Fleck ran at Harmoni’s feet, as usual. Then they hit the ground, and he froze, his mouth making a little ‘oh’ shape.

They were standing in shallow water, only just covering the rider’s ankles. It had made a splashing sound when they hit the surface. Even with his scales, he could feel the water gently lapping at his legs. If Fleck looked behind them he could see land, but ahead, stretched out to the left and right, was more of the shallow water. It smelled like salt.

Fleck had seen water before of course. He lived in a cave. But he had never seen so much in one place, out on the surface of a planet. He’d been excited to see a new planet. He didn’t think he’d get something so amazing already. It was vast and impressive.

Harmoni was more shocked that it was pink. Even in the distance, where she could tell it got a little deeper, the water was still pink. It was maybe, just a little darker.

This wasn’t as big as an ocean you’d find on, say, Morivon. She could see the beach on the other side. And it seemed shallow in most parts. But that color was new.

“Is the magic school really near here?” Harmoni asked.

Tolith and Asplenium looked at each other.

“Sort of?” Tolith said. “The school is still a bit of a walk from here. This is just the closest place anyone could hope to land a ship.” He waved a hand behind them for emphasis. The forest behind them wasn’t as thick as the jungle on Xentron, but the trees would make landing a ship hard. “Don’t worry though. Asplenium will get us the rest of the way there. Won’t you?”

Asplenium nodded. “Finally. A chance to stretch my limbs.” He winked at Fleck.

“Ready?” Tolith asked.

Harmoni nodded, and let Tolith help her up.

Asplenium and Fleck discussed what he’d do. After a bit of talking, they decided Fleck would also ride Asplenium. He had the wings now, but he barely knew how to use them. Right this second was not the time to learn.

“You’re not coming,” Tolith reminded Evin.

Evin didn’t acknowledge him. He just walked off into the shallows, slime changing the color of the water around him.

With that, Tolith joined the other two on Asplenium’s back, and the dragon took off.

The area they were going through was a forest, with comparatively ordinary trees, but it wasn’t dense. There were many patches of empty grass. And as they went, the area got rockier. A cliff appeared on one side. And against the cliff, was a castle.

Asplenium stopped flapping, slowly lowering them by the front entrance, while Harmoni took in the sight.

The castle, stone made of white and gray patches, was clearly the same type of rock as the cliff. It was three stores tall, except for the two turrets near the cliffside. Those had five floors. The space didn’t seem to be completely cleared to make room for the castle. The castle wall swerved around a large cropping of rocks in one area. A tree was growing in the wall in one spot. At least, Harmoni assumed it was still alive and growing.

Smelled like it.

There was just a wall on either side.

Small plants were growing in pots on the outside, especially along the windows.

Based on smell, there were some growing on the roof as well. Smelled like something riders would eat, like vegetables and herbs.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Some of the plants looked like that. Some of them looked more normal, or what some might even call weeds.

Fleck shrugged. Riders walked past plants they could technically eat literally every day.

The two front doors were large and wooden, though not big enough for Asplenium to fit. The words “Edinar Academy” were carved into the wood. It was in Standard.

Tolith slid down and pat Asplenium’s head, between the eyes.

Based on their expressions, Tolith was sending some sort of comfort to Asplenium.

Then the older dragon turned to Fleck. “Fleck? Do you want to stay with me?” he offered. “You can fit in the building, but it can’t offer you much.”

He answered so fast it might not look like it, but Fleck did consider it. He shook his head. “I’ll join you later. I want to stay with Harmoni until she’s settled.”

Asplenium’s eyes slid toward Tolith. His expression was so fond it was sickening.

‘If I ever look like that, just kill me,’ Fleck thought.

‘Hate to tell you, but I look at you like that,’ Harmoni pointed out.

Through their bond, she could feel Fleck flounder for a moment.

‘Well . . . yes, but . . . it’s a good look on you! It would be garbage on me!’

Unaware of their silent conversation, Asplenium nodded. “Fair enough.”

Then he wandered off.

“He’s going to the stables,” Tolith explained. “He’s not a horse, but it’s a good place to get pampered by the stable hands. And I’d say he deserves it.”

“Darn right he does!” Fleck said, slamming his front feet into the ground for emphasis.

Tolith opened the door, and gestured for Harmoni and Fleck to go inside. The hall was still made of stone, and there were no electric lights. Despite this, the place gave off a light, cozy feeling. The windows against the right wall were huge. Any rider species could step through the frames without a problem. Plants were growing along one side of the hall, only stopping at doorways. A trickling stream of water was on the other side, a grate over it if anyone had to step down in the area. A purple rug with a vine pattern that looked like it must’ve taken a while to make stretched out across the hall. And there was the occasional portrait hanging on the wall.

Well that, and it was literally warm in here. The windows were letting in a lot of sun, and there were some candles lit. It made the place warmer than the outside air. That would’ve sucked on Xentron, but the weather had been pretty mild outside.

Tolith walked ahead of them. He moved slowly, possibly so they could keep up, but that was slower than needed.

It wasn’t a long trip. Being on the edge of the building, all the doors were on the left. Tolith walked them less than halfway down the hall before knocking at one of them.

“Come in.” The muffled voice was in Elvish.

Tolith opened the door, and the group filed in. Inside was a desk, filing cabinets on either side, and a plaque on the left side that told you this was the headmaster’s office. It reminded Harmoni of Amier’s office back on Xentron, only smaller. This one didn’t need to fit a dragon.

It was a bit more . . . sterile, than the rest of the castle so far. There was nothing alive except the headmaster, and no windows. Without that or electric lights, it was a bit dim inside. But there was a lantern on the desk, and as the headmaster was an elf, with better eyes than a human, that would be enough.

“This girl would like to enroll,” Tolith explained to the elf at the desk, gesturing to Harmoni.

“I see,” the headmaster said, looking up. He'd switched to Standard.

Like most elves, he was tall, with long hair. He had the pointy ears Harmoni saw most often. His features were sharp, and that was true even by elf standards. His fingers and chin were so sharp it made him look less like a person, and Harmoni tried not to react.

He pulled a paper out of a drawer. It was clearly a form of some kind, but it was dark in here, and the paper was upside down. Harmoni would need to be closer to make out more. “Well human, if you could fill this out, you’ll be ready to go.”

Harmoni pumped her fists a little, and spoke in Elvish. “I will. But you don’t need to speak in Standard. I know Elvish.”

The headmaster grimaced. “Understand Elvish maybe.” He was still speaking Standard. “But I wouldn’t speak in it. Besides, this school has many people who don’t speak Elvish. We invite them. Standard is the language of the school.”

Harmoni frowned. While she was in thought, the headmaster set the paper on the desk, and headed for the door.

“You’re leaving?” Tolith asked.

“Not for very long,” the headmaster assured him. “I’ll be back to help her get settled soon. But I have two other last minute students, and a situation in the cafeteria. So if you’ll excuse me. . .”

Harmoni just frowned as she watched him go. ‘He called me human.’

‘He probably can’t see your ears,’ Fleck pointed out. ‘They’re hidden by hair.’

That was true. But there was also his reaction to her switching languages and, well, she didn’t like it.

“Sorry about that,” Tolith said. “He usually stays. Likes to get to know his students.”

“It’s . . . fine.”

And in a way it was. She could work in silence, get some time to herself after having none of that in the spaceship. She came here with a purpose, and didn't want the headmaster peering over her shoulder.

“You can go too.” She shrugged at Tolith’s startled expression. “I know you want to.”