“Actually, M’alex says she really is a queen,” he remarked. “I’m not sure what that means, but he’s very adamant about it.”
“yes, i am the Queen,” L’eesha agreed—again apparently hearing what he was saying and not needing any interpretation. “and the Queen is always right.”
Just at that moment, Master Yarsmouth approached again, stalking over the sands with a frown on his face.
“Cadet Lysandra,” he said, frowning down at me. “The Head Master wants to see you in the office at once. Bring your dragon.”
49
AURORA
L’eesha rode draped around my shoulders like a cat, her warm little body radiating heat against my neck. Her little belly was full of meat, and I could feel how sleepy she was. Ryse had told me that for the first few days, all a newly hatched drakeling wanted to do was sleep and eat, and sleep some more. I hated that this very natural cycle was being interrupted, and I had to defend her very existence instead of cradling her in my arms and letting her rest.
Speaking of Ryse, he was right beside me. He had promised not to leave me, and I appreciated that immensely. Just like a dragon, he was intensely loyal to those he cared about.
But would he be so loyal if he knew your secret? whispered a little voice in my head. You almost told him—Hatching Day saved you, you know.
It was true—lust had made me reckless. I resolved that I would be much more careful from now on. After all, it wasn’t just my own future I was fighting for—I also had to consider L’eesha’s future and wellbeing now.
It was like suddenly having a child, I thought—a baby I had to protect with my life. Now that L’eesha was hatched, I knew I would never do anything so foolhardy as confessing my true identity to anyone—not even Ryse.
But in the meantime, I had to see what the Head Master would say about my little golden drakeling. Would he agree with Master Yarsmouth that she was a genetic anomaly and shouldn’t be allowed to exist?
I felt a surge of protectiveness for the little golden being around my neck. If so, I would fight him to my last breath!
At last we reached the Head Master’s office, and I couldn’t help the feeling of dread that settled like a cold lump in the pit of my stomach. Last time I’d been here, things hadn’t exactly gone well. They could conceivably go even worse this time.
Ryse must have sensed my apprehension because he put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed comfortingly.
“It’s all right, Auri—M’alex and I are with you,” he murmured.
“Thank you,” I said and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” a tired, irritated voice said.
I let myself into the office and saw the Head Master sitting behind his desk wearing pajamas and a long maroon robe. Clearly he had been in bed before Hatching Day had woken him.
“So it’s you again,” he said, frowning as I came to stand in front of his desk. “Why are you always causing problems, Cadet Lysandra?”
“I’m not causing problems on purpose, Sir,” I said, lifting my chin. “I was just bonding with my dragon when Master Yarsmouth said there was something wrong with her. Which is clearly not true because she’s perfect,” I added proudly.
The Head Master sighed deeply and rubbed his temples.
“Yes, Cadet—we all feel that way about our dragons,” he said. “Unfortunately, Master Yarsmouth seems to think your dragon isn’t, er, quite right.”
“He’s just angry because she bit him,” I said, frowning. “She doesn’t like him because he wouldn’t believe she was talking to me when I Impressed her egg.”
His eyebrows shot up.
“Cadet, are you telling me that your dragon was forming opinions of humans she didn’t know before she even broke the shell?”
“Yes, Sir, I am,” I said firmly. “She named herself, too,” I added. “She’s been very sure of herself from the moment we first made contact.”
He frowned.
“What you’re describing is impossible, Cadet Lysandra. Even the most intelligent dragons aren’t that self-aware while still inside the egg.”
“Her egg was dormant for over a century,” Ryse pointed out. “Maybe she heard people talking through her shell and learned that way.”
