Rainbow Magic (Dragon Rider #1) {EDITING}

Chapter Fourteen: The Ghosts He Sees

"It's about your kids, isn't it?"

Oz stiffened. No matter how Cynthia might play the fool, she was still ridiculously sharp, as was Ethan. It was how they'd gotten to know the boy underneath all the punching and dead eyed glares... Not to mention Ethan had been there that day.

He hadn't called him a monster, unlike that other boy who'd been sworn to silence about the events of that day.

"We both met the annoyingly cheerful blondie on the train," Cynthia said, sighing quietly. "If that didn't give me flashbacks to our own annoyingly cheerful blondie in our old cohort then I don't know what would."

Ethan's face darkened. "He also has a set of twins, a not-quite couple, a prickly hedgehog and a girl who can't arrive on time for the life of her..."

Cynthia winced. "The Dragon Council really screwed you over with that arrangement," she said, resting her head on her hand while she waited for her pizza to arrive. "It's almost like they want you to become an alcoholic."

"They were just the leftovers," Oz mumbled, taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage their server had just set down, ignoring the pointed looks they both threw his way. "Ones who couldn't fit into any other group due to their... quirks..."

"As long as the idiotic blondie doesn't decide to start spouting stuff like wanting to join the Dragon Council, and spread love and butterflies, then I think we'll be OK... otherwise I think Rinny-boy will have a heart attack," Ethan said. "Until then, though, I think we'll have to have this little talk-therapy session at least once a week."

"Oh god," Oz muttered.

"Cheer up, Ozzy." Cynthia grinned. "It just means you'll have to be slightly less antisocial compared to usual."

Ethan sipped his own drink. "Otherwise we will hunt you down."

"Joy."

Cynthia pouted. "You mean you don't enjoy hanging out with us?"

He slumped in his seat, defeated as he stared between his two friends. "The less I touch, the less I break."

"Kinky."

Oz glared at her. "Ethan, shut your woman up."

"She's not my woman."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, which one of us does she want to kiss?"

"Your sexy abs, probably."

Oz choked, spluttering on his alcohol. "Ethan?"

"Yes?"

"Never use the words sexy and my abs in the same sentence ever again," he muttered, wiping at the remnants of his spilt drink at his lips.

"You'll be fine, Ozzy," Cynthia said, smiling as she looked out of the window next to their booth. "Don't you worry."

Shaking his head, he glanced at the ground, a grimace on his lips. "They've given me one of the keys."

Ethan stiffened.

Cynthia blinked. "You're kidding?" she whispered. "Even though you've got your kids?"

"Yes, my cute students are going to be in danger for the next few months," he muttered, folding his arms. "All because of those idiots on the Council."

"What's the hope he doesn't turn up again this year?" Ethan asked, a resigned expression on his face. They all knew the likelihood of that happening.

Practically none.

"They say they think I'm one of the few who might be able to go toe to toe with him and actually live," he said, staring at the table in silence as their food arrived. "They don't seem to realise I won't be able to use my full strength if my cute little students are nearby."

"Let alone in the city..." Ethan mumbled, his face oddly pale until Cynthia squeezed his leg. "Dammit, woman!" he hissed, flinching away from her. "Not the legs!"

"You were going all broody and serious," Cynthia said, hands on hips. "You know I don't like it when you go all like that."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Onto a lighter topic then?"

She nodded. "Yeah, yeah! Let's think about what cloaks Oz's kiddies are going to get their hands on..."

"Probably the same ones my team would've got if we'd gotten the chance to take the damned test," Oz mumbled, his expression blank and closed-off. "But wartime regulations didn't allow us to..."

"What cloaks did you think you were going to get?" Ethan asked.

He shrugged. "No idea."

"Speaking of your kiddies..." Cynthia leant forwards, a catlike grin on her face. "When are you going to tell them all about the instinctive flow of magic?"

"They'll realise how much you care, no doubt... so I'm guessing a few years at least," Ethan mumbled, smirking at the glare Oz sent his way. "Come on, you have to at least throw hints at them... otherwise they'll think you're punching them for no good reason other than your own amusement."

"Shut up." Oz folded his arms.

"Dammit Oz, stop being a sour face, or you'll end up like Ethan!"

"What's wrong with me?" Ethan hissed.

Cynthia deadpanned. "Everything."

"Why you—!"

Lips twitched up into a small smile. He really did love his friends, and all their weird ways of cheering him up.