“Lies.” He swats his paw and knocks Aurelia to the ground. “Give her to me, and go in peace.”
“We cannot.” Russ fans his wings. “Dragon vows are sacred, or have you forgotten?”
“Do not insult me, boy.” Argentum drags his other leg out of the lake. “I helped make the laws that we live by.”
“So, why do you think you can break them?” I yell at him to draw his attention from the dragons.
“In times of danger, the elders have always had the right to do whatever was necessary.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Tell them to back away, or they will all die for you.”
“No one else is going to die.” The last word catches in my throat. I clap my hands, and all of the dragons but Argentum disappear.
He growls, and a shiver sprints up my spine. “It is time for you to give your life for the greater good.” He swipes a massive, taloned paw at me.
His claws slice through my back. I fall to my hands and knees. My vision darkens.
L
Cody stood above me. I couldn’t make out his words, but I could hear the anger in his voice. It took a few tries, but I finally opened my eyes.
“She’s awake.” Cash sounded relieved. He knelt down at eye level to me. “Are you okay?”
I tried to shake my head, but it sent a spasm through my back.
“Let us heal her,” Malcolm said to Cody.
He stood firmly in front of me. “Can’t trust you around her blood.”
“Please.” My voice was so soft I didn’t know if he’d hear it.
He looked down at me. “You sure.”
“Please.”
Cash and Malcolm each took one of my hands. Malcolm held on tighter than he normally would, and I wondered how much longer his self-control would last.
Their energy flowed into me, lessening the pain. The tension in my body released, and I looked into Malcolm’s bronze eyes. “He killed you.”
“Not going to happen.” He shook his head and smiled at me. “I won’t let him.”
“How do you know?”
He smiled at me. “Because you’re going to tell me exactly what happened. If it was a premonition, I’ll see it coming.”
Chapter 34
Hanging Out
Cody and I waited until he was allowed to be in the women’s dorm before we stepped into the hall with my dragon guards. Marcy grinned shyly at Val as we walked past, and I hoped he didn’t see it for what it was. With his instincts, I wasn’t sure how he’d react.
“Dacia,” Cassandra shouted from behind me when we stepped outside.
Huge snowflakes fell to the ground, blanketing everything. They caught on my eyelashes. Reaching up to wipe them off my face, I turned around and smiled at her. “Hello.”
“What are you doing today?” She trotted to catch up to us.
Pulling the collar of my coat up to block the wind, I pointed toward Sedum. “We’re meeting Samantha and Dan for breakfast. Then I thought about going to Althea.”
“Oh.” She looked down.
“Wanna come?” Cody asked.
She lifted her head, and a smile lit up her face. “That’d be great. Bryce, too?”
“Sure.” I shrugged. “If Samantha and Dan come, we’ll have to take a coupla cars. Cody’s is out. Too much snow.”
She walked with us to Sedum Hall. Bryce stood just inside the door, waiting for her. “Hey.” He nodded at us.
“Want to go to Althea with them?” Cassandra sounded excited, and I couldn’t help but smile at how things changed if you let them.
He shrugged. “Sure. It’s nice to get off campus every once in a while.”
I got pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and a few strips of bacon. Then sat down with my back to the wall. Diana tossed a smiled my way as she sat at a table between me and the door. I smiled back and made a mental note to try to talk to her.
When I was about halfway through breakfast, Dan and Samantha showed up. “Sorry we’re late.” Samantha took her coat off and hung it on the back of her chair.
“Althea?” Cody asked before shoving his toast into his mouth.
Dan nodded and sat beside Samantha. “Sounds fun. We haven’t been there together in a while.”
“Bryce and Cassandra”—I pointed my fork at them when I said their names—“are coming, so someone else will have to drive. My truck only fits two.”
Dan shrugged. “I can fit five in mine.”
“We don’t need a ride.” Cash leaned closer. “It’ll be nice to spread our wings.”
Both Bryce’s and Cassandra’s eyes widened.
“You won’t see them.” I sopped up as much syrup as I could with my pancakes. “Unless they want you to.”
“Cool.” Bryce put scrambled eggs on his toast.
Malcolm picked up his tray. “Do you want me with you? Say the word, and I’ll go.”
I looked at Cash, Val, Russ, and Arianna and pulled my hand through my hair. It was still damp from walking in the snow. I shook my head. “Unless you want to, I think you should keep looking.”
“Stay safe.” He nodded.
“You, too.”
We met in the commons at two o’clock to go to Althea. Before we left, I said, “I don’t feel right going anywhere with you—”
Cassandra’s face fell. “Then—”
“Let me finish.” I held my hand up. “I don’t feel right going anywhere with you, without warning you that there is an elder dragon hunting me.”
Bryce tilted his head. “So, what does that mean?”
“Not much since you haven’t seen a dragon before.” I tucked my hands into my coat pockets. “He’s about twice their size, and he’s one of their leaders.”
“I thought you helped them”—Cassandra moved closer to Bryce—“so why’s he after you?”
I looked around the room, hoping nobody else was listening to our conversation. “He’s afraid.”
“Dacia’s really powerful.” Samantha rolled her eyes at my answer. “He’s scared she’ll try to control him, and he thinks if he eats her, he’ll gain her powers.”
“He wants to eat you?” Cassandra’s mouth hung open. “And
