The Red Dragon's Heartflame

1. Aeron

Aeron

There was a quiet knock at my door.

“Come in.”

The door opened slowly, and I saw my grandfather’s golden muzzle poke inside the room. His bright eyes found me, a soft smile revealing rows of sharp white teeth.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice gentle as always. “The Council is waiting.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, pushing myself up from the chair I’d been lazing in for the past half hour.

I reached my arms up, stretching languidly.

“Do you need me to say anything while we’re out there?

I could practice breathing fire at some people.

” I gave him a sly smirk. “You know I’d love to singe Elder Briar Hall’s ass for being such a pain. ”

My grandfather chuckled, the deep rumble filling the room. “That won’t be necessary. And no speeches needed either.”

He walked over to me, his golden-scaled form powerful and strong despite his age. That was the nice thing about being a dragon: you got stronger with age. And my grandfather, Thaddeus Pyre, was nearly a thousand years old. I was only eighty-five, a mere pup by comparison.

“Thank you for agreeing to do this,” he said, his hands reaching up to flatten my collar. “Your mother and father would be so proud of you, just like I am. Helping the Elder Council like this in our time of need… it means a lot more than you might think.”

“It’s a small favor,” I said, shaking my head even though my chest was swelling with pride. “I’m happy to do it.”

“It’s not as small as you might think,” he nodded. “But I appreciate it just the same.” He reached up, grabbing me by the horn and giving it a playful shake, like he used to do when I was a kid. “Now come on. Let’s get this show over with so you can be on your way.”

We made our way down the corridor toward the main chamber, my grandfather’s scaled footsteps echoing against the marble floors.

I could feel the weight of what was about to happen settling over me.

It wasn’t unpleasant, but it did have a certain level of commitment that I hadn’t quite considered until just now.

The press conference had been his idea, though the Elder Council had been quick to embrace it.

Not that they had much choice at the moment, since he’d been voted their leader about three months ago.

He wanted to show strength. Show unity. Show that life would continue despite the Purity Front’s attacks, despite the fact that they’d murdered five members of the Elder Council.

And what better way to do that than to send his grandson to Widdershins Academy?

A place of learning, of safety, and of normalcy for paranormal students.

It was the first place to empty after the attacks, but my grandfather had spent the past three months getting it back on track, using it as undeniable proof that the Purity Front held no power over the Elder Council or the paranormal community.

The symbolism wasn’t lost on me, but I didn’t really care about all that.

I was happy to help my grandfather. However, I fully planned to have a good fucking time at that college.

Having never gone to a public college myself, I was excited to finally let loose a little bit and have some fun.

As we approached the double doors leading to the grand hall, I could hear the murmur of voices beyond them. Reporters, Council members, paranormal community leaders. They were all waiting for Thaddeus Pyre to walk out and tell them everything would be fine, to lead them into a brave new world.

“Just be yourself,” my grandfather said quietly as we paused at the threshold. “That’s all they need to see.”

I nodded, rolling my shoulders back. Being myself was easy enough. It was always the part I did best.

The doors swung open, and I stepped into a room that fell silent, the waiting crowd hungry for explanations.

My grandfather moved beside me, his presence a steady anchor as I took in the sea of faces turned in our direction.

Usually he would’ve taken his human form to seem more approachable.

But these days, since he’d been voted in as leader of the Elder Council, he remained in his dragon form.

He was a symbol of strength in these dark times.

And there I was, standing beside him in my dragon form too.

I was tall, broad-shouldered, covered in bright red scales, and looking every bit the golden dragon’s grandson.

The journalists raised their hands immediately, calling out to us.

Magical cameras flashed brilliantly, the barrage of light making me squint.

I could hear the questions being hurled at us before my grandfather even reached the podium, a cacophony of desperate voices all talking over each other.

My grandfather raised a hand, and the room quieted with remarkable speed. That was the benefit of being a thousand-year-old dragon who’d been leading this world for nearly four hundred years. People listened when you told them to shut up.

“Members of the Elder Council, representatives of the paranormal community, and members of the press,” he began, his voice carrying through the hall with an authority that made my skin prickle. “We are here today to make a statement about the future of our people.”

I stood slightly behind him, letting my gaze drift across the crowd.

I spotted Elder Briar Hall. He was the pain in the ass fae my grandfather had mentioned.

He was sitting in the third row, a smirk on his lips that never seemed to fade.

He was the newest member of the Elder Council and a little too big for his boots, if you asked me.

I caught his eye for just a moment and shot him a small glare.

He didn’t seem bothered by it. He never seemed bothered by anything. It was obnoxious.

“The Purity Front has tried to sow fear among us,” my grandfather continued. “They have attempted to make us believe that our children are not safe, that our institutions cannot be trusted, that our entire world is in danger. Today, I am here to tell you that they have failed.”

The murmur started again, but my grandfather pressed on, his voice never wavering.

“For the past few months, all the Elder Council members, including myself, have been going through great pains to preserve the traditions of our world.” He paused, his claws scratching lightly against the marble podium.

“Our main focus has been to keep our magical colleges open. Both Moonhaven and Widdershins have been thoroughly inspected, warded, and prepared for the coming year.” He paused once more, looking out over the crowd.

“Our children are the most important asset we have. Their education is paramount. And if we are to defeat this hate in our world and stomp out the Purity Front forever, we will need their help.”

The room was so quiet you could’ve heard a pin drop. Everyone hung on my grandfather’s every word. I couldn’t help feeling the pride swell in my chest. I was proud to be his grandson.

“And to prove that we will not live in fear, I am sending my own grandson, Aeron Pyre, to Widdershins Academy. He will study there alongside other paranormal students. I have personally ensured that the Academy’s security is without peer.

Life will continue. Our people will thrive. We will defeat this evil.”

He gestured toward me, and suddenly every enchanted camera in the room swiveled in my direction. I stepped forward with a casual confidence that came easily to me. Hundreds of eyes, soon to be thousands once the papers were printed, were on me.

I offered them a smile. It was charming, easy, the kind of smile that said I wasn’t worried about a damn thing.

And honestly? I wasn’t. Let them see that.

Let them see that Thaddeus Pyre’s heir was confident enough to walk into Widdershins Academy without a care in the world, even when the Purity Front had openly slaughtered so many.

They didn’t scare me.

“Any questions?” my grandfather asked, and the room erupted once more.

I stood by silently as my grandfather, with the utmost patience, answered all their questions and then some.

The journalists pried into the wards surrounding the school, asked about changes to classes, if all the professors agreed to come back, and so on.

For thirty long minutes, he answered them all with care.

But when that half hour was up, he held a hand up, and the room went silent once more.

“That’s all the questions I can take for now,” he smiled.

“I need to escort my grandson to Widdershins Academy so he can settle in before classes start in a couple of days. Thank you so much for coming today, and please, deliver a message of positivity and hope to our people. That is what we need most right now.”

The crowd began to disperse, though not without continued murmuring and the occasional shouted question that my grandfather politely ignored. I watched as security began ushering the journalists toward the exits, their enchanted cameras still capturing every moment.

“Well done,” my grandfather said quietly, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. “You looked exactly like what they needed to see. Strong. Determined.”

I nodded, already feeling the adrenaline from the press conference starting to fade.

The weight of it all was beginning to settle in.

I was about to be living proof that the Elder Council had everything under control.

It was a bit much when you really thought about it, but I pushed that aside.

No sense dwelling on it now, not when there was so much fun ahead of me.

“When do we head to Widdershins?” I asked, my scales still gleaming under the bright lights of the grand hall.

“Within the hour,” my grandfather replied. “Your things have already been packed and loaded. I thought we’d do the teleportation together. I’ll help you get settled into your dormitory before I leave.”

I felt a flutter of something in my chest. Excitement, maybe.

Or nerves. It was hard to tell the difference sometimes.

Widdershins Academy was a place full of paranormal students, many of whom I’d never met before.

That meant no more private tutors, no more of the careful, controlled environment I’d grown up in out of necessity.

Just me, a bunch of other supernatural beings, and a hell of a lot of security keeping me and everyone else safe.

“Sounds good,” I said, keeping my tone light even as my mind was already racing ahead.

I caught sight of Elder Briar Hall one more time as the crowd thinned.

He was watching me with that same infuriating smirk, and I found myself wondering what his deal was.

There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, something that went beyond his general air of smugness.

“Come on then,” my grandfather said, steering me toward a side exit. “Let’s get you on your way. You’ve got an exciting semester ahead of you. You’ll be the first dragon on campus in over two hundred years.” He gave me a sly wink. “I bet you’ll be very popular.”

I let out a low chuckle at that. Popular.

Yeah, that sounded about right. My horns and bright red scales always turned heads.

The thought sent a little thrill through me.

I was actually looking forward to the attention.

And why shouldn’t I? Dragons were extremely rare, and I was Thaddeus Pyre’s heir.

Not to mention, I was dead handsome. Why wouldn’t people want to be around me?

We made our way through the winding corridors of the Council chambers, my grandfather’s scaled footsteps a reassuring rhythm against the stone.

I was already mentally cataloging what I wanted to do first once I got to Widdershins.

There were supposed to be some killer parties at the opening of the year, and I’d heard rumors of thin spots in the wards that led to private getaways in the woods.

Maybe I’d sneak out with someone and get buck wild in the woods. That sounded great to me.

“Try not to get yourself expelled in the first week,” my grandfather said with amusement, as if he could read my mind.

“No promises,” I grinned.

We reached the private teleportation chamber, a cavernous room with intricate runes etched into the marble floor.

The air here always felt charged and electric.

My packed belongings were stacked neatly to one side with two attendants.

I had several trunks filled with clothes I’d probably never wear and books I’d only pretend to read.

I’d be far too busy getting laid to worry about any of those.

My grandfather placed a clawed hand on my shoulder, his expression shifting into something more serious.

“Aeron,” he said, and the weight in his voice made me pause.

“I know this is just a lark for you. A chance to have some fun away from all this.” He gestured vaguely back toward the chambers we’d just left.

“But I need you to understand something. What you’re doing matters.

Not just as my grandson, but as a symbol to every young paranormal out there who’s scared right now.

Show them you are not afraid. Of anything. ”

I met his golden eyes, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a blanket. He wasn’t wrong. I’d known that since he’d first asked me to do this. But hearing him say it out loud made it feel heavier, somehow.

“I understand, Grandfather,” I said, and I meant it. “I won’t let you down.”

He nodded, satisfied, and began tracing one of the runes with the tip of his claw. The chamber hummed to life, the air shimmering as the teleportation spell activated.

“Hold on,” he said.

The world dissolved into light and sensation, and then—

We materialized in the center of a standing circle of stones. An arched wrought-iron gate rose up in front of us, flanked by four security witches with battle wands.

My grandfather smiled. “Welcome to Widdershins Academy, Aeron.”