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“The Spellbreaking one. The Apex Magic Theory course is something I’m not permitted to take until I’ve experienced the other one.”

“Wow, they must be really concerned about you if you can’t take that course before learning about the Spellbreaking aspect.” She smiled. “The same thing happened to me the first couple of years that I was here. Control issues and all that.”

“Huh. Another thing we have in common. Except I don’t consider them issues like you do—and those around us who hold authority over us do.”

She frowned. “If you’re losing control, itisan issue.”

“The loss of control is their interpretation.”

She pulled up short at my take on it. “Interesting way of looking at it.”

“Where did your stance on it come from? Like, how did it start?”

“I guess with my tantrums when I was a toddler.”

“All perfectly normal. That’s definitely the time for tantrums.”

“Tantrums that resulted in mass destruction all around me, and me needing to be basically tied at the hip to Pops becausehis defensive magic was the only thing that could counter my explosions.”

“I burned down an entire village.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, I mean, no one was actually killed, because they evacuated in time, but the destruction was severe. But at the time it was more revered as a demonstration of my strength and power than what happened to you. You were stopped and restrained, right? Probably got a shitload of talks about controlling yourself and your emotions, reigning in and leashing your abilities.”

“And talk warning of magical corruption because of the great power I possess. The stronger you are, the more susceptible you are to it.” She shifted and moved closer to me, seemingly subconsciously in her haste to hear my story and ask her questions. “So, what changed? If your power was revered when you were a kid, why were you sent here now?”

“On the surface and theofficialreason? I didn’t have permission from House Titanus to engage in a certain battle, but I went ahead with it anyway and… demonstrated my fortitude, shall we say?”

“And the unofficial reason?” she asked, all cute and curious.

“It unnerves my father that I’m stronger than him.”

She grimaced, reading between the lines well. “I’m sorry, Vorzyr.”

“Like you say, it is what it is.”

“And that’s something you keep advising me to challenge.”

“Maybe I will if you will.”

“Let me think on it.”

In the next second, she abruptly sprung to her feet and asked, “Do you want to do something really freeing with me right now?”

“Really freeing? What exactly are we talking about here?”

“Why? Worried?” she teased.

“Nah, gorgeous, I’m up for anything. I’m just concerned that you’re not.”

“You think I could be biting off more than I could chew?”

“I guess we’ll see. What’s your idea?”

She gestured around the space, the roof, the turrets, an entranced, faraway expression taking her over. “I come up here to fly every now and then. But I’ve never flown with somebody else before. With you being a dragon, that’s now on the table.”

“Have you ever flown with anybody else outside of the Academy setting?”