𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𓆩⟡𓆪 𝕏𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕟 ℝ𝕚𝕠𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟

「 ✦ 0.32 ✦ 」

'Then get out of my head.' I snap back and I can imagine him rolling his eyes at my response. He is so nosey.

'No chance.'

I don't respond and focus back on Professor Kaori. When he is satisfied that the bandages will hold, he meets my eyes.

"You'll be focused on strengthening your bonds and riding in the next couple of months, so as long as you don't have trouble mounting or dismounting" --his head tilts as he looks over my wounds once more --"which, after what I saw, I don't think you will--your wounds should heal before your next round of challenges."

"Thank you, Professor Kaori." I say, smiling gratefully at the man standing in front of me. He nods and goes to clean up the gauze used to clean my cuts.

"Have you seen any of my squad that made it out with a dragon?" I ask, fear knotting my throat. I hope everyone has made it out.

"I haven't seen Trina or Tynan," Professor Kaori answers slowly, like he's trying to soften a blow. It doesn't.

"Tynan was killed..by a dragon." I say, alluding to the fact that he was killed by Tairn. It was not my kill and I couldn't just make it my kill. I feel Tairn shoot a sense of gratitude that I didn't take credit for his kill.

"I see," Professor Kaori murmurs.

"What the hell do you mean you think it needs surgery?" Jack bellows from my left.

"I mean, it looks like the weapon severed a couple of ligaments, but we'll have to get you to the healers to be sure," the other instructor says, his voice infinitely patient as he secures Jack's sling.

I look Jack straight in those evil eyes and smirk. I feel a sense of pride that I was able to completely destroy his shoulder. He deserved it for trying to kill an innocent dragon. All for fun.

Rage mottles his cheeks in the mage light, and he swings his feet over the end of his table and charges toward me. I don't even flinch. "You!"

"Yes?" I smile widely and slip off the end of my table and let my hand fall to my sides, close to my daggers, just in case.

Professor Kaori's eyebrows jump as he glances between us. "You?" he murmurs.

I nod, not taking my eyes off Jack. But Professor Kaori moves between us, throwing his palm out at Jack. "I wouldn't get any closer to her."

"Hiding behind our instructors now, Whitlock?" Jack's uninjured fist curls.

"I took you down out there and I can take you down here too." I raise my chin. "I'm not the one who ran like a little bitch."

"She doesn't need to hide behind me when she's bonded to the most powerful dragon of your year," Professor Kaori warns Jack, whose eyes narrow on me. "Your orange is a good choice, Barlowe. Baide, right? He's had four other riders before you."

Jack nods.

Professor Kaori looks back over his shoulder at the line of dragons. "As aggressive as Baide might be, from the way Tairn's looking at you, he'll have no problem scorching your bones into the earth if you take another step toward his rider."

Jack stares at me in disbelief. "You?"

"Damn right." The throbbing in my neck and stomach have gone to a dull ache, reminding me it could open at any second. I didn't care, I would fight like hell if anyone tried to come after me or my dragons.

He shakes his head, and the look in his eyes transforms from shock, to envy, to fear as he pivots toward the professor. "I don't know what she told you about what happened out there---"