Through Smoke and Ashes

Twenty Six||Friends and Enemies

Hames ripped me by my arm, so I was facing him. "How dare you say such a thing, girl. Do you realize the disgrace of tattooing that marking onto your arm?"

Naxan growled, sinking lower to the ground. People stared warily at the dragon as he crept closer. I felt the earth tremble and quake as the Valairex dragon moved with an elegance that was as ancient and fearsome as the darkness within him.

"That'll be enough, Hames." Headmaster Colin moved through the crowd of people. He held his own sword, and his clothing was mattered down with blood. "You can see that this dragon is bonded if you weren't so hot-headed."

Hames turned to Colin, releasing my arm from his tight grasp. I took a couple of steps back, my back hitting something hard. I didn't bother turning around to look, knowing it was Naxan there behind me.

"A Valairex dragon, Colin. Bonded to a female. That makes sense to you?" I was somewhat glad Hames was directing his anger to someone else. My body ached from the previous battle. The only sign it happened was the evidence of blood and tar littering the ground beneath our feet as silence met the air. It was peaceful. I could finally feel at ease with the lack of bustling voices penetrating the air.

Naxan breathed a hot gust of air around me. He glared at Hames, who was staring at us with a hard gaze. Behind that, I could see wonderment. Everyone had that look. They were standing in a quiet group, amazement clearly written on their faces.

Kayne's eyes were wide, openly looking over Naxan conspicuously. Baylen shook his head multiple times. When I met Colin's gaze, he smiled softly, his beard moving as he did so.

"We travelled for days with you," Baylen's narrowed eyes moved from the ground as he analyzed me with curiosity. "How is it that we never knew?"

He put me on the spot as everyone waited for an answer. Familiar faces dotted the crowd, mixing in with more unrecognizable ones. I held my breath, afraid my voice would sound weak.

"Other twolegs are weak, not mine." Naxan's voice was soft through the bond.

I cleared my throat, removing the building emotions that tried pushing into my words. "I wasn't ready to let you know who I was." Now that I thought of it, there was really no right time to announce to the world who I was. "It was easier for you to think I was just some girl who got lost on that island."

Even with the presence of Naxan behind me, I felt cornered with everyone's eyes staring into me. I knew they wanted answers, and they were staring at a spectacle they never knew could exist.

Thankfully, Colin came to my rescue. "Alright everyone, get this cleaned up. Those who are injured report to the medical building." The trance that settled over everyone seemed to be hard to break as their eyes hesitantly darted between one another. Soon, people broke off into groups and began going their separate ways. Baylen, Kayne, and Hames stuck around.

"Miss Withers, if you'll follow me." Colin beckoned me forward, awaiting his inquiry. I nodded, pushing myself off of Naxan. A low growl emitted from Nax as he watched Hames with calculating eyes.

"Hush," I said, patting his cheek affectionately. I followed Colin with Naxan hot on my heels. His long shadow walked beside mine, following us obeyingly.

We approached a building detached from the rest of the Academy. It was tucked away beside one of the sheer faces of the mountains, hidden from view from most angles.

Others limped ahead of us and pushed through the doors of the building. I caught glimpses of white clothing and people rushing around. Nurses wore white dresses, and some of them were stained with blood.