Gwen opened her eyes to an unfamiliar dark stone ceiling. She was laid on a soft mattress with sheets draped over her body. Confused, she looked around the dimly lit place. The room was considerably big, with grey stones hewn into perfect squares and stacked to form a wall.
There were windows with curtains draped over them right next to the bed she was in, the soft light peaking through the fabric indicated that it was morning. There was polished wooden door across from her with sconces on either side of it, while minor furniture occupied the rest of the room; an armoire, a study table, and a large wooden chair with small cushions on it. The room itself was dark and simple, no extra decorations or anything that could help her identify whose room she was in.
Gwen straightened when the events of the night replayed in her head. She sat up on the bed only to find out that she was wearing a cotton robe. Who changed her clothes? Impulsively, she touched the stone on her collarbone to ensure if it was still intact. She had developed a nasty habit of touching it again and again whenever she was nervous. She still didn't figure out what her abilities were but she couldn't afford to think about it at that moment.
She stepped out of the bed, only to be startled by the opening of the door. She stepped back and covered her stone with her palm in a defensive way, but almost lost her footing when she was enveloped in a tight hug by none other than her redhead friend, Rose.
"Oh my God, I was so scared!" she pulled back to examine Gwen's face. She noticed the tears that were barely at the bay in Rose's eyes as she embraced her once again. She couldn't help but hug her dear friend back, the past days of loneliness finally kicking in as she held the redhead tightly.
"That is the third time you almost gave me a heart attack, woman. I thought you were dead!" they pulled back and Gwen smiled at the tears cascading down her friend's pale cheeks. "Where even were you? I thought you didn't make it through the Pledging and so much happened after that. Last night, I heard Atkins scream his soul out, and the next thing I knew was Damian sprinting through the Academy like a Madman all while carrying your bruised up body—"
"Hey—"
"—in his arms. And that dragon? Oh my God, you should take a look at that dragon alright. It's humongous—"
"Rose, slow down—"
"—and so unbelievably huge! Vera says that the dragon is a he and that he is some kind of a Dragon King or something, but that's not the best part. His color is so different—"
"For the sake of all the lands residing in Vadonar along with everything above and below, slow down, Rosetta!"
Finally, Rosetta halted and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I'm just too overwhelmed now that I know you're alive and fine," the redhead chuckled under her breath embarrassingly, "I never really had a real friend before you, you know. My friends before you were mainly just because of my father's riches and luxuries. I'm glad that you survived, Gwen."
It was impossible not to return the cheery smile of her friend. "We always do," she repeated their exchange from when they were on Mount Percival, making Rose grin even wider. "So! What were you saying about Desmond carrying me?"
That earned her a laugh from Rose, as if she said something hilarious. "It's Damian!" the redhead looked at her friend, expecting her to recognize the name but when she gave no such reaction, Rose frowned. "The Damian? The most-powerful-poison-wielder-of-all-time Damian?"
Gwen shrugged, "Haven't gotten the foggiest clue who that guy is." She took the glass of water from the side table and took a long gulp. God, her throat felt drier than the wastelands of Calypso.
"It's strange how you don't know who Damian Thorndyke is, especially considering that he saved you and you are in his room and all—" Gwen spurted all the liquid contents in her mouth on Rose's black tunic as her brain cogs turned to take in the information.
"Thorndyke was the one who saved me?" Rose winced at her own drenched state but nodded nonetheless.
"This is his room?" that earned her another nod.
"Wait... Don't tell me—" Gwen froze, her eyes rounding at a dreadfully embarrassing possibility, "Was he the one who changed my clothes?" she covered her chest with her hands defensively.
"I— No! A female healer changed your clothes," Rose blurted at the blush that crept on Gwen's cheeks and ears, "Oh my Lords, Gwen you're flushed."
"Am not!" Rose gave her a knowing look and Gwen decided to change the topic, "What were you saying about the huge dragon, again?"
That seemed to be the perfect trick for Rose to start talking, "Yes, the dragon, oh my God! Gwen he is enormous, I tell you. Even The Great Luther looks tiny in his comparison, and he is silver!"
"Silver?"
"Well, not completely silver, it's just his shiny metallic scales that are silver. He looks like a metallic black dragon in my defense. Vera says that he is a mighty Starshade, but she wouldn't tell me anything else—" she stopped for a minute, "Come on, Vera! I do not gossip that much— No! You are just exaggerating... I really can't understand why you had to be mated with the dragon of that muttonhead—"
"Rose, why are you talking to yourself?" Gwen was creeped out for the first time as she touched her friend's shoulder making her stop her conversation.
"Oh, it's Vera. My Violetfury." Gwen raised her eyebrows, but the redhead just waved her off, "Yeah, yeah. It's spooky in the beginning but we get used to it soon enough," she leaned into Gwen's ear, lowering her voice into a whisper, "She's in my head." Rose froze for a moment then rolled her eyes, probably at something her indigo dragon said to her.
Gwen made a face, confused yet surprised at the lengths of abilities a bond holds, "So... where did you see this silver dragon?"
Rose slammed her palm on her head and groaned, "Ugh! I was supposed to bring you to him."
Gwen backed away a few steps, her voice spooked as she asked, "Who?"
"The Starshade! He has all the members of the Circle of Dragons gathered in the grounds of Senior Wing and has been intimidating literally everyone in the Academy."
"I still don't see why you need to bring me to him."
"Honestly, I don't know either, but Vera says that he'll only go back to the Dale once he is sure that the 'white-haired one' is alright," she said as a matter-of-factly, however Gwen still couldn't comprehend what a great dragon will have to do with someone like her— except making her his next meal that is.
"Why would he—" she got cut off when the door opened with loud thud and Thorndyke— Damian Thorndyke— came bolting towards her.
"You were given one task, Sinclayr."
Gwen didn't like that deadpan look of his nor his commanding tone but Rose made her proud when she rolled her eyes and shrugged, "My friend is alive after I thought she was dead, what did you expect?"
Thorndyke just shook his head and looked at Gwen, "I want you out. Now."
Gwen narrowed her eyes, "And why exactly, do you think that you can order me around?"
He took a deep breath, probably trying to summon his non-existent patience as he gritted out, "Because of you, that gigantic fire breather is going to wipe out the whole Academy and is probably threatening all the generals to death as we speak. So, will you care to grace us with your presence so that we may have a chance at living?"
He had that clipped smile that made her want to retort, however, she was too curious to bother a conversation. She straightened her robe and grabbed Rose's hand. "Since you asked so nicely," she smiled at him, the kind of smile that made a muscle in his jaw tick. Satisfied with herself, she exited the room.
Rose chuckled, "Damn, girl. I've never seen him so mad."
"You know him?"
She sighed, "Unfortunately. My father had connections with all the governor generals so we are good with each other."
Gwen raised her eyebrows, surprised, "Don't you think that he may sell you out to your father?"
However, the redhead just waved her off, "Nah. Damian may be a big-ass jerk but he would never do something like that. He's a gentleman." Gwen scoffed. A gentleman. Right.
They turned towards the corridor of the Senior Wing that lead to the grounds but Gwen halted in her steps when she took in the overcrowded area. It was as if the whole Academy had gathered there to gaze at the spectacle. Hundreds of heads turned as soon as they noticed her presence.
Murmurs like 'the white-haired one' 'it's her' 'look at her stone' erupted as Gwen made her way through the crowd. She tried to resist the urge to touch her stone that was exposed due to the low-cut neckline of her white robe and fastened her pace.
She could just hope that she wasn't summoned just to be devoured alive.