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Thin lines of blood still trace the veins in his membrane where Valek’s teeth punched through. I’d give anything to get him on an exam table. Sirena looks him over and frowns at the damage. “You have an injured wing. Should you rest while your mate⁠—”

“No,” Ezra cuts her off.

His arm tightens around me until his nails dig into my side and I hiss. His dragon stares out through his eyes and dares me to move. “I will not separate from my mate.”

Oh shit. He’s mad mad.

His scent cools off before he speaks to Sirena again. “Let me show you something I’m working on for the community.”

After Sirena nods, Ezra glances around at the students staring and whispering across the lawn. They keep checking his injury, then the long skid of dirt and torn grass where he came down. He grunts as his wings draw into his back. His scales ripple and sink beneath his skin.

He keeps his arm locked around me as we cross campus. Everyone stepping out of our way reeks of nerves. I play tour guide for Sirena past the golden dome of the Lion Shifter Wing and the blue-green scales on the Dragon Shifter Wing roof. We pass the Wolf Shifter Wing, where I spent most of my Academy years. It still smells like home.

I tip my chin at the building ahead with its tall windows and ivy. “The library is three stories,” I tell her. “It has the largest collection of supernatural texts outside the Witching Glen. Some of the books are older than Wintermoon itself.”

Claude trails behind us with her scent gone smug. I refuse to give her the satisfaction of turning around.

We stop in front of the planetarium, where steel beams rise from the concrete foundation. Bear shifters haul materials across the scaffolding. Up top, wolves climb the framework with their hammers clanging.

Ezra traces a wide curve in the air. “This will project the whole night sky onto a dome ceiling.” He’s lit up over this. When he drops his hand, he smells warm and a little shy. “I’m building it for the community, but mostly for my father. He’s been teaching astronomy in a regular classroom for decades. He deserves a proper temple for it.”

He turns to Sirena. “You knew my grandfather?”

“Yes,” she says. “Before the Great War.”

Ezra swallows. “All I know about him is what he did to my mother’s parents. My father won’t speak about the past.” He keeps his voice light, but I can smell how bad he needs this. I lean into his side and mind my business for once. “Was there more to him than that?”

Behind us, Claude’s scent goes thin and sharp. She breaks it up. “How about we have that discussion sitting down? I need to get you hydrated.”

“Mom,” Ezra protests. The new alpha of Ash Clan sounds like a whiny teenager. I muffle my giggle against his arm.

Sirena laughs. “That is a good idea.” She points at the main Academy building. “I do like the fish in there.”

Ezra chuckles. “Yes, Angie is a great cook for the students.”

Sirena’s gills clamp flat. “The witch. She is very hostile. I do not like her.”

Claude snorts and smothers it behind her hand when Ezra frowns. “Oh,” she mutters, “Sirena is going to fit in well here.”

Ezra takes us in through the back entrance of the Academy. The heavy wooden doors open on a corridor of trophy cases and bulletin boards. Past it, the hallways are covered in student artwork, and Sirena pauses at every piece. I don’t have the heart to hurry her.

“It’s a school,” Ezra explains, “but most of the students live on campus. It’s easier that way.”

Sirena hums at that. “I find it interesting that mother shifters will separate from their young for the betterment of the community. It shows growth.”

My stomach rumbles when fresh bread hits my nose on our way to the cafeteria. Sirena pulls up short with her gills flared wide. “I can smell the other Stormscale. He is near.”

“Actually, I’m right behind you.” Tyrion stands at our backs with his hands clasped. I should have caught his scent, but I was too busy sniffing bread to notice. I’d swear he’s been eavesdropping for a while.

Sirena turns to Tyrion and lays a hand over her heart while he bows. “Aldric’s son,” she says. “It is an honor and blessing to finally meet you.”

Tyrion notices Claude and moves to her side. He kisses her cheek with his hand on her arm. She practically purrs. It must be nice to have a mate who isn’t giving you the silent treatment.

“The honor is mine,” he says. “I am glad our paths have crossed.”

That’s about as plain a hello as Tyrion gets. Sirena bares her sharp teeth at him, and I’m choosing to believe that’s a compliment where she comes from.

“I’m late to the party, my apologies,” Tyrion continues. “I had an astronomy class to finish up. We’re currently studying the constellation Cassiopeia and her relationship to Andromeda. The mythology helps the younger students connect with the science—they remember the stories, and through them, they learn the positions of the stars.”