Chapter fourteen- The refusal
Liora barely slept. Even after Mira walked her back to the dorms, even after they promised to meet again in the morning, even after she tried to convince herself that everything would somehow work out, the dread stayed with her.
It settled in her chest like a stone, heavy and suffocating, pressing against her ribs with every breath.
She turned over again and again, trying to find a position that didn't make her heart race, but nothing helped.
By sunrise, she had gone through every possible excuse, every lie, every loophole she could imagine.
None of them would work. The Academy always followed procedure.
The medical tests were standard, routine, harmless—at least for everyone else.
But Liora had been warned. Don't let them examine him.
She didn't know why. She didn't know what would happen.
But she knew one thing: Master Thalen didn't seem like a man who gave warnings lightly.
She didn't know him. She didn't understand him. But she trusted him, because Thalen was not a man who wasted words. That alone was enough to terrify her.
Ashwing sensed her fear the moment she entered the roost. He pressed his snout against her chest, rumbling softly, trying to soothe her.
She buried her fingers in his warm scales, wishing she could hide inside his wings and never come out.
"I don't know what to do," she whispered, her voice cracking.
"I can't let them test you. I can't let them near you.
But I can't stop them either." Ashwing nudged her cheek, sensing her panic, and she leaned her forehead against his. "I won't let them hurt you. I promise."
A voice cut through the quiet, cold and flat and uninvited. "Promises mean nothing if you can't keep them."
Liora spun around so fast she nearly stumbled.
Kael stood in the entrance of the roost, framed by the dim morning light, arms crossed over his chest. His expression was carved from stone—no warmth, no softness, not even irritation.
Just that unreadable stillness he always carried, like nothing in the world could touch him.
He didn't look at her. He looked at Ashwing.
And somehow, that made her feel even more exposed.
Her breath caught before she could stop it.
She hated that reaction—hated that her pulse jumped, hated that her chest tightened, hated that she felt anything at all when Kael was near.
He wasn't warm like Aiden, or steady like Mira.
He wasn't someone she trusted or even liked.
But there was something about him. Something sharp.
Something cold. Something that pulled at her attention even when she didn't want it to.
She straightened her spine, trying to force her voice into steadiness. "What do you want?"
"You're loud," Kael said, his tone as flat as stone. "And you're panicking. Anyone could hear you."
Heat rushed to her cheeks. "I wasn't—"
"You were."
He stepped closer, boots silent on the stone floor.
Liora's stomach tightened. She didn't step back, but she felt the urge to.
Kael carried a presence that pressed against her senses—not physically, but in a way that made her hyperaware of every breath she took.
It was like the air shifted around him, colder, sharper, more focused. She hated that she noticed.
"You and your friend spent half an hour discussing excuses that won't work," Kael continued.
Liora stiffened. "You were listening?"
"I overheard enough."
He didn't apologize. He didn't look guilty. He didn't even pretend to care. He simply existed in that cold, unshakeable way that made her feel like she was the one out of place. "The tests are routine," Kael said. "But you're not going to let them happen."
Liora swallowed hard. "I can't. "
" Thalen."
Her heart lurched. "You... know?"
Kael's expression didn't change. "I know he doesn't waste breath. If he warned you, it matters."
The way he said it—calm, certain, unbothered—made something twist inside her.
He wasn't comforting her. He wasn't reassuring her.
He was simply stating a truth, and somehow that steadiness made her feel more grounded than she wanted to admit.
She hated that too. "Then what am I supposed to do? " she whispered.
Kael stepped closer, lowering his voice, and the space between them tightened. "You tell him," he said, nodding at Ashwing, "not to let anyone near him. Not the examiners. Not the handlers. "
Liora's breath hitched. Not because of the words—but because of the way he said them. Quiet. Controlled. Like he was giving her instructions for survival, not advice. "He listens to me," she said. "If I tell him to cooperate—"
His tone was ice. "Even if they force you to command him, he must refuse. He must ignore you. He must protect himself."
Liora's stomach twisted. "He's just a wyrmling. He won't understand something that complicated."
Kael's jaw tightened. "He will."
She hated the way her pulse jumped at the certainty in his voice. Hated the way her chest tightened when he looked at her—not warmly, not kindly, but like he saw straight through her panic and into the truth she was trying to hide. "How can you be so sure?"
Kael's eyes flicked to Ashwing again. "Because he's intelligent. And because your bond is stronger than you think."
Liora felt her breath catch. Kael wasn't guessing. He wasn't comforting her. He wasn't being kind. He was stating a fact. And somehow, that steadiness—that cold, unshakable certainty—pulled at her in a way she didn't understand. A way she didn't want to understand.
"Why are you helping me?" she whispered.
Kael's expression didn't soften. "I'm not helping you." He turned to leave. "I'm helping him."
But the way he said it—the way he didn't look back—left a strange, unwelcome ache in her chest. Not longing. Not attraction. Something quieter. Something she couldn't name. A pull. Subtle. Unwanted. Impossible to ignore.
By the time Liora left the roost, her hands were trembling.
She tried to hide it by clenching them into fists, but the tremor wouldn't stop.
The corridors leading to the infirmary were bright with morning light, but she felt none of its warmth.
Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the Academy itself were pressing down on her shoulders, urging her forward, demanding compliance.
Ashwing walked beside her, wings tucked tightly against his sides, tail brushing the floor with each step. He stayed close—closer than usual—as if he sensed the danger she couldn't name. His golden eyes flicked constantly between her and the path ahead, alert and tense.
Students passed them in small groups, whispering about the upcoming exams, the new flight drills, the gossip from last night's dining hall.
None of them paid attention to her. None of them noticed the way her breath hitched every time she thought about the warning.
None of them saw the fear tightening her chest.
Except one.
Aiden stepped out from a side corridor, nearly colliding with her. His eyes widened when he saw her face. "Liora? Hey—are you okay?"
She forced a smile, but it felt brittle. "I'm fine."
"You're not." Aiden's voice softened, and he stepped closer, lowering his head to catch her gaze. "You look like you're about to be sick."
Ashwing growled softly, not at Aiden, but at the tension radiating from Liora. Aiden immediately lifted his hands in a calming gesture. "Easy, Ashwing. I'm not trying to upset her."
Liora swallowed hard. "We're just... going to the exam."
Aiden's expression shifted. Concern deepened into something sharper. "You're scared of a routine exam?"
She didn't answer. She couldn't. Her throat felt too tight.
Aiden glanced between her and Ashwing, and something in his posture changed. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Liora... what happened?"
She shook her head. "I can't talk about it."
"Can't, or won't?"
"Both."
Aiden hesitated, then gently touched her arm. "If you need help—"
"I don't," she said too quickly. "I just need to get through this."
Aiden didn't believe her. She could see it in his eyes. But he didn't push. He only nodded, stepping back as Ashwing pressed protectively against her side.
"Be careful," Aiden murmured.
She wished she could tell him she was trying.
The infirmary courtyard came into view, bright and open, with two examiners waiting beside a table covered in instruments. None of it should have frightened her. None of it should have mattered.
But Thalen's warning echoed in her skull like a heartbeat.
Don't let them examine him.
Her breath caught.
One of the examiners, a tall woman with silver-streaked hair, stepped forward. "Liora Valen?"
Liora nodded, her throat dry.
"Bring the dragon forward."
Ashwing stiffened. His wings twitched, and his tail curled protectively around her leg. Liora placed a hand on his neck, trying to steady him, but her own pulse was too frantic to hide.
The second examiner, a man with a sharp jaw and an impatient expression, frowned. "The dragon must be calm for the procedure. If he's agitated, this will take longer."
Liora swallowed. "He's just... nervous."
"Then control him," the man snapped.
Ashwing growled, low and warning.
The woman sighed. "We don't have time for this. Bring him forward."
Liora stepped forward, but Ashwing didn't move. He planted his feet, wings flaring slightly, eyes locked on the examiners with a fierce, protective intensity she had never seen in him before.
"Control your dragon," the man repeated, irritation sharpening his tone.
Liora lifted her hand. "Ashwing... it's okay. Just—"
Ashwing growled at her.
At her.
The sound vibrated through the courtyard, deep and dangerous. Liora froze. The examiners stumbled back, startled.
"What is wrong with him?" the woman demanded.
"He's refusing," the man said. "This is unacceptable."
Liora's heart pounded. She tried again, voice shaking. "Ashwing, please—"
Ashwing stepped in front of her, wings spreading wide, shielding her from the examiners. His tail lashed the ground, and a low, rumbling snarl built in his chest.
The man's face darkened. "If he doesn't cooperate, we'll have to restrain him."
Ashwing roared.
The sound shook dust from the roof tiles. Students in the distance turned. Birds scattered from the courtyard walls. The examiners stumbled back again, fear flashing across their faces.
The woman recovered first. Her voice dropped into something cold. "If the dragon becomes violent, we are authorized to neutralize him."
Liora's blood turned to ice. The word neutralize echoed in her mind with a meaning she understood instantly. It meant kill. Panic surged through her, sharp and overwhelming.
"No!" she cried, stepping forward on instinct.
Ashwing blocked her immediately, sweeping his wing in front of her and refusing to let her move closer to the examiners. His body trembled with protective fury.
The male examiner reached for the wand at his belt.
"Stand down, girl. If he attacks—"
"He's not attacking!" Liora shouted, her voice cracking. "He's scared!"
"He's dangerous," the man snapped. "And if he doesn't comply, we will put him down."
Ashwing roared, louder this time, wings flaring to their full span. The courtyard shook with the force of it. Liora pressed a hand to her chest, breath shattering. They were going to kill him. They were actually going to kill him. And she couldn't let that happen.
The courtyard felt too bright, too exposed, too full of eyes.
Students clustered at the edges, whispering and pointing as if watching a spectacle.
Ashwing's wings remained flared, his small body coiled protectively around her, trembling with a fury she had never seen in him before.
The examiners stood several paces back, their fear thinly veiled beneath rigid professionalism.
"This dragon is unstable," the male examiner barked. "If he refuses to comply, we have no choice but to neutralize him."
"No! You can't—he's not dangerous!" Liora cried.
"He is right now," the woman snapped, her voice sharp with fear. "And if he injures a student or an examiner—"
"He won't!" Liora insisted.
Ashwing blocked her again, curling his tail around her leg and pushing her behind him. His growl deepened, vibrating through the stones beneath their feet.
"That is aggression," the man said, eyes narrowing.
"It's fear," Liora said, her voice cracking. "You're scaring him."
"Then control him," the man said coldly. "Or we will."
Ashwing's snarl rose into a roar so powerful it rattled the courtyard windows. Students screamed and backed away. Aiden rushed forward but stopped short when Ashwing snapped his jaws in warning.
"Liora!" Aiden called. "What did they do?"
"They're threatening to kill him!" she cried.
Aiden's face drained of color. "What? They can't—"
"They can," the woman said sharply. "If he poses a threat, we are authorized to eliminate him."
Liora felt the world tilt. Her knees nearly buckled. Ashwing pressed against her, trembling with fury and fear.
And then a new voice cut through the chaos — cold, controlled, unmistakable. "Enough."
Kael.
He walked into the courtyard with the same unshakable calm he always carried, but there was something different in his eyes — something sharper, something that made the examiners stiffen instinctively. Students parted around him without being asked. Even Aiden stepped back, jaw clenched.
Kael didn't look at Liora. He didn't look at the crowd. He walked straight toward the examiners and stopped only when he stood between them and Ashwing.
"This is a restricted assessment," the male examiner said quickly. "You have no—"
Kael didn't speak. He only looked at him. A single, cold, silent look.
The man's voice faltered. His hand dropped away from his wand. The woman swallowed hard, her posture tightening as if bracing for impact.
"Move," Kael said.
The examiners stepped back without argument.
Liora stared, breath caught in her throat. She had never seen anyone obey so quickly. Not even instructors commanded that kind of reaction. Kael didn't raise his voice. He didn't threaten. He didn't explain. He simply existed with a quiet, lethal authority that made the air feel thinner.
Ashwing's growl softened, though he remained tense. Kael didn't look at him. He didn't look at Liora. He simply stood there, a silent barrier between them and the examiners.
"We... will discuss the next steps privately," the woman said, clearing her throat.
Kael gave a single, almost imperceptible nod.
The examiners hurried toward a side door, motioning Kael to follow. He did, without looking back at Liora.
Aiden rushed to her side. "Are you okay? Liora—hey, breathe."
She tried, but her lungs felt tight. Ashwing pressed against her, trembling. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his warm scales.
"He saved us," she whispered. "Kael saved us."
Aiden didn't look convinced. "Maybe. Or maybe he just didn't want the courtyard destroyed."
Liora didn't answer. She didn't know what to think. Kael had stepped in. He had stopped them. He had protected Ashwing. That mattered. Didn't it?
Ashwing nudged her cheek, and she stroked his snout, trying to calm both of them. When she finally looked up, Kael and the examiners were gone.
But a door at the far end of the courtyard stood slightly ajar.
And voices drifted through it.
Liora froze. She shouldn't listen. She knew she shouldn't. But something in Kael's expression — something cold, something unreadable — had unsettled her. She needed to know what he was doing. What he was planning.
She moved quietly, Ashwing padding behind her on soft claws. She stopped just before the doorway, pressing her back to the wall.
Inside, the examiners spoke in hushed, urgent tones.
"...you should have intervened sooner," the woman hissed.
Kael didn't respond.
"You let the dragon escalate," the man said, voice tight.
Silence.
"We can't keep pretending you're just a student," the woman whispered. "If anyone notices—"
"No one will," Kael said.
The man exhaled shakily. "We'll proceed as instructed. But this is on you."
Kael didn't answer.
"The equipment will be ready," the woman said. "You can begin the experiments when the area is cleared."
Liora's breath caught. Experiments. Not tests. Not assessments. Experiments.
Kael's reply was barely audible. "Understood."
Liora's stomach twisted. He hadn't saved them. He had plans for them. Ashwing pressed against her leg, sensing her fear. She backed away from the door, heart pounding, her mind spinning with confusion and betrayal.
Kael had protected Ashwing from being killed. But not out of kindness. He had plans for experiments. And Liora had no idea what that meant.