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I groaned. We had to go to the library. Unfortunately, with how our schedule was, it wasn’t the easiest. They kept us so busy, and afterward, we were brain dead enough to pass out in bed as soon as we were done for the day.
Chapter Twenty-One
“I want more sleep,” Aylia said, practically dragging her feet as she walked next to me.
“Me too,” I agreed.
We had stayed up late last night talking. She was so easy to talk to, so before we knew it, it was way too late and we had to get up for classes in only a few hours. Functioning with only four hours of sleep was practically impossible. Nothing was firing in my brain, all my thoughts sluggish.
“That was a dramatic show you put on yesterday, Delian.”
I groaned. Of course Coral would be here. She was in the hall with two of her friends, all three looking almost the same with the way they wore their uniforms.
“What do you want?” Aylia said, her voice dropping low enough to almost sound threatening.
Coral seemed a bit surprised by her reaction, but quickly recovered as she put on a sly smile.
“Did you have fun yesterday? Acting like the four of you were suffering.” Coral snorted. “It’s pathetic that you’re unable to control yourself. There’s nothing special about you at all. How you got three mates, I’ll never know.”
“Just shut the fuck up, Coral. Enough about that bullshit,” I snapped at her. I was too exhausted for this shit. “I never did anything to you, so why is it that all day, every day you’re in my face, giving me shit? Are you obsessed with me?”
Coral let out a bark of laughter, gathering attention from those around us. “Obsessed? What the fuck is there to be jealous about you? You go around acting like you’re better than us because you have three dragons. We all know it’s preposterous. And you’re taking mates away from riders. There is already a shortage of dragons, and because of your antics and so-called claims, two riders won’t have their dragons. You fucked with the bonds, weakened us, and why? Because you are enjoying opening your legs too much? How selfish can you be?”
“That’s ridiculous, and you know it,” I snapped, stepping closer to her.
“Careful,” Aylia warned, resting her hand on my arm.
I blew out a breath. “You aren’t worth anything, Coral. Isn’t it the other way around? I have never looked down on anyone; I’ve only wanted to get by. But you strut around like you own the place—”
“What the hell is going on here?” a teacher snapped out. We turned to see a middle-aged man with blond hair pulled back in a short ponytail stomp toward us, his expression dark. “Are you picking fights again, Miss Delian? Don’t think I haven’t heard about the incident in the cafeteria. Step away from that student right now.”
Coral smirked as she watched him approach us. He almost looked ready to throw a punch at me.
“Are you okay?” he asked Coral.
She nodded. “She didn’t touch me.” She managed to make herself look weak and defenseless.
His nostrils flared as he turned to me. “I heard about you, Delian. Causing trouble everywhere you go. Get to class before I report you, and you’re punished again.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, swallowing my words as my back burned with the reminder of the whippings that I’d taken earlier. The wounds might have healed, but they definitely felt ingrained in my soul.
“Move along,” he snapped and stayed there until I went into my classroom with Aylia at my side.
“Why is it like this?” Aylia asked, seeming as confused as I was by that reaction. It was as if I was the one who was the bully, not Coral.
Coral came in a moment later, looking too much every inch the victor. My hands curled, tempted to punch her.
She flicked her curly hair behind her shoulder. “Try all you want, but you’ll never be able to touch me again.”
“What makes you think I’d ever want to?” I asked.
“What have you done?” Aylia asked. “Did you turn everyone against Rayna? She’s never done anything to deserve this.”
“Nothing? I heard from King Laskis directly that you’re nothing but trouble, trying to ruin the bond of dragons and riders. You’re the predator here, Rayna. Not me.”
“From the king?” I frowned. How?
Her smile stretched out further. “I know him personally, considering I am in his care.”
