Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 126358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 505(@250wpm)___ 421(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 505(@250wpm)___ 421(@300wpm)
He must hate me now, I thought, being careful to hide my thoughts from L’eesha, who had finally settled down. I also hid my certainty that I would be kicked out of the Academy, and they would separate the two of us. I didn’t know how they would manage that—L’eesha would definitely put up a fuss—but I was sure the Head Master wouldn’t tolerate a female dragon rider.
My thoughts were interrupted as the door opened, and Ryse came back into the room.
My hand flew instinctively to the hollow of my throat…and I realized I hadn’t put the Dragon Glass pendant back on. Well, it was too late for deception now, anyway. Everyone who saw me would know I was a girl.
I watched anxiously to see who would come in after him. Would it be the Head Master? The Healer? Maybe just some burly men to drag me out of bed and throw me out of the Academy at once.
But it seemed that Ryse was alone, because he closed the door behind him and came to put a tray he was carrying on the table at the side of the bed.
“Here,” he said, handing me a mug with bitter-smelling steam rising from it.
“What’s this?” I stared at him in confusion.
“Willow-bark tea,” he said shortly. “I sweetened it with honey to help mask the bitterness. Told the kitchen ladies I needed it for a headache,” he added.
“You brought me tea?” I asked, still trying to understand.
“To help with your pain,” he said patiently. “Doesn’t it help?” he asked, frowning. “It’s what my sister always asks for when she’s having her monthly.”
“You…you have a sister?” I got out at last, still staring at him.
He frowned.
“Of course. Have I never told you about her before? She’s married off to some stupid Duke, but we still write to each other from time to time.” He nodded at the tea. “Drink that, will you? Not just for you—for me. So L’eesha will stop giving me and M’alex your pain.”
“Oh, is she still doing that?” I exclaimed, my face flushing with embarrassment. “L’eesha—stop giving people my pain!” I exclaimed aloud and sent at the same time.
“i will if Ryse is helping you,” she sent back. There was silence for a moment, then she said, “all right—M’alex says he is.”
At once, Ryse straightened up and breathed a sigh of relief.
“I can’t believe you go through that every month,” he said, shaking his head. “Such pain would bring the bravest warrior to his knees!”
“Actually, I don’t go through it every month. That is, I haven’t for the past half year,” I said. “It just, er, started again this morning.”
“Ah…” He nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. I was wondering how you hid it before.”
The willow bark tea was beginning to help by then—it works fast—and I was able to breathe a little easier myself. Ryse hadn’t told on me—at least, not yet. Maybe I had at least a little reprieve before I was kicked out of the Academy.
“You, er, don’t seem very surprised to find out I’m a woman,” I said cautiously, as I took another sip of the bitter-sweet tea.
He frowned.
“Well, I’ve been suspecting for a while. From the very first I knew that something wasn’t quite right. Sometimes you looked like an ordinary male cadet to me…but other times you were so pretty…” He cleared his throat. “Beautiful, actually.”
I felt my cheeks getting hot again with a blush.
“I wondered why you were staring at me so much. But is that all that, er, gave me away?”
“No, not really. Though it did surprise me that I was suddenly attracted to what I thought was another male,” he said, his brows drawing low. “Do you know how much you messed with my head, Auri? If that really is your name.”
“It is,” I said quickly. “Or actually, my real name is Aurora and my brother’s name was Auren. Auri could be short for either one—don’t you think?”
He nodded thoughtfully.
“So you took your brother’s place. Where is he, then?”
“He…he’s dead.” The words stuck in my throat as my brother’s face swam before my eyes. I still missed him so much! And he hadn’t been gone that long.
“Dead?” Ryse asked, looking surprised.
“He died of a fever not long after our father and his dragon…ended themselves,” I said. “I nursed him the best I could, but we had no money for a doctor.”
I felt tears stinging my eyes and tried to hold them back. This was the first time I’d talked to anyone about Auren’s death, and I was surprised at how much it hurt.
“I’m sorry.” Ryse shook his head. “I didn’t know.”
“Of course you didn’t—no one did, and no one cared!” I exclaimed, suddenly angry. “Your family are like royalty—you probably live in a huge mansion with plenty of servants. How could you know what it’s like to live on the side of a mountain with no one to help—no one to care? No food to eat, either. You can blame me for coming to the Academy in Auren’s place if you want to, but it was either take my brother’s place here or starve to death at home!”