Page 31 of Ava’s Love of the Dragons (Of Dragons, Love, and Destiny #2)

Less than half an hour later, they were sitting on the dragons and flying westward.

Ava had taken Lilly, Lynn, and Marcus with her, while Magg and Ralph were riding with Kilian and Allan had taken charge of the three other cadets.

The sweeping student had been nowhere to be found, but Kilian was convinced that Master Clark had taken care of him.

No one said anything, so Ava was lost in her thoughts. For hours, she had been wondering what awaited them at the official training facility. The idea of being under the king's supervision filled her with fear.

"I don't feel comfortable going to Moonville."

Draco snorted softly, as if she were worrying about trifles. "You'll be able to continue your training there."

"But..." She didn't know how to broach the topic of Lilly, since he was a dragon after all, and she had witnessed the mountain dragons' reaction to the mages. The dragons considered magic evil.

"I'll look after her."

Hesitantly, she stroked his scales. "You're not afraid of her, even though you know what she can do?"

He laughed in her thoughts. "How could I be? She's the most amazing girl I know."

"She's the only girl you know."

"So what? A dragon's judgment is beyond question."

She smiled as she stroked his scales. The girl was sitting in front of her, and as she pet the dragon she brushed up against her leg. Lilly was clutching her backpack as if it were full of butter crunchies. But it wasn't food that she was hoarding, but rather three books.

"Look, Ava, there's the training facility up ahead. The best in the whole kingdom." Lilly pointed towards the horizon, where a tall tower pierced the clouds.

Ava leaned forward so that Lynn and Marcus couldn't hear her words. "Are you sure we'll be safe in Moonville?"

The little one just nodded. Either she didn't understand what Ava was hinting at, or she didn't want to. Then again, risk had never been something that kept Lilly from doing what she pleased.

The area was at least four times as large as Master Clark's, and four arenas were spread across the grounds.

The largest was almost twice the size of the one Ava had trained in over the past few days.

It was framed by gigantic spectator stands.

In the eastern area stood numerous buildings that looked like plain barracks, and to the south stretched a vast forest that extended to within a few meters of the high enclosing wall.

"How many students train here?" she asked Lilly.

"More than there are dragons available. But there are even more trainers and soldiers."

Mentally, she turned to Draco. "And you're still sure we want to go there?"

"Don't worry, Ava. If anything happens, we'll just leave immediately."

The image of a face crept into her mind. The soldier who had declared himself her personal archenemy and repeatedly threatened her life. How likely was it that he would be there? The last time she had seen him was at Belmonde, on the border.

"We're landing!" Kilian's voice boomed through the sky. The dragons descended in sync and headed for a wide meadow that was within the walls but away from the arenas.

As Ava pressed her legs against Draco, Lynn clung to her screaming and Lilly laughed with delight. Marcus remained silent, but when they had landed and dismounted shortly after, his face had a slight greenish tinge.

"I'm really not made for this kind of thing." He held his head, which was still spinning.

Lynn ran her hands over her flushed cheeks. "I completely understand." She laughed, but quickly fixed her hair until her short black strands were back in place.

Two shadows loomed over them from behind. Kilian and Allan came running up, with the cadets lining up neatly behind them, satisfied grins on their faces.

"We're staying together!" Kilian pointed to the spot at his side, without taking his eyes off Ava. "And you stay by my side for now."

"What about Lilly and Lynn?"

Kilian nodded. Apparently he already had a plan. But before he could answer, Allan leaned forward and whispered, "Do you think that's a good idea, Kilian? Don't forget, the king will be informed about everything. Or do you want him to find out that you've been writing love letters?"

The dragon leader gritted his teeth. His gaze rested on Ava before he turned away and shouted, "Follow me, cadets!"

Lilly's eyes lit up. "A dream come true." She immediately lined up behind Kilian, with Ava and Lynn on her heels, and Marcus quickly caught up with them. The other cadets fell into line after them and followed Kilian like chicks behind their mother.

The meadow, probably the official landing strip, was guarded by several soldiers who immediately marched up to Kilian and eagerly greeted him.

"Welcome, Dragon Leader. We didn't know you were coming!"

"I'm bringing a batch of new cadets. Their training is top priority."

Lynn leaned towards Ava. "Does that mean I have to learn to fight now too?" There was panic in her voice.

The soldier seemed equally skeptical as he eyed the group suspiciously, his gaze lingering a moment longer on Lilly. But he didn't contradict Kilian and instead gave an earnest salute. "Very well. I'll have the quarters prepared immediately!"

Marcus leaned towards her, his voice low. "Let me make one thing clear, I'll be sleeping in the same place as you, Ava!"

"Then let me make it even clearer that that won't be happening!"

"But I promised to protect you."

She turned to face him. "I've been training for weeks and have bonded with a dragon, damn it!"

It was only when the soldiers' gazes fell on her that she realized how loudly she had spoken. Kilian clenched his jaw as the soldiers' gaze inevitably fell on Draco.

"If I may ask, Dragon Leader, is that true? Did she bond with this impressive specimen?"

Impressive was not an adequate description for Draco, since now, ever since the battle against the mages, he rivaled even Kilian's enormous fire dragon.

"Who is she?" whispered another soldier.

The look Kilian gave her was unmistakable.

Yes, she should have remained inconspicuous, but heavens, she was only human! And her nerves were on edge. She didn't want to stay here anyway.

"Prepare the quarters and wait for further instructions. You'll be briefed about the new dragon tomorrow. Dismissed!" Kilian started moving again, and they followed him.

"I'll wait within calling distance. Let me know if you need me."

"Alright. Take care of yourself."

Draco swept away, and everyone there stared after him. They were definitely no longer off the king's radar.

Kilian led them into a building where a scribe wrote their names down and handed them equipment. Kilian whispered something to him in regards to Lilly and Lynn, causing the scribe to nod and add a note to his records.

Lilly linked arms with Kilian and grinned mischievously up at him. "I hope you'll personally oversee my training."

He gave her a nonchalant wink. "You'll be placed in classes with the other children, and Lynn will assist as a teacher."

The girl looked at him, dumbfounded. "You can't do this to me!"

Lynn, on the other hand, clapped her hands enthusiastically. "A real class. That's wonderful." Her eyes shone, but she suddenly lowered her head and smoothed her hair again. Perhaps because Allan had been watching her intently?

As soon as they were equipped with uniforms, two soldiers stepped forward to escort them to their quarters. Ava, Lilly, Lynn, and Magg would share a room, while Marcus was to be housed with the other cadets. When he heard this, he pulled Kilian aside.

"You're not only signing me up for combat training, but now you're also separating me from her? How am I supposed to help her like this?"

"You can't be any closer to her in this building. So save your anger for tomorrow's training." With those words, he turned away without saying goodbye. He didn't even give Ava another glance, but considering how curiously the scribe and soldiers were watching her, that was certainly sensible.

She lay awake for a long time that night.

The bed was unfamiliar, Lynn was sleeping restlessly, and Lilly was snoring.

But none of these were the reason why; rather, she felt a tension within herself.

She didn't want to be in this royal training camp, and sensed it was wrong.

Yet she didn't know what else to do, since continuing her training was the sensible thing to do.

The battle against the mages had clearly shown that she needed to learn much more and get faster. That she wouldn't be able to defeat Elora yet.

Could she ever? How was she supposed to win against a mage? She had nothing but the Isip stone to deflect the spells. But merely defending and dodging wouldn't get her anywhere. She urgently needed a plan.

Eventually, she got up and made to sneak outside to look at the night sky, but Magg appeared beside her out of nowhere. Her long blonde hair hung loose over her shoulders and shimmered in the pale moonlight that came through the narrow windows.

"Where are you going?"

"I need some fresh air."

"Then I'll come with you." Her tone clearly indicated that she actually had something else in mind.

"Who assigned you to protect me? Marcus?"

"You saved my life, as well as the other cadets', so I owe you. And don't make fun of your friends! They worry about you because they care about you."

"That wasn't my intention, but I haven't been training like a maniac these past few days just to not be allowed to take a single step on my own."

"You haven't been training like a maniac, that was me. And we're no longer at Master Clark's, but an official training facility of the king. Here, in addition to soldiers, there are plenty of cadets lurking in the hallways who would be delighted if a dragon lost its rider."

Ava let out the breath she'd been holding. She hated feeling trapped.

"She's right, Ava. Better stay in the room. Then Lilly won't be alone either."

Had the two conspired against her? She took a deep breath. "Fine, I'll stay, but only if you answer one question for me."

Magg's expression immediately clouded, and her muscles tensed. Ava didn't want to annoy her, but she needed to understand her better.

"Are you on my side or not?"

"I'm on the dragons' side."

Ava nodded. "Then I guess we're friends."

"Not if you prevent the dragon leader from forming the bond necessary for all of us to survive."

So that's what this was about.

She could understand Magg's objections. Maybe it was good that they had come here after all, because under the eyes of the soldiers, she and Kilian would be forced to maintain a strict distance.

Every hidden glance would actually not be hidden at all, with every encounter observed by thousands of pairs of eyes.

"I understand." She stretched out on her bed and folded her arms behind her head. Magg also lay back down, but her breathing didn't change. She, too, stared at the ceiling.

"Instead of looking at the one you can't have, you should appreciate who's laying his heart at your feet. Now go to sleep so I can finally have some peace!" She turned her back to her pointedly.

Ava wanted to argue, but the words made her thoughtful. Not because of what Magg had said, but how she had said it. One thing was certain: beneath her hard shell, she had a soft core.