Rainbow Magic (Dragon Rider #1) {EDITING}

Dragons and Eggs

The hatchery was oddly warm—almost uncomfortably so—as Sora strolled through the doors and into the foyer. Her team, minus an unconscious Silver, was waiting for her inside, expressions ranging from bored to excited. Even Raelynn and her own little dragon were excited.

Sora didn't know what to think.

She didn't even know if it was her egg that was hatching, and something told her it wasn't. Still, she kept silent, plodding along next to Oz who spared her the occasional glance.

"Whose eggs do you think are hatching?" Raelynn bounced around like the chipper child she was, and frankly Sora was surprised she wasn't bouncing off the walls. She was far too excitable. Sora could only be thankful the rest of her teammates weren't the same.

"Well," the Keeper smiled, "two more eggs started hatching after I sent young Beckett out to get you... which brings the total up to four."

Sora gritted her teeth.

One egg still hadn't hatched.

Three guesses whose it'd be.

"What's wrong Sora?" Oz stared sideways at her, bringing the entire procession to a halt as all her teammates turned to stare at her.

"It's nothing." She smiled.

"Go on ahead," Oz said, staring at the Keeper as he grabbed the collar of her coat. "I need to deal with this one."

"I feel so appreciated," Sora grumbled.

"What was that, my cute little team member?" Oz's smile sent shivers down her spine.

She was spending far too much time around Raelynn.

"Nothing."

"Good, now, tell me exactly what's going on in that head of yours." He stared down at her, not bothering to watch as the rest of his 'cute' little team members vanished around the next bend in the corridor.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it's bothering you, and now you're being defensive."

"Am not."

"Childish too."

"Do you want me to hit you?"

"Aww, I'm rubbing off on you already..."

Sora scowled, folding her arms across her chest. "My egg is weird."

"So you've said." Oz tilted his head. "And your worried about this because...?"

"Well..."

"I'm waiting," he said, glaring down at her with a level expression. "Your dragon probably is too..."

"You heard the Keeper," Sora muttered, kicking at the floor with her feet. "Four eggs are hatching out of the five... and I'm fairly certain mine's the fifth." She bit her lip. "I'm... I'm scared, OK? What if it doesn't hatch? What if I don't have a dragon?! What if—?"

Oz's fist slammed down on her head.

"Oww!" she hissed, rubbing her head. "What was that for?"

He sighed. "You worry too much."

"But if I don't have a dragon they'll kick me out, won't they?" Her nails dug into her skin, nervousness clawing at her.

"No, they won't... besides, I doubt the Dragon Council would get involved in a small matter like this."

"Really?" She looked at him in shock.

He folded his arms. "You're a dragon rider. You, in theory, won't age for much longer. You've bonded with a dragon egg... which means you belong here."

"But it's the flow of magic which makes dragon riders immortal... and I nullify magic." Sora gritted her teeth.

"So why don't dragon riders get random powerups when they bond with their eggs?" One eyebrow rose, a pair of analytical eyes staring down at her as the cogs shifted in her mind. "Our bodies break it down—similar to what you do with ordinary magic. It's dragon magic. Magic we can't use—magic we can't detect... so it gets broken down slowly overtime... Once it's all gone... well, that's when you're immortal."

"So I'm not completely void of magic...?"

"Fine, I'll rephrase what I told you earlier." He rolled his eyes. "You're completely void of any useful magic."

"You sure I can't use this dragon magic?" she asked.

"Not even dragons can... and they're who it stems from, so no."

"How do you know I'm not already immortal?"

"Gah! Dragon magic is weird, OK?" Oz scowled. "Now shut up and follow me. It's about time we caught up with the others and whatever mushy stuff they're doing with their cute little dragons."

Sora stumbled behind him, her legs heavy, nervousness clawing at her chest. Her legs shook slightly, her breathing slow as her stomach twisted into knots, and worried whispers rattled about in her mind.

It was only a short walk to the room, so she didn't have that much time to worry—in fact, they were flung out the door when Oz slammed the one in front of them open.

In front of her, on the last remaining pillow left in the room, was her egg.

That wasn't what confused her though. No. When she'd last seen her beloved egg, it had been small—reaching just below her kneecaps... but when she stood next to it, the difference was clear and there were no doubts in her mind.

Her egg was growing.