Dragon Focus – that's what it was like!

Having survived the first shock, she stretched out her hand to pick it up, but at the very last moment she stopped, without touching the precious surface.

– Where did you take it? – asked Simka in a whisper.

Simuran growled, slightly spread his wings and stamped his paw.

“Are you saying it was flying through the air on its own, and you just intercepted it and brought it to me?” – As always, in some miraculous way I deciphered his explanation.

Simka snorted in agreement, confirming that this was all true.

– Mirre, why are you hiding here? Let's go outside quickly! – Alan Nett looked into the salon and, seeing the simuran, was indignant: – Well, I knew that he would cause problems! Simka, sit here and keep your head down. Soon the stagecoach will be driven to the parking lot, and you will get out there. Understood? Don't let your mistress down again!

Uncle Alan did not notice the artifact lying on the floor.

There was no point in testing the rector’s patience on the first day. Moreover, it was not worth testing my father’s patience. He will try to get me sent back to the boarding school. Even without that, I was already anticipating a severe reprimand from the Duke of Blackrock. It was worth following Uncle Alan's advice as soon as possible.

I sat down next to the artifact again. It was a little scary to touch him, but why not leave him here? If I'm not mistaken, and this is really what I think, then… This is priceless! The Focus cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.

She decisively grabbed the ball, put it in her coat pocket and froze. Moments passed, but nothing happened. No security charms worked and nothing suspicious happened. Exhaling with relief, I got out of the stagecoach and, as if nothing had happened, took my place in the ranks, ignoring Ada’s questioning glance and the curious sisters.

Ethan Derberg, onyx dragon, adept of the Academy of Wind and Storms. Border of Onyx Rocks and the Steppe of the Seventeen Winds

Same morning, a little earlier…

The village at the Academy of Wind and Storms was called Dream-on-the-Veterke, but my friends and I simply called it – Village. Here you could find anything, from a sweet shop to accessories from famous fashion houses. From artifacts and tailoring and clothing repair services, to weapons counters where you could forge a unique blade to order. And there were countless different eateries with menus for every taste and budget in the Village. Every famous house that produces anything considered it good form to open a store in this village. In general, there was everything here to make adherents from all over Balaria shake their wallets.

During the first week of autumn, adherents gathered in advance to study. So my friends and I, while waiting for classes, decided to properly celebrate the beginning of the new school year. All that night we openly reveled, so we returned to the academy only in the early morning, which turned out to be surprisingly nasty to the delight of the water spirits. However, as always in these parts.

It was drizzling, the gray walls of the buildings seemed especially gray, and gusts of wind from the sea pierced through the clothes. However, nothing that cannot be corrected with the help of elemental magic. My head was noisy with songs, dances, chatter and guffaws from friends who missed me during the holidays and the whispers of local beauties promising pleasure for just a few silver lire. I dreamed of one thing – to quickly get to my bed and lie down.

– Let's wait a little, the new ones are about to arrive. I want to see if any of them have cute faces,” suggested Jed Flammer.

Despite the sleepless night, he looked very cheerful and cheerful. It’s always the same with redheads, as with fire fighters in general. Even on the gloomiest day they seem to glow.

– Shut down, Jed! Don't fuss! – I lazily growled.

– Come on, Ethan! Isn't it interesting to look at girls? – he asked peacefully.

– Flammer, haven’t you seen enough of girls yet? Your freckled nose didn’t come out of Fat Greta’s neckline all night! – Caius Delamille teased him.

– Look who's Talking! – Jed mimicked him.

“But I think girls have nothing to do here!” – Aiz, who had been gloomily silent all morning, spoke up.

“Goldilocks, are you afraid that one of them will have more beautiful hair than you?” Don't worry. You are beyond competition!

Jed pulled Aiz by a long blond lock and immediately pulled back with a laugh, dodging the blow. But Ezeroth Ramlin didn't even smile. The malachite dragon has always been overly serious. Sighing at Jade's stupidity, he explained as if for a little one:

– Flammer, that's not the point. These girls are dangerous to us.

– What is it? – Kayu grinned condescendingly.

– Don't you understand? They were sent here for a reason. Very soon they will get used to it and start hunting! – Aze explained.

– OU! Well, I don't mind being hunted by a couple of beauties! – Contrary to expectations, the restless Freckled One became inspired.

“Jed, it seems you don’t understand.” These girls are from noble families. Stay away from them if you don't want to die in your prime! – Aiz’s patience was running out, judging by the green lights lighting up in his pupils.

– Why should I die? Do you think I can’t handle two or three at a time? – Freckled arched his eyebrow dashingly.

“I think you’re thinking with the wrong head!” If you make an attempt on even one of these girls, her parents will strangle you! – Malachite flared up.

“For the causal place,” Kayu added with a laugh.

“You’ll just have to get married and that’s all,” I remarked calmly, which scared Freckled Man much more than everyone else.

– Marry?! Nope! I pass! – Jed finally realized, but then added: “But can we look at them?”

In fact, I was also interested in what kind of crazy people agreed to come here, but I didn’t show it. It would not do for the second heir to the Onyx Throne to show excessive interest in girls.

Yielding to an impulse, I put my hand into the pocket of my camisole and felt there the Focus of the Onyx Dragon, which I had stolen from my uncle’s office.

The senior adepts of the Academy of Wind and Storms preferred to use not the main gate, but the secret gate leading to the park. From there you could go straight to campus and not flit around in everyone's sight. Through the same gate, adherents left the territory or returned at odd times when the gates were closed. At times, it seemed to me that it was deliberately invented so that revelers like us would not discredit the glorious institution with their indecent appearance, wandering through the square in front of the academy.

Today, the crimson-clad kerns, euonymus and abelias in the park seemed overly elegant to me. The state of my soul was as gloomy and dark gray as the weather and the ubiquitous stone, but I wanted even more gray, and my unsightly act was to blame. This is probably why I sat alone all night drinking, not taking part in the general fun. I kept thinking about how my uncle was going crazy, how the servants and guards were knocked off their feet, turning the palace upside down, and I was very, very ashamed, but I simply could not do otherwise.

It all started with the fact that my cousin Mikael, to make him feel empty, made things worse again, and in the end we both suffered. My uncle called us for a conversation, and I had to listen to his lectures. Then endure a difficult conversation about how it’s time for the two of us to settle down and not disgrace the glorious Derberg family with our adventures. Although I still don’t understand, what does this have to do with me? And at the very end, my uncle set a condition for us that he would review the order of succession to the throne, in favor of the one of us who would be the first to find a bride. Yes, not just any, but a true couple, as befits a dragon of the ruling family.