Celestial: Garrick Tavis

Chapter 5

In the past week, I have received a lifetime worth of death stares from the rebels. Seeing me alive and walking is something they don't want, a liability.

Violet asked me if I was okay the morning after the incident. I just brushed it off and told her not to worry.

There isn't much she can do anyway. Xadan and Garrick have been watching me, but mostly Garrick.

Xaden is too busy watching Violet to care too much about what I do.

And here I am sitting in Professor Kaori's classroom listening to him ramble on about dragons.

"Keep the temperaments of each specific breed in mind when you decide which dragons to approach and which to run from at Threshing," Professor Kaori says. He changes the projection he's conjured from a Green Daggertail to a Red Scorpiontail.

His signet really fascinates me, the way the projection has so much detail. As if the dragon is right in front of me.

"Red Scorpiontails, like Ghrian here, are the quickest to temper," Professor Kaori continues.

I scribble down some notes, it's good to understand what you will face soon.

"So if you offend him, you're—"

"Lunch," Ridoc says from my left, and the class laughs.

Even Jack Barlowe, who is constantly glaring in our direction, snorts.

"Precisely," Professor Kaori responds. "So what's the best way to approach a Red Scorpiontail?" He glances around the room.

"You don't," Rhiannon mutters, and I release a small laugh .

"They prefer that you approach from the left and from the front, if possible," a woman from one of the other squads answers.

"Excellent." Professor Kaori nods. "For this Threshing, there are three Red Scorpiontails willing to bond." The image changes in front of us to a different dragon.

"How many dragons are there in total?" Rhiannon asks.

"A hundred for this year," Professor Kaori answers, changing the image again. "But some might change their minds during Presentation in about two months, depending on what they see."

"That's thirty-seven fewer than last year."

Professor Kaori's dark eyebrows rise. "Yes, Cadet Sorrengail, it is, and twenty-six fewer than the year before that."

"Will they tell you why they won't bond?" another first-year asks.

"No, jackass," Jack scoffs, his icy-blue gaze narrowing on the cadet. "Dragons only talk to their bonded riders, just like they only give their full name to their bonded rider. You should know that by now."

"They don't share their reasons," our instructor says. "And anyone who respects their life won't ask a question they're not willing to answer."

"Do the numbers affect the wards?" Aurelie asks.

Professor Kaori's jaw ticks twice. "We're not sure. The number of bonded dragons has never affected the integrity of Navarre's wards before, but I'm not about to lie to you and say that we're not seeing increased breaches when you know from Battle Brief that we are."

The wards are faltering because of their use in the battle of the venin. The dragons are scared of the venin so they don't want to bond. Two things that are greatly affecting Navarre's survival.

"You won't have to worry about how to approach blue dragons, since there are none willing to bond this Threshing, but you should be able to recognize Sgaeyl if you see her," Professor Kaori says.