Page 36 of Taste of Thorns

A creature the size of a young foal comes rushing towards us, its dark wings spread wide as it twists and turns, dodging through the trees.

I take a firm hold of Briony and shove her behind me, shielding her with my body.

The creature swoops low and comes to a skidding halt several feet from me, snow spiraling up into the air. Its golden eyes glow even more brightly than mine and it takes one look at me and roars, red hot fire shooting from its nostrils.

I lift my hand, about to blast the thing away. But before I can, Briony is tugging on my arm.

“What are you doing?” she scolds me, before running towards the creature.

Dragon. That’s what she said and, examining it now as she pats its scaly head, I don’t see what else it can be.

“Briony, come away,” I hiss, “that isn’t safe.”

Shetsks, bends a little and lets the creature rise up on its hind legs and lick at her face. “This is Blaze. It’s perfectly safe.”

I blink. Blink again. Then rub at my eyes, not trusting what I’m seeing.

“Would you care to tell me, Miss Storm, what the hell is going on?”

“Blaze has been hiding out in the academy forest for the last few weeks. That’s why I was coming out here to see him.”

“That isn’t possible,” I say, shaking my head, “the faculty staff would know if there was a dragon in the woods.”

She shrugs. “He’s good at keeping hidden and he hasn’t been here that long.”

“And where was he before?” I say, rubbing at my brow.

“In my room.”

“In your what?!”

“He was littler then. He’s grown really rapidly since he hatched.”

“Hatched?!”

She nods, continuing to pet the dragon as he licks her hand and jumps about in excitement.

“So you’re telling me that before you had a dragon in your room, you had a dragon’s egg?” I say, almost laughing at the ridiculousness of the words streaming from my mouth.

“Yes.”

“And where in all the realm did you find a dragon’s egg.”

“Firestone,” she corrects, “and I didn’t find it, it found me.”

She tells me some fantastical tale about the egg calling to her out in the forest back in Slate, a tale I wouldn’t believe at all if it weren’t for the dragon standing several paces in front of me, if it weren’t for the fact I saw this girl wielding light only the day before.

I look at the girl now. She’s crouched down, running her knuckles up and down the dragon’s sternum as the creature hums in satisfaction, little puffs of smoke floating from his nostrils.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” I ask her, finally realizing what that damn lizard smell must have been.

“You were keeping secrets from me too, Professor, and so I didn’t know if I could trust you. If I’m honest, I still don’t know for sure if I’m a fool. If I’m trusting people when I shouldn’t.”

I understand. After what happened, I haven’t been exactly ready to trust people myself.

“Talking of which,” she continues, “you said you’d help me work out what’s going on.” She tickles the dragon under his chin, her face lighting up as the dragon leans into her touch. “You said whoever manipulated the trial may have been testing me. Do you think Madame suspects I have powers? Do you think she knew about my sister?”

“The Princes chose you as their thrall. I am fucking infatuated with you. Of course she suspects there is something different about you. I don’t know if she knows what that is, or if she knew about your sister. That was nine years ago. Veronica was just a regular teacher back then.”