Notes From a Dragon Queen

Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry it took so long to produce this shit excuse for a chapter, but my brain doesn't know what words are. Yay writers block. But not gonna lie guys, the ending of this chapter made me scream. So buckle up I guess.

"Try again." Seyr ripped into a deer's head. She was teaching Zephrine some basic spells, just how to conjure the elements and moving simple objects.

"Hoc uri." Zephrine barely got a spark out of the kindling in front of her. "This isn't going to work."

"Yes, it will. You just need to stop being so distracted."

"You're right, maybe if you stop chewing on that deer so loudly, I could concentrate."

"This forest is crawling with deer, I'm simply helping the population. But I'm talking about the prince. You two have been going at it ever since you initiated that game."

"Hoc uri." Zephrine shut Seyr out, focusing on her kindling. A small fire started, just big enough to last for a few minutes.

"That's good. Now put it out." Seyr spit out a bone.

"Restinguere aedificavi." It took Zephrine several tries before she successfully extinguished the flame. "Let me guess, you want me to keep lighting and putting it out until I can do it in one try?"

"You learn fast." Seyr reached back and scratched her tail.

"How was magic training?" Xavier set down a plate of chicken in front of Zephrine when she returned to the castle.

"Good. I started a fire."

"WHAT?" Xavier almost choked on a carrot.

"I was supposed to."

"Did you at least put it out?"

"That was also part of what I was supposed to do."

"God, Zephrine, you can't just say things like, 'Oh, I started a fire.'" Xavier put his hand over his heart, clearly reassured, though smiling the whole time.

"In my defense, it was a small fire."

"In my defense, I was worried you burnt half the citadel down."

Zephrine scooted closer to Xavier, taking his hand in hers and leaning on his chest, where she could hear his heart hammering like a drum. "Oh, did I scare you?"

"Was that not clear?" Xavier wrapped an arm around Zephrine's shoulder, holding her closer. His gentle laugh drew closer as his lips ever so slightly landed on her forehead, just below her hairline.

"Now you're really laying it on thick."

"Is that a problem?"

"Not at all." Zephrine twisted her way out of Xavier's grip. "I'm going to go visit Rhys and Caius. But don't look so sad, you're finally catching up to me."