Page 13 of Ava’s Love of the Dragons (Of Dragons, Love, and Destiny #2)

Someone jumped on her bed and shook her upper arm. Ava immediately sat upright and grabbed the person by the shoulders. It was only Lilly. She exhaled loudly.

"Jeez, don't scare me like that!"

"As a fighter, you must always be ready!"

Tired, she rubbed her eyes. "Were you eavesdropping last night?"

Lilly remained silent, prompting Ava to remove her hands from her eyes and look at her. The sun was shining into the room, allowing her to clearly see the guilty grin. "You were at the gate? In the middle of the night?"

"Where do you think I've been in the middle of the night for the past few years? Under adult supervision?" She snorted. "Besides, it was just late evening. Now tell me! How was it?"

She massaged her temples, as she hadn't slept well.

It wasn't because of the bed or the room.

The mattress was comfortable and the surroundings quiet.

After the past few days, she should have slept like a rock, but now, after Rob's betrayal, that was impossible.

"If you observed and eavesdropped on the meeting, you already know everything. "

Lilly tightened the ponytail she had tied her thin blonde hair into. "Unfortunately, I didn't catch the end because Lynn caught me and dragged me into the building."

Ava raised her eyebrows. "I wouldn't have thought she'd be so assertive.

" She slipped out of bed and grabbed her clothes.

She had slept in a plain white nightgown that Lynn had kindly lent her and that was absolutely not her style.

It emphasized her vulnerability, which she wanted to finally get rid of.

"She even demanded that I come to school today. Bah!" Lilly snorted indignantly and slid to the edge of the bed. "Now tell me. What did you learn yesterday? Did you fight? Did he show you any brilliant tricks?"

"I need to prepare better. That's all." Ava went into the adjoining bathroom, washed up, and came out dressed. Lilly sat on the bed with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"You don't really believe that yourself! What did he say?"

"Strictly speaking, he hardly said anything, but asked questions."

Lilly nodded knowingly. "I bet they were brilliant questions. Which ones, for example?"

"What I did wrong."

The girl scratched her pointed chin. "You took a lantern and weren't prepared. Right?"

As Ava nodded, she clenched her fist. "I'll be the best student Master Boom has ever seen."

Amused, Ava rolled her eyes. She could probably learn a thing or two from Lilly when it came to enthusiasm. "Where did he get that inappropriate nickname from anyway?"

"Inappropriate?" Lilly made a dismissive gesture. "You'll see soon enough. What are we doing today? How will we be trained?"

With raised eyebrows, Ava put her hands on her hips. "You're asking me this before we've had breakfast? Who are you and what have you done with the always-hungry Lilly?"

The girl jumped off the bed. "Who says I haven't already had breakfast?"

"Without me?"

"We can have breakfast again. We'd better grab some rolls and go straight to the arena. After all, you shouldn't miss your lesson."

This was getting better and better. Lilly was turning into her personal slave driver. "And what about the others?"

She shrugged, but Ava saw exactly how she casually stroked her neck. She had observed this gesture before and knew what it meant. She quickly put two and two together.

"Let me guess: You're trying to avoid Lynn so she doesn't drag you into the classroom."

Lilly looked at the floor and ran the tip of her shoe over the wooden floorboards. "Nonsense. Not me. Nobody makes me do anything I don't want to do!"

"Then you can accompany me to the breakfast room without any problem. You surely have nothing against a second portion—and it will be bigger if we don't take our plates to the arena."

The girl stroked her neck again. "Of course."

Time would tell if she really came along or found a reason to disappear beforehand. Amused, Ava shook her head.

They left the room just as Marcus was standing in front of the door, his hand raised to knock.

"Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?

" He beamed at her as if she were his personal sun.

He had also received fresh clothes and was dressed in a white tunic and a leather vest. Underneath, he wore leather pants that were reinforced at the knees and thighs, just like hers.

Only he apparently hadn't taken to the boots, as his bare feet were in the old leather sandals he always wore.

Amused, she raised her eyebrows. "You, in combat leather?"

"Just for today. Although I have to admit that the vest is practical. And you seem to like leather clothing after all." He raised his eyebrows.

Lilly demonstratively rolled her eyes and squeezed between them. "We were going to breakfast. Are you coming?"

"Sure, I'll accompany you the whole day."

Ava pointed to his sandals. "Then you'll need better footwear, because according to Master Clark, my first task is to run."

Marcus raised his eyebrows skeptically. When Ava didn't add anything, he shook his head. "Honestly, we can do such training just as well in a safer place."

Would he question every instruction from the trainer? Though Ava really didn't understand the purpose behind it either. Nevertheless, she wanted to stay and wanted to learn to fight, so for now, she would do what Master Clark asked of her.

"You're welcome to do that, but I'm staying. Where's breakfast, Lilly?"

"Actually, you just need to close your eyes and follow your nose. Can't you smell the cinnamon and warm butter?"

They walked down the hallway and reached the spiral staircase leading to the ground floor.

Breakfast was served in a small room that felt more personal than the large, neutral dining hall where they had eaten dinner.

Perhaps it was due to the vases of flower arrangements adorning the narrow windows, which seemed so out of place in a combat training facility.

Small round tables with matching chairs and floral seat cushions were scattered about, ready for use. On one side, a long table held clean bowls, plates, and cutlery next to four pots with contents that were kept warm with the help of candles.

No one was in the room, but the trays of used dishes by the kitchen door made it clear that Lilly wasn't the only one who had eaten this morning.

There was oatmeal with butter and cinnamon, along with stewed fruits of choice. Lilly passed on the pears, while Ava took a double portion. For some reason, the fruits gave her a hint of comfort.

No sooner had they sat down than Lynn appeared in the doorway, grinning at the girl. "There's my new student!"

Lilly jutted out her chin. "I didn't survive the last three years to end up in a classroom!"

"Yes, you did. Now come on!" Lynn strode energetically to the table and reached out her hand, yet it didn't diminish her friendly, charming elementary school teacher demeanor.

"I'm eating breakfast!"

"You've already eaten—and plenty at that. We'll take a break in two hours, then you can come back here. Now up you go!"

Ava could hardly believe it. The unbelievable happened: Lilly stood up grumbling, kicked the chair leg, and trudged out of the room next to Lynn. Shaking her head, Ava watched her go, remembering just in time to call out: "Have fun."

Judging by the venomous glare Lilly gave over her shoulder, she should have kept that comment to herself. As soon as the two were outside and out of sight, a laugh escaped her.

Marcus grinned at her as if the laugh was meant for him. "What are we doing today?"

"I already told you, I'm supposed to run."

He furrowed his brow in disbelief. "But surely not all day!"

"If I understood correctly, until I've conquered my inner demons."

Intrigued, he leaned forward and reached for her left hand. "Which are?" His voice sounded warm and persuasive, and in his brown eyes was compassion that Ava didn't want at all. She immediately checked that her inner wall was raised to the max and withdrew her hand.

"That's nobody's business."

The pitying expression that came over his face spoiled her appetite, so she pushed the bowl aside and stood up.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I want to run alone.

You keep an eye on Lilly. Knowing her, she'll use the first opportunity to run off.

We don't want her leaving the arena out of school anxiety and running into Rob.

See you later." With those words, she marched off.

"But you've hardly eaten anything!"

That was probably for the best.