Butterfly Enigma : Academy of Fae

CHAPTER FOURTEEN | LESSONS

"I do not trust this Lindon boy," Blaze growled.

"Why not?"

The scaly, orange and gold guardian lounged on the beach as Kallima drew marks in the sand with a long stick. He watched her movements absentmindedly, distracted by her story of Ignatius' behavior. Sighing, he lifted a paw and gouged the sand with a sharp claw.

"Your marks are too angular. Let them flow," he said. "I simply do not trust liars."

"Everyone has to lie sometimes, Blaze," she replied, rolling her shoulders.

"I don't believe the boy has told you a single truth in the entire time you have known each other, Kallima."

"Is this better?"

"Much. This is the rune 'Sylfeus.' It is used to bind energy."

"This is on my amulet!" Kallima said.

"Yes. Do it again."

Kallima sighed and attempted to draw the symbol a second time. Blaze watched her carefully as she moved.

"Why do I have to wear it?" she asked.

"Rumors," he said, "are their own fires. If the wrong person finds out what you are, you could get hurt. And who can know where the wrong person hides? I worry that I am too late. That one of your friends will betray you."

"And by one of my friends...?"

"I mean Lindon, yes."

Kallima sighed and leaned on Blaze's thick neck.

"They took his dad, you know?" she said, pressing a cheek to the dragon's hot skin. "Because he likes dragons so much. I feel really bad for him."

"Don't. You said that Gabriel doesn't trust him, and you shouldn't either. I don't."

"Do you know him, Blaze?" she asked.

"Yes. I met Mr. Lindon and his boy a long time ago. He was but a toddler then, but I understand that I made quite the impression on him."

"What were they like back then?"

Blaze stared at her as she climbed onto his shoulders and laid down along his neck. The massive body beneath her heaved as he groaned and turned away again.

"I will show you," he said as he passed a paw over the sand, melting it to glass.

Kallima slid off of her mentor and eased onto her knees in front of the sheer surface. Behind the hot glass, images began to move.

A much smaller Blaze slithered through a rocky cavern, his orange scales glinting against the dark stone and casting the illusion of flames on the wall. Laughter echoed in the hole, alerting Kallima to another presence. Blaze darted behind one of the larger rocks, but his tail and spines gave him away. A tiny blonde boy, maybe three or four jumped down a makeshift staircase and into the cave and scanned the area. Then he giggled and darted to Blaze's tail, and grabbed it. The boy's sloppy gold hair and bright green eyes gave him away: Ignatius, ten or so years younger. Blaze towered over him, though he stood, at most, half his current height.

"I getted you!" Ignatius squealed.

"Release me," Blaze said.

"I get a make a wish!" the boy said. "I wish Mommy come home, Dwagon!"

"I wish you were as hot and crispy as a roast chicken."

The child frowned up at the dragon, eyes wide and sad. His light, little foot crunched down on a flake of brown stone. Roaring painfully, Blaze pushed him aside and scampered to collect the pieces in his teeth and front talons.