64. Aurora
AURORA
But the Head Master refused to believe us.
Even after Ryse read him the translation and showed him the ancient book written in the Root Tongue, he brushed us off.
“Ridiculous,” he growled. “Absolutely ridiculous.”
We’d gone directly to his rooms since it was after hours, and it was clear he’d been getting ready for bed. He was wearing his bathrobe and he’d been either drinking or crying or both. At any rate, his eyes were red, and his words were slightly slurred.
“But, Sir,” Ryse said earnestly. “This book warns of what happens when the Academy forgets the Golden Queens and lets the number of dragons and riders dwindle!” He pointed at the warning at the back of the crumbling book again.
“The Madlings may have been gone for over a hundred years, but we can see they’re clearly coming back. Look at what happened to Chud Larson.”
“I know what happened to him!” The Head Master nearly shouted, making both of us jump.
“What happened was blood poisoning. Or maybe a spider bite, while he was out on Wide Patrol. Where I was forced to send him because of you two,” he added, giving us a venomous look.
“He’s gone because the two of you couldn’t leave him alone! ”
I felt myself wanting to shrink away to nothing.
I supposed, in a way, the Head Master was right.
Chud Larson had been sent on Wide Patrol after he’d tried to rape me during the Mating Flight.
Ryse had gone and made a personal complaint against him.
Add that to the fact that he’d been Wingless and there was no place else for him in the Academy structure than Wide Patrol.
But Ryse lifted his chin, unwilling to give in.
“I’m very sorry for your loss, Head Master,” he said in a low voice. “But the fact is, Chud died a hero—he was trying to warn us of the Madling threat. We would be fools to ignore his final words to us.”
“Why won’t you listen to me?” The Head Master shouted. “There are no Madlings! They’ve all been eradicated—they’re a fairy tale. A nightmare—nothing more.”
“But, Sir,” I said, forcing myself to speak up. “My father also claimed to have been bitten by a Madling before he died. And he was on Wide Patrol in the Western Mountains as well.”
But it was clear the Head Master wasn’t willing to believe us.
“Lies,” he said, glaring at me and Ryse. “Just more lies to hurt me. Stop spreading your falsehoods and leave me be!” He made an exaggerated shooing gesture at both of us. “Go on—go!” he shouted.
Ryse and I hurried out the door, which he banged shut behind us. After that, we heard hoarse, agonized weeping coming from the other side.
We exchanged a look and Ryse said,
“Come on.”
“Where are we going?” I asked, as he took my hand and led me away from the Head Master’s rooms.
“To find someone who will believe us,” he said grimly.
“I bet Professor Zephyr would,” I told him. “She was the one who said Chud was bitten by a Madling in the first place.”
Ryse nodded.
“Let’s go. She should still be in the Infirmary.”