Chapter 267: CHAPTER 267

Zade did as he'd said and I had a new lineup of trainers, and a schedule that was packed with lots more classes than everyone else.

I was grateful for it.

But I wasn't allowed to leave this particular elemental class, it was a general class for all of us since we all had dragon fire in us.

But I wish I'd insisted on it being removed as well because I was struggling more than usual.

Funny that something that ruined my childhood was suddenly out of my reach.

We had three instructors for this and each person tried explaining something instinctive for everyone else for me and each time, it was fucking pointless.

"Just light the damn candle, Alira! I didn't ask you to roast it!"

I sighed in frustration, looking at the melted wax on the stone floor and I sighed.

"I'm trying," I whispered, blinking the tears of failure away.

"I know you have that power from your dragons, but that's not what this class is about," Master Eunak explained. "What happens if you can't reach your dragon's power?"

My lips parted but no response formed.

"Try to separate the two in your head, it's two different things, I don't know how the hell you're mixing them up."

"Excuse me sir," Erin called for his attention a few feet away from me.

"What do you need, Erin?"

"I wanted to explain that Alira didn't have access to her fire for a very long time so she doesn't really know the difference as well as we all do."

"What are you saying? Every dragon kin always has the fire in them."

"I burnt an orphanage by mistake and I was given suppressants afterwards," I explained, "my chi was also locked so I don't really know the difference. My chi is either dark or hot."

The man huffed out a breath and began pacing the space in the middle that everyone surrounded.

Slowly feeding their fire to the magical candle that swallowed their fire.

"Look, just keep trying, okay? I don't know what else to do with you."

He walked off like everyone else and went around, helping those who could be helped.

"Maybe you can ask your dragon to withdraw her power from you?" Erin suggested but I shook my head.

"She'll lay her egg very soon, I can't ask Val to even breathe in my direction. I already made her lose one egg, I'm not hurting her like that again."

"Okay, maybe –"

"Don't worry about me, Erin," I stopped her, "train hard so if I'm in trouble, you can save me, okay?" I winked at her and she smiled.

Left to my devices, I pulled out more candles and kept trying, trying to light the tip of my finger with the fire that's supposed to protect me in times of danger.

Each time, I got the one meant to destroy my enemies.

I shouldn't even be using it this much, it's not good to be taking from Valyra in any way.

So I just stopped and watched everyone else do their thing with more ease than I think is possible.

When the class was over, I was about to go meet my second flight instructor when Master Euan stopped me.

"Zharion! Wait up!"

I turned and watched him finish up with the other instructors before heading to me.

"What's wrong?"

"You ask like you don't know."

I frowned, "Is it my fire? I'm sure it'll come through at some point."

"I hate it when students like you fail to understand the importance of everything we do here."

"That's not me, I understand it but it's just not working."

"No, you definitely believe this is an elective class, something you can skip if it doesn't work. But you can't go into a battlefield without knowing what to do if your dragon goes berserk or his or her fire gets corrupted by Fae magic."

"That can happen?" I gasped, scared of the mere idea.

"How else do you think they win battles? With those skinny dragons they have?"

"Oh."

"You'll fight on land, at some point. And from what I hear, you're important in this battle so you of all people need to do this."

"But how?"

"I'm sorry to admit this but I have no idea. So I'm taking you to the Principal, he'll figure you out."

"What? No, I don't have to do that. I'm going to find a way out, trust me. I'll be in the library today and I'm sure I'll find what's wrong with me."

"Move your feet faster, Zharion. I don't have all day, you can tell the Principal your plans but I'm handing you off to him first. Your blood won't be on my hand."

I scowled but I kept walking, I didn't have any choice.

I'd been strength training all by myself this entire time because Draco wouldn't even come out.

Nobody could get through to him, I haven't even seen him in a week and the last time I did was because he was coming down from his dragon as I trained with mine.

He climbed Styx immediately and disappeared.

Now I'm being taken to his office like a disobedient child that the teacher is tired of dealing with.

When we got to his office, he opened it by himself and I could see the shock on his face before he hid it.

"Euan. What is the issue?"

He was already assuming I'd done something wrong.

I mean, yeah, but can't I be here for something good?

"You have to help her figure it out, we've all tried and she just keeps turning everything to ash because of the volcano her dragon gives her. And you know the importance of this class, Sir."

"Thank you, I'll take it from here."

The man bowed and left, leaving me with Draco.

"Shut the door, Alira. And come sit."

I did as told and sat down, my heart beating fast.

There was just something about his calm voice that didn't sit right with me.

And the second he began speaking, I began fighting tears.