"Keep the temperaments of each specific breed in mind when you decide which dragons to approach and which to run from at Threshing," Professor Kaori says, his serious, dark eyes slashing toward his nose as he studies the new recruits for a beat, then he changes the projection he's conjured from a Green Daggertail to a Red Scorpiontail.

He's an illusionist and the only professor in the quadrant with the signet ability to project what he sees in his mind, I find it kinda creepy honestly, but that's probably just me.

"Red Scorpiontails, like Ghrian here, are the quickest to temper," Professor Kaori continues, we all take notes, everyone except me, it's to early for this. "So if you offend him, you're-"

"Lunch," Ridoc says from my left, and the class laughs. Even Jack Barlowe, the dipshit who has some random grudge against Violet. I've decided Ridoc is growing on me, apparently he has too because now he is my bestfriend? Liam isn't too happy about it though.

"Precisely," Professor Kaori responds. "So what's the best way to approach a Red Scorpiontail?" He glances around the room.

"You don't," Rhiannon mutters next to Violet, and I smother a laugh.

"They prefer that you approach from the left and from the front, if possible," a woman from one of the other squads answers.

"Excellent." Professor Kaori nods. "For this Threshing, there are three Red Scorpiontails willing to bond." The image changes in front of us to a different dragon.

"How many dragons are there in total?" Rhiannon asks.

"A hundred for this year," Professor Kaori answers, changing the image again. "But some might change their minds during Presentation in about two months, depending on what they see."

My stomach hits the floor. "That's thirty-seven fewer than last year." Violet says, clearly feeling the exact same as me.

Professor Kaori's dark eyebrows rise. "Yes, Cadet Sorrengail, it is, and twenty-six fewer than the year before that."

Fewer dragons are choosing to bond, but the number of riders entering the quadrant has remained steady. My mind whirls. Attacks at the eastern borders are increasing, the venin are getting closer and yet there are fewer dragons willing to bond in order to defend Navarre, it's sickening.

"Will they tell you why they won't bond?" another first-year asks.

"No, jackass," Jack scoffs, "Dragons only talk to their bonded riders, just like they only give their full name to their bonded rider." If it even is their real name, that's something I always seem to think about, that and my fathers death. "You should know that by now."

Professor Kaori sends Jack a look that shuts the first-year's mouth but doesn't stop him from sneering at the other cadet. "They don't share their reasons," our instructor says. "And anyone who respects their life won't ask a question they're not willing to answer."

"Do the numbers affect the wards?" Aurelie asks from where she sits behind me, tapping her quill against the edge of her desk. She's never happy sitting still.

Professor Kaori's jaw ticks twice. "We're not sure. The number of bonded dragons has never affected the integrity of Navarre's wards before, but I'm not about to lie to you and say that we're not seeing increased breaches when you know from Battle Brief that we are."

The wards are faltering at a rate that makes my stomach tense every time, Leadership is still keeping the venin a secret and it's getting worse, they could be teaching us how to defeat them instead of hiding it and letting innocent people die whilst they sit behind the wards. Selfish assholes. It's like they want the venin to kill us all.

The image changes to two navy-blue dragons, Sgaeyl, dragon bonded to my brother, and another one, slighly bigger, slightly darker blue with a ethereal glow.

She's stunning, I want her.

"You won't have to worry about how to approach blue dragons, since there are none willing to bond this Threshing, but you should be able to recognize Sgaeyl if you see her," Professor Kaori says.

"So you can fucking run," Ridoc drawls.

"She's a Blue Daggertail, the rarest of the blues, and yes, if you see her without her bonded rider, you should...definitely find somewhere else to be."

"The other one, ruthless does not begin to describe her, nor does she abide by what we assume to be what the dragons consider law. She is a legend, although she hasn't been seen in since her last rider died 50 years ago. She does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. In fact, if you see any of the blues, don't approach them. Just..."

"Run," Ridoc repeats, raking his hand through his floppy brown hair.

"Run," Professor Kaori agrees with a smile, the mustache above his top lip quivering slightly. "There are a handful of other blues in active service, but you'll find them all along the Esben Mountains in the east, where the fighting is most intense. They're all intimidating, but this blue is the most powerful of them all."

"What about the black dragon?" the first-year next to Jack asks. "There's one here, right?"

Jack's ugly face lights up. "I want that one."

"Not that it's going to matter." Professor Kaori flicks his wrist and the blues disappear, a massive black dragon takes their place. Even the illusion is bigger, making me crane my neck slightly to see its head. "But just to appease your curiosity, since this is the only time you'll ever see him, here is the only other black besides General Melgren's."

"He's huge," Rhiannon says. "And is that a clubtail?"

"No. A morningstartail. He has the same bludgeoning power of a clubtail, but those spikes will eviscerate a person just as well as a daggertail."

"Best of both worlds," Jack calls out. "He looks like a killing machine."

"He is," Professor Kaori answers. "And honestly, I haven't seen him in the last five years, so this image is more than a little outdated. But since we have him up here, what can you tell me about black dragons?"

"They're the smartest and most discerning," Aurelie calls out.

"I bet you Violet bonds with him." I whisper to Ridoc, he grins.

"Bet me what?"

"Hmm. A full stack of gold" I whisper back, sticking out my hand, he grabs it. "Deal."

"They're the rarest," Vi adds in. "There hasn't been one born in the last... century."

"Correct." Professor Kaori spins the illusion again, and I'm met with a pair of glaring yellow eyes. "They're also the most cunning."

"There's no such thing as outsmarting a black dragon. This one is a little over a hundred, which makes him about middle-aged. He's revered as a battle dragon among their kind, and if not for him, we probably would have lost during the Tyrrish rebellion."

"Add to it that he's a morningstartail, and he's one of the deadliest dragons in Navarre."

"I bet he powers one hell of a signet. How do you approach him?" Jack asks, leaning forward in his seat. There's pure avarice in his eyes, mirrored by his friend next to him. I hope he burns him.

That's the last thing this kingdom needs, someone as cruel as Jack bonding to a black dragon. No thank you.

"You don't," Professor Kaori answers. "He hasn't agreed to bond since his previous and only rider was killed during the uprising, and the only way you'd ever be near him is if you're in the Vale, which you won't be, because you'd be incinerated before you ever got through the gorge."

"Regretting making that bet now, Stasie" I pin him with a glare

"Don't call me that, and no i'm not."

"Someone should ask him again," Jack urges.

"It doesn't work like that dumbass" How stupid can one singular person be?

"She's right, it doesn't work that way, Barlowe. Now, there is only one other black dragon, which is in service-"

"General Melgren's," Sawyer says. His book is closed in front of him, but I can't blame him. I'd hardly be taking notes, either, if this was the second time I'd gone through this class. I've never done this class and i'm not taking any notes. "Codagh, right?"

"Yes." Professor Kaori nods. "The eldest of their den and a swordtail."

"But just for curiosity's sake." Jack's glacial-blue gaze doesn't stray from the illusion of the unbonded black dragon still being projected. "What signet ability would this guy gift his rider?"

Professor Kaori closes his fist, and the illusion disappears. "There's no telling. Signets are the result of the unique chemistry between rider and dragon and usually say more about the rider than the dragon. The stronger the bond and the more powerful the dragon, the stronger the signet." "Fine. What was his previous rider's?" Jack asks.

"Naolin's signet was siphoning." Professor Kaori's shoulders fall. "He could absorb power from various sources, other dragons, other riders, and then use it or redistribute it."

"Badass." Ridoc's tone has more than a little hero worship, I nod in agreement.

"He was," Professor Kaori agrees.

"What kills someone with that kind of signet?" Jack asks, crossing his arms over his thick chest.

"He attempted to use that power to revive a fallen rider-which didn't work, because there's no signet capable of resurrection-and depleted himself in the process. To use a phrase you'll become accustomed to after Threshing, he burned out and died next to that rider."

Well.

The bells ring, signaling the hour is up, and we all begin to gather our things. The squads filter out to the hallway, emptying the room, and I rise from behind my desk, walking out and into the hallway.

"Hey, Stas can we talk." Liam says, pulling me into a dark alcove. My mind immediately falls right into the gutter, nope, not going there.

"I want to-" Liam stops mid sentence, his gaze roaming my face, gods why is he so nice to look at "Are you ok? You look," he pauses, as if he's looking for the right word, "distracted."

"Uhm no i'm peachy, perfectly fine, go on." He gives me a concerned look but continues, "I want to go on weapon drops."

"What, you don't even have a dragon Liam." I lean against the wall, trying to get a better angle of his perfect face.

"Neither do you." He deadpans, although a smirk reaches the corner of his mouth, how I would love to kis-, I need to get out of here before I do something i'll regret.

"Ask Xaden, I have to go-" Shit "Um, find Bodhi, bye!" I offer him an apologetic smile over my shoulder, sprinting out of there.

------------

Violet looks like she is about to puke, we stand by the side of the wide black mat, watching Rhiannon beat the ever-loving shit out of her opponent, honestly it just makes me smile. It's a guy from Second Wing, and it takes almost no time for her to get him into a headlock, cutting off his air supply.

"She makes it look so easy," Violet says to Dain from where he stands at her side, much to my disgust.

"He's going to try to kill you." I hate how much he underestimates her.

"What?" I glance up, then follow his line of sight two mats over.

Dain's glaring daggers at Xaden across the mat, a look of sheer boredom on his face as Rhiannon squeezes the neck of the Second Wing first-year tighter.

"Your opponent," Dain says softly. "I overheard him and a few friends. They think you're a liability to the wing thanks to that Barlowe kid." His gaze shifts to Oren.

But there's a greenish twinge to his complexion that makes me grin.

"I'm going to be fine." She says, although we both know she's just saying that to herself.

The Second Wing first-year passes out, and Rhiannon rises victorious as we clap. Then she leans over her opponent and removes the dagger at his side. "Looks like this is mine now. Enjoy your nap." She pats him on the head, which makes us laugh.

"Not sure why you're laughing, Sorrengail," a sneering voice calls out from behind us.

I turn around and see Jack standing with his feet apart against the woodplanked wall about ten feet away, wearing a smile that can only be described as evil, or ugly

"Fuck off, Barlowe." I gift him the middle finger, grinning

"I honestly hope you win today's challenge." His eyes dance with a sadistic glee. "It would be a shame for someone else to kill you before I get the chance. But I wouldn't be surprised. Violets are such delicate...fragile things, you know." I am one second away from throttling that man.

Violet unsheathes her daggers and flicks them in his direction in one smooth movement. One nearly nicks his ear and the other an inch beneath his balls. I let out a muffled laugh, Dain, of course, shoots me a glare.

Fear widens his eyes, I shamelessly grin.

"Violet," Dain hisses as Jack maneuvers around the blades, stepping away from the wall.

"You'll pay for that." Jack points and stalks off, but the rise and fall of his shoulders is a little choppy.

"What the hell was that?" Dain seethes. "I told you to lay low when it comes to him, and you..." He shakes his head. "You just piss him off even more?"

"Laying low wasn't getting her anywhere," I say anger very clear in my voice, "He needs to realize she's not a liability, and so do you." Dain of course just glares at me. Jackass

"Badass," Rhiannon says as she moves to my other side. "I thought Jack was going to shit himself." I smother a smile.

"Stop encouraging her," Dain chastises.

"Sorrengail." Professor Emetterio glances at his notebook and raises one bushy black brow before continuing. "Seifert."

"Don't take this personally," he says as they circle eachother, both our hands raised. "But you'll only be a hazard to your wing."

He charges at her, but his footwork is sluggish as she spins away, landing a punch to his kidney before bouncing back, palming a dagger.

His chest heaves once and sweat dots his forehead, but he shakes it off, blinking rapidly as he reaches for his own knife. "My sister is a healer. I've heard your bones snap like twigs."

"Why don't you come find out?" Come on Sorrengail.

His entire body rolls like he's going to vomit, and he covers his mouth with his empty hand, breathing deeply before standing straight again. What the?

He swings his knife downward, Violet dodges to the left, nicking his side with her blade in the process, then turns and delivers a kick to his back, sending him sprawling.

He falls to the mat, she digs a knee into his spine, putting her blade to his throat. "Yield."

"No!" he shouts, but his body undulates , and he retches, bringing up everything he's eaten since breakfast and splattering it across the mat to the side of us. Ew

So fucking gross, but clever, I grin

"Oh my gods," Rhiannon calls out, disgust dripping from her tone.

"Yield."

"He yields," Professor Emetterio declares, his face contorted in revulsion.

"You won!" Rhiannon says, hugging Violet as she steps off the mat.

"He's sick," she says with a shrug.

"I'll take being lucky over being good any day," Rhiannon counters.

"I have to find someone to get this cleaned up," Dain says, his own complexion turning peaked.