fertilizer wherever it lands. Everything grows beautifully with flowers and bushes. Stories say that there’s one specific flower that grows right at the heart of it and is like the fairy’s essence. That flower never fades and never dies, but blooms forever.”
“Where did you learn that?” Lucian asked.
“I was doing a lot of research this summer and I came across it,” George shrugged.” I’m trying to find out as much as I can before graduation.”
The weeks continued and Lucian and Jacobi would sit out under the tree on sunny afternoons with George, helping him piece together the quests he was trying to complete. “You know, George,” Jacobi teased one afternoon as they took a break, “you’re going to get way more stories than the rest of us.”
George shrugged, “I doubt these princesses want a story that ends ‘And Prince Charming rode off into the sunset after the next princess on his list.’ I mean, it’s not necessarily a happy ending for the princess. And some may not even be there anymore. I just don’t know. There’s little to work with.”
“What are you going to do if you actually fall in love with one of them?” Lucian asked.
“Then I’ll marry her and we’ll ride off into the sunset after the lost princesses,” George retorted. “I’ve made up my mind. If it takes my whole life, I’m going to find all these lost princesses.”
Lucian couldn’t help but laugh. “I can see the end of your story now: ‘Prince Charming and his lovely bride rode out under the moonlit skies in search of the forgotten, the lost and the lonely. And they traveled happily ever after.”
George cracked a grin. “Okay, so maybe it’s a stretch, but really I think it’s terrible that they’re just left out there.”
In the morning Lucian went to double fencing with George. This was his long day between double fencing, double dragon fighting and double botany. The only class that wasn’t doubled was spellbreaking.
“Good morning, lads,” Raphael said as they entered.
“Good morning, Raphael.”
“We’re going to have a challenge this morning,” he began. “You’ve both gotten good at fighting a single person double handed. In fact, you’ve come along much faster than anyone I’ve ever taught before. Today we will be fighting as a trio. You will have to be on constant guard, paying attention to every detail in both opponents. I assure you that this is no easy task. We will pace ourselves today and work our way from there.
“Now, in fighting amongst three, it is especially important to be aware of your footwork. It’s like dancing, you must count, watch and be ready to strike at any moment. When in such a match you cannot afford to miss opportunities; it can be the difference between victory and defeat. And now, get your equipment and join me on the mat.”
“Why do I get the feeling we’re in for a beating?” Lucian muttered.
“Because we are,” George retorted.
When class was over, the two glumly walked down the hall to dragon fighting. Draconus and his mother were talking about something in dragon. As soon as she saw the boys, the older dragon narrowed her eyes at them, smoke curling up from her nostrils.
“Oh, is it that time again?” Draconus asked languidly.
“Quit wasting time, Draconus,” Vulcan barked. “We’ve got a schedule to keep.”
“Oh, in that case, the short one will be a good victim to begin with.”
George rolled his eyes as he put on his armor and grabbed his sword and shield. The battle lasted longer than most. The older dragon was tired and it showed as George got strike after strike with no rebuttal. Soon, Draconus started working around the older dragon, snapping and breathing fire to block George’s attacks. In a sudden blur of movement, George thrust his sword between Draconus body and arm. “You’re out.”
Draconus glared and the older dragon roared in fury. As though the defeat had brought on new strength, she charged George, snapping at him as he jumped out of the way. Instead of the fight slowing down, it became even more rapid. Snaking her tail around the room, she swept George off the ground and began hissing in an old form of dragon that he had difficulty deciphering. But he could make the gist of it: if he didn’t do something he was going to be lunch. As her tail loosened to drop him, he slid down it before jumping on her neck and shoving his sword in the fake kill zone. She screamed and snapped at him once more.
Draconus muttered something in dragon and she backed off, still hissing angrily. “You’re lucky to be alive, George. The first rule in fighting against two dragons is to take out the female first. Often she is the mother and as you saw, will become twice as ferocious if her baby is killed.”
“And yet, I managed to get her anyway,” George retorted. “Maybe you both should quit looking at yourselves as invincible.”
“We’re far less frail than you are.”
“Maybe being frail isn’t so bad.”
“Enough,” Vulcan cut in. “Lucian, your turn.”
George turned on his heel and went back to his seat. He took off his armor and sat watching Lucian take his hand at it. He felt bad; the older dragon was now fighting with twice the energy. But no one was as surprised as Lucian was when she suddenly snapped down, taking him in her mouth.
“Andromeda, you drop him this instant,” Vulcan shouted. “Draconus, tell her to drop him, she’ll kill him.”
“That is the general idea,” Draconus drawled.
“Now, Draconus! Or I’ll turn you into the largest leather coat the world has ever seen.”
“Oh very well.” But Andromeda suddenly screamed and opened her mouth, hissing and bleeding. Lucian had slashed through it and was now falling towards the ground, covered in steaming saliva. Vulcan used his wand to slow Lucian’s fall, thinking that he was unconscious. Taking advantage of the levitating feeling, he put his sword through the fake kill zone on Andromeda before turning on Draconus. It all happened so fast that for a while Draconus didn’t even react. “What?!” he roared. “You should be dead.”
“Well I’m not dead, no thanks to you. You know, George is right. The sooner you two imbeciles get it through your heads that you’re not invincible and this is a classroom, not reality, the better. Vulcan, with your permission, I’m going to Tallia. I’ve got a nasty bite on my leg.”
“I’ll go with him,” George offered.
“Please do,” Vulcan replied, his eyes aglow with anger. “I’ll deal with the dragons.”
When they arrived at the infirmary, they found Achilles and Tallia talking quietly at her desk. “Sorry to intrude, but I’ve got a bite and I’m really not feeling so well,” he said weakly before slumping onto the ground.
“Oh not again.” Tallia jumped up from her desk and used her wand to lift Lucian to an empty bed. “I’ve told Vulcan a thousand times to get rid of Andromeda. That old bat always tries to eat someone. George, how long was he in her mouth?”
“Maybe a minute, is he alright?” George demanded.
Tallia’s eyebrows furrowed, “I don’t know yet. Dragon saliva is highly venomous. Most grown men won’t survive more than five minutes after exposure. Achilles, quickly, the antivenin on the third shelf, grey bottle.
“George, I need you to tell me everything that happened,” Tallia continued. “It’s a miracle the boy could walk at all. I suppose it was the adrenaline rush.”
Taking a deep breath to keep from panicking, George described the fight as best he could. He tried to remember each detail as Tallia rubbed the antivenin over Lucian’s body and Achilles washed the bite.
Vulcan walked in and Tallia snapped, “Get out of here before I put you in the bed next to him.”
Doing as he was told, Vulcan left the room. After several minutes, Lucian slowly started to come to. “What happened?” he asked, his voice strained and his breathing shallow.
“You nearly died,” Tallia retorted. “How are you? Can you feel your toes? How old are you?”
Lucian smiled slightly, “Which question would you like me to answer first?”
She took
a deep breath, “I’m sorry Lucian. Are you feeling alright?”
“I feel kind of tingly all over, almost like my whole body fell asleep. And I’m eighteen.”
Laughing in relief, she said, “Yes, I know. Alright, that’s the antivenin taking effect. I think you’ll be alright, but I’m keeping you overnight so I can watch you. I’m going to apologize to Vulcan; I shouldn’t have bitten his head off like that. You stay here and rest, Achilles will send notes to all of your teachers. George, I’ve got it from here. You can go; thanks for your help.”
“Sure.” He waved to Lucian before leaving the room.
Tallia walked to the arena classroom where Vulcan was standing with Calista near the large, violet carcass of a dead dragon. “I believe the boys have had enough experience,” Calista was saying as she walked down. “Tallia, how is he?”
“He’ll live,” she replied. “I came to apologize, Vulcan.”
“No need to,” he said. “I should have listened years ago.”
“How did she die?” Tallia asked, looking at the thick pool of blood about the dragon’s mouth.
“Ironically enough, she was poisoned by her own venom,” Vulcan replied. “Had Lucian cut her anywhere else, she would have healed easily. But having venom leaking into her bloodstream at that rate and at her age, she didn’t stand a chance. It’ll take the whole staff to lift her out of here.”
“I’ll speak to the Sisters and see if they’ll take care of her for us,” Calista suggested. “I’m sure there