Chapter 5

ARMANI

"What is that on your hand?" Cheryl asked when I leaned against the locker next to herself.

I shoved my hands into my pocket. "Can we not talk about this?" I asked with a sigh.

She raised a brow at me. "Remember, no secrets?"

I finally conceded. "We can't talk about it here."

"Right. Where do we talk about it then?"

Dragons had enhanced hearing, and I couldn't risk them knowing the truth about us. Even my parents didn't know the truth.

"You up for a ride?"

"As long as it means you're taking me to get ice cream."

***

"Wow," was the first thing out of Cheryl's mouth when she saw the mark on the back of my palm. "This wasn't there this morning."

"No shit," I said, studying the bright red flame.

There was no way to hide this mark. It burned brightly, sending tingles through my arm.

She gasped. "You found your dragon rider."

"But she doesn't know." At least I hoped she didn't. 

"What's her name?"

"Emerson," I admitted.

Cheryl gasped. "That's the girl who looks like Enya."

I nodded. "They're blood-related."

"So, she's your rider. I'm assuming she touched you?"

"Yes."

"In that case, we can't keep up the pretense. Everyone is bound to find out the truth. What then?"

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. Just why the ever-loving fuck did she have to show up in my life.

"I don't think she knows anything about how dragons and their riders work."

"Okay. Then we can keep up the ruse? If anyone asks, you can just say it's my mark."

"You think I haven't already thought of that."

She scoffed. "Stop being a smartass. You didn't touch her, right?"

Fuck. I let my anger take over me in the hallway and I grabbed her waist and pushed her against the lockers.

"Armani?" Cheryl called out. "Did you touch her?"

I threw my head back against the headrest. "I did. I'm fucked."

***

EMERSON

"I hope we're not forcing you to do anything you don't want to do?" Emily asked with a broad smile. "You don't have to stay with us if you don't want to if you prefer the dorm."

I couldn't bring myself to say I preferred the dormitory. The smile on her face wouldn't let me, plus I figured it wouldn't hurt to get to know them.

"I can spend my first week here, and then I'll move into the dorm. I'll spend my weekends here after that," I said.

"That's wonderful. That way you can have the best of both worlds, and of course, you can visit Pious whenever you want."

The memory of how my mom treated me when she found out I was the chosen one flitted into my head, but I pushed it away. I was sure I was the one reading meaning into something that wasn't there. They loved and cared for me.

"I know."

"Let me show you to your room. I got it set up while you were at school because I didn't want you sleeping in a guest room tonight again. I heard your favorite color is a darker shade of purple. I hope you like your room," she said as she led me down a corridor.

The paintings on the walls alone spelled wealth, and I was sure it cost more than we spent on groceries per month.

She opened the door to my bedroom, and I was speechless. It was everything I dreamed of as a kid. Don't get me wrong, I loved my old room. It was comfy and my 'safe space', but I knew for a fact that every girl dreamed of having a luxurious room.

The silky purple sheets on the king-sized bed called out to me but I kept my composure, assessing the rest of the room. I admired the gradient of the wall from a lighter shade of purple to a darker shade. Drawings of flowers in the color white lined the wall, adding to the artistic vibe of the room.

The purple and gold tufted headboard was especially beautiful, and on either side of the bed, I had nightstands placed.

She turned off the lights, directing my attention to the ceiling. I had my own star-filled sky inside my room.

"This is so beautiful," I gushed.

"Pious said you love stargazing, so I figured you'd love this." She pointed at the double doors. "That leads to your private balcony. It gives you a view of the woods. You have an en-suite bathroom, and of course, a walk-in closet. I hope you don't mind that I got some shopping done for you."

"Not at all. As long as it's my size, I'll wear anything."

"They're all your size. I got your measurements from the Pious."

"Between you and me, I hate shopping, but I do love a cute outfit."

"I guess that's a job for me." She beamed at me. "Thank you, Emerson."

"For what?"

"Accepting us. We thought you'd be hostile toward us. We prepared for that possibility. Deservedly so. We abandoned you."

"For my safety. I'll admit I'm not going to share everything with you overnight, but I hope to work on our relationship. You were doing what was right for me."

"Thanks for understanding. Why don't you take a shower and come down for some food?"

"Actually, I'd like to take a nap."

"That's okay. I know school is stressful. Find your way down when you're awake."

She patted my cheek affectionately before walking out of my room, clicking the door shut. Left alone, I walked into the bathroom, shedding off my clothes for a hot shower.

It was still freezing outside, and I guess I did inherit my mom's intolerance for cold. I got out of the shower, patting my body dry when my towel brushed over a spot on my waist.

A jolt shot through my spine, momentarily freezing my movement. What was that? I brushed the towel over that spot again, and I had the same reaction.

I dropped the towel, walked out of my bathroom, and straight into my closet where I had a floor-to-ceiling mirror. I turned sideways to get a look at my waist.

I had a mark that wasn't there this morning on my waist. It was in the shape of a flame that burned a bright red color. I flicked my thumb over the mark, watching it glow under my touch.

How did this happen? Where did this mark come from?

"Armani!"

He grabbed me in this exact spot in the hallway this morning. Could it have been him? Even though it was him, what did any of this mean? What connection did we have? 

I knew standing in front of the mirror wasn't going to answer my question. I had to talk to Armani tomorrow at school, and hopefully, he'd answer my question. He didn't seem to like me very much.

Plan in mind, I shrugged on a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts before climbing under the covers.

***

'Do it, Armani. Burn them,' the time malicious voice slithered as the shadow danced around me.

'I can't. My family is there. My brother is only six,' I hissed.

'You can't deny what you are. Soon, you won't be fighting me off.'

'I'm not going to kill my family,' I bit out.

'Yeah? Maybe not now, but we can't deny I'm getting through to you. Why else are you lying to everyone about your rider?'

'Shut up. I'd rather die than carry out any of the evil you have planned. Get out of my head!' I yelled, my tormented screams filling my ears.

I couldn't give in to the evil inside of me. I had to fight it off for the sake of my family. They didn't deserve to die. Fuck, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I killed them.

'Time is ticking, Armani. Tick. Tock.'

The dark voice cackled, disappearing into the distance. I fell forward on my hands and knees, my hair falling around my face as I tried to calm my wild nerves.

Soon.

He wasn't wrong when he said that. My resolve was slowly chipping off. I wouldn't be able to fight the evil in my head for much longer. It was my true identity. No matter how my family tried to make me see different, I wasn't deluded into thinking I was more than my true nature; evil, disastrous. 

I laid flat on my back, preparing myself for another night of torture.

***

I jerked awake, my sweatshirt soaked with sweat. That wasn't my nightmare. It was Armani's. Why was I in his nightmares?

He was going through a lot inside his head, and he tried to hide it from his family. My heart broke for him. He didn't want to destroy Draconix. He just hadn't found his rider to tame him.

One thing the malicious voice said stuck out to me. He was lying about his rider. The girl in the hallway's comment made sense to me now. Why did he just come out with the news about Cheryl being his rider? It was so convenient that it was the moment I stepped foot in Sotsyce Academy that he spread the news.

I was willing to bet my life on the fact that he knew something about the mark on my waist. He was lying to everyone else. This brought forth another question; why? Did he not want to get tamed?