Page 30 of Ava's Love of the Dragons
She stood by what she had told Marcus, yet she remained haunted by the question of whether she was approaching things correctly. Whether this monotonous, strange training would ever lead to any results. And whether she would ever be strong enough to take on Rob or Elora.
Chapter 14
Ava washed up, put on her nightgown, and got into bed. The hours of exercise had left her warm, which made her appreciate the thin, sleeveless nightgown. Even though it got cold at night and the wind blew through the windows, she wasn't freezing, even though she was only using a simple sheet to cover herself.
She folded her arms behind her head and stared at the stone ceiling. For the past few evenings, she had been too tired to think, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, but gradually her body was getting used to the exercise. Even her feet, as she hadn't gotten any new blisters for a few days.
Tonight, however, her thoughts kept her awake.
Had the cook really used magic? And what did that mean for the other employees? What about Master Clark? Magic couldn't be fundamentally wrong, but as soon as she thought of the mages in Elora's arena, of Arthur, and the leader herself, she had to admit that she wasn't exactly calm about the whole thing.
Yet the dragons came here daily. And Lilly's heart was in the right place too. These were two weighty arguments that somewhat eased Ava's unrest.
She crossed one leg over the other, stretched, and was about to reach for the sheet when suddenly her heart skipped a beat. She was flooded with warmth, along with the feeling that two hearts were suddenly in her chest.
This couldn't be ...
Wide awake, she jumped up and opened the window. She peered outside but saw nothing except the faint light of the moon and stars. From far away in the arena, hammering and groaning reached her. Magg was still training. What reason could this woman have for being so obsessed with learning to fight?
Otherwise, it was quiet, nothing could be seen anywhere, nothing was to be heard, and her heartbeat calmed down again. It was probably just a reaction her body was having to the unusual physical activity.
Ice-cold air blew in and goosebumps formed on her arms. She was about to close the window before she got the chance to turn into an ice cube when she was suddenly flooded with warmth again.
She knew this feeling, immediately knew what it was—but could it really be?
Even as she was asking herself this, a high-pitched voice sounded in her head.
"I'm coming!"
Stunned, she gaped and stared into the darkness. Was that who she thought it was...? Was he really coming...?
"Is that you?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
She heard his laughter and joined in. A barely noticeable purple shimmer traveled through the air to then be joined by a strong gust of wind, and the next moment there rushed in a dragon—now the size of a chubby teenager.
Ava jumped to the side and the little dragon landed right on her bed, which creaked dangerously. He looked at her with watery big eyes."Ava, you're back. Finally."
She didn't wait a second. She took two long strides over to him, then gave him a hug."I never wanted to leave. Rob left me behind. I would never have gone without saying goodbye."
"I knew that, that's why I was just waiting to find you again."
His scales radiated a constant pleasant warmth, which was why she didn't notice that the window was still open and an ice-cold wind was blowing in. Smiling, she let go of him and looked at him.
"You've gotten big. Is that normal?"
He chuckled."Of course. In two months I'll be fully grown. You need me, that's why I'm growing faster."
His scales were solid and tough, the spikes on his back strong and pointed, and his head already larger than Ava's. Moreover, his wingspan had taken on considerable dimensions, which was why the excursion to her room had probably been a one-time thing. How had he fit through the window?
"How did you find me?"
"The two mountain dragons that come here daily for training were talking about you. I knew right away that it must be you, Ava. So I flew off immediately!"
She nonchalantly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye."I'm glad you're here. Are you okay?"
He nodded."To say the least, fantastic. And more than ready for you to give me a name."
