Dragon Fire Academy 1 First Term an RH academy romance - Rachel Jonas Page 0,30
he teased.
“For your information, I laugh all the time,” I informed him lightheartedly. “It just so happens, you and your friends aren’t funny.”
The jab made him chuckle, and it felt strange not full-on hating him at the moment.
We turned toward the lagoon and I fell in sync with his long strides.
“So … you’re not planning to go over there and tell everyone to head back to the academy, are you? Because we really needed to get out of there for a while,” I reasoned. “And I swear we aren’t out here to cause any trouble.”
If there was one thing that had been made abundantly clear, it was that the people of Sanluuk loved their home and were fiercely protective of it. The last thing I wanted to do was leave room for anyone to think that we meant to do this island any harm. It was just as I stated—we simply needed to get away for a while.
Paulo’s expression dimmed a bit, and I wondered what I said that made his smile fade.
“Two hours,” he declared sternly. “That’s the best I can do. Otherwise, you’ll never make it back before nightfall.”
There it was again. Another cryptic warning of unseen danger.
“What is it with you all?” I asked, noting how our steps had slowed. “You keep so many secrets, implying how dangerous this island is, and yet, your advisors have established an academy here. It doesn’t make much sense to me,” I concluded, honestly hoping I hadn’t offended him.
“Trust me, your thoughts aren’t much different from my own.”
The answer surprised me. Mostly because I now suspected that not everyone who called this island home agreed with the decisions that had been made. Namely, inviting perfect strangers to live here while we studied and honed our abilities.
I might have been way off, but I thought he might be open to discussing the topic more in depth.
“Didn’t your chief consult with others before deciding to open the doors of the academy to outsiders?”
Paulo nodded. “He did, but some might say he only sought the opinions of those he already knew shared his views.”
I imagined that happened in politics more often than any of us cared to admit, but just as my lips parted to say those words out loud, I was interrupted.
“But I should stop there,” Paulo declared. “I’m not at liberty to discuss this with you.”
“Why’s that? Because I’m an outsider?” There was a twinge of resentment in my tone that I hadn’t meant to let show through, but alas …
Paulo lowered his gaze to meet mine. “Yes,” he admitted, “but that shouldn’t be taken with offense. I only mean that … things here aren’t like where you’re from.”
We stopped walking completely, turning to face one another while the chatter around us picked up again. I guessed the others realized my guardians weren’t here to scold them.
“Is that because you all don’t believe your people descended from the dragons of Ars-en-Ré?”
He was definitely quiet after that, but something in his stare made me confident my question hadn’t angered him.
“You say that as if you think we’re delusional. Like you don’t think that’s possible.”
“You’ve misunderstood,” I assured him, shaking my head. “I wouldn’t belittle your beliefs simply because I don’t understand them. It was an honest question.”
Warmth.
Softness.
Both were things I never expected to find emanating from Paulo after I clarified, but there was no denying either. For the first time since we first met, I suspected he might actually have a heart in there after all.
“It’s a long story,” he insisted.
“Well, apparently, I have a whole two hours to kill before I turn into a pumpkin, so …”
He smiled, and it wasn’t the arrogant façade I usually got. This one was real.
“You’re veering into a gray area,” he informed me. “The one between the things I can and can’t share with you. However, I can at least say that Spirit made us what we are millennia ago, and similarly to what happened with your people, our bestowal came at a time when it was needed most.”
This explanation was given in code, concealing a much richer story beneath the surface, but I couldn’t bring myself to dig for a more meaningful answer. If it was true that non-natives weren’t at liberty to discover all the island’s secrets, I would just have to respect that.
The heavy sigh I released helped me accept these terms a bit more easily. When the corner of Paulo’s mouth quirked again, I got the impression he appreciated that.