron stirred in her arms and roused to a foreign environment that she seemed mildly confused. She looked up at Valeriana and stuck out her tongue, tilting her head to the side as though to question her.

"Don't worry," she told her. "We'll be here for a long time. I'm sure you'll love the Twelve."

Valeriana then turned to look at Vallore and Corvan. The drakon threw over his hood to hide himself from plain sight while Corvan was uncaring.

They finally made it in time for the duel. In fact, they were quite early. It was four hours before then; a lot of time to prepare. Valeriana took a deep breath and nodded to Corvan.

"What are you going to do first?" she asked him.

"I'll be looking for my team members for the duel. But, I plan on seeking out the headmaster to report on our encounter and also to talk with him regarding the drakon's situation."

"I'll come with you, then," said Vallore.

"Well, then, alright," she said. "I'll go look for someone I can give Femeron to."

'I'm not going to say this again,' Tamara's voice echoed. 'Keep watch on your children!'

She missed hearing Tamara's voice and chuckled softly. After giving Corvan and Vallore one last glance, she walked off with her baby dragon. The people around them gawked at the rare beast inside her arms, seemingly in utter disbelief as they looked on.

She entered the Help Desk building and found Keelan talking to an old man who had apparently lost his money. He looked skeptical and in pain as the old man ranted. She waited. When it ended, he breathed out a large sigh.

"Keelan!" she exclaimed.

He looked up at the call. "Valeriana!" He stood up and ran forward, wanting to crush her into a bear hug when he suddenly noticed the dragon in her arms. The people around them stared for a few moments, mainly at Femeron.

"By the gods!" he exclaimed. "Is this an Arlandian dragon? A baby one, too!"

"Um . . . yes," she replied.

"How did you get one?" he excitedly asked. "This is a rare beast! Definitely not seen since after the Great War!"

The people broke into a chatter. "Arland! A dragon! I thought they were extinct!"

"How did one get here?"

"Her name is Femeron," she said. "And I got her during the encounter with the twin-tailed lions. Can you talk with me for a second? Where are the other rankers?"

Keelan nodded eagerly. "The others are busy with their responsibilities at the moment," he said. "I'm sure they'll be free in two hours or so to watch the fight. Most of the others are still recovering from the duels."

"Okay. I guess talking will have to wait."

"Your dragon is getting a lot of attention," he told her. "How about we find someplace else that's away from privy eyes?"

"Oh, but aren't you busy with—"

"I have my aides for me. They'll be taking care of most business here."

"It's fine even if we don't leave. I won't take much of your time. Speaking of aides, I never knew you had any." She looked around them. Despite the extensive attention, they weren't bothered. "But, anyway, that's not important. I need someone to take care of Femeron for me while I duel. Don't worry, she's a good girl."