Aurelia suddenly leaps to her feet, her eyes searching the air in front of her as if she’s using a different sense. “Dragon. There’s a dragon headed towards Animus Academy.”
Chapter 90
Aurelia
My senses go on high alert, and something I cannot fully comprehend demands my attention with teeth and claws. My instinct to protect my nest and mates forces my canines to come to the front, and I snarl as I rush out of Minnie’s suite and down the corridor. Scythe is in the lead behind me, closely followed by Savage and the Devi pack.
Another dragon has never come to Animus Academy before. Except for Xander, but the school recognised him as my mate from the start. So who isthis?
I don’t even bother heading down the stairs. My blood is boiling, my head is raging, and I wave my hand before the window at the end of the corridor, and it smashes under a telekinetic blast. Shifting into an eagle, I spear out of the window and aim towards the front of the school. Once I’ve gained good height, I shift into a dragon and charge out of the protective dome.
“Where are you, Xander!” Savage calls in the group chat.
“Why?”Xander snarls into our heads.
I can’t see the dragon yet, but I circle the school, knowing they will be close, or hidden. Beak appears out of one of theguard towers and lets out a shrill cry, and I change directions to guard westward. I see mighty wings, and a tiny bag hanging on a claw. She was difficult to spot at first because of the colour of her scales, a light blue, brighter than I saw her last at Drakos Estate.
“Aurelia?”she asks.“Is that you?”
“Stand down!”I shout to everyone in the vicinity.“It’s Selene Drakos!”
We meet at the school gates, Selene’s weight shaking the ground as she lands before shifting into human form. She covers her slender, pale figure with a form-fitting forest green silk robe that buttons down on the right side.
“It’s so good to see you,” I say, pulling her into my arms. “I didn’t know when we’d get the chance again.”
Selene places both hands on either side of my face, smiling down at me, her golden eyes warm as she smiles. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t come sooner, Aurelia. Truly I am.”
“Sissy!” Xander charges through the school gates, and I get out of the way so they can embrace. I pretend not to notice as they share a few moments and Selene sheds a tear or two. Xander asks about his mother and the hatchlings. Selene marvels at what remains of The Collector’s head on the gate.
“We are all well,” she says as I lead them onto the academy grounds. “Though I don’t think I can say the same for you here at BoneweaverEstate.”
I whirl around and gape at her audacity. But Selene only chuckles. “Well, this isyourstronghold, is it not, Aurelia? It’s protected like it’s yours, in any case.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sigh. “You’re not wrong.”
“Rarely am I wrong.”
Xander laughs through his nose. “We have a lot to catch you up on.”
But as it turns out, Selene’s visit is also to relay news of her own. We sit in the empty academy dining hall, which seemsto Xander and me, the cleanest part of the school in which to receive a noble dragon lady. Selene takes out an unadorned wooden box from her bag. It has Xander’s name on it, inked in a simple black stamp. “This was delivered to us by a very frightened courier.”
Xander goes rigid as he accepts it, his nostrils flaring as he detects the scent. I detect it too late, and my dragon opens the box, nodding before he turns it around to show me. Set upon plain crumpled kraft paper is a blood-red stone, split cleanly in half by a giant claw.
“It’s a formal dragon divorce from Francesca,” he says. “In the traditional way. We were neverlegallymarried as dragons are above human marriage laws, but this is as clear as a divorce contract.”
I raise my brows, but don’t know exactly what to say. Thankfully, Selene knows better. “Congratulations, brother,” she says, patting his hand. “At least she didn’t try to kill you like I did with my husband.”
Xander and I both choke on air. I cover my mouth to stifle the snort trying to get out. “We’ll consider ourselves lucky then.”
Xander clinks me with his mug of coffee in cheers. “Hear, hear.”
Selene insists on visiting the academy library, and there we call the rest of my mates to meet her. Savage and Lyle delicately shake her hand while Scythe bows formally to her.
“How I’ve longed to meet Xander’s soul-bonded brothers.” Her eyes glisten with emotion. “I am pleased to see you don’t actually have blood in your teeth like the rumours mention, Savage.” She smiles at him.
“It’s often enough,” Xander says darkly.
“But these days it’s Aurelia with the bloody teeth,” Savage says proudly, hoisting up Eugene on his hip. “We’re very proud of her.”
