Dragonrider Academy: Episode 1

Dragonrider Academy: Episode One Copyright © 2020 by A.J. Flowers

Cover Art by Rebecca Frank

Editing by Kristen Breanne

All Persons Fictitious Disclaimer:

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental.

ASIN: B07XNKH388

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system.

Published in the United States.

CONTENTS

Also by A.J. Flowers

Blurb

1.

The Invitation

2.

A Warning

3.

Party on the Beach

4.

Going for a Swim

5.

Welcome to Dragonrider Academy

6.

A Duel

7.

First Day of School

8.

Episode 2: Sneak Peek

Blurb

A Note from the Author

Also by A.J. Flowers

ALSO BY A.J. FLOWERS

YA Fantasy Romance

Valkyrie Allegiance (A Complete Series)

Valkyrie Landing (Book 1)

Valkyrie Rebellion (Book 2)

Valkyrie Uprising (Book 3)

Daughter of Dragons (Standalone)

Dragonrider Academy (Episode 1)

Dragonrider Academy (Episode 2)

Celestial Downfall: Twisted Angelic Realms (Complete Series)

Fallen to Grace (Book 1)

Rise to Hope (Book 2)

Stand for Justice (Book 3)

Manor Saffron (Book 4)

GameLit

Reborn Online: Dungeon Worlds

Phoenix Online

Post Apocalypse

40 Days (Book 1)

Never trust a jock.

That was my first mistake. When Max Green invited me to a night party on the beach, I should have known better. The Resorties are rich kids who can’t see past their own cruelty. When Max and his friends trap me in the water, the only way for me to go is down.

It would have been an ironic death, given that my father drowned in the very same waters. But that’s not what happened. Instead my entire world changed when the Lady of the Lake took me to a new realm, one that had been hidden from me my entire life.

Dragonrider Academy is a secret society I’m not even supposed to know exists. It has knights with talking swords, professors who breathe fire, and a hot guy named Killian who seriously gets on my nerves.

It’s his fault I’m stuck here in the first place. He wants me to be his partner and face all the challenges Dragonrider Academy has to offer. He says we’re fated to be together, that I was the one who called him! Crazy talk.

Or is it?

Whatever secret he’s hiding, I need to get it out of him before I do something stupid… like fall for the bad boy who got me into this mess in the first place.

C urled up in my favorite dark corner of the library, I chewed on the end of a Slim Jim like it was a cigar. My routine of getting lost in my favorite fantasy novels was interrupted by Oakland High’s hottest track star staring me down.

I blinked up at Max Green, wondering what on Earth he was doing in the library in the first place. “I didn’t know you could read,” I said, spitting out the first defensive comment that came to mind.

Instead of showing he was offended, he offered me a charming grin usually reserved for the sleazy cheerleaders as he leaned against one of the heavy shelves. He ran his fingers over the book spines, making my eyes drop to the slow, deliberate movement.

“I thought I might find you here,” he said, as if I hadn’t just been incredibly rude—but it was called for. All the Resorties—the sons and daughters of all the rich families who owned the Lake Resort down the street—rarely were nice to me and it was best if I lashed out first.

Plus, his dad was my mom’s boss and lately had been a total jerkwad.

“Your dad shouldn’t send his son to do his dirty work,” I said, showing him that I knew all about why he was here. “My mom said that she’ll have his documents next week, okay? She’s only a few days late and it’s not even her fault.”

My mom had been so super stressed about the whole thing. As an accountant to the infamously overpriced Silver Lake Resort, she got to enjoy far too much responsibility with unrealistic deadlines.

Max chuckled again, his striking blue eyes threatening to make my defenses weaken. “Relax, will ya? I don’t care about my dad’s tax returns. I’m here to invite you to my party.” He slipped his backpack off his shoulder and pulled out a paper with cartoon waves and tacky letters in graffiti font that said:

Bust out a wave! Bonfire tonight - Silver Lake Resort Crash Party, delinquents only!

I took the paper and turned it sideways as I examined it. “Delinquents only?”

Max rubbed the back of his neck, the motion showing off his toned arms, evidence of how much swimming he did at the lake. “Yeah, Henry thought the invitations would be funny. He’s no graphic artist, but I promised him he could make whatever he wanted.” He shrugged, casting his striking blue gaze down so that I could breathe again. “I just thought you might like to come.”

“Why?” I asked, skeptical that Max Green actually wanted me, the lonely “odd bird” who had no friends, to show up to his cool-kids party.

Never mind the fact that I had a massive crush on him ever since elementary school, but that was a secret that I’d take to my grave.

He surprised me by kneeling. It was the first time any of the Resorties had gotten on my level, figuratively or literally. He picked up one of the books and began to thumb through it. I bit the inside of my cheek, because he’d picked up a dragon-rider novel which was probably totally nerdy to him. I loved reading about any story with dragons, especially the ones where humans and dragons became close friends. It just seemed… natural. I always understood animals better than I did anyone at school, so I found it much more relatable.

“It’s an apology, I guess,” he said, not commenting on the book as he set it down. “I overheard my dad on the phone with your