Alpha Island: The Dragon's Mate

Chapter 9

SKYLAR

There was no time to think of anything because everything was happening so fast. Too fast! Did I do something wrong with this sphere, because the fire wave it emerged sent me and everything else around me flying across the room? But in that chaos, two strong hands grasped me in the middle of the flight and pressed me into something hard. He tucked my head into his chest and as we reached the floor, made us fall in a way that would keep me unharmed. The blast wave brought shattered pieces towards us, and I could feel how he flinched when a few of them cut him, but he still did not let me go. Not even for a second.

I didn’t even notice how I dug my nails into his flesh, breathing into the collar of his neck, while my hair was all over him.

And for the first time in my life in spite of this awkward position, I felt… safe.

For years it was me and me alone. No one helped me much, no one protected me… No one risked their life for me.

This was new.

“Are you okay?” Darren whispered, panting, yet still did not let go of me. Not that I wanted him to.

It felt so nice, and I knew that the moment I distance myself from him I would be facing the harsh reality – I messed up and caused all this. I did something wrong due to my lack of knowledge and now if they started digging, I’d be doomed. They may even throw me out of here since I was a scholarship student.

“Is everyone alive?” was all I asked and felt Darren lifting me up from the floor.

He sat on a desk that survived by some miracle and pulled me closer, arms wrapped around me.

“Of course,” he chuckled, “Mostly dragons and fire fairies here, Sky. What would happen to us?”

I opened just one eye and looked around. The room was a mess and all windows were gone from the fire blast that I caused. The walls were mostly black now and most of the furniture was destroyed as well. But students seemed fine with the exception of their messed up hair and slightly burned clothes.

I noticed a cut on Darren’s cheek and a little piece of glass poking out of it.

“Oh, my God!” I jumped back to my place, “You are hurt!”

“What?” he looked at me questioningly and I pointed to his face.

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled, “It’s just a minor… Although, you know what, maybe you could help me a bit with it. It hurts. Hurts so much!”

Oh, God! A chill went down my spine at his words. I managed to really hurt people…

“I am so sorry!” I mumbled and my trembling fingers went to his cheek as he caught them in the air.

“Sky, are you serious?” his eyes focused on me, “It was just a joke. I wanted you to play nurse with me and that’s it. Look!”

He closed his eyes at the piece of glass was pushed out of his skin at once on its own.

“It’s a minor cut, I don’t even consider it a wound! No need to get so worked up about it!” he smiled, and I felt that I could breathe again.

“Everybody stay where you are!” Professor Rett shouted, “I am going to call the healers to check on every one and each of you!”

“I have no problem with that,” Darren smirked, still holding me in his arms.

“I don’t think she meant that close!” I raised my brow at him but he just grinned back.

“We’ll ask her when she is back,” his hands wrapped around me tighter.

But in less than a minute Professor Rett came back with another woman and a few students. Each of them started assessing others and Darren just waved them all off.

But then his gaze returned to me and he brushed his palm over my cheek, sending electric tingles all over it and making me breathe faster. That was a strange reaction on my part... Really strange!

“What are you doing?” I furrowed my brows.

“Just checking that you are not hurt,” a vague smile appeared on his lips and I stared way too long at them.

“I am hurt!” we heard a shriek, and both turned to see Blair in tears. She had a small cut on her hand but made it seem like a knife was stabbed into her chest. “Somebody help me!” she whined and for some reason looked at Darren.

I didn't know what got over me but I clenched my fingers around his hands that were holding me. And not to push him away. I wanted him to stay.

A soft growl escaped him and I looked back into his green eyes to realise what I had just done. What was wrong with me today?

“Professor Ivy!” our teacher pointed at the fairy, “Help her heal, please. Isn’t this your job?”

The healer came closer and looked at Blair’s arm, clicking her tongue, “My dear, that is the definition of a scratch. No need to use my precious healing magic on something like this when you can heal on your own in less than half an hour. You are a fairy, after all, aren’t you?!”

The woman took off her glasses and looked around, “To be honest, I don’t see what the big deal here is? Fire can’t hurt fire creatures too much. But you do need to call an expert on household magic here and close the wing until it’s repaired for a day or two.”

She shook her brown curls and put her glasses back on, motioning her students to follow her and leaving us alone.

“Well,” Professor Rett rubbed the bridge of her nose, “I guess we are done for today.”

“And that’s it?!” Blair yelled, pointing at me all of a sudden, “She almost killed all of us! What is wrong with her?! I demand her to be expelled from the university for this!”

My heart clenched as it was exactly what I was afraid of. I needed this place. I needed to stay here! Desperately!

“Actually,” Darren finally let go of me and stepped forward, “This was my fault. I didn’t take the task seriously and made a joke right when Sky started to fill up her sphere, causing her to pour too much fire into it. I had no idea that she was such a strong dragon. Usually, our kind can't fill a sphere to its fullest on one attempt since they were enhanced by the royal family. I miscalculated..."

This was a lie. Not about the sphere, I had no idea about how they worked. But I knew that he was lying about distracting me. Was he protecting me?

“Understandable,” Professor Rett agreed, “Although I do think that expulsion is not the right decision, I do have to agree that both your actions have to have consequences. And my decision is that you will have to bring this room back to order for our next lesson in two days. Use magic or do it manually, I don’t care. It’s up to you.”

I felt a bit relieved at her words. It was a lot of work but at least this was manageable. And way better than being expelled.

“Thank you, professor!” Darren didn’t even try to hide his grin. That damn dragon was happy that now the two of us were trapped in here.

"Alpha Island: The Dragon's Mate" by Marion Artwood, exclusively for Stary Ltd (Dreame, Yugto, Ringdom, Dreame U, Suenovela, ч****м). All rights reserved.