Page 12 of Ava’s Love of the Dragons (Of Dragons, Love, and Destiny #2)

Master Clark smiled at her as if she had dropped by for tea rather than to learn how to fight from the man who was allegedly best trainer in the entire realm. "I see you're disappointed because I'm old and small. You're still at the beginning if you let such superficialities deceive you."

Ava cleared her throat. Denying it seemed more disrespectful to her than sticking to the truth. "I didn't mean to be rude, but I expected someone else."

He smiled no less serenely, as if such a thing couldn't offend him—on the contrary. He observed her as well, though not her body, but exclusively her eyes. Hopefully, he would find the fire that Lynn had immediately discovered.

Lilly stepped forward impetuously and looked at him adoringly, as if Kilian were standing before her. "I've heard everything about you, Master Boom. You're a legend. Can I learn to fight from you too? I'm quick and clever, and I never let superficialities deceive me!"

He patted her blonde head. "You'll go far one day." Then he turned to Ava and Marcus, scrutinized them again, and waited. Something told Ava that her next sentences would determine whether he accepted her as a student or not.

Although she had hesitated just moments ago, strangely enough, the prospect of being rejected made her want to get lessons from him at all costs. Or had it been Magg's convincing combat maneuvers that had persuaded her?

"I need to learn how to fight, there's no other option."

He narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly, as if trying to read her soul. "There are always alternatives."

"Not for me. I'm ready to accept my destiny. But there are powerful people who want to stop me."

He nodded slowly, as if she wasn't telling him anything new. "The most powerful of them is you."

She furrowed her brow in confusion, but wouldn't give up. Judging by his expression, he didn't want to teach her. She had probably done everything wrong so far. Her heartbeat accelerated in search of a solution until she looked at Lilly and an idea came to her.

"I'm the prophesied dragon guardian."

He leaned on his gnarled staff and looked at her expectantly. He still didn't say a word.

"I'm ready to accept my destiny."

He was still waiting. Lilly nudged her in the side as if it were something obvious that she hadn't understood. Heavens, she had no idea what he wanted to hear or what the girl meant. She threw her hands in the air.

"I accept my destiny and fight against those who threaten this realm and the dragons.

That's why I want to be your student!" She had gotten louder, which certainly didn't help.

Now the master could add uncontrolled temper to superficiality, which was certainly not a desirable character trait for a warrior.

But the trainer nodded slowly. "The true fight doesn't take place out there, but in here." He pointed to her chest. "Win this fight, and the world will bow before you. We'll meet at sunset at the gate." With those words, he patted Lilly's head again and walked away.

Incredulously, Ava watched him leave, while Lilly grabbed her around the waist and hugged her. She was jumping up and down. "I knew you could do it! You're ready!"

"He accepted me?"

"Of course!"

"What did I say?"

Lynn grinned mysteriously. "Didn't you notice?"

Ava shook her head. "Was it because I got loud?"

With a restrained smile on her lips, Lynn shrugged her shoulders. "You'll figure that out yourself."

Lilly exuberantly punched her in the side. "Brilliant, Fighter Ava, Dragon Guardian and Destiny Bearer! You have to show me all the tricks. But first, let's eat something. Is there a canteen?"

Marcus pulled the little one back by the shoulders.

"Don't forget that we two won't be trained in this fighting arena.

Politeness is an important virtue." He bowed to Lynn and smiled charmingly.

"Would it be possible for us to stay with Ava while she's being trained?

We'd be happy to make ourselves useful to earn board and lodging. "

Lynn made a dismissive gesture as if that had long been decided. "Sure. There's plenty of work, and thanks to the master's former students who support us, more than enough to eat. Come along." She started walking and the others followed her, Lilly leading the way.

Even though Ava desperately wanted to know how she had managed to convince Master Clark, she accompanied her friends to the canteen. She had time until evening, and she would surely get Lynn to reveal how she had persuaded the trainer.

In the evening, Ava stood at the gate with a lantern in her hand, waiting. Lynn hadn't revealed anything, but had shown them the rooms and given them a tour of the training facility. That was why Ava had walked out earlier—to be alone and use the time to think.

Lilly was much too excited to have a calm conversation, and Marcus had no interest in her becoming Master Clark's student. Therefore, neither of them had been able to help her regarding the upcoming meeting.

She went word for word over the conversation she'd had with the master and kept coming to the conclusion that it must have been the phrasing that had made the difference. Or her loud voice, which had shown how serious she was. She had probably sounded convincing and strong-willed.

Heavens, she had no idea! If he asked her about the reasons right away, she would surely fail.

She nervously smoothed down the sleeves of her tunic.

Lynn had given them fresh clothes and outfitted Ava with the student uniform: reinforced leather pants, leather boots, a white-yellow tunic, and a corset-like leather vest. She had also received a cloak with a fur-trimmed collar.

Fortunately, the outfit kept her warm, as the cold had set in with sunset and was slicing across Ava's cheeks like knife blades.

She had tied her chestnut brown hair back tightly so it wouldn't fall into her eyes during training, though she wondered if they would really start fighting right away. After all, it was already dark.

She observed the area attentively. The muffled clashing of swords echoed through the darkness from the arena, mixed with labored panting.

Someone was still training. In the living quarters, lights burned behind individual windows, but there wasn't much activity.

Apart from the two cadets at noon, Ava had seen three others at lunch, but they had kept their distance.

The other students were younger than her, but she wouldn't let that stop her.

She had come here for a specific reason, and that's what she focused on.

This helped reduce her nervousness—at least a little, because she kept wondering nonstop why the master was expecting her at the gate in the dark.

Hopefully not to kick her out after all.

Time passed, night had long since fallen, and still Master Clark didn't appear. Ava slowly paced back and forth, shining the lantern in all directions, but saw no one. Had he changed his mind? Or had they meant a different gate? But during the tour with Lynn, she hadn't seen any others.

She looked around helplessly when suddenly her light went out, and she stood in absolute darkness. Fear shot through her limbs. She dropped the lantern, raised her hands, and froze. She couldn't see anything. Not even the faintest outlines. And she heard nothing.

"Master Clark?"

Her voice sounded far too thin, so she cleared her throat. "Master Clark?"

No one answered.

Damn, had Rob found her? Or the mages? Alarmed, she turned in a circle when suddenly something sharp poked her in the side, and she lost her balance. She flailed her arms and took a lunge step until she was stable again.

"Who's there?"

Again, a point struck her in the waist. She was pushed over, but she caught herself before falling to the ground and whirled around.

Ready to defend herself, she bounced on her knees and held her arms in front of her.

Rob or the mages wouldn't have played with her but would have immediately taken her away from here before anyone noticed.

Were the other students toying with her?

Was this some kind of initiation ritual?

She listened into the darkness, trying to make out anything, until her eyes finally adjusted to the gloom and she saw the old master standing in front of her. He was leaning on his stick, calmly observing her and waiting.

"Master Clark. Was that you?"

"Tell me what you did wrong."

Taken aback, she blinked, quickly looking over her shoulder to see if someone else had sneaked up, but they were alone.

Shaking her head, she furrowed her brow. "I didn't bring a weapon and couldn't defend myself?"

"Was that really why you couldn't defend yourself?"

She hesitated. What was he getting at? Was this already the first lesson?

"I wasn't prepared."

He nodded. "The most serious mistake. And?"

At a loss, she shrugged. "I should have expected an attack at any time?"

"Why did you bring the lantern?"

"So I could see something. It's pitch black."

"It's out now. Can you see nothing at the moment?"

"I can." She understood. "I revealed my location with the light, so you could easily see me. In contrast, my eyes were accustomed to the brightness, which is why I couldn't recognize anything outside the cone of light. I relied exclusively on my sense of sight."

As he nodded, she rubbed her eyes. "Can't we start with normal sword fighting training in daylight? I'm a complete beginner."

He looked at her thoughtfully. "I didn't get the impression we have much time for your training."

He had a point...

"I really want to learn to fight. Thank you for teaching me."

"That remains to be seen. I want to see why you're doing this."

"Because I want to save the dragons and Lilly and all the other people."

"And what about you? Your family?"

She bit her lip as the hated topic came up.

"To win against the demons on the outside, you must first overcome your inner ones." With these words, he turned around, but Ava caught up with him in two big steps.

"What should I do now?"

"Run!"

She frowned. "Run?"

"Run until you've defeated them. Then we'll meet again." As if that was meant literally, he disappeared from one moment to the next, so she had no idea whether he had walked away or teleported by some magical means. Maybe there was something to the magic accusation after all.

Either way, he was gone, and she was alone again.

Pensively, she looked up the rocks to the forest they had run out of, and let her gaze sweep over the arena and the area dimly illuminated by the stars. Then she focused on the sandy path she was standing on. This path would either lead her back to her training as a fighter or out into uncertainty.

She was supposed to run and defeat her inner demons. She clenched her jaw. She had no idea if she would succeed, but she could try.