Firebolt

Chapter 15

AFTER I LEFT Master Longwei’s office, it was time for lunch. I swiftly entered the cafeteria and found Becky's table. Lucian was not there yet.

“Are you okay?” Becky asked as I sat down.

“Just don’t make me think about anything. Please,” I pleaded.

“Elena?” They both wanted to know what was going on.

“Hey, Sweetheart, you ready for sparring classes?” Lucian plunged down on the pillow right next to me, and I couldn't help but smile at him.

“I probably don't have a choice.” I sulked and he chuckled.

“It’s not that bad.”

“Excuse me, you are a slave driving demon when it comes to fighting,” Becky snapped at him playfully.

“It got you your dragon,” he countered.

“Not the one I was hoping for.”

“Sorry.” I stood up. “I need to get something in my system before Professor Mia’s class. Collin’s probably going to kill me today.”

“He’s a push-over,” Becky said, using a singsong tone.

“Give it a month, and he is going to be the one sulking,” Lucian promised and was right next to me. He gave me a side hug.

COLLIN, ENOUGH!” I yelled as he hit me with another blow that landed me flat on my butt. He laughed. Now I was sure that Lucian would deliver, because I was determined to kick Collin’s ass.

“Elena, go to Constance. She can heal the cuts and bruises,” Professor Mia said in a concerned tone. Blood soaked through my sleeves and my elbows felt raw and painful. “You don't need to walk around in agony.” A small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and I nodded before running to the exit.

Maybe it was all I needed, to see Constance's friendly face again. She somehow made me feel like I wasn’t an outcast. I knocked on the door, and she smiled, nodding for me to enter. “Look who’s here,” she sang, but her smile disappeared as she saw the agony on my face. “Come here.” Her arms were open and she hugged me tightly. Her arms felt so motherly, and she even gave me a soft kiss on my head.

“It's so hard,” I sulked, and my mouth felt parched. She poured me a glass of water and handed it to me. “Just look at me.” I showed her my elbows.

She took my arms softly and examined me.

She's really beautiful.

“It's going to be okay, Elena. Before you know it, everything is going to make sense and I'm sure with the help of Lucian, you’ll not have these anymore.” She gestured to my bruises.

“Why didn't you tell me?” I whispered.

She squinted and looked as if she was thinking really hard about what I was asking.

“That you’re a dragon.”

She giggled as her hands started to glow. I couldn't take my eyes off them.

“At the time you had a lot to cope with.” She laid her hands on both my raw elbows and a warm tingling sensation started to emerge from her palms. It went deep into my skin and felt as if it reached inside of my bones.

“Why didn't you heal me the first time this way?”

She smiled. “Because it would have freaked you out, and Master Longwei suggested that a natural healing process might be the best at that time, considering we were trying to keep you sane.” She stroked my elbows as if she tried to wipe something away. “There, I'm sure that feels much better.”