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Chapter 75 75- Never Fail To Distinguish Between Purring And Threatening Rumbles
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about that. But that doesn’t make it okay. Blake stands fully now. The rumble in his chest deepens, almost a growl. This is not worth it. It is not worth Blake getting in trouble. It is not worth him fighting a professor. It is not worth another incident. I reach out carefully and place a hand on his arm. His muscles are tight under my fingers. Coiled. He glances down at me. I give the tiniest shake of my head. Just enough. Telling him I want him to stop. That it’s not worth it. That I’m fine. Or rather, I will be. Something in his expression shifts, not calm, not exactly, but contained. He doesn’t sit back down. Instead, he grabs my hand from where it rests on his arm and pulls me to my feet. The motion is firm but not rough. With one last, furious look at Professor Cage, a look that promises this conversation is not over, Blake turns and strides across the classroom. He doesn’t say a word. He just pulls me with him. The door swings open sharply as we reach
- it. And then we’re out.
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15:01 Tue, Mar 31
How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Chapter 76 76- Do Not Bet Against Someone Who Breathes Fire
BLAKE
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Something is wrong with Lexi. I don’t know exactly what it is, but for the last few days she has been… Off. She still lights up when she sees me. She still smiles. She still leans into my side without hesitation. But the brightness fades quicker now. Like she’s forcing it to stay
- up. There are faint shadows under her eyes. She’s been hovering outside classrooms. Delaying. Lingering. And Lexi likes going to class. She enjoys learning. She enjoys trying. So when she looks disappointed at the door before going in, that’s not normal. At first, I told myself she just didn’t want to leave me. That was satisfying. But it doesn’t explain everything. There’s a heaviness in her posture lately. A tension she tries to hide. Maybe it’s because she hasn’t shifted yet? That has to be it. Shifting is identity. It’s grounding. It’s proof of what
you are and where you belong. If she can’t access that part of herself, that would be frustrating. It would make anyone feel incomplete.
.
I’ve been too relaxed about it. Too confident that we’d figure it out eventually. Eventually is not good enough. She needs answers. And I need to find them. I tug her along the hallway and she doesn’t resist. She just lets me pull her, quiet and subdued. She doesn’t even tease me for dragging her around like usual. I don’t like it. I consider going straight to the library. Dig through older texts. Cross–reference obscure shifter types. There are rare bloodlines. Hidden variants. Legends that most people dismiss too quickly. But she doesn’t look like she needs research. She looks like she needs something now. But how do I cheer her up? Well… What would make me feel better? I think about that for a moment. If I was restless. Irritated. Unsure. The answer is obvious. I lead Lexi back to the dorms and into my room. I go straight to my shelves, scanning them carefully. Assessing. Considering. Something valuable. Something meaningful. Something worthy. Hmm. Jewellery, maybe? She likes the diamonds. Or something smaller. Something symbolic. Lexi is still standing in the middle of the
room, watching me with a puzzled expression.
“Pick something.” I tell her. She blinks.
“Huh?” She asks.
“Choose something.” I repeat.
“You’re sad. It’ll help.” I insist. It’s logical. Acquisition improves mood. Possession creates comfort. At least, it does for me.
“Uh… That might cheer dragons up, but I’m not sure that it works that way for whatever I am.” She says slowly. Whatever she is. That
again. I frown. That… Complicates things.
“At least look around. Maybe something will work.” I insist again. She shrugs and begins to browse my shelves. Slowly, Carefully. Her fingers hover but don’t grab. She looks curious, but not uplifted. This is not having the intended effect. Maybe I need a different angle.
Before I can speak, she does.
“Hey Blake…” She says suddenly, pausing.
“Did you steal a poker chip from my house?” She asks, pointing at a shelf. I freeze.
“…Maybe?” I answer cautiously. She chokes out a tiny laugh. An actual smile breaks across her face. Interesting.
“You added it to your hoard?” She asks. I nod. Of course I did. It’s from her house. That makes it valuable. It carries her scent. Her
memory. It belongs with the rest of what I guard.
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Chapter 76 76- Do Not Bet Against Someone Who Breathes Fire
“In that case, no. You can keep it.” She says warmly. There’s no accusation in her tone. No annoyance, just amusement.
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“I really don’t need anything from your hoard.” She adds, and her expression dims slightly again. That frustrates me more than I expect.
“But I want to cheer you up.” I insist. Because I do. If something is wrong, I fix it. That’s how this works. She steps closer, softer now.
“I appreciate that.” She says gently.
“But giving me stuff isn’t going to work.” She points out. That is… Inconvenient.
“I would like to just spend some time with you though. We could get lunch? Somewhere private maybe, if that’s possible…” She asks
tentatively. I study her face. She doesn’t want jewels. She doesn’t want valuables. She wants me. I smirk slowly. Time with me will cheer
her up? Good. That, at least, is something I can provide.
I stop by the cafeteria and collect lunch for us. I don’t ask Lexi what she wants. I don’t need to. I’ve watched her enough to know. Pasta if it’s available. Something warm. Something sweet on the side because she pretends she doesn’t want dessert but always ends up stealing half of mine. I load a tray quickly, efficiently. The Academy, for once, is cooperative. A woven basket slides across the counter and stops neatly in front of me like it had been waiting for this exact plan. Convenient. I glance at the door, half–expecting it to swing open dramatically just to show off. It doesn’t. Fine. A picnic will do. There has to be somewhere quiet. Somewhere removed from hallways and gossip and that fox professor with his thinly veiled contempt. Lexi brightens immediately when I suggest it. A picnic. It’s ridiculous bow easily that works. Her smile returns slowly at first, hesitant, and then it settles properly. Not forced. Not polite. Real. That alone makes the entire exercise worthwhile. We circle around the back of the library and find a shaded patch beneath a large tree. The grass is thick there. The trunk wide enough to block most lines of sight from the pathways. The branches cast shifting patterns of shadow across the ground. Secluded. Safe. Perfect. I sit first and set the basket between us. Lexi doesn’t hesitate. She settles beside me and leans against my side like she belongs there. She does. Her weight fits neatly against me. Warm and familiar. At first she’s quiet. Focused on eating, maybe. Or thinking. I let her take her time. I don’t rush her. But after a few minutes, the chatter returns. She tells me about the barrier spell again, this time with more detail. About how she pictured it like a balloon. About how the magic felt elastic. About Professor Matthews choking on a laugh. And about Rachael going flying. That part makes me pause. I keep my expression neutral, but my mind sharpens. Is it normal for there to be that many ‘accidents‘ in a potions class? Besides, they know that I care about her. I’ve made that very clear. Surely no one would be stupid enough to try to bother Lexi again. Not after last time. Or maybe they are that stupid. That is… Food for thought But for now, I let her talk. There’s pride in her voice. Not fragile pride. Earned pride. And something else. Strength. She’s starting to stand on her own. That is good. Necessary. She still looks tired though. The shadows under her eyes haven’t disappeared just because she’s smiling. Her energy comes in bursts, bright and intense, then fades slightly. I need to figure out what she is. That part hasn’t changed. The sooner she knows, the sooner she stabilises. But at least she’s smiling again. That fox professor though. My jaw tightens slightly just thinking about him. The way he spoke to her. The implication. The smirk. The deliberate glance at me. He wanted a reaction. He nearly got one. Lexi doesn’t want me to start a fight with him though. Fine. But that doesn’t mean nothing can be done. There has to be something. Maybe I can convince her to skip that class for a while. Just until we figure out what she is. Until she can shift properly. No reason for her to sit through public humiliation. But… No. She won’t go for that. She believes in attendance. In structure. In doing things properly. And she’s really damn stubborn about it. Then again, she did just leave the last half of class with me. That wasn’t subtle. Maybe it isn’t impossible. I’ll think about it. I don’t like problems I can’t solve. Which is why I’m more than a little disappointed when she glances up at the sky and checks the time,
“We should go. I don’t want to be late.” She says reluctantly. Of course she doesn’t. At least it’s her favourite class. Professor Young looks at Lexi like she’s discovered something rare and precious. That one won’t undermine her. That one won’t sneer. I pack up the basket and stand. I walk her to the building. Not just to the entrance. To her desk. I stay there while she settles in. While she pulls out her notebook. While she adjusts her chair. She rolls her eyes lightly when she notices I’m still there.
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Chapter 76 76- Do Not Bet Against Someone Who Breathes Fire
“You’re going to be late.” She whispers for the third time. I shrug. Doesn’t matter. If someone tries something while I’m nearby, they’ll regret it. I don’t leave until Professor Young arrives and begins speaking. Only then do I turn away. And I do not go to my class. Flying drills can wait. I don’t feel like taking to the air when the problem I need to solve is here on the ground. No. Instead, I change direction
and head straight for the library. If the answer to what she is exists anywhere in this building, I am going to find it.
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R Visitor
But I’m thinking, can’t they talk to the professors? Surly there had to be someone who knew her parents and could tell her what they were.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
