Rainbow Magic (Dragon Rider #1) {EDITING}

Chapter Three: A Long Train Journey

The station was smaller than she remembered, but that was hardly surprising considering the last time she'd been there was eleven years ago – when she was just a little five-year-old going on her first, and last, holiday. Her family hadn't been brave enough to leave the safety of the town again. Not after what happened.

Her heart thudded frantically, fear and excitement knotting in her stomach as she struggled to keep herself from jumping up and down. Raelynn evidently didn't have the same amount of self-control or any urge to remain dignified whatsoever, since she was doing just that.

"We're going to the Outer City, Sor!" she yelled, and Sora refrained from curling up into a small ball and dying from embarrassment.

They were sixteen, dammit.

Raelynn was acting like a small child, clinging onto her arm all the while, slowly but surely dragging her into the insanity of it all. The only bright side was it kept Tabitha at bay. No way in hell she was getting mixed up in Raelynn's enthusiasm.

"I know," she mumbled, eyeing up one of the metal benches longingly.

It looked perfect for curling up on and promptly dying of embarrassment.

She could feel the judging stares of everyone around them and the very distinct sound of someone sniggering. Though she didn't dare turn around to find out who. That would only involve her fist and that particular someone's face which wouldn't be good.

She was trying to make a good impression and somehow she highly doubted beating someone black and blue was the way to do it. Though who knew what dragon riders did for fun... Nobody, aside from the riders themselves, knew what went on inside the gigantic walled city.

Sora had heard bits and pieces over the years, mostly things to do with the Dragon Wars and the occasional attack on the place here and there, but nothing about what went on in the place.

Did dragon riders party?

Did they play Dragon Chess?

Or did they prefer Dragons and Staircases?

The questions whirled around in her brain, distracting her from the overly hyper girl next to her and onto exactly what was coming her way. She was so distracted she didn't even register the large silvery train pulling into the station until Cynthia shook her by the shoulder.

"You coming or what?" she asked, her hand on her hip as she tugged the hot pink suitcase out of the girl's grasp. "The train won't stay here forever."

"Of course she's coming!" Raelynn grabbed her arm, dragging her forwards, yanking her through the open train doors.

Thankfully she remembered to mind the gap between the train and the platform, so no appendages or suitcases were lost, but Sora still felt a bit frazzled. The blonde was like a hurricane – one which wouldn't shut up no matter what.

"What do you think it's going to be like?" Raelynn asked, sitting opposite her in the little four-seater booth she'd found. It was a quaint little place, the blue seats far more comfortable than what she remembered, the pale walls making the place seem far larger than it was. She could hardly complain about that. Not only did it help alleviate her sense of being trapped, but it also revealed no horrifying or questionable stains.

Sora was quite the hygienist.

"Different." She shrugged, not knowing what else to say, having finished her inspection of the train walls.

Cynthia chose that moment to wander into view, stowing the hot pink suitcase safely above her head. She cast a sceptical eye on Raelynn's battered one, sighing as she turned to face the girl. "You're supposed to put your suitcase out of the walkway, kiddo," she said, slinging it up onto the rack above next to Sora's own.