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We sauntered over towhere Kasi and Jasmine were standing and even allowed them to pet us, though at least Jasmine had the courtesy to ask permission first. Unlike a certain arrogant dragon. I sent him a fierce look and Miki-Leopard added a menacing growl, but he wasn’t even paying attention.
He’d already transformed back into his dragon and was staring into the distance again, once more appearing as if he wasn’t even aware of the rest of us.
After giving instructions to the students on how to approach a wild dragon, Professor Vesely left them to practice on Elliot and headed to where we were standing. “Go join the others, Jasmine. You too, Kasi,” he said sternly.
“Oh, but—” Jasmine began.
“Now.”
Great. I could feel it coming: mysecond lecture in two days. I was on a roll here.
Professor Vesely waited until Jasmine and Kasi had joined the other students before he spoke again. He never once glanced at me—or rather at my leopard—but instead stood at our side, watching the students while he delivered his message. “I understand your leopard only recently manifested, so I will make allowances this once. However, you need to gain control of her immediately if you wish to pass this course. Quite simply, you must learn how to ride a dragon and in order to do that, I have to be able to trust you near them. That won’t happen if you can’t control your leopard.
“Your lack of control today could have resulted in a rampaging dragon if Elliot weren’t a shifter. Many lives might havebeen lost as a result.Thatis what you need to understand about housing a beast inside you. It’s not that your lack of control could get you killed.Thatwould be a natural consequence of your actions. It’s that it could getotherskilled, and that, Ms. Mitchell, is never acceptable.
“Pay attention in class. Communicate with your leopard. And learn how to maintain control at all times.”
Without waiting for a response—it’s not like we could give one anyway—Professor Vesely stepped away to begin lecturing a group of students who were gathered around Elliot. “Did you even listen to a word I said about how to approach a dragon? I said one at a time and look at the lot of you, crowding him, risking your lives if he were to getirritated. Step back, now!”
The students all moved back, shamefacedly, but I wasn’t paying attention at all because I was trying desperately to convince Miki-Leopardnotto attack Elliotagain.
He’s just here to help the professor teach the students how to approach a dragon.
Bad-Dragon.She sent me an image of Elliot surrounded by the women of the class, all of them touching his scales.
Not Bad-Dragon. Helpful dragon. He’s teaching them.
Bad-Dragon.She sent me another picture of him, this time of his head, which he had lifted toward the sun.
I glanced at Elliot and had to admit that even I could tell he was enjoying himself. I thought it had more to do withthe feel of the sun, rather than the students’ hands, on his scales, but what did I know?
Bad-Dragon,Miki-Leopard repeated.
Not Bad-Dragon. The sun makes him happy.I sent a picture of the sun and the feeling of warmth when it hit one’s skin.
I don’t know if she believed me, but so far I was managing to keep her calm.
BAD-DRAGON.She said it loudly this time as if this would somehow convince me.
Well. Okay.
Maybe notcalm.
But not raging, serial-killer status either, so we’ll call that a win.
“All right, Ms. Fontaine,” Professor Vesely said. “Approach from the side, cautiouslyand slow.”
Magnolia Fontaine, a witch I recognized from my charms and potions class the previous year, walked hesitantly toward Elliot. She stared up at him with wide eyes, said something I couldn’t quite hear and set her hand on Elliot’s leg.
That was when Elliot-Dragon did something so incredibly stupid, it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
He tilted his head, so that his eye was looking down at Magnolia.
That was all it took.
He looked at Magnolia and Miki-Leopard lost her ever-loving mind.
With another one of her rasping roars, she hurtled toward Magnolia and Elliot.
