Cracked Open: The Dragon Born Academy

by T L Christianson

The only dark cloud is that your mother, Celine, isn't here to share it with us. But now, with you back in our lives, a void has been filled. We love you so very much and can't wait to know you more.

  Love,

  Grandma Elise

  P.S. I've gone through the school catalog and chosen everything you might need to begin your formal education at Balaur Academy. If you should need anything else, please get it at the school store, and it will be charged to my account.

  * * *

  I knelt on the ground between my case and the wardrobe.

  Your rightful place among us?

  I bit my bottom lip and examined the full closet. There were more clothes inside it than I had altogether. At the bottom of the hanging section, wrapped in plastic, was a new backpack with the Balaur crest and neat stacks of school supplies. Below that on the bottom shelf were three boxes of shoes and a pair of snow boots.

  I scratched my head. Why would I need four pairs of shoes? Can't I just wear my own shoes?

  Aaraeth purred and seemed to awaken from her slumber.

  "You missed seeing Eondian," I told her aloud.

  No, I was there and awake. You needed to speak with your mate. I can talk to mine at any time.

  "Really?" I asked. My brow furrowed as I pulled out the shoeboxes to inspect the goods, wondering if the size was right.

  Yessssssssss, and so will you when you complete your bond, she hissed.

  But before I could ponder that, I remembered the folded piece of paper Ashe had given me and rushed over to Becca's jacket to retrieve it. Inspecting the neat masculine script, I tucked it into my bra.

  "I saw that," came a droll voice from the doorway, making me startle.

  A short girl with dark brown skin and black hair leaned against the doorframe.

  "What?" I stammered.

  She smiled and leisurely strolled inside, taking a seat at my desk. "I saw you outside with some guy. So, spill! I thought you were new here, but the two of you seemed to be awfully cozy."

  I cringed. "Oh… yeah, about that. Ermmm... Ashe is apparently my... mate." My voice rose up at the end like a question. The whole thing sounded ridiculous and saying it aloud felt absurd.

  Her eyes went wide. "What?! Seriously? I freaking thought that was just a rumor! No way!"

  "Rumor? This literally just happened like a few hours ago."

  She laughed and shook her head. "I heard from Janine, over in Eton, who heard it from Sarah in Harrow, who saw Miss Bryant. Apparently, Miss Bryant has been crying all day. AND... Esther says that Kate overheard Miss Bryant talking to another of the Eton teachers about her boyfriend—how he was supposed to propose but didn't."

  She stood and paced the room. I set my jaw. No matter what I said to this girl, no matter what she promised, the truth of the situation would come out sooner or later. I might as well control it as much as possible. Besides, I needed information about everything going on here, and this girl could probably give it to me.

  "I'm Sydney," I told her, and she stopped pacing the floor.

  "I'm Olivia." Grinning ear to ear, she took a seat back at my desk. "Oh my god! I can't believe that Mrs. Bryant's boyfriend bonded with a student. But you're like eighteen, right? So, I guess that's not too shocking…"

  I cut her off, "I'm sixteen." If rumors were going to be spread anyway, they might as well be true.

  I let that sink in with the girl, her eyes wide and mouth in an "O" shape.

  I shuffled through my new school clothes in the closet and asked casually, "What do you know about bonded pairs or mates or whatever all this is."

  "Hmmm," she hummed, ignoring my question. Coming up next to me to look through the clothes, she began pulling things out. "Here, wear this, no one wears the vests, you should take that back. Wear the fleece or wool sweater—no coat. You won't need the coat unless you're outside for a long time." She pressed her lips together and pulled one of the pleated plaid skirts from the closet. "It looks long, but just roll it up at the waist."

  I examined the white blouse, tie, and skirt she'd picked out for me. "Thanks… so what do you know about bond mates?"

  She smiled and groaned, "You really don't know about mated pairs?" She blew out a long breath, creasing her forehead.

  "No," I said, my hands flipping through the clothes still hanging in the closet.

  "Girl, girl, girl, girl! This gonna take ALL night, I don't have all night." She looked around my room before settling back in the chair.

  I twisted the ring on my finger, "How about just the cliff notes then?"

  She sniffed. "Okay, so what exactly do you want to know?"

  "I have no idea. Start at the beginning?"

  She shook her head, "Bonds? Where have you been—Antarctica?"

  I opened my mouth to speak, but apparently, my expression had already spoken for me, and Olivia cut me off. "Okay, so usually two people who are married or even only engaged might decide to take their relationship to the next level—into bonded mates. But like, the dragons have to really love each other, and the families need to get along…"

  "So, can anyone have a dragon bond?"

  Oliva raised her eyebrows. "No. Not anyone, bonds have to be between either two dragons or two wyverns. So, like I have a wyvern... I could only try to bond with a guy who has a wyvern. Does that make sense?"

  I furrowed my brow, letting her words sink in. "Okay, so like why is everyone so freaked out about Ashe and me? We both have dragons. Also, what happens if dragons just bond on their own?"

  Shaking her head, she laughed and slapped her hand on the desk. "Are you kidding? Dragons DON'T bond on their own. No one bonds just randomly. You said your dragons bonded on their own? No, that's crazy, no one does that. Besides, he's like what? Twenty-something? He's going to be in big trouble... You can't bond with a minor, that's illegal."

  I frowned and stared at Becca's memorabilia covered wall, not really seeing it. "We had no choice. I didn't even know what was happening—and there was no way that Ashe could control Eondian during the ritual. That thing is huge, and he just went ape shit crazy! I mean, Ashe tried to protect me. He tried to stop him…"

  "Wow," she whispered, tucking her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them.

  I nodded. "His dragon nearly killed me trying to get to Aaraeth."

  She pursed her lips and shook her head. "What? Wait a minute. You just did the ritual? Like at your age?"

  "Yeah, I've heard that I'm a bit older…"

  "What? Seriously? No. They shouldn't have done it. No one goes through the ritual at your age. No one."

  I pursed my lips together, and we eyed each other. "I'm not lying."

  Her tattoo shifted and swirled on one exposed dark arm as we watched each other for several seconds.

  "I don't think you're lying, it's just what you're saying about a bond... and the rumors… it just seems really far-fetched. I thought the ritual wouldn't work for someone at our age, but Daende says it did."

  "Daende is your dragon?" The word dragon just stuck to my tongue. I felt ridiculous saying it.

  "She's a Wyvern—she can sense that you have a dragon. What's her name?" Olivia sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh.

  "Aaraeth."

  "Because you have a dragon, you're considered a Prime. Do you know what that means?"

  I shook my head.

  My new friend shook her head as well and blinked her eyes. "Guuuuurrrrrrl," she drew out the word.

  I rubbed one hand over my eyes. This was the second time I'd heard that Aaraeth was a Prime dragon, but I wasn't sure if I even wanted to have any dragon at all. This entire thing was just so outrageous.

  I backed up and fell into a sitting position on my bed. I'm not sure what Olivia saw on my face, but she frowned and knelt before me. "It is true, isn't it? You were raised by non-Dragonborn parents. I'm sorry," she patted my knee carefully as if I would shatter into a million pieces.

  Grinding my teeth, I gazed up into her chocolate eyes. "Ho
w do you know so much about me?"

  She pursed her lips for a moment before speaking. "It's a small school. Nothing ever happens here, so you're big news. How can everyone not all talk about you?"

  I let out a shaky breath. "All right. Give it to me. Tell me the rumors, and I'll tell you what's true."

  She narrowed her eyes before pulling herself up into the desk chair and resting her feet beside me on the bed. With hands behind her head, she leaned back in thought.

  "Okay, are you related to the Prime Leader?"

  "The Prime? I think I am…"

  "You don't know? How can you not know?" Her feet hit the floor with a thunk. "PL Lambert—are you related to him?"

  I twisted my lips, "He's my grandfather, but I don't really know him."

  "He's the PL—so yes, you are related... but that makes no sense."

  I blew out a breath and explained the whole shebang. The accident, being unschooled and just living with my dad as he traveled for work. Then I told her about how my grandmother showed up at the hospital, and I ended up here.

  She made her characteristic narrow-eyed expression. "That's crazy. I think if I hadn't grown up Dragonborn, I'd be completely freaked out. And Ashe Carrick is your mate?" She let out a shriek. "Damn! He was supposed to be proposing to my English professor Miss Bryant. Mmm, mmmm mmm mmm mmm."

  "But we're not completely bonded... If you know what I mean."

  "Wow... I hadn't thought about that. You guys didn't…?"

  I shook my head vigorously.

  "Bond mates. I definitely want a bonded mate someday." A dreamy look crossed her expression. "My mom said that she knew at first sight that my dad would be hers."

  "If everyone has a mate, then why was Ashe dating Ms. Bryant?"

  She sniffed, "No, not everyone has a mate. Ashe and Miss Bryant couldn't have a bond because she's not a Prime. She only had a wyvern. Also, it's not like pre-destined mates... well not usually. For the most part, we're just like regular mundanes. You meet someone and get along with their dragon. You can get married and be bonded. Ashe is a Prime, meaning he has a dragon—he's looked up to and counted on to settle down and have a family. I bet he never thought he'd have a bond."

  She let out a tinkling laugh that was contagious and made me smile.

  Still smiling, I said, "Don't laugh. This is crazy. My dad's going to freak out." I rechecked my phone, willing him to respond, wanting him to wake up and be all right.

  Nothing.

  "So," I narrowed my eyes back at Olivia, "My brain will explode if we talk about dragon stuff anymore. What other rumors are floating around about me?"

  She smiled…

  I slept fitfully, while Becca lightly snored in her bed.

  Finally, I gave up trying to sleep any more. The pale moonlight streamed through the windows, reminding me how far away I was from my dad. The thought sent a pang of sorrow through my heart.

  I missed him so much, and I had no way to know if he was all right. The man was fit, but not a spring chicken, being in his late fifties.

  My mind circled back to the motorcycle accident. The car hit us from the side, but thankfully it hadn't been going very fast.

  I dusted myself off and stood up, barely scratched, but dad... he hadn't been wearing a helmet.

  At first, I thought he'd be okay. Until he stumbled and couldn't speak.

  A stranger helped me get him to the hospital where they'd taken him away, leaving me to sit in a room filled with strangers who spoke a language I didn't understand.

  I thought I was alone in the world without him.

  After several hours in the waiting room, I was taken to his room. He lay there quiet and still, his head wrapped in bandages, and his eyes closed. The Vietnamese nurses tried to comfort me, but I didn't want them. I wanted my dad.

  The next day, she came into the hospital room and introduced herself as my grandmother. She told me that everything would be okay and when I looked into her eyes, I believed her.

  My memories of that night faded into the present and the window outside my room at the Academy.

  The sky was still dark outside. "Aaraeth? Are you still there?"

  Yes, she whispered inside my head.

  "Why have you been so quiet?" I breathed back to her.

  Your mind is tangled like a spider’s web. You need to process everything without interruption.

  I snorted. Do you understand all this? Why aren't you helping me more?

  A chuckle tinkled through my mind. You humans are strange. What is there to know? Why aren't you with your mate? He should be helping you.

  I thought you felt my feelings? I asked her a bit angrily. If you feel my emotions, then you know I feel sad.

  She made a low rumble in her throat, and then with a shimmer, she slid off my skin and into the room before me.

  I do feel your sorrow and anger. I don't understand why you do not just finish the bond with your mate and then find your sire to check on him.

  I groaned. "It's not that easy!"

  Really? She purred, stretching out in the middle of the room like a cat.

  Becca turned over, her eyes fluttering open. "If you're gonna talk, go outside," she grumbled, her voice gravelly from sleep before pulling herself out of bed, trudging to the window and flinging it open. "Go!" She told Aaraeth. “Meet Sydney behind the house on the terrace.”

  Aaraeth shrugged and climbed up onto the stone sill. Exhilaration filled her as she looked out into the vast valley below. Then, after craning her scaled neck to meet my gaze, she dove suddenly.

  I ran the few steps to the window, just as Becca closed it. The winter breeze still lingered in the air. Peering out, I spotted my beautiful dragon when she spread her wings and caught the breeze. After a few flaps, Aaraeth rose into the sky like a graceful, giant bird.

  Emptiness settled over me, and I rushed to dress to meet her. I hurried down the stairs quickly and quietly before opening the back door and stepping onto the patio.

  A smile slid across my lips as Aaraeth played on the frosty breeze above the silent valley. My feet took me to the low stone wall, the only barrier between me and a steep drop.

  Be careful… she told me as I perched on the ledge, watching her.

  8

  Becca's alarm woke me around six the next morning. I turned in my covers and watched her silence her phone before slipping her bare feet onto the cold wood floor. After our gazes met awkwardly, I turned over but could still hear the rustling clothing sounds and the cabinet doors being opened.

  "I'm taking a shower," she touched the hump that was my shoulder beneath the blanket. "You really should get up."

  I answered her with a groan and stayed in bed. She sniffed, but said nothing, leaving me to lie there or not.

  Finally, after a few agonizing moments, I pulled myself to my feet and staggered to the wardrobe. The mirror on the door reflected my messy blond hair and the dark circles beneath my eyes.

  "I need coffee!" I sighed in a gravelly voice.

  Dependency is a sign of weakness. I startled when Aaraeth answered me, her crisp, metallic voice as clear as if she were standing in front of me.

  I squeezed my eyes closed at this new reality.

  Pulling open the cupboard door before me, I frowned at what Olivia had picked out for me. Spotting a shopping bag I hadn't noticed before, I pulled it off the shelf, the paper rustling in the quiet room. Inside the bag were several silky and cotton underwear pairs along with two satin bras—one white and one black.

  I checked the sizes—they should fit. Shivering, I slipped out of my pajama t-shirt before examining the white bra. I unpinned the tag, adjusted the straps, and wrapped it around myself to clasp it in the back. Then, sifting through the black and white underwear, I selected a black pair and slipped those on.

  As for the uniform, I opted for a long-sleeve button-down, with a dark V-neck sweater over the top. I completed the look with black wool slacks instead of the plaid skirt Olivia had suggested.

&nbs
p; Examining myself in the mirror, I touched the trim that edged my sweater. These were my house colors—blue and green.

  Was Drake a good house to be in? I knew nothing about boarding school houses other than what I'd read in Harry Potter. Was I in the Slytherin of Balaur?

  The whole situation made me laugh with its absurdity.

  Maybe I'd been injured in that car crash myself… and this was all some crazy fever dream.

  Only… I knew it wasn't.

  This crazy reality, this absolutely ridiculous situation I found myself in was unquestionably, and undeniably, real.

  I knew in the depths of my soul that this was happening.

  And honestly, for the first time in my life, I felt... normal.

  Normal? My dragon asked.

  "No," I whispered, feeling foolish about talking to the air.

  She peeped up one swirling blue and green eye onto my neck to inspect me in the mirror.

  I cleared my throat. "I don't know. I guess…"

  You can think to me. You don't have to talk.

  I rolled my eyes and shook my head, speaking anyway. "Forget it."

  She snorted, and a puff of white smoke rose from my neckline.

  I did feel different, though, maybe comfortable in my own skin. I'd always felt a bit out of place but never thought there was an extraordinary reason.

  The exact feeling was tough to put a finger on.

  As I stood there staring at my reflection in thought, Becca popped back inside the room in a productive flutter.

  She sat down at her desk wrapped in a towel, her tan bra straps crisscrossing over her back.

  I pursed my lips, questions bubbling up in my mind to ask her about the school. I'd never set foot in a classroom in my entire life.

  "What? Why are you staring at me?" She burst out, turning in her seat after she flicked her blow-dryer off.

  My eyes went wide, and I looked away. "Sorry... I was thinking... Um… I've never gone to school before."

  She laid her brush down. "Seriously?"

  I nodded.

  Rising from her seat, she sifted through the papers on my desk before going to the closet and pulling out my new backpack. Propping the full bag on the counter, she emptied the contents until she found what she'd been looking for.