ool. It was a crucible. Sere

er from her bed, dragging her through the North Courtyard

ri

ost cursed part of the Academy. It had been sealed for fifty years, ever since a fire supposedly

shut behind her with a

wasn't

rtless, with molten-gold scales trailing from his neck to his chest like ancient armor.

ng gold-pinned

breaking things," he said

you're the guy who keep

sts what you are. Who you are.

ive w

t open, fire erupting from the ground like a summo

didn'

oulflame," he said. "Drawn to

ught me her

arkly, "to see

wisting, alive with him at the center. His eyes flared brighter. Hea

barely a whisper.

er are

know wh

me help yo

. The fire surged to

ed and threw

flames di

ad. Warm. Alive. Like somethi

pulsed violently. The

has ever survived that.

t does

ophecy. The dragon's heart. The flame that binds." He

, the ground shook-thi

ling sh

n-robed, faceless, carrying

el hissed. "They weren'

nged a

uld follow, fire roaring over

't think.

hot light that blasted outward in a shock

ared, Kael was on

ll are you?"

mething deep inside her

is feet, a gash ble

ing yourself in dange

r at first. Jus

y one who's ever touche

not a

muttered. "But maybe you're cu

y this time, it moved on its ow

leapt betwee

it hurt. Seren ga

ng," Kael said softly

brea

's not up to

What if I don't want

But if you fall, I'll still catch y

eft the cham

ith leftover magic, he

essing the torn hem of he

me," he rasped. "I don't

bleed like

red in his gaze-

ve done... what I'm

me kind o

But she saw the tr

ned into his collarbone, ha

st any

rcled in ancient run

ed. "I've seen it in the

blood-curse. Only those born

scendant of the

form before she died. If it ever wake

by either of them, Headmistress Virelle st

she murmured. "The fir

light toward the

cient skies, of a woman who looked like her standing in a

not fall. Not w

locked in a stone pr

rning beside him,

faint embers spa

a girl cornered her

imson eyes. A scent

d be afraid for?" the girl said. "H

n't kno

I know the prophecy. One dragon hea

aned c

our, Marked girl. And

y, the girl vanished in

t, staring at the mark on her

ood. Lucien in her shadow. Ot

y was hidi

o was

inside her w