After the events on the beach, Rin took me to the medical ward and had my arm fixed up. It had rebroken helping Night out of the water.

 They dismissed us as a student came in with a severe burn across the right side of his face, most his hair gone, one eyebrow toasted to ash, and ranting about a dragon.

Oops, I thought.

“Looks like you hit one,” Rin whispered to me once we were out of the ward. I

 hushed her as Dare walked toward us with a tall woman trailing behind him. She was blond, thin as a stick, and walked a little clumsily.

“Hello there,” Dare said. “Arm feeling better?” he asked, pointing to my arm.

 I nodded, “Yes, the healers did a good job. It’s the first time I have ever been healed though, so that’s my best guess.”

His eyebrows went up. “Good, because you’re going to head to your rooms to get settled in,” Dare smiled. “Ellie here will take you there.”

“Why can’t you?” I asked.

“I have to take care of some nervous students rambling on about a dragon dropping off a mage on the beach and attacking them,” Dare said, sending an accusing glare at me.

I just looked away sheepishly.

After a moment he continued, “We can’t have the thought of a dragon on everyone’s mind. Have fun and stay out of trouble.” Dare put emphasis on his last statement.

We waited for him to go into the medical ward before Ellie practically bounced up to us. “You’re Hazelin and Rin, right?” she asked excitedly. “Welcome to the Magic Academy of Hidel. I’ll take you to our room while you tell me about yourselves.”

Just deciding for us? I thought. I swear Dare did this to bug me. “We don’t have much of a story,” Rin answered, “we just arrived on a ship here.”

“That’s why I want to hear everything about you before you came here,” Ellie said as we walked to a staircase. “People are so fun.” 

“By our room, you meant mine and Rin’s, right?” I asked.

“Of course, yours, Rin’s, and mine,” she said bubbly. Rin and I just shivered. I’m going to kill Dare for this. I don’t care if he is my father.

We arrived at the room several agonizing minutes later. “Here we are,” Ellie bobbed.

We opened the door to the room and found that there were four beds, two on either side of the room, each with a bed covering of shimmering silk sheets and blankets. There was the feel of powerful magic in this room. Dare must have put a protection spell on the room just in case I did something, I thought, a little miffed.

“Come, Rin.” Ellie pushed her over to one of the beds. “Your belongings are here, right next to my bed.”

“Thanks.” Rin forced a smile. “But can’t I have that one?”

“That one is Hazelin’s bed,” she said, indicating the bed closest to the wall, “And the other one is for our other roommate.”

“Who would that be?” I asked, slightly unnerved.

“That would be mine.” My heart sank as I turned and saw Night standing in the doorway. His hair was full of sand and standing in bazaar directions. It almost made me laugh if it wasn’t for the fact that I had nearly killed him and the ice in his glare was like daggers.

“Yay,” Ellie cheered. “The new roomie is here.”

Night’s brow twitched. “I’m sorry, what was your name, my dear?”

“Oh, sorry,” she said. “I’m Ellie, and you?”

“Night,” he said flatly. “Would you be a peach and go let Dare know that I have arrived safely?”

“Of course,” Ellie beamed as she walked toward the door, “By the way, it’s a bad idea to play in the sand before getting started here.”

“Yeah, not my idea,” Night drawled as Ellie closed the door behind her. After an awkward pause, Night shifted and walked over to the trunk at the foot of the bed. He pulled out a new set of clothes and went into the shared bathroom. Another moment and water could be heard.

I looked at Rin. “Water sphere, as long as there is an absorption point nearby, clean water will run through the ball. The absorption point is down in the sea water,” she explained. I nodded wisely and we made our way out of the room and toward the main courtyard.