Page 2 of Heartflame

They didn’t scare me.

“Any questions?” my grandfather asked, and the room erupted once more.

I stood by silently as my grandfather, with the utmost patience, answered all their questions and then some. The journalists pried into the wards surrounding the school, asked about changes to classes, if all the professors agreed to come back, and so on. For thirty long minutes, he answered them all with care. But when that half hour was up, he held a hand up, and the room went silent once more.

“That’s all the questions I can take for now,” he smiled. “I need to escort my grandson to Widdershins Academy so he can settle in before classes start in a couple of days. Thank you so much for coming today, and please, deliver a message of positivity and hope to our people. That is what we need most right now.”

The crowd began to disperse, though not without continued murmuring and the occasional shouted question that my grandfather politely ignored. I watched as security began ushering the journalists toward the exits, their enchanted cameras still capturing every moment.

“Well done,” my grandfather said quietly, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. “You looked exactly like what they needed to see. Strong. Determined.”

I nodded, already feeling the adrenaline from the press conference starting to fade. The weight of it all was beginning to settle in. I was about to be living proof that the Elder Council had everything under control. It was a bit much when you really thought about it, but I pushed that aside. No sense dwelling on it now, not when there was so much fun ahead of me.

“When do we head to Widdershins?” I asked, my scales still gleaming under the bright lights of the grand hall.

“Within the hour,” my grandfather replied. “Your things have already been packed and loaded. I thought we’d do the teleportation together. I’ll help you get settled into your dormitory before I leave.”

I felt a flutter of something in my chest. Excitement, maybe. Or nerves. It was hard to tell the difference sometimes. Widdershins Academy was a place full of paranormal students, many of whom I’d never met before. That meant no more private tutors, no more of the careful, controlled environment I’d grown up in out of necessity. Just me, a bunch of other supernatural beings, and a hell of a lot of security keeping me and everyone else safe.

“Sounds good,” I said, keeping my tone light even as my mind was already racing ahead. I caught sight of Elder Briar Hall one more time as the crowd thinned. He was watching me with that same infuriating smirk, and I found myself wondering what his deal was. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, something that went beyond his general air of smugness.

“Come on then,” my grandfather said, steering me toward a side exit. “Let’s get you on your way. You’ve got an exciting semester ahead of you. You’ll be the first dragon on campus in over two hundred years.” He gave me a sly wink. “I bet you’ll be very popular.”

I let out a low chuckle at that. Popular. Yeah, that sounded about right. My horns and bright red scales always turned heads. The thought sent a little thrill through me. I was actually looking forward to the attention. And why shouldn’t I? Dragons were extremely rare, and I was Thaddeus Pyre’s heir. Not to mention, I was dead handsome. Why wouldn’t people want to be around me?

We made our way through the winding corridors of the Council chambers, my grandfather’s scaled footsteps a reassuring rhythm against the stone. I was already mentally cataloging what I wanted to do first once I got to Widdershins. There were supposed to be some killer parties at the opening of the year, and I’d heard rumors of thin spots in the wards that led to private getaways in the woods. Maybe I’d sneak out with someone and get buck wild in the woods. That sounded great to me.

“Try not to get yourself expelled in the first week,” my grandfather said with amusement, as if he could read my mind.

“No promises,” I grinned.

We reached the private teleportation chamber, a cavernous room with intricate runes etched into the marble floor. The air here always felt charged and electric. My packed belongings were stacked neatly to one side with two attendants. I had several trunks filled with clothes I’d probably never wear and books I’d only pretend to read. I’d be far too busy getting laid to worry about any of those.

My grandfather placed a clawed hand on my shoulder, his expression shifting into something more serious. “Aeron,” he said, and the weight in his voice made me pause. “I know this is just a lark for you. A chance to have some fun away from all this.” He gestured vaguely back toward the chambers we’d just left. “But I need you to understand something. What you’re doing matters. Not just as my grandson, but as a symbol to every young paranormal out there who’s scared right now. Show them you are not afraid. Of anything.”

I met his golden eyes, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a blanket. He wasn’t wrong. I’d known that since he’d first asked me to do this. But hearing him say it out loud made it feel heavier, somehow.

“I understand, Grandfather,” I said, and I meant it. “I won’t let you down.”

He nodded, satisfied, and began tracing one of the runes with the tip of his claw. The chamber hummed to life, the air shimmering as the teleportation spell activated.

“Hold on,” he said.

The world dissolved into light and sensation, and then⁠—

We materialized in the center of a standing circle of stones. An arched wrought-iron gate rose up in front of us, flanked by four security witches with battle wands.

My grandfather smiled. “Welcome to Widdershins Academy, Aeron.”

Chapter 2

Quill

“Breathe,” I said aloud, feet pounding against the earth as I ran. “Just keep breathing.”

My legs were screaming. At first, I hadn’t felt the burn. After mile one, it became so intense that I almost gave up. But then it faded, like it always did, the motion of running becoming almost second nature to me.

However, now, after nearly three miles, I was beginning to think I might actually die if I stopped running.