Chapter 39
The bells are chiming, and in the silence of my grasp, my mind whirls to comprehend the two words I have just thought.
A dash of sadness paints his face. Shadows fill my hands, and in a blur of darkness, he is gone.
Part of me wants to be angry that he’s slipped through my hands yet again. He has a knack for leaving me at this point. I’m not even sure what would have happened if the bells for class hadn’t rung.
Shit. What if he heard my thoughts?
I check my mental shields, hoping they haven’t slipped due to the intense emotions I was feeling. Somehow, thank the Celestials, they’re still up.
What was I even thinking? He isn’t mine. But I hadn’t just thought it; I felt it. In my bones. In my heart. In my soul. That’s impossible! But I don’t have an excuse to scuff this off. Not this time.
The next ring of the bells startles me from my thoughts. I don’t have time to think about this right now, sprinting to class before the final chime rings. Luckily, the first class is in the Gilded Amphitheater in the bottom floor of the Grand Conservatory.
I make it through the doors in the nick of time, finding my seat next to Kissa. I search around me for S?las, but he’s nowhere to be found. I retreat to my mind, opening the stained-glass window of the night sky, but there are no black velvet ribbons.
I see the subtlest hint of movement, telling me he’s alive. I open the eclipsed window, hoping maybe Scáil will know where he is, but no raven ribbons can be found along our tether. I’m disgruntled that I have to talk to my cryptic, cranky dragon, but she’s my only hope.
“Where are S?las and Scáil?”
“Out,” Calais’ raspy voice responds curtly.
“Care to elaborate?” I cross my fingers, hoping she’ll cooperate for once.
“No.”
“Of course not. Are they alright?”
“One of them is, and one of them will be,” Calais clips. Fear creeps into my mind with her words. I know better than to ask her because she’s never very forthcoming.
“Focus in class. I will see you shortly for aerial maneuvers.”
I huff in response, which has Kissa giving me the side-eye.
I’ve been so distracted, I haven’t even realized a new professor has already taken the stage.
The female is a Yuri, like Eko. Her eyes are saffron yellow, and her fur is metallic silver, which matches the color of her streaming hair, falling between her large bat-like ears.
She has a pink nose, and her pronounced canines peek out as she speaks.
“Class will proceed as normal for other ensigns, but your Chivalry will be busy today with flight maneuvers. Tomorrow, they will be returning to class, and aerial practice will continue in the afternoons. The rest of you will also start your own flight practice with the Pegasuses tomorrow afternoon, after their scheduled flight time to reduce airborne accidents. In two weeks’ time, you will have your first training together to practice synchronized movement with your Wing.
Ellian Knights, you are dismissed. Follow me out to the southern field.
Everyone else stays here to continue scheduled morning classes. ” The professor walks off the stage.
I follow Kissa, Cinder, Juniper, and Vex out of the auditorium and down the corridor to the southern field, a clearing before the Mysticwoods.
I’m distracted thinking about what happened between S?las and me.
Where did he go? Did I do something to make him leave?
Did he somehow hear my thoughts? It wouldn’t make sense for him to leave, even if he did hear my thoughts, since he’s been the one going on about everything he feels for me.
The one asking for more than I even know how to give.
Why the fuck is he always disappearing on me like this? Rude. If I’m being honest with myself, I’m mostly just worried about him. With my luck, I’ll finally feel something more for someone and they’ll instantly die.
“You’re so melodramatic. I told you; no one is dead.” Calais’ sharp voice cuts through my thoughts like a whetted blade.
“Rude! You don’t get worried about Scáil when you can’t hear him along your mated bond?”
“Someone had to stop you from your fruitless spiraling. I need you focused for flight training. If you fall off and die because you’re thinking of your Shadowmancer, I will be rather annoyed. I can always feel Scáil. If you weren’t so recklessly stubborn, your bond would be the same.”
“He’s not MY Shadowmancer,” I growl before continuing, “So glad to know my death would annoy you. Kinda sounds tempting, just to ruffle your scales. And what do you mean our bond would be the same?”
She growls, apparently not finding the same amusement about ruffling up her scales. I would’ve laughed if my mind wasn’t still reeling from her last comment.
“I certainly heard your thoughts this morning. You said ‘mine’ loud and clear. You may lie to yourself about what you feel for him, but there’s no fooling me.”
“So, you’re just going to casually ignore the last question I asked you?”
“I do so enjoy ruffling your hair,” she snorts in response.
Snarky bitch.
“Call me that again, and you’ll be left with Pip for flight maneuvers,” Calais snarls.
“He doesn’t even have wings!”
“He’s a shapeshifting dragon. You have no idea what he can do. I’d imagine it would be quite the amusing spectacle.” Her snark trickles down the bond.
The conversation did indeed distract me from spiraling as we walk out to the field, bristling with a wild assortment of flying creatures.
Winx is next to a small dragon, whose wings appear like stained glass, feathering into five points that are layered like dragonfly wings.
The dragon is much smaller than Scáil but bigger than a large Draco.
Its body is covered in violet scales, its belly shaded in deep turquoise.
The bright purple spikes and frills appear like glass, framing its face and rounded snout.
Its tail ends with four smaller wings in the same color.
I believe this species is known as a Glass Dragon.
I haven’t seen Winx since her bedroom that night, and I certainly don’t want to have to talk to her while I’m still trying to figure out what’s between S?las and me.
Something tells me she won’t be too thrilled about finding out he’s my Bloodline pairing.
Never mind that there’s definitely something more between us…
I casually dip in between a sapphire and golden gryphon, who snaps at me for getting too close, stumbling over a red phoenix while avoiding their beaks. Luckily, I make it through them with all my limbs intact and only a few singed arm hairs.
My luck runs out as I nearly step on the tail of a Draco.
Its scales are blended circles of vibrant green and dark teal in a background of black.
Clearly sensing my close call, its tail rises to reveal hundreds of barbed spikes, reminding me of a porcupine.
It slithers its narrow face to pin me with beady red eyes, flaring a frill made of striped barbs, matching its tail.
It’s a Poison Dart Draco. And to no one’s surprise, Chet steps around its head to see what’s upset his bonded dragon.
I raise my lip into a snarl at Chet. The Draco snaps for my neck, sharing a similar distaste for me. Its maw shapes into a manic grin due to the white scales extending from the edges of its mouth, appearing like teeth.
The earth rumbles beneath my feet as Calais steps over the beast, causing it to scurry out of the way of her massive claws.
Chet’s Draco immediately lowers its quills, bowing its head in reverence to Calais. Chet glares at the Draco, gritting his teeth at its response, yet they both decide to find a new position, farther away from Calais.
I watch the silver Yuri from the Gilded Auditorium take the simple wooden dais.
Her saffron-yellow eyes against her metallic silver fur are striking.
Her face bears sharp, angular features, fitting well with her diagonal bat ears.
She raises her furry arms, signaling the ensigns to quiet.
Membranes attach her wrists to her upper hips.
The morning light shimmers through them, revealing intricate, blubbery veining.
“I am Professor Reska Swiftsing. Please, call me Professor Reska. I’m tasked with being your instructor for Aerial Combat.
” Her voice is cool and crisp, reminding me of an autumn breeze signaling summer's end. A large silvery-blue Coata swoops down, landing behind her. She doesn’t even waver in the gusts of its enormous feathered blue ombre wings, dipped in deep, dark blue.
Its body is the shape of a small dragon with four legs but covered in powder-blue feathers dusted in silver.
Its long tail ends in a fan of razor-sharp feathers that resemble blades.
“This is my bonded creature. Her name is Argenta; she is a Bladed Coata. Do mind her tail if you’d like to keep your extremities in one piece.” A laugh bubbles up from her chest as Argenta nuzzles her head.
“Today’s lesson will focus on staying mounted through maneuvers escalating in difficulty.
As Ellian Knights, you are the forward attack for your Wing.
You must clear the path and hold the line while working as one fluid breath with those on the ground.
The Wuvon will do everything they can to draw you closer to the Blackwood, where their powers are strongest. If you lose a team member to the dark forest, there will be no rescue. Consider their life forfeit.