by Chris Cannon
Despite the cold greeting, the dorm lobby seemed comfortable. There were several sets of couches and wingback chairs scattered about the room. The furniture made of leather and dark polished wood looked like expensive antiques. Rather than a standard cafe in the back of the room like the other dorms, there appeared to be a sit-down restaurant where waiters took your order. To say this was nicer than the Black and Green dragons’ dorms was a severe understatement.
There was, of course, the same marble staircase, and no elevators. “Do you think the Directorate will ever modernize the dorms and put in elevators?” Bryn asked.
“No,” her grandmother and Jaxon spoke in unison.
“That’s a shame.” Rhianna held the handrail and climbed the stairs with her uneven gait.
Jaxon’s cheeks colored. Good. He should feel embarrassed at the Directorate’s closed-mindedness. None of the buildings on campus at the Institute for Excellence, aka Dragon School, were wheelchair accessible. When she’d asked about this, she’d been told medics were able to heal almost all injuries by manipulating Quintessence, or the essence of life. Bryn was actually quite skilled in this area and hoped to become a medic one day. However, the recent attacks on campus had left multiple students with injuries that the medics had been unable to treat or repair. The students with limited mobility might need ramps or elevators, but it didn’t seem like the Directorate planned on updating the buildings any time in the near future.
“What floor is our room on?” Bryn asked.
“The second,” Rhianna said. “I used to live on the third floor, so this is an improvement.”
They reached the second floor landing. Jaxon took both of Rhianna’s hands in his and then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Call if you need anything.” Then he continued up the steps.
Rhianna blushed, which was cute, because most of the time Blues didn’t show emotions in public like the other Clans. The three of them walked down the hall and stopped at the third room on the right where Bryn’s grandmother presented her with a set of keys.
Inside the doorway, Bryn came to a dead halt. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What?” her grandmother asked. “Don’t you like it?”
“It’s twice the size of the rooms in the Green and Black dorms.” Though the front room held the two obligatory roll-top desks with their hideously uncomfortable chairs, the floors were hardwood, rather than carpeted. An antique couch, wingback chairs, and a coffee table took up half the space. The other half had floor to ceiling bookshelves and a library table.
Bryn walked over to one of the shelves to check out the sculptures, which ranged from intricate glass figurines to carved wooden boxes. “What’s all this?”
“Art,” her grandmother said.
Sure. Everyone needed art in their living room. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
“Come pick which bedroom you want,” Rhianna said.
There was more than one bedroom? That was new, too. In the other dorms, the roommates each had their own beds in one big room. Not so here. She walked down the short hallway that ended in the window, which opened onto the terrace. A door on the right led to a bedroom with a four-poster bed covered in a silk sky blue comforter. The fleur-de-lis wallpaper was a bit much. There was a dresser and a nightstand on either side of the bed, like her other rooms. The door on the far wall opened to reveal a claw foot tub.
Bryn went back out into the hall and entered the other bedroom. The cream colored walls and the sleigh bed with the navy comforter barely registered. She saw the door on the far wall. Suspicion confirmed. “We each have our own bathroom?”
“Of course,” Rhianna said.
“Roommates in the other dorms share a bathroom,” Bryn said.
“The Blue Clan did fund most of the buildings on campus,” her grandmother said. “And we are used to living a certain lifestyle.”
“But you don’t spread that information around,” Bryn said.
“No one ever asked,” her grandmother said. “Now, which room would you like?”
Bryn looked at Rhianna. “I like this one, if you don’t mind.”
“Good,” Rhianna said. “I like the four-poster bed better.”
“Go open your wardrobe,” her grandmother said.
Bryn opened the mahogany armoire door to find her clothes already inside. “How’d you know I’d pick this room?”
“You seem to like simpler lines, so I thought you’d choose this one. Rhianna, I had your clothing placed in your wardrobe as well.” She clasped her hands in front of her waist in the same manner she did when saying good-bye to guests at her home. “I should leave you girls to prepare for bed.”
Rhianna ducked out the doorway and across the hall.
An odd sense of unease trickled down Bryn’s spine, like cold rain dripping down the back of her shirt collar. She was happy to be back at school, but she’d miss her grandmother. Despite her outwardly proper appearance, she wasn’t the iceberg Bryn had originally imagined. After moving in with her grandparents, she’d grown much closer to her grandmother, though her grandfather was still a bit scary. She hadn’t quite found her footing with him.
Not sure if it was the right move or not, Bryn embraced her grandmother and was relieved when she hugged her back.
“I’ll miss you.” Bryn meant it.
“Let’s plan to have lunch this Saturday,” her grandmother said. “I’m sure something in Dragon’s Bluff will be open.”
“Sounds good.” Bryn stepped back. “Someone better keep an eye on Lillith now that Jaxon is gone.” God knows Ferrin, Jaxon’s father, wouldn’t be much comfort.
“I’ll check in on her.” Her grandmother cleared her throat. “I should go. And I think I’ll use the terrace exit.”
…
Classes the next day were oddly normal. If you didn’t count the guards posted at the front door of every building and the undercurrent of animosity toward the injured students who’d returned to school.
“Is it me,” Clint said as they walked across campus to the dining hall for lunch, “or do the guards seem a little tense?”
“They’re supposed to be on guard,” Bryn said. “It’s part of the job description.”
“On guard is one thing,” Clint said. “I sneezed when I walked out of the restroom, and the guard in the hall shifted and growled at me…because I sneezed.” He emphasized that last part like she might not have gotten it the first time.
“The solution is simple,” Ivy said. “Stop sneezing.”
“I’ll get right on that.” Clint slowed as they reached the steps to the dining hall. “In my head, I thought, ‘wouldn’t a pizza from Fonzoli’s be good right now.’ Then I remembered about the attack on Dragon’s Bluff. Every time, it’s like a smack in the face.”
“I know what you mean.” The attack on Dragon’s Bluff had come in the form of fire. Bryn and many other Blue dragons had tried to beat back the fire by combatting the flames with ice. Still, damage had been done. None of the attacks made sense. If the enemy wanted to overthrow the Directorate, then they should attack the Directorate, not everyone else. Bryn trudged up the steps and nodded at the Red guard who opened the door for her.
Ironically enough, the buffet was loaded with Italian food. Bryn inhaled. “Hey…that smells like Fonzoli’s.”
“It should, since a Fonzoli made it.”
Bryn whirled around. Valmont Fonzoli, her knight—a human who’d been bound to her when a dormant spell in his blood had been activated by an act of chivalry—stood there smiling, wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt with Fonzoli’s Catering stitched across the pocket.
She dropped her book bag and threw her arms around him in a hug. He laughed, wrapped his arms around her waist, and picked her up off the floor.
There was that happy warmth again, which she associated with him. He set her down. “And here I thought you might not be happy to see me.”
“What? I’m always happy to see you.”
“As heartwarming as this is, you’re blocking the line for food.” Jaxon’s voice came from the small crowd gathered behind them.
Reluctantly, Bryn released Valmont and grabbed her book bag. “Can you stay and eat lunch with us?”
“Planned on it.” Valmont gave a small bow. “After you.”
A part of her brain knew the joy she felt when she was with Valmont was a side effect of the Knight-Dragon bond but who cared? He made her happy. She made him happy. It was a win-win situation.
After filling their trays, they joined Clint and Ivy.
Ivy opened her mouth. Clint cut her off. “You have thirty seconds to tell Ivy what’s going on between you two before she explodes with questions.”
“Hey.” Ivy whacked her boyfriend on the arm.
“Am I right?” he asked.
“Yes. But that’s beside the point.” Ivy rearranged the pepperoni on her pizza in a symmetrical pattern. “So what’s new with you two?”
Valmont shrugged. “We spent time together over the holiday break, and now we’re closer than ever.”
“That’s the boring version.” Ivy pointed at Bryn. “Show him how it’s done.”
“Well…” How much should she say? “We did spend a lot of time together over break, and we fought together when Dragon’s Bluff was attacked, so I think our bond is stronger now.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Valmont. She couldn’t read his expression. “But it’s more than that. He makes me happy, and he’s incredibly handsome.”
Valmont puffed out his chest and nodded. “I am, you know. It’s the caterer’s uniform. Girls love a man in uniform.”
Clint and Ivy laughed. Bryn relaxed and leaned her shoulder against Valmont while they ate because whenever he was near, she felt the urge to touch him.
“So how goes the recovery process in Dragon’s Bluff?” Clint asked.
“Thanks to your Mr. Stanton and the Green Clan, we were able to restore power and communication. Now, we’re working on finding homes for those who lost their houses.” Valmont leaned back in his chair and frowned. “I don’t understand…” He clamped his lips together and looked into the distance like he was trying to push down his anger and keep his emotions inside.
“There’s nothing to understand,” Bryn said. “Because whoever did this isn’t logical.” She grabbed Valmont’s hand and laced her fingers through his.
“You’re right.” He shook his head like he was trying to shake off the negative emotions. “So what’s new at school?”
“Bryn’s grandma kidnapped her from our dorm and forced her to move in with the Blues,” Ivy said.
Valmont cringed. “Sorry about that.”
“The upside is I’m rooming with Rhianna. The downside is I’ll probably see more of Jaxon.”
“So he’s continuing their relationship despite his mother and your grandmother’s deranged plan that you two should have an arranged marriage?” Valmont said.
“Yes.” And she respected the hell out of him for it. Females who the Directorate declared unfit to marry had only one option. It was a weird yet sanctioned game where an older male, normally a Blue, offered to be the female’s benefactor, no matter what Clan she was from. Which meant he’d keep her as his mistress after she graduated. And that’s what Jaxon had promised to do for Rhianna. In this world where the Directorate was all-powerful and could deny marriage petitions without giving a valid reason, Jaxon was trying to do right by the girl he’d been promised to marry.
Clint snorted. “Every time I think of you and Jaxon together, I imagine fireballs flying.”
“You need to come up with a plan on how to deal with that nightmare of a situation,” Ivy said.
“I have a plan.” Bryn said. “It’s called denial. I choose to believe the Directorate will not take me off the unfit-to-marry list.”
“After you finish school, we could run away to Vegas,” Valmont said. His tone was teasing, but she knew true emotions lay underneath it. She needed to tread lightly.
“That’s a great plan, except my grandfather would personally hunt us down and make sure we were punished to the full extent of the law.”
Her friends stared at her like she’d said something wrong. “I’m not joking. He is a scary, determined man who isn’t above hurting people to get his message across.”
Valmont stiffened. “Did he do something to you?”
“It’s not a big deal. We were talking, and he grabbed my arm to make a point. He squeezed a little harder than necessary. That’s all. It didn’t even leave a bruise.”
Valmont leaned in and touched her cheek. “He’s family. He’s supposed to protect you, not hurt you.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. And it was like someone sucked all the oxygen out of the room. Oh, this could not be happening in the middle of the dining hall. She would not have her first kiss with Valmont in front of the entire student body.
“We can’t do this here.” She forced a laugh.
“We could.” He grinned, and his single dimple made an appearance.
Straightening in her chair, Bryn picked up her soda and took a drink. It did nothing to cool her hormones.
After lunch, Valmont said his good-byes and left.
When he was out of hearing range, Ivy pounced. “Oh my God. What was that?”
Bryn groaned in frustration. “I don’t know. This thing between us has been building, and I’m not sure what to do.”
“He likes you, and you like him,” Clint said. “What’s the problem?”
Bryn relayed the short version of her terrible encounter with his evil grandmother. “She thinks, since I’m a dragon, I’ll hurt him. I don’t want her to be right.”
“Allow me to use my brilliant deductive skills to tell your future.” Clint put his hand to his forehead. “I see Jaxon and Rhianna having a life-long relationship. You might have to marry him, but she will be his true wife. Whenever your grandmother hints at grandchildren, Jaxon will whisk you away to a science lab where they’ll do that turkey baster thing so the two of you don’t have to get naked together. While all this lunacy is going on, you will carry on a torrid affair with your knight.” He dropped his hand. “See, it all works out in the end.”
Bryn put her hand to her own forehead. “If you ever mention my name and Jaxon’s in the same sentence with the word turkey baster ever again, you’ll be dodging fireballs.”
Ivy cracked up and then kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. “You have to give him points for coming up with a decent solution.”
“I guess,” Bryn said. “We could buy one of those obscenely large houses where we’d each have our own wing. Jaxon and Rhianna could live in one wing, while Valmont and I shack up in the other.” Not a bad plan, until you considered the whole living-a-lie thing. Best not to think about it. Who knew, maybe this uprising, or war, as her grandfather now referred to it, would end the Directorate’s reign, and everyone could be with who they wanted. Better yet, maybe she could find a community of nice hybrids who weren’t trying to kill everyone and she could live her life the way she wanted.
Chapter Three
After spending the evening hanging with her friends in Ivy’s room, in the Black dorm where she’d still rather live, Bryn flew back to her new and far less friendly home. Rather than deal with all the frosty stares from her Blue dorm mates when she entered the building by the front door, she opted to fly up to her terrace.
Rhianna had come up with the plan of tying an aqua scarf to a chair on the terrace, to make finding the right one easier. With the cold welcome both of them received from the Blue Clan, neither of them wanted to mistakenly land outside someone else’s room.
Bryn spotted the scarf, came in for a landing, and stumbled, knocking over the chair. Stupid landings…she always miscalculated. She shifted back to human form and righted the chair. When she tried to open the window to go inside, it wouldn’t budge.
What the heck? She knocked and nothing… Where was Rhianna? She should be home, unless sh
e was with Jaxon. Now what? Flying around to the front of the dorm, dealing with the other Blues, and then climbing the stairs would be a pain in the butt.
Solution? Knock louder and peer inside. A pile of clothes lay in the hallway. That was weird. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Something was wrong. Shifting to dragon form, she knocked out the top pane of glass and then shifted back so she could reach inside and unlock the window. Sliding the window open, she listened carefully for anyone moving about inside, but it was dead quiet. Producing a fireball in her left hand in case she came across some non-friendly types, she climbed into the hallway.
Creeping forward, she listened again for anything that would tell her another person was in the room. The silence stretched out. Now what?
“Rhianna?”
No answer. Both the bedroom doors were closed, which was weird since she hadn’t closed her bedroom door when she’d left for class that morning. Right hand on the doorknob, she raised her left hand holding the fireball higher so she could blast anyone who might be inside. A twist of the knob, and she shoved the door open. Nothing was out of place. Her room appeared untouched.
What did that mean? Back out in the hall, she kicked the clothes strewn about on the hall floor. Some of them still on their hangers. And now that she really looked, she realized they were all Rhianna’s. Fireball in hand, she opened Rhianna’s door and let out an involuntary cry. Clothes were tossed about the room, like someone had reached into Rhianna’s closet and played a twisted version of fifty-two pick-up, scattering clothing far and wide. Red paint splattered the walls, floor, and bedding. Oh God. Please let it be paint. She sniffed a patch of red on the wall. It smelled of chemicals rather than the copper scent she associated with blood.
“Rhianna?” No answer. Where would she be? Bryn ran to the phone in the front room and dialed Jaxon’s number.
“Hello?”
“Is Rhianna with you?”
“Yes.”
Bryn breathed a sigh of relief. “Both of you need to get over here, right now.”
“We’re almost done with our homework,” Jaxon said. “She’ll be there in half an hour.”
