Rainbow Magic (Dragon Rider #1) {EDITING}

Chapter Two: An Unusual Colour

The stone they'd placed down was working. Of that she was certain, having seen the soft white glow of Cynthia's magic.

Which meant this was something else entirely.

And nobody knew what it meant.

"The kid turned the dragon that weird rainbow of colours," Ethan said, "which means she qualifies to go to the Outer City no matter what the issue is with her magic." His eyes flickered over to her, his body tensed as though he was about to fight. Sora silently prayed she wouldn't be his opponent if that were the case. "There's an egg waiting for her."

Cynthia nodded, holding out a loop of thin black cord. From it dangled the tag, embossed on the small metal plate, the design a pattern of swirling lines branching and crossing over one another. "Here you go, kiddo." She smiled, guiding her over towards the hyperactive blonde and her evil self-appointed nemesis. "There's another method we can use to test your magic when we get back to the city. I'll wrangle Ethan into arranging something."

"Really?"

"Really." She pushed Sora forwards. "Now go and make some friends while Ethy finishes up."

She blinked. "Ethy?"

Cynthia winked. "Don't tell him I called him that."

Sora smiled, eyeing up the group heading to the Outer City. There were thirteen of them, out of the original hundred odd sixteen-year-olds who'd taken part. Tabitha was unfortunately one. Raelynn was another, and all too soon she decided to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Raelynn," she said, grinning widely. "You're Sora, right?"

"Yep." She nodded, eyeing up the hyper girl in front of her.

She'd seen Raelynn around the town before but had never really spoken to her. Thankfully she wasn't part of the crowd who'd followed Tabitha around – so she didn't know the contours of her face as well as she did Tabitha's – but she'd never gone out of her way to talk to the girl. The fact was, Raelynn seemed far too energetic to her... like some sort of puppy... and she was more of a laid back person, all fights aside.

Doe-like brown eyes peered at her curiously, glimmering with excitement and a hint of mischief, her wavy blonde hair falling past her shoulders, shorter strands framing her face as she fired off question after question at her.

Only Ethan's timely arrival saved her from running away screaming. Raelynn was nice, yes, but there was only so much of her she could take. She was quiet by nature, and her newfound blonde friend was the complete opposite.

"Right bra—"

Cynthia's elbow jabbed into his ribs. "Ethan."

He rolled his eyes. "Right, delightful children, it's time to say your goodbyes to the people you call parents."

"And after?" Raelynn tilted her head, biting her lip. "Where are we going after?"

"The train station, id—"

Cynthia's elbow struck again. "Play nice, dammit!"

Raelynn snorted. "Get a room."

Sora edged away, knowing the other girl's fate almost instantly, not wishing to be associated with her as she eagerly eyed up the door leading out to the courtyard. Behind it somewhere were her parents – and they would be just as eager to know the results from her little test. Enthusiasm bubbled up inside her. They'd be happy. She knew that much straight away.

They also wouldn't have any sympathy for the idiotic blonde being held in a headlock that very second.

Well, maybe they would. They tended to be a bit nicer to everyone compared to Sora's treatment of them. She may have held a tiny bit of a grudge against the town and its low opinion of her. Her parents didn't, but Sora couldn't bring herself to love them any less for that. They'd grown used to the fact they were colourless, and they worked hard to prove their worth... just like what Sora was planning to do now she was going to the Outer City.