Master Maloway walked slowly down the hallway of the first tower, his brows furrowed into his signature frown.

With each step he took, his cane tapped lightly against the ground, forming a rhythm.

Beside Master Maloway was another senior master of the academy, Master Gerwin who accompanied Master Maloway, hands crossed behind his back.

"You keep following me around, are you worried I might fall and tumble down the stairs?" Master Maloway asked in a disgruntled tone after a moment of silence.

"I have not seen you so active in a long time. Are you so worried for the girl you barely know?" Master Gerwin asked back.

"Worry?!" Master Maloway exclaimed in indignation, his loud voice echoing down the quiet halls and disturbing the peace of the tower, as was a usual occurrence.

"What do you mean worry?! Who should I be worried for?!" Master Maloway demanded.

A quiet scoff sounded from Master Gerwin.

"Well, your new charge. The wolf girl who bared her teeth at you." Master Gerwin replied matter of factly.

"What worry?! You say it yourself that she attacked me, yet you believe me to be worried for her?" Master Maloway huffed out.

"You hole yourself up in your office for most of the day and only step out when you absolutely have to."

" Yet you have barely taken a sit in over a day...to my knowledge, being unusually active is your own version of pacing anxiously." Master Gerwin pointed out. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Going around spouting all this nonsense, you must have hit your head somewhere and dropped your wisdom right there." Master Maloway scoffed as he continued on, hurrying his footsteps to outpace Master Gerwin.

Master Gerwin chuckled beneath his breath, catching up easily with Master Maloway.

"You have always been a difficult person, but that never applies when it comes to the riders you take under your wing."

"It is why you are so picky, because you value those you chose too greatly and there’s only so much value you can muster in your cold, unkind heart to go around. Better reserved for a few." Master Gerwin continued his unwelcome assessment.

"I never chose the girl, it was Our Liege’s orders." Master Maloway replied with a huff.

"Knowing you, you would have thrown a great tantrum till His Grace gets fed up and retracts his order...but you did not, which only means you approve of her." Master Gerwin countered.

"And if you didn’t, you surely do now. Look how you let her off easily when she was summoned before the elders." Master Gerwin added.

"That is because I can tell who thrashed the Hall Of History...oh nevermind! Why do I bother arguing with you?" Master Maloway huffed beneath his breath.

"Do not worry so much Master Maloway, though she was thrown to the trial unprepared, she is quite a handful... obviously. I am certain she can get by." Master Gerwin reassured.

Master Maloway huffed again and moved even faster, as difficult as that was for him while Master Gerwin laughed quietly.

All of a sudden, Master Maloway stopped and turned, alarming Master Gerwin who had not expected that.

"What?... What is it?..." Master Gerwin asked warily as Master Maloway just stared at him thoughtfully.

"I wonder, since you know so much about everything, could you perhaps figure out just why Our Liege would entrust me with the girl? Me out of everyone else?" Master Maloway asked curiously.

Master Gerwin paused and gave it some thought.

"You are the most respected Master of the academy. If the girl is to gain your recognition, her life would certainly be easier here in the stronghold." Master Gerwin reasoned.

"If so, why would Our Liege care to make her life easier? Knowing him?" Master Maloway asked again.

"That... I do not know..." Master Gerwin murmured, shaking his head.

"So you also do not have the answer then?" Master Maloway huffed and headed away.

"But what does it matter?!" Master Gerwin called out to Master Maloway.

"If I know what expectations Our Liege has of the girl, only then can I know what rider to make of her." Master Maloway replied.

Before Master Gerwin could say anything further, a large shadow soared right over the first tower, heading east.

Both masters awaited the slight tremor that told of the landing of a dragon, but it did not come and Master Maloway exchanged a look with Master Gerwin.

"Was that not Conrad of the fourth squadron?" Master Maloway asked, peering out the window of the hallway.

"Fiona was summoned away, the fourth squadron takes flight to battle soon." Master Gerwin replied.

"Then whatever brings him here? Heading for the back mountains no less?" Master Maloway asked with a raised brow.

"The back mountains...the caves! Fiona sustained some harm from Neveah’s outburst, Lord Conrad must have heard word!" Master Gerwin explained.

Master Maloway’s eyes widened slightly, the back mountains were a far distance away, there was no way they could overtake a dragon.

And if they did arrive in time, how were they to prevent a raging dragon from seeking his pound of flesh?

"Conrad had always been wrathful and quick to anger! He is dangerously protective of his rider and easily becomes blinded with rage!" Master Maloway exclaimed.

"But Conrad is a fair man, he must be seeking an apology. I believe he will not be hard on Neveah once she clarifies that it was not intentional." Master Gerwin assured Master Maloway.

"Does it seem to you like the girl would apologise and seek forgiveness even when faced with a raging dragon?" Master Maloway deadpanned.

"No...no it does not." Master Gerwin realized.

"Neveah is stubborn, she is sure to trigger Conrad’s rage! He might hurt the girl before he even realizes it! Quickly, send word to the Keep...the girl is in danger!" Master Maloway instructed as he hurried out of the tower.

________________

"Stay still. You only regained consciousness an hour ago, I would easily send you back to sleep if you do not stay in place." Kirgan warned, passing a glare to Menarx as he changed his bandages.

"Right." Menarx grumbled in response, leaning back against his headboard.

An hour had passed and Menarx still felt the heaviness in his muscles, though it was not as bad as it was the moment he had awakened.

Kirgan had arrived as soon as he heard word from Everon, while Imagor and Cassian were both away from the Keep at this time and would not return soon.

However, word had been sent out to the King’s guard and the dragon king that Menarx was now conscious, the dragon lords would also find out soon since Menarx would take lead of the war efforts the moment he was dressed.

For now, all he was meant to do was prepare to take on the responsibility, but try as he might, Menarx just could not rest easy.

"Veah will be fine, right? Lord Skiren would not be too hard on her?" Menarx asked for the hundredth time.

Kirgan sniggered beneath his breath as he secured the bandages before standing up straight.

"No harm will come to your rider Narx, you can be sure of that. You have become quite a handful since you chose a rider...an interesting development, I must say." Kirgan teased.

Menarx rolled his eyes as he tried to get off his bed but winced slightly as his movement stirred the pain from his wounded shoulder again.

"Wait a moment, Everon will soon return with a tonic that will help with the pain." Kirgan assured.

"I believe I can do without his tonics for the rest of my existence." Menarx dismissed with a shudder as he got up to his feet despite the pain.

"Your cousin will not be pleased to hear that, and the rest of your existence will not be a very long time if you keep at this." Kirgan pointed out, referring to the fact that Menarx was once again up on his feet.

Menarx was about to respond when his door was thrown open and in came a panicked rider.

"Lady Fiona?" Kirgan asked with a frown.

"My Lord..." Fiona began but trailed off when she noticed a frowning Menarx staring at her.

"Lord Menarx! You’re awake!" Fiona exclaimed in surprise.

"And you just barged into my room." Menarx replied blankly.

"Forgive me, My Lord. I had to come in a hurry, I truly believed he had let it go... I retired to get a rest and I could not find him when I woke up!" Fiona exclaimed.

"Calm down and speak clearly Fiona." Kirgan assured.

"There was a situation at the academy two days ago. Lady Neveah heard she was not allowed to see Lord Menarx till the trials were over and she flew into a rage..." Fiona began to explain.

At the mention of Neveah, Menarx’s attention was drawn.

"Preventing her from leaving the academy, I was injured in the process...but Conrad heard it was her doing and I think... he’s going to her now..." Fiona revealed with a visible wince.

"He...dares?" Menarx asked in a low tone, storming out of his quarters before Kirgan could say a word.