Page 10 of Her Dragon Defender

Eden nodded. If it wasn't for Diana's generosity, she'd probably have had to stay at the Academy with Lily, too. But if Diana had been here, she probably would have loaned both of them a dress, if she'd had one that would have fitted Lily. Then again, Lily had come from a rich family, even if she didn't have money now, so maybe she wouldn't have accepted charity. Not yet, anyway.

"So who are you supposed to be? Alice in Wonderland?" Sienna asked, nudging Auren.

"No, silly, she's Goldilocks. Because everyone knows she'll steal your breakfast if you're not looking!" Arwen said.

Laughter erupted from everyone, because that was the perfect choice for Auren. She never seemed to do it on purpose – but more than once, a bit of bacon or a particularly delicious pastry had vanished from Eden's plate, only for it to end up in Auren's hand or on her fork, as she chewed absentmindedly on her stolen bounty.

"I never mean to do it. I just don't know how it happens. I'm so sorry," Auren said, her cheeks turning pink.

Sienna threw her arms around Auren in a quick hug. "We know, and we still love you. We all ask for extra bacon now, just in case, that's all."

"Don't forget your masks, girls!" Headmistress Laima called out.

Everyone obediently whipped out their masks, only to realise none of them had brought a mirror. Fortunately, they managed to straighten each other out before the coach lurched into motion.

The coach set off up the hill, slowing as the incline got steeper. Then the road curved, and...

"Oh wow," Eden breathed.

While the Academy was more of a mansion or modernised castle that couldn't have been more than a couple hundred years old, Eden had heard that Tremotino Castle was the real deal, like something out of a fairytale, from its soaring towers right down to its dungeon.

The tallest tower appeared first, rising above the trees. It was so tall the top vanished into the clouds.

Then the full castle came into view: a magnificent, white marble palace with countless turrets and towers, with every roof shining like gold in the last rays of the sun.

Eden just sat there with her mouth hanging open until they passed through the gates, and an avenue of trees meeting in an arch overhead blocked out the view for a moment.

The coaches came to a halt inside the circular drive, surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and topiaries. A long, red carpet led the way up to the castle entrance, where a pair of huge oak doors stood open, framing the warmth waiting for them inside.

And maybe her own Prince Charming...

Eden shook herself. She didn't want a husband, and none of the rich men there wanted a scholarship girl like her.

What she hoped awaited her were answers about Diana's disappearance, that's all. And maybe some donations for the animal sanctuary, because if they didn't remember Diana, then they hadn't supported the sanctuary yet, and when she did find Diana, she could say she'd done her part in fundraising, too. She checked to make sure she still had her phone, tucked it back into her bag, and carefully made her way down the steps onto the red carpet.

TEN

Inside, the castle was even more magnificent than it appeared from the outside. The large doors were gilded, as were the sconces on the wall beside it. Almost as if standing guard, on either side of the door were two enormous marble sculptures depicting handsome men with square jaws and aristocratic noses. The golden name plaques underneath proclaimed the one on the left was Mirror Academy's founder, Sir Reginald Lustro, and the one on his left was his son, Sir Reginald Lustro II. The two looked so similar they could have been twins, or maybe even the same person. Like a vampire living through the centuries, pretending to be his own descendant. If vampires actually existed, of course, though Eden knew very well that they didn't, at least not outside of books.

More likely, this was what happened when aristocrats married second cousins, and even first cousins, to keep the bloodline pure, like the Lustros likely had.

Eden followed the other girls through the large entrance chamber, and then to the right, and into the grand ballroom.

At the far end of the ballroom was a raised dais, where a man sat on a throne-like chair, overseeing everything. Someone must have had a word to his ancestors about the evils of inbreeding, because while he was the most likely candidate for the latest incarnation of Reginald Lustro Number X, he didn't look a thing like the statues out the front.

"Ugh, that's Craig Tremotino, the slimiest, sleaziest master this castle has ever known. If the tales are true, he's a bastard, too, born on the wrong side of the blanket to get the Lustro name, but when the castle came up for sale, he managed to rustle up enough money to buy it. He was planning on moving into the Academy and turning the castle into a fancy hotel, only the headmistress signed a lifetime lease with the last Lustro to live here, and he couldn't evict her. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to poison her, or hire a hitman to take her out. He can certainly afford it. He bribed some magazine to name him bachelor of the year, would you believe. I sure can't," Arwen said with a flip of her dark hair.

Rosalind giggled. "Looks like Candace believes it, though. She's turning on all the charm for him tonight."

Eden wanted to laugh, too. Of course Candace would want to catch the richest man in the room. Now if Candace didn't return to the Academy tonight and everyone said she'd gotten married in a whirlwind romance, Eden would have no trouble believing it. In fact, she even wished Candace luck. The Academy without her would be a much pleasanter place for everyone.

As Eden watched, it looked like her wish was already coming true – the lord of the manor had risen from his throne to take Candace's hand, while she curtsied so low, her skirt puddled on the floor, making the puff of petticoats rise up like beer foam about to overflow. Luckily, Candace wasn't one to humble herself for more than a moment, and the skirt popped back into shape as she rose to her full height, before any damage was done.

Tremotino led her out into the centre of the ballroom, where couples spun on the dance floor like the mechanism of some intricate, enormous clock. Eden was dizzy just looking at them. Maybe if she'd attended more dance classes, she might remember or even recognise the steps, but right now, she was glad of her ignorance. If she wasn't dancing, she could spend her time canvassing the room for donations.

On the edges of the ballroom were small tables where those who shared her distaste for dancing or simply couldn't get a partner clustered, looking bored or wistful. Between the tables, servants milled about with trays of champagne and canapes.

Just as Eden reached for a glass, she caught a glimpse of silver-blonde hair. Diana's name formed on her lips, only a moment before the crowd parted and she realised the hair belonged to a man and not her friend at all.

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