Throughout the journey back to the mountain, Rufus kept casting me meaningful glances. I still hadn’t broken things off with Niger, and he wanted me to do it tonight. My heart felt heavier than my sore limbs. It wasn’t fair that he was born a half-ogre, and I was born a quarter, but I couldn’t let someone I cared about get hurt.
The mess hall was packed with warriors gathered around two giant fondue pots. At the end of one line stood skewers of meat as long as halberds. Each person took a portion and dipped it into whichever of the bubbling pots they preferred. Eye-wateringly spicy, black smoke wafted out of the more popular pot, and the other pot emitted a milder, red smoke.
Gobi clapped his hands together. “Molten meat!”
“Oh,” cried Stafford. “We never had anything like that in the orphanage.”
The pair ran off to join the line for the long skewers, and I headed to the right of the room toward Eyepatch’s station. Rufus stuck at my side, glaring at me from the corner of his eye.
I bristled. “Don’t you usually go for the more ogreish meals?”
He flicked his head at the far right corner of the room. “Niger is here.”
I turned around and scowled. “What? You want me to tell him now, in the middle of the mess hall?”
“Make arrangements to speak to him alone.”
“Fine.” I stormed over to where Eyepatch stood at his usual station.
The older male grinned. “Can I interest you in antelope stew and dumplings?”
“Yes, please. Can I have a large portion today?”
He chuckled. “There’s nothing like a bit of farm work to whet a boy’s appetite!”
Rufus grunted.
I suppressed a scowl. “Actually, I think it was all that chicory I drank early this morning. It was very good.”
“I will pass on your compliments!” He handed me a bowl of stew and placed a fat, golden dumpling on top.
“Thank you.” Without waiting for Rufus, I walked to our usual table and sat a seat away from Niger.
He frowned, glancing from me to the empty seat. “Is anything the matter?”
“Your brother,” I said through clenched teeth. “He’s being annoying.”
“What did he say?”
“Later.”
The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. “Are you free to practice a few goals?”
Any irritation remaining from Rufus melted. “Tonight?”
He nodded.
“All right.” At least we’d get to break up in private without Rufus looming close.
Rufus pulled out the seat between us, grunted a greeting, and sat. Jagged shards of irritation prickled at my skin. I’d already agreed to break things off with Niger, what more did he want? I glared into the side of his face, and he set his jaw, looking straight ahead.
“Brother?” said Niger.
“It is nothing,” replied Rufus.
I couldn’t even lean around and share a meaningful look with Niger, so I turned my glare into my bowl of stew and smashed up my dumpling.
“You should not waste food,” said Rufus. “A family of destitute humans in Steppe would be grateful to share that bowl of stew.”
“Who said I wasn’t going to eat it?” I scooped up a bit of dumpling with some stew and stuffed it into my mouth. If I wasn’t so vexed about his interfering, I would have hummed with appreciation at the tender chunks of meat, flavorful gravy, and spiced vegetables. This had to be one of Eyepatch’s most delicious stews yet.
Stafford and Gobi jogged back, each holding a platter of steaming chunks of meat that melted into a thick sauce and a side plate of flatbread.
“You are missing out.” Gobi sat opposite Rufus and set down his feast. “This is the last batch of peccary for the season!”
I smirked. “But you can get antelope any time of the year.”
Rufus’ scowl deepened, and his gaze fixed on Gobi’s platter of meat.
Niger clapped his brother on the back. “That was the most succulent peccary I ever tasted. Why did you choose the stew? Cobbs serves that all the time.”
“Why indeed?” I muttered.
Stafford glanced up. “What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Rufus isn’t so bad,” said Fyrian. “He’s just worried about his brother’s safety.”
My shoulders slumped. “I know… He’s going about it in the most aggravating way possible.”
“You didn’t complain about him when he dragged you out of the duel before Magnar’s armor exploded.”
Fyrian was right. It was hypocritical of me to accept that aspect of his personality when it benefitted me. While Niger was more prone to jump into any adventure regardless of danger, Rufus stayed behind to take care of Gobi, who was too young to come along. I made a mental note to get Rufus alone and apologize for my attitude. If one of the quadruplets got himself involved with someone I deemed dangerous, I’d intervene just as vehemently.
After dinner, Niger and I flew separately to the Drogott Arena. The sun dipped low behind the hills, coloring the sky in a haze of orange. It reflected on the sandstone tiers of the arena and made the giant goalposts gleam. I sighed. Would he kick me off the team after I broke up with him?
“If he does, then he can’t be a good friend.”
“It’s not so simple, Fyri. Would you still want to send messages to the palace if Aunt Cendrilla had decided to send you back to Master Fosco?”
“She wouldn’t have done that. Auntie Rilla loved us.”
I smiled. “Imagine if she did that. Would you want to see her again?”
“I… I’d like to, but I’d always wonder why she didn’t want me.”
“See?” I gave her scales a gentle rub. “Breaking up is difficult.”
Before she could reply, Niger hurled a speeding fireball through Fyrian’s forelegs.
“Hey!” I shouted.
He burst into laughter. “What were you waiting for? A lesson?”
Fyrian dove after the fireball, just as something arched over my head. I stretched up and snatched it out of the air with both hands. “That’s cheating!”
“No… That is drogott!”
The rest of the session continued with Niger producing fireballs in quick succession and throwing them at the goal. Fyrian dipped, turned, and looped, trying to stop the balls before they reached their destination. Half the time, we failed, but it was the most exhilarating game I’d ever played.
“Speak for yourself,” snapped Fyrian. “You’re not the one who has to listen to Flavo’s taunts.”
I laughed. “Aren’t you friends?”
“He’s all right, I suppose. For some reason, he thinks he’s my elder.”
“Most dragons are older than you.”
She growled. “That doesn’t mean they should keep bringing it up!”
By the time Niger had tired of producing and directing fireballs over the arena, he let them dissipate into sparks and signaled for us to fly back to the mountain.
“That was fun,” said Fyrian. “I should never have let that stupid wild dragon get between us.”
I wrapped my arms around her neck and squeezed. “It’s great that you shook off his influence, and I’m sorry to have ever brought you to see him.”
Niger flew Flavo back toward the mountain, past the dry part with the narrow terraces, and to the side with the waterfalls. My heart soared at the beautiful scenery. Stars shone down from the cloudless sky, making the waterfalls appear like streams of quicksilver spilling from the mountain. Flavo landed on a terrace in one of the middle levels, and Fyrian settled herself next to him.
I slipped off her back and walked over to where Flavo now sat on his haunches. The sound of crashing water filled the air, muffling my footsteps but doing nothing to block the pounding between my ears. I swallowed hard. How could I phrase needing to break up with him because of an ancient law that protected witches from deadly unions?
Niger strode over to me, brows furrowed. Moonlight Shone through
the ends of his hair, making them glow like bronze lamps. “Are you and Rufus arguing?”
“Kind of. He knows who I am.”
He drew back. “How?”
I raised a shoulder. “He’s observant, I suppose. We weren’t very discreet, either.”
“Rufus will not say anything.”
He took my hand and led me to toward the edge of the waterfall. The roar of the water filled my ears, giving me the courage to speak.
“You know there’s no long-term potential with us, don’t you?”
Niger’s shoulders stiffened, but he continued behind the waterfall, not replying for several moments. Then he turned to what appeared to be an alcove which led to a cave containing a shimmering pool. Moonlight streamed through windows of transparent sandstone, adding to the magical effect.
I tore my gaze away from the beautiful sight and cleared my throat. “Niger, did you hear what I said?”
He let go of my hand and turned, not making eye contact. “I thought things might be different with you, since you are a quarter-human. Fairies are compatible with ogres. Look at Her Majesty.”
“Who had an ogre mother.” I placed a hand on his bicep. “No one knows what will happen when the fairy is female, and the ogre is male.”
“Your mother—”
“Got pregnant because Queen Cendrilla accidentally cursed her into a half-ogre. And it nearly killed her.”
Niger’s eyes shuttered closed and he exhaled a sharp breath. Unlike me, he’d been thinking about the witch protection laws. He grabbed my hand, and we continued to a ledge at the far wall of the cave, and Niger sat, pulling me down next to him. “Is there not someone who can test our compatibility?”
“Maybe.” I glanced up at him. “Are you that serious about us?”
His brows furrowed. “You saw me as a temporary diversion?”
“No!” I placed my hand over his heart. “I wasn’t thinking about the future. So much has happened here that I’m always preoccupied with one problem or another.”
The corner of his lip curved. “Like stolen dragon eggs or witches in distress.”
I gazed down at my lap and shrugged. “Something like that.”
“Alba.”
My head snapped up. I don’t think he had ever referred to me by name. “Yes?”
“If I speak to my brother and tell him of my intentions, would you accept my courtship?”
I blew out a long breath. Maybe we had a chance. Master Jesper had said my bond with Fyrian had given me unlimited power levels. That speed drill we had done was proof we had fully bonded. The law protecting witches might not apply to me, considering I was a dragon mage. I parted my lips, ready to agree, when a fist squeezed my heart. I hissed through my teeth and flinched.
His brows drew together. “No?”
“Damsel denial.” I rubbed my chest.
He snarled. “That wretched King.”
“I’m working on that. He’s agreed to waive it if I help him regain his kingdom.”
“He should never have ensnared you with trickery in the first place!”
I placed my hand on his. “It’s done now. But when he frees me, I would be happy to say yes on a few conditions.”
Niger beamed. “That is wonderful—”
“We’d have to have our magic checked by Dr. Duclair to see if we’re compatible, and you’d have to speak to—”
He placed a finger on my lips. “Change.”
My eyes widened. “Hmmm?”
“There are no interfering bluebirds. We are free to do whatever we like.”
I drew back and clicked my fingers. “Thunderbird.”
Niger’s eyes softened. He cupped my cheek in his large hand and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. “You are the most beautiful creature in the Known World.”
I smiled. “You’re just saying th—”
His lips met mine in a soft kiss, and my eyes fluttered shut. I was thankful the damsel denial only prevented me from considering other offers of marriage and courtship. It seemed to allow me to kiss anyone I wanted. Before I could relax into his embrace, he drew back.
I blinked my eyes open. “What’s wrong?”
“You said yes.” He beamed.
“But I’ll have to win back Savannah from the spriggans. There’s no telling how long that will take.”
He shook his head. “I have seen you perform the most impossible feats. If anyone can stop the spriggans, it will be you, and I will fight at your side.”
I threw my arms around Niger and squeezed tight. “As soon as Dr. Duclair has proven us magically compatible, I’ll start dropping hints to Father that I’ve found someone. He feels guilty for betrothing me to King Magnar, so I doubt he’ll object.”
He laced his fingers through mine, pulled me to my feet and swept me into a dizzying kiss. “I hope not.”
Later, I restored my disguise. When we emerged from the cave, it was to find Fyrian sitting with a turquoise dragon.
“Where did Flavo go?” I asked.
“He doesn’t like waterfalls, so he left.”
I could barely remember anything about the flight back, except for Niger’s arms around my middle and the way he always smelled of an oncoming thunderstorm. Leaning into his embrace, I sighed, hoping the ride would never end. Fyrian stopped us at the terrace closest to the dormitories and flew off to her own stall.
We walked the hallways in silence, keeping a respectful distance from each other. There was no point in getting caught before we could prove to the likes of Mother, Father, and Rufus that my magic was compatible with Niger’s.
A large figure darted out from the staircases. He stood eight-feet-tall and half as wide. Where a nose should have been stood a curved horn of ivory.
Niger snarled. “Asproceros!”
The ogre dropped a bottle, spreading the scent of corn spirit across the hallway. I clenched my teeth. Stealing dragonets wasn’t enough for the greedy ogre. After the incidents with the locusts, Mount Fornax needed the funds it made from corn spirits more than ever!
“Fyri, tell Master Fosco I’ve found him!”
“Who?”
“Asproceros!”
The ogre sprinted down the hallway with the speed of a wildebeest fleeing from an ambush of midnight tigers. We gave chase, dodging the bottles Asproceros threw over his shoulders.
“Don’t waste that!” I shouted.
Niger skidded on a patch of corn spirit. “He is too fast.”
I withdrew my parched sword. “Oi, poacher! You’re leaving a trail of alcohol. If I light it, you’ll go up in flames.”
He rounded the corner with a clink of bottles.
Niger pulled out his Smoker, a thick sword with three holes on its rounded tip. Runes ran down its blade to channel the toxic smoke of yellow dragons. “If that does not work, I will suffocate him.”
As we rounded the corner, a massive fist smashed into my face. Before the pain could even register, everything went black.
Chapter 15
“Alba?” A voice meandered around the edge of my consciousness.
The pounding in my head muffled the voice, and I cracked my eyes open. Harsh light stung my pupils. Wincing, I sucked in a sharp breath. Then a memory of a huge fist crashing into my face slammed to the forefront of my mind. A groan slipped from my lips. What happened to Niger?
A young witch I recognized from the time I was in the Healer’s Academy with clearscale peered down at me, green eyes wide.
“Dr. Duclair, Cadet Bluford is awake!”
I closed my eyes again and exhaled.
“Sorry,” whispered Fyrian. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
Before I could mumble a reply, white light flashed through my eyelids, and I fell unconscious again. Time must have passed, but I couldn’t be sure how long. When I opened my eyes, the pounding faded into a vague throb, and Madam Maritimus sat at my bedside.
I jolted. “Huh?”
A small, feathery figure shifted on my col
larbone. “Alba!”
“Mother?”
“Cadet Bluford, there’s no need to give a witness statement, as Cadet Griffon’s was very detailed,” said Madam Maritimus. “But can you remember anything unusual about the blow?”
“Umm…” My mind rocked back to that unbelievably hard punch. “He didn’t feel like flesh.”
She leaned forward, excitement glimmering in her eyes. “What did you feel? Metal, fabric, a slippery membrane?”
“It was scratchy.” I swallowed. “Fabric.”
The soft weight disappeared off my collarbone, and mother flew behind the bedside table and transformed. She poured a glass of water and placed it to my lips. “Drink.”
“Thanks.” Cool liquid slid past my dry tongue and moistened my throat. I blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog of slumber from my mind. “What does the fabric mean?”
“There are three types of invisibility cloaks used by criminals. We believe this is the one that makes its wearer undetectable by wards. A clever piece of magic that contains a ward of its own that assimilates to the magical frequency of the properties it wishes to penetrate.”
I glanced down at my lap. It didn’t seem that Madam Maritimus knew anything about its creator. “But we could see him.”
“True,” she replied. “I looked into the records for the hallway and only found traces of you and Cadet Griffon. It must mean the visual undetectability aspect of his cloak is waning in power.”
“Right.” I swallowed another mouthful of water.
“Didn’t Evolene say she sold lots of cloaks to that poacher?” asked Fyrian. “What if he has another one?”
“We’ll have to speak to her about ways to counter it.”
Madam Maritimus stood. “Thank you, Cadet.”
“Ummm…” I glanced at the older witch and swallowed. What I was about to tell her might reveal how we had returned to Mount Fornax with Evolene after she had closed the wards, but I had to speak up. Asproceros might take advantage of the security breach and disappear with the dragonets. “Do you know about the tunnel by the lightning tree? It leads to a hole in the wards.”
Dragon Mage Academy Box Set Page 120
