by Martha Carr
Bella Chase eagerly raised her hand, waving it around. Murphy was not far behind her, along with a few other girls. Raven struggled not to roll her eyes.
“Bella, perfect.” Bella went and stood next to him, beaming at the rest of the class. Murphy fumed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Bella, I want you to take this bow and arrow, step over there, and fire it straight at my head.”
The girl bristled at the suggestion. “No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I couldn’t do that. I’ll kill you.”
Fellows nudged her to start walking. “You need to trust your magic. I trust mine. Now go over there and get ready to shoot me.”
The class murmured loudly.
“You think that’s a good idea?”
“Bella, do you even know how to shoot an arrow?”
“What if she wings you?”
“Try it on someone else. How about Roger? He’s got a thick hide. His mom says it all the time.”
Professor Fellows smiled and stood up straight, pointing to his forehead. “Look right here when you aim.”
“Okay…” Bella shouted with more than a little uncertainty in her voice. She swallowed hard and lifted the bow, drawing back the string with the arrow nocked.
Fellows nodded. “Class, I want you to see the power of this spell in action. Protegas me!” The professor waved his hands around and bright green light flashed in front of his frame, glowing steadily. “Okay, Bella! Shoot!”
Bella’s hands trembled as she pulled back even harder, staring straight at her target.
She unleashed an arrow that rocketed to her teacher within seconds. It struck the green glow and snapped in half before hitting the ground.
Mouths hung open for a moment, broken by a sudden burst of loud applause. The professor smiled, walking back to the students. “There are several different spells that can do this in your textbook and are safe to practice at home. This one is my favorite because it’s practical without using too much of your energy. At all times, you need to manage your energy. Each of you will try out this spell today.”
Better get in line, Raven thought. Don’t let Bella show you up.
Murphy beat her to it. She was first in line to get up and try out the spell. She shouted, “Protegos me!” and small potatoes appeared out of nowhere, surrounding her boots.
“Isn’t it amazing how much difference one letter makes?” Professor Fellows scooped up a potato. “But might make for some hearty soup.” He tossed a potato to Murphy. “No one shoots at anyone today. We just practice the spell. I don’t want to explain any human pincushions.” He winked at Murphy, whose face reddened.
Murphy scooped up the potatoes and found her way over to Raven. “Well, that was a new one.”
She giggled in disbelief. “Did you seriously just take the potatoes with you?”
“Why not? They’re mine. Besides, money’s always a little tight at our place. It’s not stealing. I made them!”
The two of them stood there, waiting for Raven’s turn. Murphy set all the potatoes down, except for one small one. Holding it in her hand, she said, “Coquus.” The potato sizzled. She took a careful nibble, rolling the bite around in her mouth. “Hot, hot, hot!”
“Geez, really?” Raven cocked an eyebrow.
“I missed breakfast this morning, and my turn is done.”
“Did you bring enough to share with everybody?” Fellows asked, passing them.
Murphy gulped. “No, sir. I just didn’t want them to go to waste.”
“A little more focus on the task at hand. We’ve been at peace for a generation, but that might not last.” He kept walking among the students. “Who’s next?”
Raven raised her hand and stepped forward, settling herself and shaking out her hands.
“Raven, you don’t appear to be in the best of shape.” Professor Fellows looked at her skeptically.
Raven waved off the concern. “I’m fine, sir. Just a little banged up. I can still shoot.”
She uttered the words as an arrow whizzed past her ear. Raven stumbled and fell to the ground, startled and off-balance.
Professor Ridley turned and shouted, “Bella Chase! What are you doing?”
“I didn’t hit her. I would never do that!” Bella insisted. “I just wanted to scare her.”
I’ll get you back for that one, Bella. “I’m fine,” said Raven, brushing off the front of her pants. “Go ahead, Bella, fire away!” she shouted.
The professor raised his hand to stop Bella as Raven spun up the shield. Bella released another arrow, this time aiming straight between Raven’s eyes. A look of horror passed across the professor’s face and he shouted, “Prohibere!”
However, the arrow had already bounced off the shield and splintered. Raven smiled, feeling her shoulders drop as she let out the breath she was holding. This could come in handy.
Just as Bella turned away, Raven fired an arrow in her direction, just far enough to the left to miss her. Bella had already cast a shield, faster than anyone else in class. This time, the shield spun up around the arrow, encircling it.
The shield snapped the arrow in half, with the head of the arrow on one side and the tail on the other.
Wow, this girl is good.
“Enough! You two, come with me.” The professor looked grim, marching ahead of them and not even waiting to see if they would follow.
Bella fell in place next to Raven and they followed their angry professor. “We will meet again,” whispered Bella, careful not to be overheard.
“Sounds like a threat.” Raven glanced Professor Fellows’ back as he led them to the side steps of the far building.
“Not really. Not if you’re as good as you think you are. You seem to have real potential, but we shall see. There’s a lot of competition at this school, and I plan to be at the top.”
Raven scoffed at the notion. “Excuse me, ‘real potential?’ I can conjure circles around you.”
Bella shrugged. “Prove it.” She raised a finger and shook her head. “Actually, never mind. We can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“You need to have a familiar. You don’t have one, so…”
Raven blurted, “Yes, I do. His name is Leander, and he’s a young dragon the color of fire!”
“Oh, you really do have a dragon? That’s great.” She glanced behind them and peered at Raven again, a cold smile on her face. “I don’t see him anywhere. Why isn’t he here alongside you? Your friend has her barn cat.”
They ducked into the building and went down the hall, following the professor. “I’m working on it, believe me. And when I get my dragon here, you’ll be amazed at what he can do.”
They started up the long stairs trudging toward the headmaster’s office in the tallest turret. Bella looked at her, tilting her chin down and frowning. “Weren’t you told we can’t have dragons? Unless you find something soon, mage, you’re done at this school. Might as well not waste your time.”
“Like hell. We’ll face off again, just you and me. Once I get my dragon—my familiar—here, you’ll see what I can do. I’ve already gotten the necessary approvals.” She blushed at the lie, hoping Bella wouldn’t notice.
Bella smiled. “I’m counting the days,” she purred. “Magic awaits.”
As they reached the headmaster’s office, anger burned inside Raven. I have to get Leander under control.
Headmaster Flynn’s booming voice echoed from inside his office. “Ladies, what’s this I hear about shooting arrows at each other?”
“One problem with magic,” said Bella, “is that word travels way too fast. Quit your shaking, we’ll be fine. And I will best you, Raven Alby, mage in training.”
Raven curled her hand into a fist. “Don’t write the ending too early, Bella.”
“Ladies!”
The two girls started and made their way into the office, passing under Professor Fellows’ steady glare. “There’s someone every year. I’ll be watching you two. You’re my
project for this semester.”
Chapter Nineteen
“You can’t be serious.”
William finished dropping a bag of feed in the pen for one of his dragons when he saw Raven walking onto the Moss Ranch. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “You got a death wish?”
Raven wore a stoic look. Her ribs were securely wrapped with a piece of linen and her head ached a little, not helped by the loud lecture she had endured in front of Headmaster Flynn.
She stretched her neck to the side, gritting her teeth, and continued walking as straight as she could, determined not to let him know anything hurt. Raven didn’t greet William, passing him and making her way to the barn where the saddles were kept. She came back out dragging a saddle, its straps kicking up dirt behind her as she walked. Her stare was fixed on Leander, who perked up when he saw her approaching.
William stood nearby, watching everything with fascination.
Raven took off her backpack and dropped it outside the pen, walking up to the gate and staring him down. Leander bent over to meet her gaze, short bursts of steam coming out of his nose. The two engaged in a brief staring contest, neither one willing to back down.
“Look.” She spoke in a stern, forceful voice. “You don’t like me. That’s fine. I don’t like you either, but I think we’re stuck here.”
“’Stuck’ is a state of mind.”
“Not always. I can help you, and you can help me. Work with me, and your wings don’t get clipped.”
“What is it you need from me?”
She looked at William, who crossed his arms over his chest, still watching.
“I need…” She kicked her toe in the dirt. “I need…”
“It can’t be that bad.” The dragon tilted his oversized head, which dwarfed hers. “Dragon-leather shoes? No. Spit it out, small child.”
“Not a child. I need a familiar.”
The dragon opened his eyes wide and smiled, his large fangs showing. “You are an ambitious mage. That’s almost as ambitious as a pair of shoes made out of my hide.”
“It is freedom from here.” She held up her hands, trying not to plead. “I’ll give you something to do, but you have to cooperate. Got it?”
The dragon snorted at her.
“I’ll take that as a yes. I’m coming in, and we’re going to get started.”
“I’m rubber, you’re glue,” said Leander. “Everything you say bounces off me and hits that far wall. Oh, wait, that was you.”
Raven pressed her lips together, looking up at him, her hands on her hips. Behind her, she heard William laughing.
“I’m coming in.”
The dragon stepped back. “Even if I say no, you’re not going to listen.”
She pushed the gate open and slid in with the saddle.
William came closer to the pen. “Take it easy this time, Raven.”
Raven marched up to the dragon. He was motionless, staring down his nose at her suspiciously. “I’ve already got my ribs wrapped because of you. I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re beating the shit out of me. Let’s call a truce and start over, okay? I’m coming over with the saddle.”
The dragon sighed. “Let’s see what happens.”
She gently slid the saddle onto his back, watching Leander’s large eye roll back to watch her. She reached under and felt along his scales until she found the large brass loop, pulling it toward her. She kept her hand between the loop and the dragon’s belly just like William taught her and hooked it to the other loop, pulling the straps tight, leaving just enough room. Last, she placed the guidance strap with the reins around his neck.
She straightened, sweat on her forehead, trying not to smile. “Thank you,” she whispered, stepping into the stirrup, her hand stretched out to hold on to the horn.
“There you go. There you go.” She took a small push off the ground to get enough height just as the beast swatted at her with his massive paw.
Raven flew into the iron fence again, crying, “Motherfu…” The wind was knocked out of her before she could finish. She felt her left shoulder pop out of its socket on impact. She crashed to the ground, clutching her arm as William trotted up to her on the other side of the gate.
“Have you had enough yet?”
She glared at him. “I thought I was chosen. You said I had some bullshit connection with these things! If that’s true, then what is his deal? I don’t want to just look at him, I want to ride him.”
Leander walked to the back corner of his pen and lay down. “Try again.”
“Quit challenging her, dragon!” William crouched beside Raven. “Being chosen doesn’t mean that everything is going to go smoothly. You have to earn his trust. Build that connection with him. You’re not doing that. You’re barging in and doing everything without putting in the work. The real work.”
Raven grabbed the fence and pulled herself into a seated position. “I can’t move my right arm. I think the shoulder is dislocated.”
“Girl, you are not indestructible. Want some help?”
“You fix shoulders?”
“Dislocated ones, yeah. I’ve done it before. Hurts like a bitch, but it gets you back to work.” He shot a concerned glance at Leander, then eased into the pen.
The dragon watched from the far corner. “Careful, flyboy.”
William kept an eye on Leander as he crouched by Raven. “Stand up and put your back against the fence.” He helped her to her feet. “Now, rest your head and your good shoulder against the gate. Is this the same shoulder you hurt two days ago? An arrow in the bone?” He shook his head, scowling. “And it was working again so soon. Don’t worry, I’m not asking.”
He helped Raven get into the right position. “Make sure you’re pinned to the metal as firmly as possible, or you’re going to bounce your head and get seriously hurt.” He placed both hands on the bad shoulder. “Go ahead, press. Ready?”
“I guess.” She swallowed hard, pressing her head back and staring at Leander. The dragon’s eyes were half-shut, and he was watching them with interest.
William shoved Raven’s shoulder with as much force as he could, popping it back into place with a sickening thock. She doubled over and screamed, but she could wiggle her arm freely again. “Thanks, I suppose,” she choked out, her eyes watering from the pain.
“At least you’re functional now, even if you’re hurting. I don’t have any healing spells.” He gave her a look. “I know you used one a few days ago to heal this same shoulder. Raven, you need to listen.”
Raven peered at Leander, who was still watching them. She bit her bottom lip. “I have to connect with him, even though I already have a special connection.”
William chuckled. “You have a special connection with dragons that I don’t have, but if you want to train one, you have to make a personal connection. I can’t do that for you, and there’s no way to tell you how.” He pointed at Leander. “No matter what you do, that big guy over there is going to make you earn this. There’s no chance of you walking up to him and saddling him and getting on top unless he is confident that you can be trusted.” He walked out of the pen and closed the gate behind him.
Raven looked at the saddle. She crossed the pen, facing Leander directly.
“I’m Raven.”
The dragon grunted. “Does it matter?”
“There you go. Now we’ve got a dialog going. See? This doesn’t have to be a violent thing. We can find some common ground here.” She looked around the pen. “You like it here?”
Another grunt. “I’m locked in a prison. What do you think?”
“It’s a ranch, not a prison,” William said, leaning on the gate. Raven and the dragon ignored him.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t either. I live on a goat ranch down the road. I think I’m going to do great things in this world. Working on a goat ranch isn’t what I call ‘great things.’ I bet you think you’re going to do cool stuff too, right? I don’t know how dragons think, but your idea of a good life ca
n’t be sitting in this pen all day.” Words spilled out of her, but she stayed motionless.
Silence.
“Here’s the deal. If you work with me, I can get you out of here. This isn’t just about me. It’s about both of us.” The dragon opened and shut his long jaw slowly.
“We’ll hustle through this, knock it off, and go kick some serious ass together. But if I can’t get that saddle on you and get on top of you, your wings are going to get clipped, and you’ll be sent off to live in the valley. No adventure. Nothing interesting. Just boring survival hanging out all day. Work with me, and you’ll get to see the world...and show the world everything you can do.”
Leander grunted again but remained motionless.
“Come here.”
To her surprise, the dragon slowly rose to his feet and lumbered forward. He leaned down, offering his back to her. “One wrong move, and I’ll buck you again.”
“Please let me get into the saddle.” She waited for a moment to see if there were any objections. With a sweaty smile on her face, Raven put her hand on the horn and slid her foot into the stirrup, taking the same small jump, but this time, landing in the saddle.
From outside the pen, William cocked an eyebrow and nodded. “Now you’re starting to get it, girl. One step at a time.”
Raven’s hands shook, and sweat rolled down her temple as she adjusted the reins. She leaned forward in the saddle and gazed at the top of Leander’s head. “Not a bad look for you. See? That wasn’t so bad.”
Leander squirmed under the straps of the saddle. “This feels ridiculous. Confining.”
“We’re going to do this, Leander. You and me. We’ve got this. Let’s try a short ride.”
She nudged him in the sides with her heels, but Leander wavered, moving his hips back and forth forcefully.
“No, no, no.” She placed a hand on his back. “This is what I was talking about. We have to work together. This is the next step.”
Leander let out a roar and bucked, sending her head-first toward the ground. At the last second, Raven tucked her head and rotated her body, landing flat on her back. All the air rushed out of her lungs again, and she couldn’t inhale for several seconds.
