by Martha Carr
“Be my guest.” Headmaster Flynn gestured for him to follow, then turned to lead the way.
William caught Teo’s reins and led his dragon gently toward the stables. Raven gave Leander a questioning look.
He hadn’t moved from where he’d lowered himself to let her dismount and now actually looked quite comfortable. “I’ll stay here.”
“Okay.” She caught up to William and walked beside him. “Any thoughts so far?”
“Yeah. So far, it looks like they’ve gotten the basic shape right.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Headmaster Flynn’s overseeing the whole thing. I think he knows what he’s doing.”
“Maybe.” His frown remained in place as he leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Still, keep an eye out and be careful with Leander on the grounds. I’m not saying you wouldn’t be already, but dragons aren’t built for academia.”
Raven laughed in response, then pressed her lips together when he didn’t seem to think it was very funny.
“What I’m saying is that dragons are either with their clans or in a pen like Leander’s. They aren’t part of a menagerie or a school playground.”
“I hear you.” She nudged his arm with her elbow. “And I have total faith that Leander will be absolutely fine—maybe even better than waiting for me at the ranch every day. It might take a little adjustment, but that’s nothing new for us.”
Finally, his frown softened and he gave her a crooked smile. “No, it’s definitely not.”
They reached the pen as the professors finished lifting everything into place. The glow of their spells faded, and Professor Fellows stepped back with a nod. “I think that’s everything.”
“Thank you.” Headmaster Flynn nodded and studied the large pen with a satisfied nod.
“Wow.” William glanced at Teo but the regal silver dragon beside him said nothing. “That’s a big pen.”
“It’s perfect.” Raven glanced at the eaves of the stables hanging out over one side of the structure. “It’s open to the sky and has a little shelter. And it’s almost twice the size of the pen on Moss Ranch. That’s a ton of extra space.”
“Yeah, enough to build considerable momentum if he makes his mind up to try to charge through these walls.” William squinted at the new pen, handed Teo’s reins to Raven, and leapt up the stairs onto the platform beside the gate. He peered over the top and gestured inside. “Do you have feed to fill that trough?”
Headmaster Flynn gazed at the dragon trainer without raising his head. “And a basin Miss Alby can fill with water as needed.”
“Right.” He jumped off the platform and nodded toward the stables. “Do you have space for extra dragon tack in there?”
“It’s sufficient.”
“What about the other animals? Keeping any sheep or goats nearby might be more of a problem than you might think.”
Flynn clasped his hands behind his back and lowered his chin to stare at William from beneath his bushy eyebrows. “This isn’t my first time around a dragon, young Mr. Moss.”
“I know. But it’s your first time around a dragon at a school full of mages in training.” Clearing his throat, William turned and made another sweeping glance of the pen and the adjoining stables. “I have to ask about containment, Headmaster. Moss Ranch uses a—”
“Mr. Moss, I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that none of the staff at Fowler Academy have a dragon trainer’s experience, nor are they equipped to handle any…containment issues, should they arise.”
“They won’t,” Raven added and handed Teo’s reins to William.
“Yes, Miss Alby. I’m inclined to agree with you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have suggested this arrangement. But I will say that we’ve built something of an alarm system into this pen should anything happen.”
“It won’t.”
“Yes, Miss Alby. Thank you.”
Raven bit her lower lip and shared an amused glance with William but fought not to laugh.
“Both myself and these staff members here will be alerted—as will you, Miss Alby. In addition, I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that the wards around your dragon’s pen have been specifically bound to your access rune alone, Miss Alby.”
She touched her forearm beneath the sleeve of her jacket and glanced at the gate. “Only mine?”
“That is the only key, yes. I sincerely hope the mages in training attending this school have more than enough sense to keep well away from a dragon enclosure, but I understand the follies of youth all too well.”
“What about you?’ she asked.
“What about me, Miss Alby?”
“Can you open that gate?”
“I have absolutely no reason to want to try in the first place.” The corners of the headmaster’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Neither do your other professors.”
“That is a…remarkable understatement, Headmaster Flynn.” Ambrose stared at Teo with wide eyes and licked her lips.
“Headmaster.” Raven waited for him to turn toward her. “Thank you. For making this happen and building this for Leander. And for trusting me with…” She chuckled and patted her forearm. “The key.”
“As I mentioned this afternoon, Miss Alby, I expect great things from outstanding potential. And I believe that potential is impossible to reach from the end of a very short leash.”
Chapter Twelve
With a broad grin, she nodded and looked at William again. “So, it’s a good deal, huh?”
The dragon trainer laughed despite his reservations and ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah. I’d say most of my concerns at this point are probably instinctual.”
“Which means you’re doing your job, Mr. Moss.” The headmaster nodded and turned toward the other professors. “I believe we’re finished for the evening—unless there’s anything you may wish to add.”
“No,” Ambrose muttered and her voice squeaked a little as she shook her head. “Goodnight.” The woman turned on her heel and hurried across the open field toward the main cluster of Fowler Academy’s buildings.
Gilliam gave Raven a polite smile. “Get your familiar settled, Miss Alby. I’ll wait for you in the girls’ dormitory when you’re finished. You have settling in of your own to do today.”
“Thanks, Professor.”
As the woman turned away, Professor Fellows grinned at Teo, then peered around Raven for another look at Leander. The red dragon’s head rested on his front paws, his eyes seemingly closed.
She didn’t have to turn to check. He’s listening to everything.
“It’s incredible,” Fellows said and shook his head in amazement. “Having that dragon around might put an extra bounce in Worley’s step, huh? Well done, Miss Alby. I’ll see you in class.” The weapons professor turned and left those gathered around the pen.
“Why didn’t Professor Worley come out tonight to help?” Raven asked the headmaster. “I thought he’d be almost as excited as you to have a dragon around.”
“Oh, I’m sure he is.” Flynn smiled at her again but it suddenly made him look tired and sad. “Professor Worley turned in early for the evening.” The headmaster looked at the sky and the brightest stars already visible before twilight faded into black. “And I’m not that far behind him. If you need anything else, Miss Alby, you know where to find me. Mr. Moss. Goodnight.”
“ʼNight,” William replied with a nod.
“Thank you, Headmaster.”
Flynn raised a hand in reply but didn’t turn as he headed back toward the school’s main buildings.
“Who’s Professor Worley?”
“He handles familiar training.” Raven stared after the fading shapes of her professors. “And he has at least two familiars. Probably more.”
“Two?” William scoffed and shook his head. “Mages.”
“I heard that.” Raven smiled at the sight of Leander, who still lay motionless with his head on his paws. “It’s time to show my familiar his new temporary home.”
&nb
sp; “All right. It’s almost dark.” William nodded at Teo. “We should get back too.”
“I agree.” The silver dragon raised his head to gaze at the rapidly darkening sky.
“Keep an eye on him, okay?” The dragon trainer leaned his head toward Raven and lowered his voice as if they were still surrounded by all her professors. “You’re the only familiar thing he has here, so try not to mix things up too much.”
“Like today. I know. Dragons and consistency.”
“And consider taking him out on a lead, at least while you’re here. There are other animals in the stables, students everywhere…that’s many more distractions than on the ranch where he grew up.”
“It can’t be any more distracting than all the other dragons and trainers packed together in Nadine.” Raven folded her arms and bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Leander passed with flying colors on that one.”
“You both did. But Nadine didn’t have a horde of hormonal teenagers running around while they try to get a grasp on their mage abilities. Plus whatever else goes on here.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
William laughed and stepped closer to Teo when she fixed him with a mock frown. “Hey, how am I supposed to know? I’ve never been to magic school.”
“Okay, well, for the most part, it’s like any other kind of school—except for the occasional explosion and a few familiars temporarily running around as hybrid animals. And a dragon.”
“Yep. Only regular, everyday stuff for non-mages too. Totally.”
Raven folded her arms, still feigning insult. “Watch it, flyboy.”
“Woah. Do you hear that, Teo?” With a chuckle, William stepped into the stirrup and swung into his dragon’s saddle. “Now I’m starting to wonder if it’s the dragon training the rider.”
Teo stared at him, then turned his head on his long neck and bared his teeth in a dragon’s grin. “You mean to say you never considered the possibility?”
“Okay, buddy. Don’t get any ideas.” He settled into the saddle and turned to call, “’Night, Leander.”
The red dragon didn’t open his eyes. “Not yet.”
“Thanks for the help. And the tips.” Raven thumped her foot idly against her satchel and grinned. “Try not to worry about us, okay? We got this. You showed us how and we’ll be fine.”
“I know, war mage. Don’t be a stranger while you’re livin’ the life at magic school.”
“It’s a fifteen-minute flight, William. If we take our time.”
“Uh-huh. Good luck.”
Teo inclined his head toward her as his wings stretched fully. “Raven.”
“Bye, Teo.”
The silver dragon launched high and a few blades of broken grass flurried in the slipstream before the thick flap of his powerful wings receded into the night.
Raven watched them until they vanished in the darkness. It’s still an awesome thing to watch a dragon land and take off. I prefer being the rider, though. She walked toward Leander, who made no effort to move even when she stopped a few feet in front of him. “Are you ready to break your new home in?”
“I’ve grown fond of this patch of grass.”
“I think you’ll grow even fonder of a much bigger pen and far more privacy. Unless, of course, you look forward to being woken by a horde of ogling…what was that again?” She smirked when Leander opened one eye and settled his gaze on her.
The massive red dragon snorted but he pushed to his feet like she knew he would. “Children.”
“Oh, that’s right.” She stretched beneath his belly to unfasten the straps of the saddle, pulled it off carefully, and placed it on the grass. “If you’re not an early riser, I can’t promise the children won’t wake you.”
“I rise before the sun, Raven. Exactly like you.”
She didn’t voice her surprise but instead, pressed her hand against his shoulder as they walked toward his new home. Can he really feel it when I wake up?
When they reached the gate, she removed her jacket despite the returned chill after sundown and tossed it over her shoulder. She raised the underside of her forearm toward it and exposed the access rune put there on her first day of school. It glowed with a dim orange light before the barrier did the same. A bolt slid out of the pen wall and the gate opened. “No handle, huh? At least that’ll stop people from trying to open this on their own.”
“It wouldn’t have stopped you from trying.” He nudged her shoulder with his snout.
Raven laughed and stepped through the open gate into his new pen. “That’s a good point. It’s not the same here, though. Everyone knows you’re my familiar and there’s nothing to try to save you from now.”
“Not even the threat of clipped wings.” He passed gracefully through the open gate, which left far more room for his broad shoulders than the pen at Moss Ranch.
That one was way too small. He’ll be happier here. “That’s right. Not even the threat.” She walked backward across the enclosure and glanced at the stairs before she gestured around her. “It’s seriously roomy in here, right?’
“Maybe for you.” He stopped in the center in front of her and spread his wings as far as they would go. A low rumble rose from his chest. “Maybe for me.”
“Look at that. There are a few extra feet on either side. No more wing cramps, either.”
The massive, translucent wings folded over his back and he turned in a few slow, lumbering circles before he settled and curled into himself. “It might benefit you to study more dragon anatomy, little girl.”
Chuckling, she stepped toward him. The dragon’s forelegs shifted apart to give her space to step as close as she could to his huge, regal head. “Really? What did I miss?”
“I don’t get cramps.”
“Oh, okay.” She laughed and with both hands, stroked his large, ridged muzzle. “But you gotta admit the extra room to stretch is a big improvement.”
Leander closed his eyes as she ran her hand from the top of his nose to the middle of his broad forehead. “I appreciate the grass.”
“I’m glad. This will be good for us, Leander. I know it. Do you need anything before I go find out where I’ll sleep?”
“Which building?” His voice was quieter now, almost soft.
Raven turned and could barely see the top of the girls’ dormitory where it peeked above the edge of the pen. “It’s the wide rectangular building on this side of the towers. I bet I’ll be able to see you from my window.” I hope.
“I’ll be waiting for you.” The dragon pressed his snout against her side and with another small laugh, she wound her arms around her familiar’s warm, scaled head.
“I won’t be late.”
Chapter Thirteen
With the saddles stored in the stable and her dragon turned in for the night, Raven stopped at the entrance to the girls’ dormitory and looked at the multiple stories. She sighed and grimaced as the oilskin bag cut into her shoulder. I hope I’m not all the way at the top.
The door opened and Gilliam poked her head out. “Follow me, Miss Alby. You’re in time for lights-out and I suggest you turn in.” The woman’s mouth widened in an enormous yawn that ended with a little hiccup. “Excuse me. Obviously, I’ll do the same very soon.”
“I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”
“No, no. It’s fine.” The woman gestured for her to enter and waited for her to comply before she pulled the door shut again. “One can’t rush a dragon, I suppose.”
She stifled a laugh. “Very true.”
“All right, Miss Alby. This is the common room. It’s open for use whenever you wish, but we do expect the students living on academy grounds to abide by lights-out. The last time I was woken in the middle of the night by a backfiring invisibility spell, that student had detention for a month.”
“Woah. That sounds kind of harsh, doesn’t it?”
Gilliam looked over her shoulder with a highly amused little smirk. “Not compared to the alternative. Professo
r Fellows wanted to help the boy perfect the spell, then make him attend weapons classes for a week where none of the others could see him.”
Yeah, being invisible wouldn’t be good around all those weapons. “Fair enough.”
Professor Gilliam led her across the common room filled with couches, armchairs, low tables, and a few desks. At the far end of the room, a large staircase rose before it separated to the left and the right. “Those take you to the east and west wings. You’ll be on the west, although they connect again on each floor. Oh, let me help you with your bag.”
“I got it, thanks.”
“Don’t be silly.” The woman slid her hand around the strap of the oilskin bag and her eyes bulged when she tried to lift it from her shoulder.
“Really, Professor Gilliam. I’m fine.”
“Yes.” The woman grimaced and shook her head. “I’m sure you can handle it.”
She smiled and waited for the professor to lead her up the staircase. The benefits of being a goat rancher.
They went up two flights of steps and stopped on the third floor of the four-story dormitory. Her guide turned to make sure she was still there, then gestured down the hall. “We’re almost there.”
“Great.” She puffed a sigh and hiked her luggage a little higher on her shoulder. The straps dug into her even worse than before. It feels like I’ve carried this all day.
At the end of the hall, the woman stopped and knocked on the second-to-last closed door on the left. A muffled shuffle and a squeak came from the room before the handle turned and the door opened slowly. “Ah. Miss Kinsley. You finally have a roommate.”
Elizabeth Kinsley opened the door a little farther and returned to her bed without a word. Her bat familiar flapped a few times on top of the comforter as the young mage climbed onto the mattress and crossed her legs. She didn’t look up from her book when Raven stepped into the doorway.
“I’m sure if you have any questions, Miss Kinsley can answer them for you. Lights-out is in five, Miss Alby. That doesn’t apply to your room, of course, but the rest of the building is expected to be empty, dark, and quiet for the rest of the night.”