Dragon Fire Academy 1 First Term an RH academy romance - Rachel Jonas Page 0,6
hand in a far more sensible manner than Toni had. “I’m here.”
He seemed to appreciate that I spared him when he nodded. His eyes went back to the attendance sheet and I zoned out through the rest, enjoying the sound of endless chirping and the constant breeze that seemed to pass through the trees. Yeah, it was hot as balls, but a girl could definitely get used to this.
Within minutes, our entire group had been called and accounted for. Elijah’s clipboard settled against his thigh as he peered up.
“Before you move on, I have a few words of wisdom to pass along,” he announced.
We were all ears.
“It would be remiss of me not to warn you all that our island’s beauty can be deceiving. Even a rose is beautiful until you’re pricked by its thorns.”
Toni and I glanced toward one another, sharing a look of confusion.
“First,” he continued, “I encourage you to only travel in groups. Especially at night. It’s easy to get lost, and with the island’s size, it could take days for someone to find you. Next, should you ever encounter a sign stating that you’ve wandered near sacred land, or too close to the northern border, we ask that you heed these cautions. Not everyone will understand the delicate balance between our realm and that of Spirit, but we don’t require that our ways be understood. Only that they be respected,” he stated gravely. “Lastly, keep in mind that you’re no longer on the mainland. Things are different here. Just like any new home, there are sights and sounds that may be unfamiliar. With that being said, consider this our Advisors’ official forbiddance from crossing the barrier onto the island’s northern hemisphere. Should our watchmen encounter any of you making an attempt to pass, it is lawful and necessary that they take action against you.”
Never taking her eyes off Elijah, Toni leaned in. “Is this man saying they have permission to hurt us?”
I wouldn’t say this out loud, but I had a feeling this threat went beyond just ‘hurting’ us. When I nodded, Toni swallowed deeply, and then straightened again.
While her question was valid, Elijah’s statement raised a far more pressing one in my mind. Like, what lie beyond this boundary he spoke of that warranted such harsh punishment?
“Any thoughts, comments, or concerns?” he asked. I had all three, but kept my mouth shut.
“Well, if all minds are clear, on behalf of my people, I welcome you all to the living island of Sanluuk,” he announced. “And in keeping with tradition, I leave you all with a heartfelt, tribal blessing. Ano-luana.”
Chapter Three
Kai
The stench of sweat and defeat followed us home. Our filthy weapons were tossed into a heap before finding a spot to collapse.
Paulo and Rayen laid out right on the dock, while Ori snatched his shirt over his head, and then dove straight into the lagoon. Big as he was, everyone got splashed pretty good. Even me as I sprawled out on the porch.
This day sucked more than most. As proof, we all had our share of open wounds—some half healed, others completely sealed over with only traces of blood left behind. It wasn’t often we got pulled into domestic disputes, but this wasn’t the average conflict. We showed up seconds before a son took a hammer to his unsuspecting father’s skull. With how he’d torn the place up before our arrival, you’d think he would’ve been exhausted, but that wasn’t the case. The guy was like a cyclone.
It took all four of us to restrain him, and then we had to radio in for the Eros and Aurora hives for assistance. None of us had ever seen anything like it, someone so enraged and vacant.
Pushing moisture from my brow, I lifted my head when Ori hoisted himself onto the dock after a labored swim to the cliff wall. It was a good distance from the bungalow, but I guessed a brief dip beneath the waterfall had been worth it.
“His eyes,” Ori panted. “Anyone else get a look at them?”
“You mean between ducking punches and that big lamp he torpedoed at my head?” Rayen laughed. “Yeah, I saw them. Pretty wild.”
I’d noticed them too, the way even the whites surrounding his irises had turned pitch black.
“Ever seen that before?” was Ori’s next question.
I shook my head. “Never.”
“What do you think it means?” Rayen was the most analytical of our hive, so I believed he only asked because he already had a theory.