Chapter Five

Sara

She clutched her caramel corn, resisting the urge to touch Ian in some way. Just his arm or his hand but she couldn’t do that in public and definitely not in front of the Blue dorm. Someone might see. “Thank you. Good night.” She turned and headed into the building, looking straight ahead with her head held high, like nothing was wrong. Like her entire universe hadn’t just slipped on its axis.

She waited until she was safe in her room with the door locked before she relived the sensation of Ian’s arms wrapped around her. The warmth she’d felt…she’d never experienced that before in her life. Her mother had hugged her when she was a child…but had stopped when she’d hit adolescence. Her father—had he ever hugged her? Not that she recalled. If Ferrin hugged her, would it feel the same? It should. Shouldn’t it? She desperately wanted to believe that but wasn’t ready to start experimenting, because if Ferrin hugged her and it didn’t feel like that…wait… Why was she thinking about this? She never should have hugged Ian or let him hug her in the first place. It was wrong, even if it had felt wonderful. It’s not like he’d meant anything inappropriate by it. Ian was doing what Red males did…hug a friend in distress. He’d probably forgotten all about it by now. It wasn’t a big deal in Red Clan terms, so there was no reason for her to dwell on it.

Right now she needed to focus on something else. The library book Ian had given her sat on the coffee table. She kicked off her shoes and curled up on the couch, intent on losing herself in someone else’s life. She was sucked into the plot immediately. Two Black female Dragons were arguing because one of the Black Dragons, Eva, was in love with a Red Dragon named Connor. Her family didn’t approve of their relationship and she planned to run away and join him but her best friend figured it out and was attempting to stop her. Had Dragons really married Dragons from other Clans before the Directorate took over? Maybe Miss Enid would know. And if they did marry, they’d be giving up so much. Dragons couldn’t crossbreed. It was a known fact. Would it be worth giving up a family for someone you loved?

Saturday morning, Sara cursed the alarm as it went off. Piano music started out melodic and then shifted into minor keys that became increasingly more stress-inducing the longer you ignored it. She rolled out of bed and went to hit the button that turned the stupid thing off. The Directorate had installed the alarm clocks in every dorm room and there was no way to keep them from going off—even on the weekend—which was highly annoying. The funny part was some Green Dragon had more than likely designed it. Julie probably found it amusing.

After a quick shower, she dressed in a skirt and blouse because Ferrin would be by to walk her to breakfast soon. She’d finished twisting her hair into a low bun when a knock sounded on her door. She did a quick once-over to make sure her outfit was up to Blue standards and then, to be perverse, she loosened a lock of hair so it fell down by her face. That would be her small act of rebellion for the day.

When she opened the door, Ferrin nodded at her and then paused. “You need to fix your hair.”

She pulled the door shut behind her and stood there smiling. “I just did.”

“It’s come undone.”

“It’s a new style,” she said. “Let’s go.”

He frowned but didn’t comment further.

Maybe this was how she’d live her life. She’d search for small victories. Find a way to wear Ferrin down over time and make him easier to live with. If nothing else, it would be entertaining. And now she sounded like Julie. Is that good or bad?

When they were in line at breakfast, Lavinnea Devonshire, one of the few Blue females Sara liked, turned to her. “Your hair is lovely. Do you mind if I copy the style?”

“Not at all.”

“Want to come back to my room after breakfast?” Lavinnea asked. “It’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

“Sounds like fun.” Plus it would get her away from Ferrin.

While she ate her cinnamon bun, she waited for him to ask her about the Friday night meeting. Wasn’t he curious about what she’d done or who she’d met? Apparently not, because he never mentioned it. Maybe it was best to keep Ian and the other Dragons off his radar.

An hour later Sara was seated behind Lavinnea, winding her hair into a low bun.

“Wasn’t it wonderful the way Ferrin jumped to your defense in Proper Decorum the other day?”

If anyone else had said this, Sara would doubt their sincerity, but Lavinnea was a textbook Blue. She said and did the correct thing all the time. Unlike some of the other Blues, she didn’t have a mean or gossiping bone in her body. “It was nice.” Sara slid another bobby pin into her hair.

“And you were worried about your marriage contract not being approved.” Lavinnea laughed.

The one time she’d tried to tell her friend how upset she was about being paired with Ferrin, Lavinnea had drastically misunderstood her concerns. Of course she’d had to play along.

“I think the whole process made me nervous,” Sara said.

“You worry too much. Everything will work out how it’s meant to be. The same way it’s worked out for generations.”

And to Lavinnea, that was a comforting thought, but it made her feel like she was wearing a too-tight turtleneck sweater.

“Okay.” Sara said. “I’m done with the back of your hair.”

Lavinnea turned around. Sara loosened a section of hair from the bobby pin and pulled it forward. “There you go.”

Lavinnea stood and headed into her bedroom. Sara followed and watched as she assessed her hair in the mirror, turning her head from side to side. “I like it.”

“Ferrin didn’t appreciate it this morning,” Sara confided.

“Males don’t understand fashion.” Lavinnea grabbed a gold-capped tube of lip gloss and applied a thin layer of coral pink to her lips. “This is my latest color. Do you like it?”

“I do.” And that gave her an idea. “We should go shopping in Dragon’s Bluff. I’d love some new makeup.”

“Let’s fly from my terrace.”

Every dorm room had a floor-to-ceiling window in the bedroom that lead out onto a terrace. Students could exit through the window, shift into dragon form, and take flight. It was a more efficient way to exit the building.

Sara stood on the terrace and focused on shifting. At sixteen, when she’d first come into her powers, she’d had to concentrate on the process. Now it was innate. She focused on the frozen flames inside her chest and felt energy flow through her body, transforming her human form into a blue-scaled dragon. She glanced at Lavinnea who’d already shifted. Her friend’s human face flashed across her dragon face, which allowed Dragons to recognize one another no matter what their form.

“Ready?” Lavinnea asked in a deep dragon growl that was the opposite of her ultra-feminine personality.

“I’ll meet you at the back gate.” Sara dove off the terrace, swooping downward and adjusting her course to shoot up into the bright blue sky above the buildings. She didn’t like flying between the stone structures. Whenever possible, she preferred the open air. Lavinnea stayed below, which meant she might beat her to the back gate. That didn’t matter. And it wasn’t like Lavinnea would gloat like a Blue male might.

Once she passed the campus buildings, Sara dove for the back gate. She landed a few seconds after Lavinnea. They both shifted to human form and waited for the line of students to move forward. When they reached the guard, a huge Red male, he said, “Headed into Dragon’s Bluff?”

“Yes.” Lavinnea reached for the clipboard he held out and signed her name. Sara took it from her and did the same.

“Have fun,” the guard said.

“Thank you. We will,” Sara responded. They walked through the gate, shifted back to dragon form, and flew the rest of the way to Dragon’s Bluff.

The road leading away from campus was flanked by lush green forest on both sides. From this vantage she could spot roads winding into the periphery of the forest where some of the citizens of Dragon’s Bluff lived in cabins. The canopy of the trees grew taller and denser as they flew by. She knew the vast greenery concealed the Blue Dragons’ estates. From up here, though, you couldn’t spot a single mansion, and the old-growth forest looked like it went on forever. It truly did keep the Dragons safe from discovery by the outside world.

The road below them dipped down into the valley, and the town came into view. The streets were set at perfect right angles. Red brick buildings sported bright yellow awnings that matched the yellow flowers in the planters lining the sidewalks. Old-fashioned brass streetlamps, green with age, lined the streets. She loved the beautiful simplicity of the shops and the homes. The Estates where Blues lived were ostentatious and meant to show off wealth and the power that went along with it. They weren’t warm or cozy. What would it be like to grow up in a simple cottage or two-story house…a house with only one dining room?

They landed at the edge of town and shifted back to human form. “Where would you like to go first?” Lavinnea asked.

“Why don’t we stop in Bath and Beauty before we go to the boutiques?”

“I don’t understand what you like about that store,” Lavinnea said. “It’s always so crowded.”

That was one of the things she enjoyed. All the Clans shopped there. Blues were the only ones who shopped in the boutiques because those stores carried much higher-priced items.

“I love their raspberry shampoo. I’m out and I can’t find anything like it in the boutiques.”

“To each their own,” Lavinnea said in a good-natured way, which meant she didn’t care for the raspberry-scented hair products but she was too polite to say it.

Since it was the weekend, the sidewalks were bustling with students. Loud conversations and laughter drifted up and down the street. Sara noticed something. The other Clans all seemed so animated, talking with their hands and laughing out loud, while the Blues seemed stiff by comparison. Funny how she’d never paid attention to that before.

When they ducked into Bath and Beauty, Lavinnea followed Sara to the fruit-scented section of the store. While Sara smelled different products, Lavinnea stood with her hands clasped at her waist like a statue.

“Don’t you want to try any of these?” The store sold shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and soap in every scent imaginable.

“No thank you,” Lavinnea said. “Take your time, I’m in no rush.”

That sucked some of the fun out of the situation. Like most Blues, Lavinnea thought the price of a product indicated its quality…meaning nothing in this store could be worth buying.

Sara picked up a set of raspberry-scented shampoo and conditioner and took them up to the counter. The saleslady smiled at her. “What account should I put it on?”

“The Sinclair account, please.”

“You could carry your credit card like the rest of us,” A female voice said in a semi-teasing tone.

Sara checked to see who was giving her grief. “Hello, Julie. You’ve probably never misplaced your Dragon’s Bluff credit card, have you?”

“I never misplace anything,” Julie said with a grin.

“That makes one of us.” Sara took the package the lady behind the counter handed her and spoke to Julie. “Have fun analyzing people while you shop.”

“I always do,” she replied.

Once they exited the shop and headed down the sidewalk, Lavinnea said, “Who was that?”

“She’s one of the Greens who came to the Broaden Your Horizon meeting last night. Turns out Greens can be a little passive-aggressive. Her boyfriend, Einstein, was nicer.”

“I suppose the Red, Ian, was also there, which explains why he accompanied you back to the dorm last night.” Lavinnea turned down a side street and headed for one of the boutiques she favored.

How had Lavinnea heard about that? Were people talking about her? She wanted to know, but asking would draw more attention to the situation. Best to act like it was no big deal. “Yes. He was there and, since it was on his way, he offered to walk me back to the dorm.”

“It was the polite thing to do.” Lavinnea agreed. “Does Ferrin mind you spending time with other Clans?”

Where had that question come from? “No. It’s a chance to meet new people. You should come with me next time.”

“I’m not as outgoing as you are, and I’m happy with my life the way it is.” Lavinnea rang the buzzer to the left of the entrance. A salesperson looked up and made her way across the room to let them in. “How nice to see you, Miss Sinclair and Miss Devonshire. What can I help you with today?”

“I love the gloss I bought last week. We’d like to try on some other colors.”

“You can never have too many lip glosses.” The saleslady cocked her head to the side. “Is that a new hair trend among students?”

“Yes.” Sara reached up and touched the lock of hair she’d freed. It’d be funny if she had actually started a trend.

“I’m sure I’ll be seeing it everywhere soon. Come with me and I’ll show you our latest makeup.”

Lavinnea tried on several colors and settled on a strawberry red. Sara found one called sunset. It was muted pinkish orange with flecks of gold. “What do you think of this one?”

The saleslady nodded. “It’s very becoming. The golden flecks shimmer in the light.”

Sara glanced at her reflection. She didn’t bother with makeup on a daily basis. For parties and events she wore lip gloss and mascara. “Is this too much for school?”

“Does it make you feel confident or self-conscious?” the saleslady asked. “That’s the key to figuring out if a product is right for you.”

She’d never thought of it that way. Why should she be self-conscious about lip gloss? If she wanted to wear something shimmery she would. “I’ll take it.”

As they left the boutique Lavinnea said, “Care for some pie from Suzette’s?”

“Always. I wish Ferrin were here so I could ask him if he wanted to join us.”

Lavinnea laughed. “We both know the answer to that question.”

They headed toward Suzette’s. When they entered the tearoom the clashing floral patterns on the wallpaper, tablecloths, and curtains made Sara smile. When she spotted women who’d dragged their sons to the restaurant she had to look away before she laughed. All the males wore the same, get-me-out-of-here expression.

“Would you like to sit up front?” the hostess asked.

“We’d prefer a seat in the back, if it’s available,” Lavinnea said.

The hostess led them down a back hall and through an unmarked door into a more classically decorated room. The walls were a soothing pale blue, the tablecloths were cream-colored, and the floor was polished hardwood. Suzette’s had been the brilliant idea of some Green female Dragons. Women from all Clans dragged their sons into Suzette’s and forced them to endure the floral nightmare environment while they discussed dish patterns and the best way to plan an event and any other topic that men had zero interest in. By the time the boys were teens they refused to set foot in the place, which gave the women somewhere they could go without the men in their life interfering in their fun. It was brilliant.

“Do you think someone like Julie thought up the plan for Suzette’s?” Lavinnea asked after they ordered cherry pie and iced tea.

“Probably. I never put two and two together. I always thought of Greens as smart, but I never realized how manipulative they could be. I guess it’s in their nature.”

…

Ian

Ian bit into a meatball sandwich with extra cheese and sighed in satisfaction.

“Dude, you’re enjoying that sandwich a little too much,” Greg said. “It’s making me uncomfortable.”

“I would marry this sandwich if I could.” Ian took another bite of the Italian seasoned, cheese-covered perfection.

Greg laughed. “Maybe you should go into the restaurant business.”

“Maybe.” Ian said. “Or I’ll open a gym and pay someone else to cook for me.”

“So how’d your meeting go last night?”

Ian sipped his soda and thought about how to phrase his response. “It was fun. Two Greens and a Blue showed up. We played cards and talked.”

“Was it different than hanging out with your own Clan?”

“Yes and no. One of the Greens was very passive-aggressive. She liked asking uncomfortable questions to gauge our reactions.”

“Sounds annoying.”

“I think she sees the world as her lab and all the rest of us are subjects in her ongoing experiment. I’m hoping more people come next time so she can analyze someone else.”

“Was Sara there?” Greg asked.

Ian nodded. He’d purposely not commented on Sara because he didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. He never should have hugged her, but it had been instinct. He’d done what he’d do for any Red female who was upset. But Red females didn’t smell like freshly fallen snow and they didn’t make his heart skip a beat.

“How’d she deal with Miss Passive-Aggressive?”

“She didn’t take any crap, if that’s what you mean. You should join us next time.”

Greg shrugged. “Not my scene. I’m happy with my life the way it is.”

Huh. He’d never thought of himself as unhappy. His life was great. It was going exactly the way it should. He’d finish his high school courses this year. Next year he’d be able to major in classes he gave a crap about. No more useless Proper Decorum. That was something to look forward to.

Sunday night Ian finished reading the book he’d checked out for Sara. The Quintessence-sucking Dragons creeped him out. The idea that a Dragon could and would suck out another Dragon’s life-force to gain power was crazy. No way those could be real. In the end, the good Dragons had triumphed but they’d lost several friends.

Monday in Mr. Clayton’s class, Ian sat behind Sara so he could give her the book he’d finished, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it, since Ferrin was seated right next to her. He expected Ferrin to ask why he was sitting in an area that was normally Blues only, but Ferrin never registered his presence. Should he be relieved or insulted? Who knew? Blues were strange.

Not knowing what else to do, he touched Sara on the shoulder. She glanced back at him with a tentative smile.

“Hey.” Wow. What a brilliant opener. “I finished this book if you’d like to read it.”

“Thank you.” Sara took the book he held out to her. “I’m still reading the other one. It’s so good.”

“I might go back to the library to check out some more,” Ian said.

“What are you reading?” Ferrin asked, butting into their conversation.

Sara held the book up so he could see it. “Stories about Dragons going on adventures and battling evil.”

Ferrin’s eyebrows came together. “Sounds absurd.”

“You don’t like any fiction,” Sara said. “I don’t expect you to read them.”

“No fiction at all?” Ian couldn’t imagine.

“There’s so many fascinating things to learn in the real world. I don’t understand wasting time on made-up drama.”

“Your loss.” Pompous prick.

“Class. Today we are going to discuss how to go about addressing a grievance in the proper manner.” Mr. Clayton leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms. “By this time most of your marriage petitions have been approved. Those who were denied have reason to be distressed, but they will be offered an alternative. In the end it will all work out.”

Would Sara be happier if her marriage petition had been denied? Most Blue males came across as pretentious, but Ferrin took that trait to the extreme. She deserved someone better. It’s not like he could help her, but he could be friends with her—for no other reason than to annoy Ferrin.