The Sorcerer's Dragon (Book 2) Read Free

Give it time.”
    “Time is a luxury I’ve never had,” she muttered, looking at the back of Olivia’s head. “Fine. I’ll try to play nice. But I want to start planning out our trip soon.”
    “To get away from her?”
    “No, I need to do something other than worrying about frilly dresses and if my hair is getting too long.”
    “Why is that so bad?” he asked. “With all you’ve been through, wouldn’t it be better to enjoy the rest of your life? Plus, you’ll be safer here in Paragon than if you go out on your own. You’re still marked, after all.”
    “Yeah,” she muttered, rubbing her forehead. “Great big old target.”
    “I don’t want to see you get hurt,” he said low.
    “I can handle myself,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Just worry about yourself.”
    “That’s the thing,” he said. “You don’t need me. Not at all. And how is that supposed to make me feel?”
    “I don’t want to be a crutch,” she said. “I never did.”
    “And I don’t want to be yours,” he replied.
    She smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “Then our training better be epic.”
     

Chapter 2 – Who Are You Wearing?
    “We have to meet up in the cafeteria first,” Kace said as he sped ahead and took the lead. “The guys are waiting for us in there.”
    “Oh boy,” Remi said. Olivia appeared right next to her.
    Remi jumped up in her skin. “Geez, don’t do that.”
    “Scared you?” Olivia asked, trying to be friendly.
    “Uh…yeah,” Remi replied, turning away from her.
    “Why did you sigh when Kace said the guys were in the cafeteria?”
    “Because if the past is any indication, we’re not going to end up training at all. Trust me.”
    “Is that such a bad thing? It means they’re having fun.”
    “Guess it depends on what you like the most.”
    “Okay,” Olivia said as they reached the cafeteria doors. Located in the eastern hovering tower, the cafeteria was the second largest room in the entire Sage Academy. It had once been a gigantic living room, but through many travels for supplies and a great deal of reconstruction, the room had been transformed into a place where the warriors could find sustenance. The carpets had been pulled up. The walls had been splashed with a fresh new coat of paint and the paintings and furniture had been replaced with soil and fresh grass.
    It was strange to see a field in what once was a living room, but somehow it worked, and even the most skeptical were swayed once they sat down on the floor. Being that the grass in Paragon grew back almost as soon as it was hewn, it wasn’t ridiculous to think that it could be brought up to the Sage Academy and allowed to grow in the sky. Remi had been quite impressed with the imagination that had gone into the room’s creation.
    “It’s so much better without tables and chairs,” Remi heard someone say in the distance as they walked through the open arched doorway. There were several groups of students sitting in circles all around the field, talking excitedly and munching on sandwiches and pieces of fruit.
    “Spirits are high,” Remi said with surprise. “What’s going on?”
    “Elections are over from what I hear,” Olivia said. “At least that’s the rumor. There will be a new leader at the Sage Academy before the week’s out.”
    “Anyone have any idea who won?”
    “No. It’s just rumors right now,” Olivia replied. “But it doesn’t matter to me either way. Nothing will change for me.”
    “Me neither,” Remi said as she watched Kace leave them and go off searching for his friends. “I’m going to be leaving soon.”
    “Really?” Olivia asked in surprise. “I didn’t think you were serious.”
    “Why not?”
    “I don’t know. You haven’t been training much. I saw you at the party last night.”
    “I’m scouting.”
    “What for? For people to come with you?”
    “Exactly.”
    “No one’s going to go on that suicide mission.”
    “You’re saying you wouldn’t