Protector of Dragons by Cordelia Castel

Author:Cordelia Castel [Castel, Cordelia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-28T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Captain Caiman ran us through a few more drills, telling us that even cadets should make themselves useful to King Magnar in the upcoming war. It was hard to concentrate on anything, knowing that Niger wanted to see me at lunchtime. The dragon moths fluttering in my stomach somehow managed to extinguish my flames of hatred for King Magnar.

Would he laugh at me because I was sensitive to poppies? I hoped not. Niger seemed the type to laugh at a boy spluttering at his first taste of dragon’s tears. Maybe he wanted to fine-tune the details of how we would obtain the parchment and gold.

“Did you know Niger wouldn’t let me carry you to the infirmary?” said Fyrian. “He held you like a swooning damsel and flew you out on Flavo.”

Heat rose to my cheeks. “Really? How embarrassing.”

We hung up our saddles. Stafford disappeared toward the Healer’s Academy Building, presumably to make preparations with Evolene to steal the parchment and King Magnar’s crown. I wished him a silent good luck and followed Rufus and Gobi to the mess hall. It hadn’t been this quiet since the time the all warriors had to scour Steppe and beyond for missing dragons’ eggs. I supposed all the chefs who manned the spits and griddles had set themselves up in the Drogott Arena to provide meals for the warriors at the tournament.

Eyepatch stood behind his usual station on the left behind a hotplate of sausages and onions. At the end of the table was his usual tureen. “Blood-Sea treasure?”

Rufus and Gobi grunted their approval and held out hard-crusted, round loaves with their insides scooped out. Eyepatch heaped a pile of six-inch long sausages at the bottom of the loaves and drowned them with ladlefuls of what appeared to be a tomato-based stew. Then he added a handful of fried onion as a garnish.

As my classmates took their seats, he turned to me, eye shining. “I spoke to your troll-friend who told me everything.”

I nodded. “I’m glad. Thanks for the picnic, Mr. Cobbs. It was lovely.”

He beamed. “Anytime you lot need help, call on me. I’m not just a fantastic cook.” He picked up a smaller loaf. “Blood-Sea treasure?”

“Sure. Extra onions, please.”

I brought my hollowed-out loaf to our usual table and sat next to Rufus.

“Where is Stafford?” he asked.

“He went to see Evolene,” I replied.

Gobi flashed me a triumphant smirk. “She chose the orphan instead of the Prince.”

“There is nothing wrong with being an orphan.” I gave him what I hoped would be a meaningful look. The Dowager Lady Bluebeard had a reputation for eating her human husbands while pregnant to strengthen their offspring. Since she had now died, Gobi could count himself among those he thought inferior.

He flushed and turned away.

Blood-Sea treasure turned out to be a delicious mixture of salmon, and lobster sausages served in a tangy, seafood sauce. Maybe I was still under the influence of the poppies, but I ate my entire serving including the bread loaf. After downing a tankard of ale, I stood.

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