Page 10 of Monster's Melody

A dragon roared and Mikaela and I both jumped back from the door.

Elliot lifted a hand to his mouth, no doubt trying to hide his amusement as shadows came streaming back out, coalescing into Kasi, Jahrdran and Shadow.

Another roar rang out and something that sounded like thunder made the walls of the stable shake.

“Well, there aren’t any professors inside, but there are a bunch of very cranky dragons,” Kasi announced.

“They saw your shadows?”I asked, raising my voice to be heard over the roaring.

“Nope,” Jahrdran said.“They were too busy arguing with the gorgon, well, his snakes really.”

“Wait.Vorzak’s inside with the dragons?”I demanded.

“Yep,” Kasi said.

“And you just left him in there?”

She shrugged.“He didn’t seem too concerned.”

“Well, the dragons clearly are!”I exclaimed.

“Eh, can’t really blame them for that,” Jahrdran said.“Vorzak’s serpents weredefinitelytaunting them.”

“What?There’s no way.They’re the sweetest snakes ever.They were probably just trying to play with the dragons.”

“Delusional,” Mikaela said.

“I’m not delusional!”I glared at her.

“I thought you were over Vorzak.Remember?”

“I can be over the gorgon and still recognize that his snakes are adorable.I can also be over him and still be concerned that he’s about to be ripped apart by dragons!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” Elliot said.“The dragons are actually enjoying themselves right now.”

“How can you tell?”I exclaimed.

He shrugged.“It’s the tone of the roars.They’re just posturing.”

At that moment, the stable doors slammed open and Vorzak stormed out.He froze when he saw us standing there.

His serpents, however, immediately began to dance and wave.

They were so excited to see me, they moved right in front of Vorzak’s face, blocking his view of us as they danced and waved and beckoned me to come closer.

This was as close as we’d ever been to each other.In the past, they were always waving and dancing at me from across the cafeteria, or down the hall or even from an entirely different floor.

Now, with only ten feet between us, the temptation to approach and pet those snakes was so great, I couldn’t do anything but turn and walk away.

I’d finally gotten my head on straight and now this!

I broke into a run and darted into the trees.

I heard Vorzak exclaim, “Where’d she go?”but by then, I’d reached the tree entrance and was racing down the ramp, deeper into the tunnel, hurtling down its dark passageways.A few moments later, I was racing through the Academy basement, then up the stairs, around and around to the fourth floor.

I burst into the room I shared with Kasi and collapsed on my bed, gasping for breath.

I was congratulating myself on not giving in to temptation, and instead, walking (okay, running) away from the man I’d once called my destiny, when I realized I’d also walked away from my quest to find the professors’ hidden wine cellar.