A LAND OF FIRE AND SCALES: Keeper of the Stars (1)

Chapter 3

Once our dragon had landed, an entourage of teachers took my name and gave me directions to Administration - but before I headed off, I took a minute to say farewell to my parents.

'I'm going to miss you,' I mumbled as Mum and Dad gave me a hug.

'Remember to study hard!' Mum instructed as we drew away. She looked at Opal pointedly. 'You, more than anyone else,' she added, and Opal rolled her eyes.

'Yes, Mum,' she responded, although we all knew that she would procrastinate to her heart's content.

'I'll work hard,' I promised, before giving Tar'laen a quick hug around the neck.

The wind-dragon, who was normally aloof, reciprocated with a quick embrace with his wings.

Goodbye, little hatchling, he murmured through our telepathic link. I will miss your presence...but I will certainly enjoy the quiet.

I grinned. Don't worry, we'll be back for the holidays, ready to annoy you once more. 

Then I turned to Yasrethe - sweet Yasrethe who had taken me on piggyback flights around our backyard when I was little - and gave him a big hug too. He responded with a happy warble. Goodbye, hatchling, he said, and I felt the tiniest twinge in the corner of my eye that indicated tears were coming.

No, I'm not going to cry. Not on my first day. 

I grit my teeth and raised my hand in farewell as Opal and I began to drag away our bags. Despite my nerves, I was wowed by the majesty of the school - it was like a castle from a fairytale. Its walls were covered in creepers that sprouted beautiful crimson flowers. Gold-tipped turrets spiralled out towards the sky like dragon talons.

It wasn't just the building that took my breath away either. The whole school was surrounded by rolling hills and pine forests. Really, everything about the Academy's appearance was enough to make my jaw drop wide open.

We hauled our luggage up a marble flight of stairs, up to a set of giant golden doors that lead into the school. A pair of guards pushed them open for us with their crisp white gloves, and I raised my eyebrows at the fanciness of the Academy. We didn't even have to open doors! 

Hobbling inside, the first thing I felt was a blast of air-conditioning that hit me right in the face. At least, I thought it was air-conditioning until I noticed the pair of Siberian Wind-Dragons perched above the door frame. One of them warbled at me, and I waved back.

The interior of the Academy was just as beautiful as its outer appearance – if not more so. Its walls were made from polished marble and the ceiling was held up by beautifully chiselled pillars. Wings of red-carpeted stairs lead up to a second floor, and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth. There was little evidence of the modern world inside the building; even the lifts beside the stairs were cleverly designed to look like brass doors. I found myself wondering what had inspired such a medieval-themed setting.

Once I'd been to Administration, Opal was told to go straight to her dorm while I was directed to the Grand Hall, where an Assembly was already taking place. When I finally managed to find my way in, a teacher was onstage along with an Antarctic dragon at her side. She was rambling on about the school's code of behaviour, while the dragon stared at the back wall, clearly bored out of his mind. He was lean and muscular, and his scales were a blue so pale that they were almost white. Even from my position in the audience, I could feel his power radiating off his scales in great waves.

As if he'd sensed my awe, he turned his elegant head towards me and met my gaze with his sharp ebony-coloured eyes. They were dark and expressionless, sending shivers down my spine. I slid lower in my seat, hoping that he couldn't see me. Something about him made my skin crawl, even though I'd never been scared of dragons before.