Dragon Fire Academy 1 First Term an RH academy romance - Rachel Jonas Page 0,39

out which of my supernatural gifts will reign supreme, then yes. Tonight’s the night.”

“My guess is it’ll be your witch. I still think that was pretty sweet you were able to help Kai. How’d you do it?”

The question caught me off guard, and I felt my expression shift. “Uh … the spell?” I asked. “I learned it about a year ago.”

“No.” Rayen shook his head. “I know you have magic, and I know it was a spell. I’m asking how you’re able to access that kind of power? You know, being a hybrid and all.”

I didn’t answer at first, feeling somewhat self-conscious being put on the spot.

“Your mother was born to the original dragon,” Rayen went on, “and one of the original wolves. And your father’s a legend among dragons. So, how is it that you—”

“Became a witch too?” I interjected with a laugh. “Timing. Typically, neither a wolf nor a dragon can be born a witch, but they can when they’re just as much human as they are a shifter.”

The confused expression he gave in response was exactly what I expected.

“I was conceived during a brief intermission while my father was human. So, because of this, my latent witch lineage was able to come through … making me the freak I am today, I guess.”

I laughed again, but nothing was funny. Actually, I hated that I just referred to myself in that way. Being here was supposed to be about starting fresh. The last thing I wanted to do was put in peoples’ heads that I was strange.

Different.

After the slipup, I shut down, fearing I’d say something else that would call attention to myself.

“So, you’re a little bit of everything then,” he said thoughtfully.

I nodded, and from what I could tell, he was only intrigued by our conversation. Not judgey or fearful. Those were usually people’s go-to responses.

“And you … feel okay?” His strangely vague question brought another laugh out of me.

“Uh, yeah. As far as I can tell, I’m all good.” For a split second, I wondered if he asked because Kai had broken his promise, sharing the strange incident at the lagoon with his brothers. But then, I recalled the sincerity in his eyes when he vowed that he wouldn’t.

It’s funny how that quieted my thoughts right away.

A smile made Rayen’s handsome face even more attractive. Only, I shouldn’t have looked at him—or the others—in that way. For more reasons than one. To start, they were my guardians. Then there was the fact that he and his brothers had all kind of been dicks at one time or another.

Approaching the stairs of my destination, we stopped. “Your journey ends here, right?” I asked, but was also kind of suggesting it. “Besides, you’re … not really dressed for the occasion.”

He glanced down at his filthy t-shirt, and his sweats pulled up to his knees, revealing calves that looked like bricks. Taking in his appearance when I called him out, he didn’t look even a little embarrassed.

“Just to be clear,” he chuckled, “I would’ve showered if there had been time.”

Smirking at him, because he just seemed to bring it out of me, both my arms locked across my chest. “Excuses, excuses.”

“Maybe, but keeping an eye on you is a full-time job,” he teased. “I’m just grateful it’s Paulo’s turn to do the night shift.”

The faint smile I’d been wearing left my face quickly. “Wait, you guys keep tabs on me all night?”

To say that I was offended didn’t quite cover it. Did they honestly think I was that incapable of handling myself?

Without further explanation, Rayen turned, trotting down the stairs by twos. “Later, Princess.”

As he departed, I stared at the back of his head, feeling infuriated with the lack of privacy I had here … and it had all been my father’s doing.

Chapter Eleven

Noelle

“I mean, he full-on dropped out of the sky. In the middle of the courtyard.” My face was warm at the mere thought of the scene Rayen caused roughly fifteen minutes prior.

Seated beside me as ambient chatter ricocheted off the vaulted ceilings of the auditorium, Toni gave me a look. When she bounced her brow a bit, I knew exactly what it meant.

“So, was the landing like, sexy-superhero-style? You know what I mean, like down on one knee, fist slamming the ground when he made impact?”

“You’ve gotta be freakin’ kidding me,” Tristan grumbled from the chair on the opposite side of Toni.

The question had he and I both rolling our eyes, but likely for different reasons.