ILLYRIS | iv. "ONE DIRECTION BROKE UP TOO?!" SIGN OF THE TIMES
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THE MINIMUM A teenage girl would require after burning hardcore crime lords, securing a legendary army wielding the only dragonbone weapons in the universe, and taking to the skies atop a freaking dragon would be taking a well-deserved break. Unfortunately, such a luxury wasn't available for Theadora Valaryen.
After three months of figuring out a way to reinstate the troops, ensuring Rhaegon was healing right, and making sure she didn't flunk her SATs, the end of the school year finally came around. She had confidence that the last month before summer was going to go by smoothly. The field trip organized by Midtown was the perfect break, a moment to just breathe and not worry about the world ending spontaneously.
Thea zipped up her small bag and yanked on a black turtleneck over the tank top she slept in. Around her neck hung a thin chain with a pendant similar to the brooch she gave Bex. It all weaved in with the revamped design and presentation of the Valoqar. Rather than sticking with the traditional navy blue or the lightning-decorated crow of their former master, she had thought of militaristic Valaryen black fit with the dragon pins, heralding their chosen allegiance.
Junior year was coming to a close and Thea briefly took a moment to contemplate the level of change exacted in her life. In about twelve months, she wrangled her powers, became a vigilante, hatched two dragons who were soaring the blue skies now, and as of three months ago, re-instated the Valoqar under the Valaryen name once again.
Her college admissions essay was going to be beyond phenomenal.
Thea wasn't sure if she should even write one. Tony Stark basically secured her a spot at MIT but she still had yet to accept his offer. If tackling college and a superhero life was going to be a struggle, she didn't know how she would retake Dragonfort and commit to lectures and midterms.
Even more pressing, her mind kept going back to that strange series of visions in that first inferno she stepped in— especially that hulking figure. It was all like some foreboding prophecy lurking in the shadows while she reveled in her victories. The trickle of violet blood and the menacing gleam of his armor and gauntlet haunted her in her sleep. Thea would sometimes wake up in a cold sweat, revisiting that same fear that evil was never truly eradicated from the universe, nor the people waiting to serve her head on a silver platter.
A buzz from her phone broke Thea out of her concerning thoughts. Turning on her screen, she grinned dopily at an incoming call from Peter. His contact photo was him sleeping on top of his decathlon book, snapped by Michelle during practice.
"Are you ready to visit a place that..." On the other end, she heard him clear his throat theatrically, "fuels creativity, ignites minds, and provides inspiration?"
Thea hummed and shrugged, balancing her phone between her ear and shoulder as she stuck a water bottle inside the bag and shut the door behind her. "As long as there's a good food court where I don't have to pay forty bucks for some mac and cheese, I'll be fine."
