Page 19 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg (Dragonis Academy, Year 3)

The room is still, the air thick with the aftertaste of our heated discussion. I breathe in slowly, letting the tension drain, and allow the comforting scents of spiced coffee and warm food to settle over me like a tentative peace.

I finish my breakfast, savoring the last bite of warm toast slathered with rich butter, the salty sweetness lingering on my tongue.

The faint scent of eggs and bacon still hangs in the air, mingling with the crisp morning chill that seeps in from the open window.

Rising from the table, I move to kiss all of my mates goodbye, enjoying the mix of scents—warm fur, cool scales, rough stone—each one a distinct reminder of whom I’m leaving behind.

“Come on, Klauth. Let’s get me to class.” My voice echoes softly in the living room. Daylight spills in through tall windows, catching the swirling dust motes, and casts long shadows across Vaughn’s stony form in the corner.

“He’s taking you?” Abraxis asks, stepping closer. I catch the faint, musky scent of his skin—dark and alluring.

“You, Callan, and Balor all have classes all day,” I say with a resigned sigh, running a hand over my notebooks. “Leander has midday classes to teach, Ziggy too. Vaughn can’t be in my class because…” I gesture at his rigid silhouette. “He’s a giant paperweight right now.”

“Do you have a clue where his amulet is?” Ziggy’s voice carries a note of worry, and I arch a brow.

“I haven’t been able to see it. I’ve tried,” I admit, tucking my notebooks—edges still sharp and pages smelling of fresh ink—into my backpack. My new pens and pencils clatter softly as I slide them into the side pocket. “I’ll find it eventually,” I add, determination prickling my skin.

From the kitchen counter, I pluck two apples, their cool skins glossy beneath my fingertips, and drop them into the outer pouch of my bag.

My gaze lingers on the egg carrier; I slip it on and buckle it snugly, feeling a reassuring warmth where the egg rests close to my body.

A soft rustle of fabric greets me as I pull my jacket over both me and the egg and zip it up.

“See everyone later.” With a wave, I head for the door, Klauth’s presence solid and comforting at my side. His warmth contrasts with the chill of the hallway beyond.

“Where to, my treasure?” He takes my hand, the roughness of his calluses against my palm sending a pleasant shiver up my arm .

“Arcanum campus for the science class.” I pull my schedule from my pocket, the paper crackling as I unfold it.

“Apparently, it’s the science of mate selection and pheromones.

” I can’t help the wry smirk curling my lips.

“Yet another pointless class for me. I have my mates and one on the way.” My hand drifts to the egg carrier, and I smile down at my jacket, feeling the reassuring weight.

“They have to teach about mates and pheromones? Whatever happened to dragon instincts?” Klauth shakes his head, amusement rumbling in his chest before he leans down and brushes his lips over my forehead. A spark of his warmth lingers on my skin. “Let’s see what this institution offers.”

We leave Malivore and walk by the lake shore, the air cool and carrying the briny scent of the Sea of Whispers.

Gulls circle overhead, their distant cries echoing across the water.

The shoreline is smooth, pebbled, with black stones that crunch under our feet as we head toward the southern dorms. Cutting past the cove, we take a turn northeast. The breeze picks up, rustling the leaves in nearby trees—a gentle hush that brushes my hair away from my cheeks.

“It’s a beautiful campus,” Klauth says, nodding at the towering spires of Arcanum in the distance. “I remember watching its construction from my balcony.”

“What was it like back then?” I step closer to him, relishing the warmth he radiates against the brisk wind.

“Wilder,” he replies, eyes flicking toward the horizon.

“Threats everywhere. Battles for territory, battles to keep territory. Yearly displays for when the females migrated, searching for males worth giving them offspring.” He gestures toward the skyline, where ancient battlements and new buildings clash in a strange architectural dance.

“Females approached the males?” I ask, glancing up at him in surprise .

“It’s why we would make grand displays when we were willing to take a mate.” His smile is tinged with nostalgia, and he kisses my temple. “I dug you a nest instead of making a public spectacle. Better use of my time and energy.”

“I agree. Abraxis made one within Shadowcarve,” I say, remembering the crisp scent of fresh wood and the warmth of newly turned earth. “He nailed his to the tall wooden walls.”

“That was his display?” Klauth arches a brow, looking genuinely intrigued.

“Yeah,” I answer with a shrug as we reach the entrance to Arcanum.

The grand stone steps are worn smooth by countless students over the years, and the building’s tall doors creak as Klauth holds one open for me.

A faint smell of chalk dust and old books washes over me when I step inside. “I guess it worked for him, too.”

We climb the stairs to the lecture hall, our footsteps muffled by the threadbare carpet.

My skin tingles in the stuffy warmth of the corridor, and I scan the white walls lined with old portraits and dusty fixtures before finding the correct door.

Klauth follows me in, and we settle at the far back near an exit, the seats squeaking in protest under our weight.

“Today’s class is going to be on the science of mate selection,” Kai announces from the front of the room, marker squeaking against the whiteboard.

The fluorescent lights overhead flicker softly, their hum joining the scattered whispers of other students.

I note each point he writes, though my mind drifts as I watch Klauth gazing at the vaulted ceiling, curiosity flickering in his crimson flecked amber eyes.

Kai calls on the females in the room, one by one. My heartbeat quickens, a prickle of nerves threading through me as I think of what to say. Arista answers first, mentioning her three mates. Anxiety twists in my stomach—when Kai’s gaze finally lands on me, my pulse throbs in my ears.

“Miss Mina, mind sharing with the class?” His tone is polite but firm.

I stand, feeling Klauth’s hand at the small of my back—a solid reminder of his support.

“I have seven mates,” I say with a steady voice.

“A black dragon, a red dragon, a basilisk, a gryphon, a displacer beast, a nightmare, and a gargoyle.” Arista’s eyes widen, her jaw practically hitting the desk.

The corner of my mouth lifts in a triumphant smile, and I give her a playful wink before Klauth tugs me back down onto his lap.

He brushes his lips over the mark on my neck and rumbles softly, a reassuring vibration against my spine. Despite being the strongest dragon on the continent, he’s a snuggler—and I can’t help but melt into him. The steady rhythm of his breathing grounding me in this strange, crowded classroom.