Dragons Rising ✔️

Ch 15: A Nighttime Visitor

After dinner, I tried to get in my room again. This time, Leera wasn't blocking the door. She wasn't in my room at all. I searched the entire top floor while trying not to seem too panicked.

Sarafin finally caught me in the entrance room. "What's wrong? You seem panicked."

"Leera's disappeared."

"She probably left to fly for a while. Being a dragon, she can take care of herself. You shouldn't worry."

"But she's run off. Why would she come back on her own?"

He gave me a strange look. "Dragons never leave their riders for very long."

I was sure that a dragon would never leave a pure-blood rider, but a paltor one? I faked a smile for Sarafin's sake, but as soon as he'd left, I turned into a hawk and flew out of the Talme House. I didn't want to think about what would happen if I couldn't find Leera, but I couldn't help but worry about it. Everyone would know what I was. I would have to run. I could be on the run for the rest of my life, assuming I wasn't caught and executed.

I searched all over the island and through the forest beneath it for hours. Eventually, my wings started to blur, and I landed back in the Talme House just as I ran out of energy and turned talme again. My alabri was completely drained, and I could hardly move from exhaustion. My thoughts moved at the pace of lead as I dragged myself to the room and passed out on the bed.

All too soon, I woke up. When I saw that the light streaming in through the window came from the moon, I turned over and closed my eyes again. Just as I was drifting back off to sleep, I heard soft footsteps a few feet from my bed. Staying as still as possible, I kept my eyes wide open and tried to figure out what was going on. The footsteps came even closer, and I tried to jump out of bed. The covers came with me, slamming me to the ground in a tangle of fabric.

I looked up and saw that Leera was back, sleeping in her floor bed. The footsteps definitely hadn't been hers, and I saw the outline of someone standing by the end of my bed. There was enough moonlight that I recognized her immediately as Raven. She had a dagger in her hand.

"What are you doing?" I shouted, trying to free myself from my covers. My fists burned red-hot, and I worried I'd have to use them on Raven.

Before I could free myself entirely, she hurled the knife at me. A flash of movement hid her from view as Leera jumped between us.

The fact that I was alive, not to mention that Leera had saved me, was surprising enough that I didn't move for a second. When I did, I finally kicked off the covers and stood with my glowing fists behind my back. I moved around to Leera's side, stepping into her floor bed. Raven had her hands raised, and Leera was growling at her.

My heart pounded as I faced my would-be killer. "What is wrong with you?"

"I wanted to make sure you hadn't mind-jinked Leera. Obviously, you haven't." Her voice was unnervingly calm.

"And why would throwing a knife at me help you figure that out?"

She rolled her eyes like it was the most idiotic question she'd ever heard. "Right after bonding, a dragon won't die if their rider does. A mind-jinked dragon would've taken any opportunity to let their rider die."

"Are you insane? What if she hadn't moved fast enough?"

"It's too dull to cut anything harder than warm butter." She scoffed at my look of disbelief. "See for yourself." She pointed at the blade with her foot. It had apparently hit Leera's armored chest plates and fallen to the ground.

I edged forward and picked it up with my tail, then held it up so I could inspect it. Raven hadn't been lying; it was duller than a bread knife. Still, that didn't make me feel any better about being woken up in the middle of the night and scared half to death.

"Don't you dare come into my room and threaten me again." I tossed the knife at her.

She caught it and shrugged. "Why would I? You're a jerk, but you're not interesting enough to worry about anymore."

"I am not a-" Before I could argue anything in my defense, she was gone. Grumbling, I turned back toward my bed and realized Leera was still wearing her saddle and halter. I took them off and laid down.

I was glad that I hadn't managed to completely lose my dragon on the very first day, but I couldn't figure out why Leera had come back—or why she'd saved me. Maybe the instinct to protect her rider was stronger than the one to hate paltors. If so, I might just get through this Academy thing in one piece.