Chapter 28 Magma Dragon #2
Thankfully, Lorik and his entourage were nowhere to be seen.
When my name was called, I stepped into the arena, and the illusion surged on the other side of the arena.
The dragon illusion was a magma dragon. It almost looked real.
It rose from the ground, its massive red body as large as the one I encountered beyond the veil.
From his mouth, lava dripped. I reminded myself of what I already knew: the heat was real enough to feel, but the lava could not injure me.
It would only disqualify me if I let it touch me.
For this trial practice, I would only get five minutes. That was all I had to grab the ruby or give my spot to another student to try.
The dragon was waiting for me, positioned deliberately in front of the box with rubies.
Its wings unfurled slowly, more magma coming out of its mouth.
I drew on the fire magic to my hand, but I was not going to combat; I was going to use the controlled magic I had learned my whole life, the kind that answered instinct rather than violence.
The flames from my hands wrapped around the dragon’s wings, not burning, not striking, but binding, threads of heat and brilliance tightening like glowing ropes.
The dragon roared in fury, its body resisting as it strained against the restraint, and for a moment, I thought I had it.
Then it growled low and mighty, wings beating once, twice, before it surged upward and dragged me with it.
The force ripped through my arms as the illusion lifted into the air, my magic stretched thin between us, trembling under the strain.
Panic flared, sharp and sudden, as my body, strapped to the dragon, lifted in the air.
I realized if I didn’t let go, I would fly as high as headmaster Marvek had programmed his dragon illusion to fly.
So I extinguish my fire ropes before I went too far in the sky.
The drop was only ten feet, but it hit hard enough to drive the breath from my lungs, pain exploding through my left ankle as something inside it cracked or tore.
I screamed, more from shock than sound, but I didn’t stop.
I couldn’t. I forced myself upright and ran, each step sending white-hot pain through my leg as I closed the distance to the box.
I was less than twenty feet away when the dragon slammed back down in front of it.
The arena shook beneath the impact, stones vibrating under my boots as if a real dragon had landed before me. I knew it was only an illusion, but its weight felt terrifyingly real, the tremor rolling through my bones and reminding me just how close I was to failure and how little time I had left.
I forced myself to slow my breathing, drawing the air deep into my lungs the way Lorik had taught me, steadying the fire inside my chest instead of letting it surge uncontrolled. I used
my fear and pain to guide my magic in rage to use fire for combat this time. I shaped my magic with intention and sent a focused strike toward the dragon’s side. The blast didn’t take it down, but it staggered the beast just enough to create an opening.
I used it.
Keeping low, I circled wide as the dragon turned, its tail sweeping across the arena in a blazing arc.
Heat brushed too close to my skin as I ducked beneath it, my pulse roaring louder than the crowd, and I slipped behind the dragon’s massive body.
The ruby flashed beneath its tail, bright and impossibly close, close enough that I could almost feel its weight in my hand.
I reached for it.
The dragon reacted instantly, its tail snapping back toward me with brutal speed, forcing me to step away from the box. Then the arena timer sounded loud and final. The dragon vanished in front of me.
My time was over.
After Soehl healed my broken ankle and I drank an extra healing potion to help with the pain and regenerate the bone fully, I went to the library. Even if I was in pain, I was not going to stop my schedule.
I grabbed books about the stars, the King’s Forest geography, and one on the history of the Velvet King era, hoping to find something about Adrienne Solenhart.
It was a lot to cover in a single day, but I planned to do it in silence, hidden somewhere deep in the library. Since Lorik had somehow known I was in the meadows the day before, I intended to stay far from there and, hopefully, avoid his presence altogether.
After hours tucked into a corner of the library, I lost track of time. By the time I realized it, I was late for the sunset fights on the Sky Terrace. I gathered my books into my arms and ran through the library halls toward the entrance.
As I took the last turn into the main corridor leading out, I crashed into something solid. Books flew from my arms, skidding across the floor. I would have fallen flat if a rough hand hadn’t caught my waist and pulled me upright.
I didn’t want to look up. I already knew which eyes would be waiting for me. I recognized his scent instantly and his big hands with a steady grip on my waist. I was too embarrassed to meet his gaze. But I did anyway. And there they were, those deep silver eyes, looking at me again.