Dragon's Core

Chapter Seven- Return of the Ginger

Chapter Seven

Return of the Ginger

Corin woke to echoing roars of dragons. She waited for the smell of breakfast cooking to waft over her, and the noise of her mother’s chiming voice, and her father’s klutzy crashing and banging of pans and silverware. But instead she was met with the dusty, cobwebbed odor, and the sound of a creaking ship.

The roars, she realised, was laughter. Loud, booming, obnoxious laughter.

Corin emerged from tangles of blankets and quilts, her expression a muddle of confusion and irritation. She felt a nearby presence, and her chin being lifted. Ivan’s face came into focus, his lips puckered in a manner that was to kiss her. - Corin shoved away his face instantly, and snatched up her wand from her bedside table. “Flipendo!”

Ivan was thrown backwards, striking the edge of a nearby bed and falling on it. Ivan roared with laughter alongside five others. “See, I told you she’d sooner rather hex me than let me kiss her!”

“The hell are you on?” Corin demanded groggily, and angry blush working itself across her face. She untangled herself from her quilts and retied her hair into a ponytail. They stared at her sleep attire blatantly –Corin rolled her eyes skywards and pointed her wand at the group threateningly. They all adverted their eyes, excluding Ivan who merely chuckled and eyed her short pants and singlet. “You ought to ask our lupine Professor –he’s got all the gossip.”

“Brilliant,” Corin replied blandly. A small, dangerous smile curled her lips, she returned Ivan’s gaze unblinkingly. Unnerved, Ivan broke his eye contact, and stared down at his feet. Satisfied, Corin snagged a clean set of uniformed pants, her boots, and a simple plaid button-up from her trunk, and ducked off to change.

She emerged onto the top deck, which was barren save for the one man Corin had set out to find. Professor Lanister had propped himself up against the mast, reading a magazine; he fought the chill of the late morning with thick fabrics. He looked worse for wear, black circles like craters beneath his eyes, and his skin a pallid colour. Corin knew that the full moon was tonight, and found herself pitying the man, as he would be unable to attend the ceremony this evening without running the risk of transforming and subsequently being attacked by frightened teachers and students.

“Professor,” Corin greeted him. He gave a start, having not heard her emerge from below deck. When he saw it was her, he relaxed and gave her a weary smile. His scars seemed much more prominent against his paled skin –he seemed all too aware of this, as he had donned his darkest robe and hood in an attempt to further conceal his face.

“Morning, kiddo,” he greeted her, patting the square of deck beside him invitingly. Corin dropped down beside him, and heaved a sigh, brushing the loose strands of hair from her face.

“Seems like you’ve forgotten about the sleepwear incident,” Corin teased, grinning when a small blush fluttered across his face. Professor Lanister hid his face with his hands and groaned, “I feel like I’ve failed as a teacher… Being so unprofessional.”

Corin patted Professor Lanister’s shoulder sympathetically. She knew the man was only disheartened due to his lunar cycle, and was quick to reassure him, “Don’t worry about it, I won’t be a student for much longer.” Professor Lanister sighed, and gazed out towards the lake. Giant tentacles could be seen waving from the very pit of the lake, creating small waves that gently splashed against the side of the boat.

“I don’t understand you, Corin.” Professor Lanister muttered without looking at her. “How you are is completely contradictory –cool and reserved, but utterly charismatic. Humble, yet you’re always making big waves. - You’re an entirely different person sometimes.”