Saaron turned away from me. Did I see a ghost of a smile there?
“Let’s go. I’ll show you the room. It isn’t numbered 69.”
*
Saaron led me downstairs where beautifully decorated walls crossed like roots of an ancient tree. The underground was gigantic. Marbles everywhere made me question the spending habits of these people. None the less, I didn’t complain so far. I kept my emotions in check, though my eyes widened too many times, and my gaze darted too wildly. I was glad that the tour happened during the nighttime. If other students would see my reaction, eh, I didn’t want to think about it. I’ve blushed enough as I glanced at the paintings of naked couples. Some possessed scales, fangs, and claws. An odd thought occurred to me. Could demi-dragons change into actual dragons as shapeshifters? Simona’s panther form was so cool. Warm and furry. In the coldest days, she has used her feline warmth to keep us from freezing.
Finally, we arrived in front of the black wooden door that gave away a strong scent of a forest. I couldn’t tell the type of wood, though.
“That’s your room.”
“Wait,” I said, suddenly unsure about this. “What about my roommates? Aren’t they going to be pissed off by my late-night arrival?”
“Dragon students don’t share their rooms. Neither unicorns. Only those below us do.”
“So, what about Rust and Simona?”
“I don’t know what they are. So, I can’t say. I deal exclusively with dragon students, but I guess they aren’t unicorn students either, so there is a high chance they have to share their sleeping space.”
My instincts flashed with the red light. My friends could be in deep shit. I should be more conscious, instead of playing demi-dragons’ stupid games.
“I need to see them.”
“Impossible. You have four hours of sleep left. 9 a.m. starts the first class. Everything you need waits in your room. As for your friends, you’ll have a chance to see them after your classes. But this is, too, conditional.”
“What?” My inner fire flared. This jerk was playing on my nerves again. “Conditional?”
“Yes,” Saaron said coolly. “Most of our teaching staff doesn’t take well temperamental students. Mind you. We’re all dragons. We all possess a temper that burns our souls. It’s vital we control it, by extinguishing it. If you keep snapping like a stupid dragon-teenager, you’ll be restricted from leaving the Dragon House until your behavior score improves. At the moment it sits on default 100 points. If it falls to 70, then you’re banned from leaving Dragons’ quarters.”
“Jerk,” I snapped ignoring his earlier words.
“Mind you, I can deduct points as well. And if you’re banned, then you won’t be able to see Dramer. Now, get sleep.”
Saaron walked away nonchalantly. His hands in the pockets. I wondered why he didn’t teleport out. It seemed that this academy must have some rules about using powers. I hated it. Where was my freedom? I looked around the state-of-art corridor and felt shame that I’d have to demolish it. There was no way, these bastards could keep me imprisoned here.
I put my palm on the door. A prickling sensation surged up my arm and set of strange patterns formed on my forearm. It disappeared as quickly as it came to life.
A door opened on its own.
No point standing here, after all, it’s my room. I thought as I entered.
The inside was quite impressive. It looked like a tiny living room with two sets of sofas, a table, and a commode. A brochure that welcomed me, explained that the weird patterns were a customized spell-key that tailored access to the room only to me. There were options to upgrade the room inside too! It cost money though. A firepit, jacuzzi or a high ceiling. Based on the information, I could turn my small room into a spacious, high-end apartment.
I turned the page.
This can’t be, I looked with awe at the pictures.
They offered a private spa as an upgrade option or a butler. Were these people serious? It was only a school. Why would anyone waste money on such frivolities? Shouldn’t they spend it on food, weapons… Stop. My survival mechanisms took over for a moment. I’ve never experienced that someone could spend money on anything except necessities. What about their survival chances and what not? Sol’s teachings have been ingrained into each of my cells.
“Such a waste,” I murmured.
More information, most likely very important, awaited on other pages. I threw the brochure away. Didn’t Saaron say I have only a few hours of sleep left? He did. I should better make use of my sleeping time. The living room had two doors. The left one led to a small, one-person kitchen, the second one took me to a bedroom that possessed a toilet joined by a folded door. It was more private space than I’ve ever owned. Except, I didn’t own shit here. These rooms didn’t belong to me. I better remember it. I might not own anything in the Wasteland, but my life was my own. I won’t even stay here that long. But then, my thought returned to Dramer. A sexy demi-dragon that had melted my heart and reshaped it. If not him, I’d be on my way out of this city. Rust and Simona are where they’ve always wanted to be. They are safe here. I didn’t belong to any academy.
I threw my body onto the bed and let my mind drift.
Chapter 12
An annoying beeping, screeching, burping and god knows what else, woke me up. I was ready to kill anything that moved in my field of vision that exact moment.
“Wake up! Stand up! Wake—”
I jumped off my bed. “What the fuck?!” I shouted.
A toad-like fairy had a hard time keeping itself in the air with its three pairs of wings. I reached to my inner fire to kill the thing. How did it even get here?
But no fire responded to my command. What’s going on?
“No use,” the hideous creature said. “Living quarters are spellbound. Magic isn’t allowed here.”
“Then what are you?”
“I guess, I’m an exemption from the rule. I’m your personal assistant.”
The brochure spoke of personal assistant stuff, but wasn’t it cost money, too?
As if reading my mind, the creature said, “I’m a default model with standard functionality. I’m part of a student-welcome-package. No one but you can see and hear me.”
“What about the reading mind stuff? Huh?”
The personal assistant puffed and huffed as it climbed higher in the air because it got the message I’d sent in my head. I told it to fuck off. No point getting attached to this creep.
“You can’t ignore me!” it blurted out, receiving another mental message. “Without me, you won’t be able to function in the academy.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed. It was a comfortable place. A shame I’d have to ditch it.
“You want to be useful? Make a call to a demi-dragon, Dramer.”
All six wings had stopped at the same time and the personal assistant fell on the ground.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m not one to joke about, creep.”
“My name is Rebecca!”
“Your name is Creep. Don’t ruin the name for me.”
After a moment of a blissful silence Creep’s wings zapped again.
“Flare! Your first class starts in ten minutes!”
At first, panic had settled in my throat, then I reprimanded myself. I wouldn’t take part in this game. It was Saaron’s fault. He’d come to the clinic and took me here. If missing a few classes would mean expulsion from the Dragon Academy, then so be it. I smiled watching a bland ceiling. I wish to see…stars. Stars weren’t visible in the Wasteland and only after arriving at the city I was granted the true image of the sky. Still, one learns to love what’s given instead of dreaming of unreachable goals. I had no inclination to stay here because I could see stars. Black clouds were fine, I guess.
“Five minutes,” Creep spoke from somewhere beyond my vision. Maybe she turned invisible. She was an eyesore. “Just for the record, there is an option to upgrade my visuals.”
/> “For the record, I give no shit. Now, shut up. I don’t go to any classes today.”
“But that will cost you 30 behavior points.” I’d fall to 70 points. It meant I won’t be able to see Rust and Simona. While I didn’t care about this stupid place, they did. I could cause them problems if Saaron decided to use my friends as leverage.
I’m sorry, Rust, Simona. I can’t let them win, I thought gloomily. It seemed that I’d made no progress with my horrible character. I still couldn’t accept any authority.
“The first class of basic spells for dragons is about to start,” Creep notified me in a formal tone.
Basic spells for dragons? It doesn’t sound bad. I think it’s quite certain that I do possess draconic blood, so a bit of training would be handy, my thoughts entered strange patterns, alongside, which existed possibility where I stayed at the academy. And I was so sure that the decision to leave this place had been made.
“What about Dramer, Creep?” I asked. “Did you contact him?”
“I’m not allowed to make outside calls.”
“Fucking hell, you’re useless.”
“That’s a very unfair assessment of my abilities… ah, 5 points have been deducted from your pool. You have—”
“Oh, be quiet,” I snapped. “I know math. Better tell me how many points I need to be officially expelled from the Dragon Academy.”
Creep landed next to my right shoulder. She looked concerned and thoughtful. Maybe, she’d overdo it and get a short circuit. It definitely took her more time than I’d expected.
“I checked your student status and, though much information is missing, the most important states that you possess an undefined degree of draconic blood. This alone makes you not expellable. As a side note, I’d like to add that users of four prime powers can’t be expelled from the Dragon Academy.”
This was bad. Truly fucking bad.
“Can I leave on my own, then?”
“Impossible. Users of four prime powers must graduate the Dragon Academy before they are allowed to enter the public life.”
Things didn’t go the way I hoped. So, the moment Dramer brought me here, my fate was sealed? Now, I needed to ask the dreaded question.
“How long I must stay until my graduation?”
“You must pass five annual exams. So, the shortest time is 5 years, but no one achieved it. The average number of years spent in the academy is 7.”
Seven fucking years. It was a life sentence. Dramer! I’m going to kill you. It’s your fault I ended up in this shit hole.
I began searching for a way to vent out my anger. Creep disappeared. That little fairy bitch sniffed out trouble. If only my powers responded. I’d demolish their pristine corridors for real. They could take as many behavior points as they liked. I gave no shit. There was no way, I’d be staying here. Seven fucking years. Unbelievable.
“There is someone outside the door,” Creep whispered. My hand slashed the spot where a split-second earlier Creep had been. For an ugly fairy, she possessed impressive reflexes. “Shall I open the door?”
I realized something. I was wearing a pajama. How did it happen?
“A spell of sorts,” Creep explained.
This place was too convenient to be free. I had really a bad hunch about this.
“Can this spell of sorts dress me back?”
“Impossible. Unless you spent money on the upgrade.”
“Fuck that,” I snapped. On the other side of the bed, a sliding door opened into a small built-in wardrobe. I didn’t know why I expected anything when I’d brought not a single shirt of my own. And yet, a neatly folded formal skirt, jacket, white shirt, a pair of stockings and black lacquered shoes waited on the shelves. So, the academy had a dress code. It dispelled some of my concerns about the entire wealth-display contest. I feared that, while the academy allowed to upgrade the dorm rooms, it’d also apply to clothes.
Wait, since when I decided to stay? It was a valid point. A part of my mind kept pushing thoughts into the trajectory of remaining here. The other one resisted but was losing its upper hand. It was Creep’s fault. She told me too much.
“Your guest is waiting,” the personal assistant said. “It’s rude to keep him waiting.”
“Who is he?”
“I can’t say. His status is classified. All I know is that he is he.”
“Stop talking,” I warned Creep. I needed a focused mind. These clothes… things were missing. Fuck. I didn’t see any underwear.
“Where is underwear?” I asked panicked.
“Underwear is not part of the standard student wardrobe. It can be acquired in a traditional way. Would you like me to order it for you?”
“I have no money.”
“Your student account at the moment holds a thousand dollars.”
“What? Dollars? What’s that?”
“Currency used in this part of the world before the war. The Great Cities decided to keep using it.”
Shit. There were more puzzles than I expected. Yes, Dramer was the most important reason this place pulled me to stay, but my curiosity sparked as well. I loved the harsh and unforgiving Wasteland, but here, before I even left my room, I’d found myself drowning in questions, which I craved to answer. Plus, knowing spells sounded like a handy thing. I could deal with lieutenant Rox, the next time he decided that targeting me could be a wise idea.
“Your guest is about to enter your premises!” Creep warned.
“Who the hell is he?”
“No information available.”
Was I in danger? After the incident in the elevator, who could say what Rox’s next step would be? This asshole was a fanatic. There was no telling how far he’d push his luck. But could he enter my dorm without the access spell?
My skin prickled as the spellbound front door opened.
“Your guest is awaiting you in the living room,” Creep notified me.
“More like an intruder,” I growled in a low voice. “Can you alert whoever is dealing with creeps like him?”
“Sure. I sent a message to the Head of the Dragon House. He’s the most powerful person around.”
Fucking Saaron. Fantastic. Still, it was better than no one.
“Turn around. I need to change my clothes.”
Creep had huffed but did turn. Five minutes later I stood in the student attire wearing no underwear. Lucky me, that my breasts were perky and didn’t require a bra to retain their shape. Only if I got my panties. I wouldn’t get paranoia each time a slight breeze touched my skin. Well, I’d make sure to not go outside without underwear.
“Creep,” I murmured. “Order all the missing pieces of my wardrobe.”
“Roger that,” Creep replied with an ugly smirk.
Now it was time to meet the intruder who outsmarted my access spell. I might use him as the reason for not going to my first class. He invaded my private space and caused great distress, and so on. It could work.
I opened the door into the living room and gasped. Or was it Creep?
“This is bad, Flare,” Creep whispered as if she feared that the Head of the Dragon House could hear her. “He was your guest all along… and you made him wait. You should give him a profound apology—”
“Shut up, Creep,” I snapped.
Saaron’s brows rose. He looked immaculate, wearing a crimson suit and an ivory white coat. His green hair was slick and oiled. I smelled fragrant of sandalwood and lemongrass from across the living space.
“Creep? Is that how you call Rebecca?”
“Why are you here?” I asked ignoring his inquiry.
“Apologize. Apologize. Apologize. Apologize…” Creep began chanting into my ear. She sounded terrified.
“Quit it, Rebecca,” Saaron whispered.
I tried to pry my eyes off him, but he looked majestic. A young king… no. A young emperor. My student attire seemed so out of place. I snapped out of stupor. Saaron was nothing to me. There was nothing I wanted from him, except to be left alone.
“Why didn’t you attend the first class?”
“I couldn’t decide if I’ll stay.”
Saaron had given me a sidelong glance, then he turned away. He possessed an enormous back and wide shoulders.
“I believe Rebecca had informed you about the circumstances.”
Oh yes, the academy held students prisoners until they could graduate. None of us had any say in the matter of staying here. This caused my repulsive reflexes. I despised anyone and anything that tried to impede my freedom.
“Yeah, I’m a prisoner.”
“A prisoner?” Saaron asked calmly. “Attending the Dragon Academy is the dream of every citizen in this city.”
“That’s why you made it mandatory? At least, be honest with yourself,” I snarled at him. I gave no shit how he saw me. “What if my behavior points drop to 0? Would you still keep me here?”
“If your points drop to 30, then you lose the right to your own room and are sent to a common dorm…”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Flare…” Creep’s worried murmur reached my ears.
“We called those the Slackers. They are also wearing special costumes, so everyone knows who they are. Slackers have a hard time in the academy. Are you sure you want to become one?”
It sounded like a genuine threat. I gave no fuck who Saaron was. He might be a king of the world, but the moment he openly challenged me, I felt no hesitation. I would not back down. He’d regret dragging me here.
“Your thoughts spell disaster,” Creep said panicky.
“Then enjoy the show, Creep,” I said with intensity in my voice. “You’ll get the front seat.”
“Please, don’t make it any harder than…” Saaron started, then whirled and caught my fist with startling ease.
“Oh no,” Creep gasped.
“You can’t defeat me, Flare. We’re on two different levels.”
My fist hadn’t even twitched when I tried to pull it back. Saaron possessed truly immense strength. I wished to make to him so many bad things. Judging from Creep’s reaction I went overboard. Tough luck. I won’t be dancing to their tune.
“Your next class starts in 23 minutes, Flare,” Saaron said as if this entire exchange hadn’t happened. “I’ll drag you there if I must.”
The Blood of Dragons Page 7
