After getting me to the Drakharrow infirmary, Blake had disappeared. A surprisingly nice young woman who had said she was a healer’s apprentice had led me to a bed and examined me. Then she’d called one of the official healers over and together they’d consulted on my treatment.

Apparently, House Drakharrow made a point of keeping at least one healer arcanist on staff at all times. Which is why when I left the infirmary, not only was my broken nose set and no longer bleeding, but my ribs were already rapidly healing.

I’d have to return again the next day for a follow-up, but they’d released me in time to get to the headmaster’s Commencement Address.

As I left the infirmary, Blake was nowhere to be seen. Apparently now that I was no longer actively bleeding, I didn’t require an escort.

All of the students in the halls were heading the same way, so I simply followed them.

When we reached the Dragon Court, I drew in my breath.

I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting exactly. But... not this.

A covered walkway formed a square around a central, wide courtyard open to the sky. The walkway was lined with tall, pillared arches that framed the view of the courtyard, where bright green grass was visible.

As I walked out of the cloisters, the courtyard stretched wide, surrounded by towering stone walls covered in creeping vines just beginning to blaze red and gold. Trees lining the sides of the courtyard were lit up in autumn splendor. Fiery red and orange leaves carpeted the stone beneath my feet, crunching as I walked.

But it was what lay in the center of the courtyard that took my breath away.

A massive ring of stone dragons loomed over the gathering crowd like ancient watchers. Each one was at least two stories tall. Their rough, weathered scales caught the warm amber light of the late afternoon sun overhead. Shadows spilled from the immense forms, casting eerie shapes that danced over the faces of the assembled students.

There were four in total, arranged in a perfect circle, their enormous wings unfurled so that the tips of each wing overlapped seamlessly with that of its neighbors.

Each dragon was a different color. One black. One gold. One ivory. And one red.

The black dragon was carved from a deep basalt. Its stone surface was a dark, glossy black that absorbed the light. Its eyes were deep-set and narrow, with an almost menacing intensity. The dragon’s jaws had been carved slightly open, revealing serrated teeth that looked sharp enough to cut.

The gold dragon had been shaped from a lustrous warm marble. Golden veins ran through it, making it shine and glimmer in the light. The dragon’s face was regal and commanding. Its nostrils were delicately flared, its mouth curved into a slight, knowing smirk.

The white dragon was sculpted from alabaster. Its smooth, creamy white surface lent it a soft, ethereal quality. The white dragon’s face bore a tranquil expression. I had an impression of quiet strength and serene beauty.

The red dragon was on the farthest side of the court. Carved from red sandstone, it had the roughest, most unpolished look of the four. The red dragon’s eyes were narrow and sharp. Its nostrils flared aggressively. I swallowed as I looked into its ancient carved face, so full of passion and fire and rage.

A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped.

“Medra, what happened to you?”

I turned to see Florence and Naveen. They were staring at me in shocked horror.

I looked down at myself, remembering. My body might have been rapidly healing but my clothes were still in a sorry state, coated with dirt and blood.

I flushed self-consciously. “Uh, combat class.” I looked around, then leaned in. “I had to see a healer,” I admitted, my voice low.

Florence put a hand to her mouth. “So that’s why you missed the library session.”

I nodded, suddenly tired. “Please tell your mother how sorry I am. Maybe I can catch up another time?”

Florence pushed her spectacles up her nose and nodded. “I’ll show you everything you need to know on our day off. Don’t worry about it for now.”

Naveen was still staring at my clothing. “Who did that to you?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I said, trying to be nonchalant. “You should see the other girl.”

“She?” Florence’s eyes were wide.

I nodded. “Visha Vaidya.”

Naveen and Florence exchanged glances.

“But you were at her table this morning,” Florence said slowly. “I thought...”

“I thought so, too,” I said hollowly. “I don’t think anything was what I thought.”

Naveen shook his head sympathetically. “At least the day is almost over. Come stand with us? I think the headmaster is about to begin.”

I followed them over to an empty spot on the grass.

A podium had been set up on a platform in between the gold and white dragons and a man was stepping up to it.

I had already heard his name mentioned once before. Headmaster Kim.

I wondered what sort of a man he was. Powerful, I assumed, if he had been appointed headmaster of the top school in the kingdom.

The headmaster wore dark robes of a rich and heavy fabric, embossed in red with the Bloodwing school insignia. His features were formidable and commanding, with a high, broad forehead and deep-set, dark and narrow eyes that moved amongst the crowd, piercing through us one after another.

The crowd began to settle down. I looked around me as we waited, already seeing some familiar faces from the classes that morning.

Then I spotted Regan. Across the courtyard, standing in the shadow of the black dragon. She was flanked by Visha and Quinn.

Our eyes met and she smiled, then raised a hand to give a little wave. My jaw clenched. I curled my hands into fists by my side.

Theo and Coregan stood nearby her, but their eyes were fixed on the headmaster. Blake was nowhere to be seen.

I forced my gaze away from Regan. I’d have to deal with that problem later.

A hush had fallen over the crowd. The only sound now was the whisper of the leaves.

“Welcome to another term at Bloodwing.” Headmaster Kim’s voice resonated across the courtyard, dripping with gravitas and not sounding particularly welcoming at all. “I’m sure most of you are familiar with my face by now, but for those who are new, my name is Kim Min-jun and I have the great honor of being headmaster of Bloodwing Academy. Now, let us begin.”

He paused and the silence seemed to deepen. “You are here not by chance, but by design. This academy is a forge where the future leaders and warriors of Sangratha are shaped. Our purpose is clear: to create those who will defend this realm from its enemies, both within and without. You are the sword’s edge of Sangratha.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over us.

“First Years,” he intoned. “Whether you will become part of that sword’s edge remains to be seen. You have been chosen to join our ranks at an academy where only the most determined will prevail. If you falter, make no mistake. You will be discarded. Hard work and punctuality are no longer optional. They are requirements. Respect is not negotiable. It is absolute. Deviations from Bloodwing’s high standards will result in swift punishment. Mediocrity will not be tolerated here.”

I stood taller, a little shaken, but refusing to let his words intimidate me.

“To the blightborn students in our midst,” Headmaster Kim continued, his tone shifting slightly. I caught an edge of disdain. “Your presence here is a privilege. You are here to serve. And you will bow to the authority of your betters in all things. Any failures to demonstrate the proper deference will be met with severe consequences.”

A pause followed as he surveyed his audience.

“But for those who excel,” he continued, his tone softening ever so slightly. “There will be rewards. Attendance at the Wintermark Ball will be granted to those who show exceptional performance in Term One. And for those of you who survive your first year, there will be other privileges, such as access to Veilmar on weekends. These are privileges to be earned, not given. They are reserved for those who can prove themselves exceptional.”