Читать книгу Faculty of Dragon Riders - Dmitry Nazarov - Страница 7

Overslept! Specifically overslept! Only the third time they heard the bell, and the third time it rings, when it is already necessary to go to lectures. Not to mention getting up and having breakfast.

Water procedures in the shared bathroom on our floor cheered us up a little, we quickly packed up and left the hostel, rushing to the first couple.

What about our first couple? Dragon etiquette, fuck it!

– I don’t remember how I got into the room yesterday, – my friend muttered, periodically clutching her head while we ran to the right wing.

Oh, I wish I didn’t remember. But, unfortunately, my memory was not ready to reward me with such a wonderful failure. We crawled into the room to the new teacher, they spotted us, then the girls ran away, but the dragon caught me in its paws.

Oh, I’ve been caught too many times in recent days by dragons.

– I remember how I ran into you, jumped out the window, ran through the park, – then Adin stuttered and looked at me, – I don’t remember further. And you?

– Uh… too, – I lied. – That’s how I jumped out the window after you, so the memory was knocked off.

– Is it?.. I don’t remember you running nearby…

– I wonder how the girls are? – I changed the subject. Did anyone help them? Someone definitely helped, otherwise how did we end up in the room?

– We could have been caught, sent to bed so as not to deal with drunken girls, and today we would be reprimanded to the fullest. Oh how scary…

– Don’t drift, – I encouraged my friend and stopped in front of the lecture room door, hesitating. Running a hand through my hair, smoothing it, I turned to my friend: – How do I look?

– It’s fine, – Adin answered somewhat bewildered, – you can’t even see that you drank too much yesterday. That’s what a young strong body means!

The door in front of us swung open with magic, and I remained standing with my fist raised above it. Ten pairs of eyes looked at us, all with malice. Swallowing, Adin and I took turns stepping over the threshold and lowering our heads in resignation.

– Please forgive us for being late. May I attend the lecture?

– I don’t even know, students, – Master Dan said thoughtfully, leaning on the pulpit. Being late on my first day of work can be seen as a personal insult for me. Do you know which dragons are vengeful?

We shook our heads. We don’t know and we don’t want to know! Although I know how snarky and impudent dragons are. More precisely, one specific sample.

– Student Leoch, you can take a free seat, – the teacher deigned to answer, but he gave only the name of a friend.

When did he manage to find out our names?..

I was twitching, but drooped under the attentive gaze of the master. Now they will be executed! By the way, there were no empty seats for the first and second desks! At all. All the students decided to be closer to the handsome dragon. Everyone was enchanted. Oh, poor, poor Master Orand! He did not expect the arrival of a competitor!

– And you, student Wilt, we will use as a test subject, – the dragon said and slowly walked towards me.

– I hope we can do without dissection? I asked a little scared.

It’s just that when a tall, broad-shouldered male dragon approaches you, fear pops up by itself.

– It all depends on your behavior, – the man answered quite seriously, only in the depths of his eyes something was frozen, completely incomprehensible to me. He had already come up to me and suddenly took my hand under the general sigh of the audience. – Tell me, student Wilt, what should a girl do if a dragon comes up to her and intercepts her hand for a kiss?

Trying to maintain a modicum of common sense? Clinging to elusive thoughts? Stay on your feet, even though they strive to buckle at the knees?

Of course, I didn’t mention any of this.

The man, meanwhile, ran his fingers along my wrist, sending goosebumps down my skin. I was afraid of the reaction of my own body, so I was embarrassed and tried to take my unfortunate limb, but no one released it. The dragon continued to hypnotize me with his gaze under the attention of the entire audience.

– Make sure the dragon has no mate and is not in danger of death from the claws of his beloved? – I asked nervously.

– Wrong answer, student Wilt. A dragon will never kiss a girl’s hand when bound by a true bond. More options?

Harriet’s hand shot up, but the man did not even think to ask her, continuing to look at me. In vain, in vain they accepted the dragon for the post of master! Farewell to the chastity of the students of the Darthan Dragon Academy!

– I don’t know, master, – I answered sincerely, wanting to quickly escape to an empty place, away from this strange dragon. Looking up at him, I smiled. – But I am sure that thanks to you I will soon master new knowledge.

I had hardly finished my sentence when Harriet rose from her seat and answered without hesitation (and without permission):

– You need to sit down in a curtsy and provide a hand for a kiss, depending on the level of sympathy: turn your wrist up, providing the inside for a kiss, if you like the dragon and the girl is not against further relationships; or leave only fingers for a kiss if the girl is not ready to reciprocate.

I froze. He still held my hand. I can already imagine how he leans in for a kiss, and I nervously figure out which side to substitute. And in the end, I substitute my fist.

Y-s, master, I can be unexpected! I clenched my fingers, but did not turn my hand over, thus not giving the teacher any room for maneuver. Master Dan raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

– Student Wilt, do you seriously think that I would kiss your hand? – Don’t be so naive. It’s just a lesson in etiquette.

The girls giggled, but I pursed my lips. My hand (more precisely, a clenched fist) was released. The dragon gave me a haughty look and returned to the pulpit.

Only now I was able to take a breath and catch my breath, because the anger in me was seething. Oh, he!.. Yes, like him!.. Yes, I really need his kisses!

I quickly slipped to an empty seat behind the farthest desk, in the corner, away from the teacher’s attention. She tried not to look up, for she was afraid to incinerate them.

– It is customary for dragons to kiss the inside of the wrist, but only for the girl they like, – Master Dan continued. – This is a hint that the dragon is ready to start a relationship: frivolous and windy or serious, with the formation of a connection – this is already secondary. Dragons have looser morals than humans. In Drakmar, dragons can make meaningless connections before finding a mate. But after all the dragons are faithful in marriage, completely devoted to the second half.

For a moment there was silence in the auditorium. All the girls appreciated this social structure, already imagining themselves as a pair of dragons.

– Love, – breathed several girls almost simultaneously.

– A true connection is more than love, – the man corrected, – but that’s not about that now. Today we will study the management system and the way of life and society in the dragon lands,» the teacher disappointed everyone. Including me! If the lecture is historical and sociological, then why these questions about kisses?! – Dragons, as you probably know, live in clans. Each clan has its own head – the Lord, who is a member of the High Council. The latter assists the Dragon Emperor in running the state. For many thousands of years, the emperor has been the Lord of Black Dragons as the head of the strongest clan.

– And after the blacks – what are the strongest clans? Harriet asked, carefully writing down the master’s every word.

– Fire and ice dragons. True fire is available to the first, frosty breath to the second.

What about black dragons? Adin asked with interest.

– Breath of darkness, – he replied. – In addition to the three strongest clans, there are many others: Azure, Pearl, Emerald, Diamond…

It seemed as if the man could spend hours listing the dragon clans, drawing each one’s coat of arms on the board. We, unlike the Faculty of Dragon Relations, were almost unaware of this information: our profile is wild dragons, it was with them that we were destined to cooperate and work. And what happened there with the superior race – we do not need to know.

By the end of the lecture, almost all the students came to the conclusion: you should definitely visit Drakmar! Just absolutely!

– That’s all, – Master Dan announced and looked around the audience. – Questions?

Adin’s hand went up.

– Yes, student Leoch?

– Tell me, Master Dan, is it customary in dragon etiquette to arrange picks with a girl in a negligee? – provocatively asked a friend, clearly alluding to the day before yesterday’s meeting with the master.

I was ready to strangle her. At night. Pillow!

– We’ll discuss this in the next lesson, – the master chuckled, but at the same time cast a mocking glance at me.

I did not leave the audience – I ran away!

– How? – as soon as Adin and I sat down at the desk, Klara approached us with two of our yesterday’s companions… dormitory neighbors. The girl looked extremely displeased, put her hands on her hips and looked at us with a demanding look.

– What how? – Adin replied.

– Don’t play dumb! How did you manage to escape yesterday? It seems that they were all together, but in the end they punished only us.

M-yes, it didn’t work out well… A blush of shame painted my cheeks, but what could I do? Ask Magister Dan to find the other girls too? I think that from such impudence he would definitely be stunned and would be the first to deliver me on the carpet to the rector. And I can’t sacrifice the winter ball so easily!

– We don’t remember, – Adin and I breathed at the same time, exchanging glances.

– The last thing we remember is how we jumped out of the window of the master’s quarters, – Adin switched to a whisper, – and then darkness.

– We must have been put under a sleep spell because we overslept breakfast and were late for the lecture, – I suggested.

Clara and the girls looked at us with narrowed eyes, but they had to step back when the Potions teacher, Master Elaine, entered the auditorium. I immediately switched to the jars of ingredients and cones on the tray in front of me.

The master went to the desk and picked up the attendance log, starting to make the required marks.

– Still, it’s worth finding out the name of our virtue, – Adin whispered.

Demons save! Today’s behavior of Master Dan has already confused many, and if they find out that he helped me avoid punishment…

Gossip is not enough!

– Mmm, what are we going to do today? – I asked aloud, shifting the conversation and examining the bottles more carefully. «The kit looks like we’re making a love potion.

– You are not so far from the truth, Alicia, – Magister Elaine looked up at me and looked up from her magazine.

All the girls had already gathered in the audience, and therefore everyone heard the teacher. Master Elaine graduated from the herbal academy only ten years ago, so she was on the same wavelength with us. A fragile blonde with large blue eyes cast a cursory glance at the audience and, waiting for the bell, began:

– As you know, a dragon teacher has appeared at the academy. Therefore, today we will all learn how to prepare a love spell potion.

– Love spell? we were surprised.

– Dragons have a certain natural charm, they know how to bewitch on an instinctive level: this is due to our history. Earlier, in far, far away times, even before people began to be reckoned with as a full-fledged race, people paid tribute to dragons. Do you know what?

Harriet held up her hand.

– Dragons were given virgins.

– Yes, – Magister Elaine nodded and rose to her feet. Today she was wearing a dark green satin dress with a small bustle and a blind collar with a guipure trim. The master walked around the office to the window, continuing to tell: – Earlier, dragons had more conservative views than now, so they took care of their dragons until they found a mate, but they did not disdain human maidens. Virgins from the human tribe were given to them by force, and so that the girls were not afraid, they affected them with special magic. We feel its echoes to this day: slight excitement, anticipation, trust. That is why today we will prepare a special potion that each of you can drink at will, so as not to even accidentally reciprocate dragon magic. So let’s get started.

I took up cooking with great enthusiasm! Just getting rid of this very «excitement» in the presence of the dragon was absolutely necessary! Where is it seen that Alixia… Wilt fell into a stupor in front of a handsome dragon?

I do remember seeing them once though. Memories were vague, from childhood. My father and I were visiting the royal palace at the time, and a delegation of dragons passed by. As I remember now: tall, stately, in expensive clothes of a bizarre cut. One was dark-haired, the second was red, and the third… I think with gray strands. But not old. Or is it still old? Who will disassemble these dragons! Yes, that was fifteen years ago.

So, then my father picked me up in his arms so that I would not get under my feet, and I take and drop the doll – beautiful, porcelain. It crashed, and the ringing was all over the corridor. The dragons stopped. One of them glanced at me. He approached and ran his hands over the doll – the fragments gathered together.

The dragon rose to its feet and returned the doll to me. Silently. Not saying a word. Father tried to thank him, but he promptly left with the delegation…

I still remember this doll! It was beautiful, after all.

Before it was «repaired». The dragon put her eyes upside down, her cheeks and forehead changed places, and it was impossible to look at her without horror. My father bought me another one and hid this one in the attic. He says I’ll scare my grandchildren later. Veselchak.

– Fox, be careful, he will run away! Adin called to me and put out the fire under the cauldron.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I thanked my friend. But the potion was already spoiled: overcooked. I had to start from the beginning, but there was little time left, so I naturally did not have time.

– I’d give you mine, but you know, I’ll keep it for myself, – Adin said as we left the auditorium. – I can’t fall in love with a dragon, even pretending, in any way! He won’t even look at me, but he’s interested in you. So even if you fall victim to his spell, maybe it’s not so bad?

– Adin! – I was indignant. «I’m not going to be anyone’s victim. Moreover, such an unbearable, impossible, unbearable, unpleasant… unbearable … – each time it became more difficult to choose synonyms, I frowned, and Adin fell silent, – disgusting…

– Li-i-is… – Adin called plaintively to me, and I stumbled, burying myself in my chest…

– Dragon, – I finished, and then bit my lip.

The man tilted his head to the side. Laorte again suddenly warmed up on my chest. Why, oh why do we keep colliding? He seems to be following me! I’m talking about Master Dan, of course.

Although in fairness it should be said that yesterday it was I who pursued him. I wouldn’t dare for anything in my right mind, but oh, this alcohol…

– Will there be any other epithets for me? he asked calmly, but black flames were already blazing in the depths of his eyes.

– Forgiving? Not vindictive? Outgoing? I continued, and the dragon smiled. Wide. Ominously.

– Student Wilt, you do not listen to my lectures at all. Just today I talked about the vindictiveness of dragons. For such irresponsibility and absent-mindedness in my classes, you will write an essay on the topic of the True Dragon Bond.

Well, it’s good that there are no corrals! Otherwise, he would have ordered his stall to be cleaned… ugh, the dragon’s stall! Although he and his dragon are inseparable. What am I even thinking about?

About his eyes. Such alluring, with flashes of darkness. Black dragon, no doubt about it.

But Adin made me doubt when Master Dan walked around us and retired to a decent distance.

– I wonder what clan he belongs to? – Oh, it’s a pity he hides the true color of his eyes!

How is it hiding?