Chapter 22

22

ARIA

T he Great Hall buzzed with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty as Eirian addressed our group. His face was a mask of calm authority, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes darted between us and our newly hatched dragons. The air felt charged with an energy I couldn't quite name - part magic, part anticipation, and part fear of the unknown.

"The dragons are to remain with you in your rooms," he announced, his voice carrying across the hall. "We've adjusted the magical wards of the Keep to neutralize their breath abilities within the living areas. This is for everyone's safety until we can better understand and control their powers."

I looked down at the small white dragon curled in my arms, its iridescent scales shimmering in the light like freshly fallen snow catching the first rays of dawn. It gazed back at me with those mesmerizing purple eyes, deep and mysterious as twilight. The thought of being responsible for this tiny, magical creature was both thrilling and terrifying. What did I know about raising a dragon? And yet, somehow, it felt right.

Around me, my friends were getting acquainted with their own dragons, each pairing as unique as it was miraculous. Chris's earth-toned dragon perched on his shoulder, its tail curled around his neck like a living scarf. The creature's scales were a mosaic of browns and greens, reminiscent of a forest floor. Every now and then, it would nuzzle Chris's cheek, eliciting a grin from him.

Zephyr's silver dragon flitted around his head, creating tiny whirlwinds that ruffled the fae's hair. Its movements were quick and graceful, almost too fast for the eye to follow. The air around Zephyr seemed to shimmer, as if the very atmosphere was responding to the dragon's presence.

Lydia's water dragon sat regally on her shoulder, its scales glistening like dewdrops in the morning sun. It was slightly larger than the others, with webbed feet and fins along its back. Every so often, it would shake itself, sending a light spray of water droplets cascading around Lydia.

As I glanced around the room, I realized with relief that everyone had successfully bonded with a dragon. No one had been left out, which eased a worry I hadn't even realized I'd been harboring. Each pair seemed perfectly matched, as if the dragons had chosen their humans as much as we had chosen them.

"Yours is quite reserved, isn't it?" Chris commented, coming to stand beside me. His dragon chirped loudly, as if to emphasize the point, the sound echoing off the stone walls of the hall.

I nodded, a flicker of concern crossing my face. "Yeah, it's been pretty quiet compared to the others. Do you think that's normal?"

Zephyr joined us, his dragon performing aerial acrobatics around his head, leaving trails of silvery light in its wake. "Each dragon seems to have its own personality," he mused, his eyes following his dragon's movements with a mix of pride and wonder. "Yours just might be the calm, thoughtful type."

"Or maybe it's just taking everything in," Lydia chimed in, her maternal instincts clearly extending to our new companions. Her water dragon trilled softly in agreement. "Not all children are boisterous, you know. Some are just more observant."

I looked down at my dragon, which was watching the others with keen interest, its purple eyes studying them. Occasionally, it would make soft trills or chirps, as if commenting on what it saw. "I guess you're right," I said, stroking its head gently. "It does seem to be paying close attention to everything."

"We should probably think about naming them," Chris suggested, scratching his dragon under its chin. It let out a contented purr that sounded almost like a cat, its eyes half-closing in bliss. "Any ideas for yours, Aria?"

I stroked my dragon's head gently, and it leaned into my touch with a soft chirp. Its scales were warm under my fingers, almost pulsing with life. "I'm not sure yet. I want to get to know it a bit better first. It doesn't feel right to just pick a name without understanding its personality."

"That's probably wise," Lydia nodded. "Names have power, especially for magical creatures. You want to make sure you choose the right one."

As we continued to discuss our dragons, I couldn't help but marvel at how quickly our lives had changed. Just weeks ago, we were strangers from different worlds, thrust together by circumstances beyond our control. Now, we stood united, with dragons by our side.

Who could've ever thought.

Before anyone could respond further, Eirian's voice cut through our conversation like a knife through butter. "Everyone is to disperse to their rooms immediately," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. The sudden shift in his demeanor made me uneasy. "Remain there with your dragons until we come to fetch you. Keep your balcony doors closed and your dragons close."

A murmur of confusion rippled through the group, the earlier excitement quickly giving way to anxiety. "What's going on?" someone asked, their voice tinged with fear.

Eirian's expression remained impassive, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands clenched at his sides. "We're still assessing the situation. For now, follow my instructions. We'll provide more information as soon as we can."

With a sense of unease settling in my stomach like a lead weight, we made our way back to our rooms. Chris remained close, his arm brushing mine as we walked. My dragon remained curled in my arms, its warmth a comforting presence against the chill of uncertainty that had descended over the Keep.

We bid one another goodbye in the communal area, and Chris paused, studying me for a moment before he dipped in and kissed me in front of Lydia and Zephyr, catching me off-guard.

"Your little dragon looks happy with you, Aria. Everything will be okay," he said warmly as I stared at him, my cheeks burning softly. He grinned, noting my uncertainty at the very obvious public display of affection, before he turned and headed down his hall.

"Talk soon, once they get whatever it is sorted," Lydia said, giving me a wink as I pursed my lips. Zephyr just nodded, his focus returning to his dragon as he headed off.

Once in my room, I set the dragon down on my bed and took a moment to really study it after kicking off my shoes. Its white scales seemed to shift colors in the light, displaying hints of blue, purple, and silver, like the inside of an opal. Its wings were delicate, almost translucent, with intricate patterns that reminded me of frost on a window pane. Its tail ended in a graceful point, and despite its reserved nature, there was an undeniable intelligence in its gaze as it watched me.

"Well, little one," I said softly, reaching out to stroke its head. "I guess it's just you and me for now." The dragon leaned into my touch, letting out a soft trill that sounded almost like a sigh of contentment.

As I sat there, marveling at this miraculous creature, my thoughts drifted to Ossian. The memory of his pained expression as he was led away for medical attention made my chest tighten. I hoped he was okay, that the burn from the dragon's fire wasn't too severe. Despite the tension between vampires and the rest of us, I couldn't help but feel concerned for him.

Suddenly, my dragon perked up, its head swiveling towards the door. Its purple eyes widened, and its nostrils flared as if catching an interesting scent. Before I could react, it had leapt off the bed and was scratching at the door, chirping insistently. This was the most animated I'd seen it since the hatching.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, moving to scoop it up. But the dragon was surprisingly agile, dodging my grasp with a grace that belied its small size. It flew up to the door handle, and with a dexterity that shocked me, it managed to push down on it, swinging the door open.

"No, wait!" I called, but it was too late. The dragon had already zipped out into the hallway, its white scales a blur as it headed straight for the vampire wing. My heart leapt into my throat. Of all the places in the Keep…

Typical.

My heart raced as I chased after it, acutely aware that I was disobeying Eirian's orders. The stone floors were cold under my bare feet, and the soft light in the hallways cast eerie shadows that seemed to reach out for me as I ran. I caught up to my dragon just as it reached the vampire hall, scooping it into my arms. "You little troublemaker," I muttered, but there was no real anger in my voice. How could I be angry when I was equally curious about what had drawn it here?

Just then, Ossian's door opened, and Ossian stepped out. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of me, a mixture of surprise and concern crossing his face. His own black dragon perched on his shoulder, its red eyes gleaming in the dim light of the hallway like twin embers. The contrast between our dragons was striking - light and dark, day and night. I had seen the fire it had breathed as well, tinged with black, something that made it stand out from the other fire-breathing dragons. Which, oddly enough, every single vampire had. There were other fire-breathing ones scattered amongst the others, but all the vampires had wound up with fire. How intriguing.

"Aria," he said, his voice low and tinged with worry. "You shouldn't be out of your room. The Dracarians made that quite clear." Despite his words, there was a softness in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks, suddenly very aware of how I must look - disheveled from the chase, clutching my dragon like a lifeline. "I know, I'm sorry," I stammered. "My dragon... it just took off. I couldn't stop it."

Ossian's gaze shifted to the dragon in my arms, then back to me. After a moment of hesitation that felt like an eternity, he stepped back, gesturing for me to enter his room. "You'd better come in," he said softly. "We don't want anyone else seeing you out here. Eirian seemed on edge."

As the door closed behind us, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was stepping into something far more than I'd anticipated. My dragon, now calm in my arms, watched Ossian's dark dragon with keen interest.

The air between us felt charged with an energy I couldn't quite name - part danger, part excitement, and part something else entirely.

Had my little dragon orchestrated this whole thing?