Page 44 of Under Restless Skies

“Yes.” Katrine nods. “Their minds have been absolutely shattered by the time they come to attack us. They’ve become weapons of destruction, bonded to our enemies. The only mercy is death.”

“What if…” I realize I started to ask a question, even though it might not be a great idea. All eyes turn to me, and I have no choice but to continue. “What if we got young dragons? Or eggs?”

Katrine frowns as if considering a strange question. “Yes, that’s a possibility, but a difficult one. For one, stealing dragon eggs is almost impossible. Still, for theory’s sake, let’s assume someone was able to get those precious eggs. The challenge now is to keep them alive. Auranius will protect them, of course, but the invading dragons will be merciless. Remember that they’ve been conditioned to kill. A dragon who was not raised by them will be considered an enemy. It will be their main target. When Auranius sleeps, we’ll need to be careful with our defenses and protect the young creatures. If the hatchling can survive, it will become like Auranius, one of our dragon protectors, albeit a little smaller, at least in the beginning.”

“So the dragon wouldn’t be bonded?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “We’re not brutes, and wouldn’t impose such suffering upon our own dragons.”

Relief runs through me, as I imagine the little dragons about to come out of those eggs free to fly and roam, and not bonded to anyone, not subjected to any torturous methods. I did the right thing by taking them from that cave. Still, I hope the little dragons are kept safe, and I understand why they’re deep in the castle in a room without windows. Maybe that’s why they aren’t with Auranius, as his lair has an opening big enough for him to fly in and out, vulnerable to dragon attacks if he sleeps or even if he flies away.

“You’ll have an entire year to ask questions,” Katrine says, then points at a pile of thick books on the counter at the corner of the room. “Now, each table will form a group, and each table should pick up one of these books. You’ll be reading and discussing Chapter One: Anatomy. At the end of the class, you’ll have to answer some questions. Failure to do so properly will result in correction. Correction for the whole group, so make sure your table colleagues are also paying attention. Recruits who can’t read will have to memorize the information read by your classmates. If nobody in your group can read, let me know, and I’ll regroup you.”

The thought that some recruits are illiterate stuns me, but it’s true that we’re never tested for that. My mother taught me and my brother our letters, but I don’t want to remember her finger underlining words, her voice correcting me, her hand helping me hold a quill. Why is it that sweet memories can hurt so much?

Celine drops the heavy book on the table, and I smile at her. “You’re taking this class for the second time?”

She nods and grins. “Instructor Katrine allowed me. I want to become a scholar. Maybe that’s what we need, you know? Figure out the dragons. Some secret, something…”

The brown-haired girl blinks. “You’re in the second year?”

“Yes, my name’s Celine.” She extends a hand, as recruits are chatting at the other tables.

“Nelly,” the other girl says, then takes Celine’s hand.

“I’m Mayara. This is my first day in the academy.”

I shake hands with Nelly, who has a pleasant smile.

“Are you doing correction?” she asks.

“Sort of. For now, I’m only allowed to take theory classes. The rest of the time, I’m in the cleaning crew.” Doing nothing, but they don’t need to know.

“Why?” Nelly blinks.

I hesitate. “Academy’s mysteries. Someone put me there, and I might never know the reason.”

Celine opens the book. “We need to start studying, or else we might have to spend a night in prison.”

“Instructor Katrine doesn’t expel recruits?” I ask.

“Not like that, on the first day. And she prefers to send recruits to prison anyway.”

Nelly cranes her neck to see the book. “Small letters.” She looks at Celine. “If you took this class, you can tell us what’s in it, can’t you?”

“Yes,” Celine says. “But reading is good too.”

A flicker of panic runs over Nelly’s eyes, and I wonder if she’s a slow reader or has some difficulty with small print.

I say, “I can read out loud if you want.”

“That can work.” Nelly is nodding fast, perhaps nervous.

Celine shrugs. “But if there’s something you want to know, ask me.”

Thousands of questions cross my mind. “Do dragons have special healing powers?”

“Yes. I mean…” Celine narrows her eyes, thinking. “Some of their body parts can heal faster, like the wings.”