Читать книгу Faculty of Dragon Riders - Dmitry Nazarov - Страница 9

– Awesome news! Clara exclaimed and sat down at our table.

The cherry liqueur incident was safely forgotten, and our miraculous rescue with Adin was no longer interested in the weekend. All the girls of our course moved closer, and Clara took out a newspaper from her bag, unfolded it and put it in the center of the table. It took a couple of minutes to read the title of the first page and sigh in unison.

– Prince Oliver will be king! – Siena exclaimed, her cheeks flushed red. – Really?!

– His Majesty William strips off his regalia and hands over the reins of government to his son, – Harriet read. – It is high time. His Highness has been successfully engaged in activities in various public spheres in recent years, and very successfully.

– Thanks to his land reform, the profits from my parents’ farm increased one and a half times, – Adin confirmed. – I think he will be a wonderful king!

– Absolutely, – Siena confirmed in a very pompous manner, as if she personally gave practical advice on every reform of the prince. – But his coronation also means that soon his highness will marry.

The girls gasped, each of them already imagined herself at least the bride of the prince. Senior, of course. The youngest was still too small.

– I wonder if he will call the Selection of Brides, like His Majesty William? – They say that in the Selection there were girls of all classes! Adin said in a dreamy whisper.

– Who cares? Clara shrugged. – Even if commoners participate in the Selection, none of them will become a queen anyway. They will choose who is more pedigree.

– Or richer and more worthy, – Siena put in, straightening her shoulders and looking down on our elder.

– I read somewhere, – Harriet shared thoughtfully, – that our prince already has a bride. And a very long time ago. An unbreakable marriage contract was concluded between them.

– These are all inventions, – Siena chuckled, – for too stubborn young ladies who dream of marrying a prince.

How I wish it were true! The classmates nodded in agreement with the count’s daughter. For the rest of the time, they discussed only the merits of the blue-eyed prince with soft brown hair. Yes, His Highness Oliver really was extremely handsome! And smart. And just perfection. Despotic perfection.

I took out the prepared potion from my bag and poured it into my tea. I hope the prince really gets married and crowned. Then there will be a real holiday in Dartania! Especially on my street.

– Someone still decided not to fall in love with a dragon teacher? – Adin commented. – Correctly! There is nothing to give such beauties to foreign all. I just have a nice, unmarried brother.

Adin winked and I gave her a smile. She hints about her brother for a long time and with enviable persistence. After drinking the cup to the bottom, so that not even a drop remained, I sighed with relief. Now, no dragon charm will work on me!

– What are you going to do today? Adin asked as we returned from breakfast to our rooms. Would you like to go to the fair with us?

Is there a fair in the city? I was surprised. – I haven’t even heard of it.

– Yeah, Colin told me, – her friend confirmed with a shrug. – I hope for something interesting. So are you coming?

– Unfortunately, I can’t, – I admitted with a sigh. – We’ll have to deal with the abstract given by Magister Dan.

– You know, – Adin began in a conspiratorial tone, – I don’t like all this. This dragon is showing you increased attention. And I’ve been thinking about how I ended up in the room last time, you remember, because of the cherry tincture? I kept silent, pretending that I did not understand at all what my friend was talking about. – So… didn’t Master Dan take us to the rooms? – It’s all too weird and suspicious.

– Adin, don’t make things up. – I rolled my eyes. – Why would he have anything to do with us?

– If the dragon takes you like a virgin to his cave and seduces you, then you will remember my words! – quite seriously said girlfriend.

I almost choked on the air and stopped, looking after Adin in surprise. Is it possible that such tales still circulate in her village? Dragons don’t kidnap virgins these days!

No, right?

Otherwise, I’m in trouble.

Deciding to put these disturbing thoughts aside, I hurried to the hostel after my neighbor, but already on the way I was intercepted by our supply manager, Mr. Barger. He held my elbow while I tried to run past unnoticed. Turning to the old man and carefully removing his dry fingers from my hand, I smiled benevolently.

– Mr. Barger, what a meeting! Haven’t seen you for a long time.

– It was for this reason that I had to look for you, student Wilt, – the old man said accusingly and narrowed his eyes, around which there were already many wrinkles. «It seems you forgot to give me something when you returned from practice.

– Oh, really? I wondered, frowning. – You must be talking about the laorte?

The caretaker nodded confidently. I bit my lip and was about to take off the amulet, but something stopped me. Something inside me, inexplicable, but very strong.

– I lost him, – I admitted, lowering my head. – I have no idea why this happened.

– Lost? Do you even know how much it costs? the manager panicked.

– I represent. Forgive me. I assure you, I will find it soon and will definitely give it to you! He’s somewhere in the academy.

The old man looked at me for a while, pursing his lips.

– I can’t wait any longer, I have every artifact on the account. Tomorrow I will report everything to the rector. He will already deal with you.

With a displeased glance, Mr. Barger walked around me and headed towards the main building. He had some dislike for magicians, considering them upstarts and arrogant. In this regard, he liked working with the rector: he did not skimp on punishment for students.

It’s better to talk to the rector about the colorless laorta than to explain yourself to Mr. Barger. I hope that at least this time Master Ingvar will figure everything out, and will not expel me. After all, is it my fault that the stone was as black as it was?

– Bad day, bad day, – I mumbled as I entered the dorm.

Having collected blank sheets for the essay and pens and ink, I went to the library. Who knew that a very unpleasant surprise awaited me here too? Most unpleasant!

– Pass, student Wilt! the short librarian demanded as I tried to get into one of the sections.

There must have been a dwarf in his ancestors, and judging by his character – not one!

– But, Mr. Dorwood, they didn’t give me a pass. We have a new subject – Dragon Etiquette – and I need to prepare an essay on it. I can’t unless you let me through to the Drakmar section.

– Not allowed, – the librarian hummed again, his nostrils flaring. – How many times I repeat to you: without a pass – I will not let you in! This section can only include students of the Faculty of Dragon Diplomacy, and not riders. What will happen if I let everyone in? Bedlam! Passage yard! Present your pass and then enter.

Gathering more air into my chest, I… smiled. Wide.

Thank you Mr Dorwood! You once again proved that there is no one person more correct and more honest than you. I admire you!

The librarian, though a little kinder and less menacing, stood his ground:

– Pass, student Wilt.

– Of course I understand you. Next time I’ll come with a pass and cakes. It’s always nice to be in the company of a man who does his job rigorously.

Turning on my heels, I started walking away when I nearly bumped into Magister Orand in the hallway. The man gently held my elbow and gave me an appraising look. For a moment it seemed that now he would declassify me, he would understand that it was I who overheard his conversation yesterday, I wanted to run away and hide in the room, but the master remained calm and relaxed.

– Your laorte never returned to its original color? – he asked, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

– No, Master Orand.

– Interesting, – he drawled and looked at me. Are you going to the fair today?

– Not. Master Dan asked me a paper for «special» academic achievement,“ I replied with displeasure. „I had to stay at the academy to train him. But, unfortunately, I found out late that I need a pass for the section on sentient dragons.

I sighed sadly, hoping that Master Orand would help me with this rather easy question for him, but some kind of puzzle seemed to have formed in the head of the teacher.

– It seems that Master Dan is not indifferent to you. What is the topic of the abstract?

The topic was indeed quite strange, so I opened my mouth and immediately closed it. Purely out of spite, I wanted to say, they say, yes, Master Dan – fell victim to my spell! Completely lost his mind on me. Got mad.

Imagining how I inform Master Oranda about this, she mentally smiled, and then imperceptibly looked around: from Master Dan, she would hide somewhere around the corner and eavesdrop! I always meet him in the most unexpected places. Oh, he certainly wouldn’t forgive me for telling me that he fell victim to my spells. I even imagined his menacing and indignant look, pursed lips and arms crossed on his chest! Barely kept from smiling.

– Are you also staying at the academy today? I changed the subject, leaving the teacher’s last question unanswered.

No, I have business in the city. And, to be honest, I’m in a hurry.

– Understand. All the best, Master Orand, – bowing, I hurried down the corridor, feeling an attentive look at me.

As soon as I hid around the corner, I leaned against the wall and thought. What kind of business can a master have in the city? Perhaps I can find out something if I go after him?

She shook her head: no, I’m not a spy, and I shouldn’t even pretend to be one. And it is pointless to make a denunciation to the gendarmerie, since I don’t really know anything. Maybe Master Elaine and Master Orand’s secret is personal? Then I’ll set up two lovers.

And if not?..

– Alicia? Adin was surprised when we collided at the entrance to the hostel. – Aren’t you in the library?

I glanced briefly at Adin’s friend, the blond-haired Colin from the martial faculty, and replied:

– They didn’t let me into the Drakmar section, can you imagine? Need a pass. And on the weekend, I’m afraid I won’t find Master Dan.

Or maybe I will find it, but going to his hostel again for the sake of a pass is bad manners! What will he think of me? With his self-conceit, it will be assumed that I came to him for bed comforts. Well, I do not!

– Hmm, trouble, – the neighbor clicked and exchanged glances with Colin. – Then come with us.

– I don’t think it will be convenient, – I hesitated.

– Do not invent! You won’t bother us. But it’s more fun together. What are you going to do in the hostel?

I didn’t want to spend the only free day at the academy, so, throwing a bag with sheets and ink into the room, I hurried to my friend and militant. Deciding not to disturb them, I kept a little distance and enjoyed: the last warm days this autumn! The city was full of sunshine, the paved roads were clean, the balconies of the two-story houses were decorated with hanging pots of late flowers. I enjoyed the walk, so I didn’t really listen to Colin and Adin’s conversation.

– It is impossible to return magic to wild dragons! – Adin said confidently, she and Colin had been discussing this disturbing topic for several minutes.

Tarshvil – the third largest city in Dartania, was located in the south, at the foot of the Arsky mountains, bordering the Eternal Range, beyond which the lands of Drakmar began. From the sudden flood of memories of the paws of the black dragon, I involuntarily touched the laorta. Nonsense, of course, but it seemed to me that he warmed at the memory of that dragon. Have I tamed him that much?

– Master Orand assures me that it is possible, – Colin said with conviction, bringing me back from my memories. – Before, the savages were sentient and had magic. So, return a piece of reason to the wild – and we will get dragons with magic! And controlled dragons.

– It’s from the section of fairy tales. Wild became wild not a hundred years ago, but many thousands. The current savages are the distant descendants of sentient dragons who went mad from the loss of a mate. So they never had a mind and will not, respectively, and magic.

And I agreed with my neighbor. These are just rumors, something like an elixir of eternal life. But for such dreamers as Colin, this did not interfere.

– Master Orand is sure that some day some daredevil will definitely be able to do it.

– If it were possible, then all animals would be endowed with intelligence, – Adin replied, rolling her eyes. – But something intelligent horses do not gallop through the streets.

At this time, a carriage was just passing by, and the horses neighed. With a chuckle, Adin turned up her nose and moved on down the pavement. Colin soon caught up with her, but I lingered a little at the doll shop. There was one there, very similar to mine, from childhood…