Back in the dorm, Gabs invited Mel to meet up with the other nobles for a study session. She joined them and walked back into the main building. Mel could feel the hairs on her neck stand up as she walked inside, looking at the second floor where she expected Austin to still be. But Gabs grabbed her hand and guided her into a large room on the bottom floor, with wooden panels and a large table in the center.

Flavio, Brandon, and Clara sat at the table with books strewn between them. They were talking in hushed voices as they got closer. Mel took the seat next to Gabs and Brandon. She glanced over at a book, seeing a drawn picture of a king with his royal crown. His back was stiff and his chest puffed out with his nose in the air. He even looked like a king, and Mel smiled.

“Have you already studied?” Flavio asked, and looked at Mel.

“No, not really. I’ve been sort of out of it since yesterday.”

Clara and Brandon shared a worried glance, and Flavio cleared his throat.

“You think it will happen again soon?” Flavio asked.

“Yeah, maybe,” Mel said. “Did you see the attack?”

“No,” Clara said. “We were here in Falden at the time, but we all heard it.”

Mel looked around the table and saw they were not meeting each other's eyes anymore. They were staring down at books or at the surface of the table. Mel felt Gabs’ hand land on top of her own under the table. Mel looked up and met Gabs’ gaze.

“We’ve been talking about leaving Aldrion,” she said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s really not safe here,” Gabs said. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. I don’t think I want to take the mountain pass back again, but honestly, it feels better than staying here.”

“That mountain pass was horrible,” Flavio said. “But last night, that was something else. I get why they send us back before we pass the final test to become an elemental warrior. I never want to go into the wastes after that.”

Brandon nodded, and Clara kept staring down at the table.

“But do you think we will get used to it?” Mel asked. “I mean, Austin and the others seem like they manage just fine.”

“Do you really want to get used to this?” Brandon asked.

Mel swallowed.

No, but she couldn’t go back to Windbrook either. This life was hard and dangerous, but what waited for her at home was more of the same boring life she had already experienced. How could she just turn her back on Aldrion and leave? How could they?

#

Gabs plopped down on her bed inside their dorm room and Mel sat on the chair by her desk. She looked at Gabs and felt sad. If she left, Mel would have to stay here without her.

“Are you really planning to leave?” Mel asked. “And when?”

Gabs rolled over and propped her head up with her hands.

“Nah, I don’t think I will leave,” she said. “I want to, don’t get me wrong. Staying here feels impossible and knowing that there will be more attacks makes my skin all itchy. But going back home to Stonehearth, that feels even more impossible.”

“Why?” Mel asked.

“My father wants me to take over his business, and I have been groomed all my life to do it. He owns the mines in Ferron and Auburn Hills. But going back home also means I have to step into that role. The role of someone who is a business owner and has their life together. I will have to marry some other noble. God knows who he will choose for me. I don’t want those things, and I’m not ready to give up my life yet.”

Gabs’ gaze grew distant, and she looked out the window behind Mel.

“If I can manage to survive a couple of more attacks here in Aldrion. If I can get to spend more time with everyone and experience freedom. Then maybe it won’t feel so bad when I eventually have to turn back home. Then maybe I can have it all.”

“Is that really having it all?”

Gabs let out a low chuckle. “Perhaps not, but it’s all I can hope for, at least. Throw in some love into the mix and I would consider that a pretty happy life.”

Mel shook her head, but gave Gabs a wide smile. “What if you stayed here and graduated from Falden?”

“You mean only to die in the wastes?” Gabs asked.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I thought you wanted to stay here, when we first met you said so.”

“Yeah, that was before I knew. Before yesterday. But those things out there, beyond the wall, might actually terrify me more than my father or duty ever could.”

Mel nodded, feeling like Gabs was right. Maybe Windbrook in all its predictability was better than terrifying shadows killing soldiers.

“What about you?” Gabs asked. “Will you go home?”

Mel looked up from her thoughts and met Gabs’ gaze. She looked interested in her response.

“I don’t know,” Mel said. “I guess I could go back with Marcus and live out my life with him in Windbrook. Take over my father’s smithy and eat apples every day.”

“I love that you sound most excited about the apples,” Gabs said.

“Yeah, maybe it’s not the life I would like. Except for the apples.” Mel gave her a wide grin. “But it could be fine, you know. I would be safe and so would he.”

“But?”

Mel rolled her eyes. “But I could also stay here in Aldrion. Become a mage smith, finally see the dragon forge, and help protect the valley from the beasts. I might get used to the attacks, or maybe they will even stop in the future. Who knows? I could find someone else other than Marcus, or stay with him.”

“If you stayed in Aldrion and became a successful mage smith, would you really stay with Marcus?” Gabs asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Maybe,” Mel said, biting her lip. “Something happened between us.”

Gabs sat up on her knees on top of the covers. “What?”

“We hugged,” Mel said. “It was during the attack. He hugged me and kissed me on my forehead. It was nice, maybe even more than nice. I don’t know. Maybe I just felt that way because of the attack, or maybe it was real.”

“I can’t believe you waited this long to tell me,” Gabs said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I told you the day after, literally,” Mel said. “And while I’m confessing embarrassing things. I might as well tell you that Austin and I hugged today, too.”

Gabs’ eyes widened. “Okay, that seems way more interesting than a forehead kiss from Marcus.”

“You say his name like he’s the plague,” Mel said. “But yeah, with Austin, it was also nice. But again, I don’t know if it was because he was sort of comforting me when I was stressed out about the attack, or if it was more than that.”

Gabs put her feet down on the floor. “I mean, you have bad taste overall, Austin is way too broody and Marcus is like a puppy around you. But I guess my hopes are in Austin. He at least sees you as an equal.”

Mel shook her head. “I don’t think so. I think Austin sees himself as above everyone else.”

“Maybe. But at least then he sees you as everyone else.”

The last sunrays cast dark shadows across the room, and Mel stood up from her chair.

“Yeah, he sees me as everyone else. But you know, that just means nothing will ever happen between us. And I’m okay with that.”

She grabbed her red cloak and headed toward the door.

“I’m sorry, I almost forgot. I’m supposed to meet Marcus at town square.”

“Say hi from me,” Gabs said.

Mel turned for a moment and regarded her. She had an amused look on her face, and Mel understood she wasn’t serious.

“Bye Gabs.”

#

Mel reached the statue of Terri Taveck after sundown and looked around the square. She was late, but only by a little. Marcus was standing over at a market stall, talking to an old woman selling hardened sugar.

When Mel reached him, he handed her a bag of sweets and smiled.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

It was quiet for a beat and Mel felt her heart pounding in her chest. She was nervous and wanted this feeling to go away.

“What did you find out?” she asked.

“Straight to the point, I see,” Marcus said, giving her a smile.

Mel winced, and they started walking around the square.

“I talked to my sergeant, and he told me this attack was just to test our defenses. There will be more attacks, either like this one, or they’re gearing up for a bigger one soon.”

“Yeah, I heard the same from my professor. But can the army do anything to stop them?”

Marcus looked over at her with a frown on his face.

“No, the army just guard the wall and Aldrion. They sometimes protect the villages outside. But we don’t do missions out there in the wastes. That’s the elemental warrior's job.”

“But what does the governor say?” Mel asked.

“How would I know?” Marcus asked. “Mel, I’m just a soldier in training. I don’t know anymore than that and I can’t find anything out about strategies or numbers. It’s not my place.”

“Oh, right, sorry,” Mel said. “I just got a bit swept away. I want to know we’re safe here. That we don’t have to go home to Windbrook. I just want to stay.”

“So, let’s stay then,” Marcus said. “The attacks will keep happening regardless of us being here or not. Isn’t it better that we stay and help?”

“But what if something happens to you?” Mel asked, finally voicing one of her biggest concerns.

Marcus stopped and turned to Mel. His eyes sparkled in the light from the lanterns around them.

“I like that you worry about me,” he said. “But I’m not going anywhere. I will stay here with you. I promise.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because it’s my destiny to protect you. The dragons won’t let me die until you fulfill yours. They told me so.”

Mel stared at him, her mouth falling open. His belief was so all-consuming, so terrifying. Sure he would die if he threw himself into a fight with a shadow. No dragons, no sun, no gods could save him then. But Mel knew better than to point that out, he was going to believe whatever he wanted to.

“But if you want, we can still go back.” Marcus said.

Mel shook her head. “No, I can’t leave Gabs and the rest. I can’t leave now. I trust that you won’t put yourself in any unnecessary danger and maybe we will get used to these attacks eventually.”

“Maybe,” Marcus said. “I’m glad you haven’t given up on your destiny yet. I’m glad you’re giving this a chance, even though it’s hard right now.”

“Sure,” Mel said.

But she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t giving her destiny or the dragons a chance anymore. She was just staying here because she didn’t want to go back home. She didn’t want to surrender her dreams of seeing the dragon forge.