I didn't wait to hear more.
The second the word "dragon" left Lucian's mouth, I bolted down the hall like my feet were on fire—which was ironic, considering how last night had gone.
He called after me once, but I didn't turn around.
I kept walking.
Fast.
Head down.
Eyes forward.
People probably thought I was being dramatic or antisocial. Maybe both. Fine. Let them think that.
It was better than them knowing the truth—that my skin had shifted into scales last night and I'd nearly reduced a forest to ash.
And Lucian knew.
Somehow, he knew.
I avoided him the entire day. Switched lab tables in chemistry. Chose the seat by the window in History. Spent lunch alone in the girls' bathroom with my sandwich untouched.
I was too shaken to eat.
Too aware of my body. My breath. The way my fingertips still tingled like sparks were waiting just under the skin.
I finally made it to our last class on English literature, but I was barely paying attention.
I wasn't sitting next to my best friend instead choosing to sit at the far end of the class.
So much for trying to act normal.
I was very sure Mira was freaking out as she gave me side glances. Probably wondering what has gotten into me.
But in this particular moment, I'd rather be alone and stir clear of unwanted attention especially from the school's infamous bad boy: Lucian Voss.
I'd seen things before, at least in flashes, and dreams, but I thought it was in my head. My parents always said it was in my head. I wanted it to be in my head.
Now, I wasn't so sure I'd ever been human to begin with.
And Lucian? His words kept replaying in my brain like a broken record. You're not the only dragon.
But what did he mean? How did he know what I was? And why did he say it like it wasn't some huge world-shattering thing?
The final bell rang, and I practically jumped out of my seat. I shoved my books into my bag and was halfway to the door when I heard my name over the loudspeaker.
"Nova Acrux, please report to the Headmaster's office. Nova Hale. And Lucian Voss."
I froze.
Lucian again.
Of course.
He'd probably told them something. Reported me. Maybe they knew what I was. Maybe they were going to experiment on me or lock me up.
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry.
I should've kept walking. But instead, I turned around and marched toward the office with dread rolling in my stomach with Lucian only a few feet away.
The headmaster barely looked up when we arrived. His office smelled like some cheap air freshener and overwatered plants.
"You two," he said, folding his hands. "Library, now. Cleaning duty. I don't care who started the disagreement yesterday but you're both staying an hour after school. Figure it out."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Lucian shot me a look. A sharp one.
I shut my mouth.
So now I was being punished with him. Great.
Though it was my fault for forgetting that I had detention today.
The library was empty when we got there, except for the lingering smell of old books and the faint hum of fluorescent lights.
Lucian grabbed the mop from the corner while I stalked toward the table with the paper scraps and spilled ink someone had dumped earlier.
We didn't talk for the first few minutes. I kept my back to him, wiping aggressively at the stained wood like it had personally offended me.
He was the first to break the silence.
"How long have you known?"
My hand froze mid-wipe.
I didn't turn around. "Don't start."
He leaned against the nearby shelf, his voice low and maddeningly calm. "I'm just asking. You look like you're still in the holy-crap-what-am-I phase."
I dropped the rag, spun to face him. "You don't get to ask me anything."
His mouth curved slightly. "You didn't seem to mind talking to me before you torched the trees."
My chest tightened. "I didn't mean to do that."
"I know."
That threw me off. I expected mockery, teasing. Not that.
I crossed my arms. "How do you know?"
Lucian shrugged. "Because the first time I shifted, I nearly set my room on fire. Burned straight through my bed."
My breath caught. I stared at him, waiting for the punchline. But he wasn't joking. His voice was too steady. Too real.
"You're serious."
"Dead serious."
I shook my head. "This is insane. People don't turn into dragons. That's—mythology. Fantasy stuff."
He gave me a long look. "You think you imagined burning half a forest?"
I opened my mouth. Closed it again.
He had a point.
Still. "Why now?" I asked, quieter this time. "Why me? I didn't do anything special. I was just living my life and then suddenly I'm—"
"A beast right from the pages of a fairytale?"
I flinched.
Lucian stepped closer, and I instinctively backed away.
He held his hands up. "Relax. I'm not gonna bite."
"Funny, coming from a guy who takes pleasure in seeing me angry."
He studied me, and for a second his usual arrogance faded. "It is a big deal. But it's also… real. For people like us."
I took a shaky breath. "So you've known? This whole time?"
"Since I was thirteen."
"And you just what? Waited for someone else to burst into flames?"
"No," he said. "But the second I saw you drawing dragons, I suspected something was up."
I stared at him. "And that's how you got your confirmation?"
"There was nothing else to go by."
I covered my face with my hands. "God. This is a nightmare."
"Could be worse."
"How?" I snapped. "Name one way this could be worse."
He tilted his head, eyes glittering. "You could've shifted in front of the entire school."
I glared at him. "Not helping."
Lucian stepped closer again, this time slow, deliberate. "Look, I'm not trying to mess with you. I know this sucks. The fire. The sudden changes. The fear. But you need to understand something."
I swallowed. "What?"
His gaze held mine. "You're not alone."
My heart skipped.
Those words.
They were the first thing all day that made me feel… better.
But then he added, "Which is also why you need to get a grip. You can't afford to lose control again. People will notice."
Anger surged in my chest. "You think I don't know that? You think I wanted to burn anything?"
He didn't respond right away. Just watched me with a strange expression.
Then, softer, "No. I know you didn't."
I looked away. The mop leaned against the shelf, forgotten. The library felt too quiet. Too still.
I hated how he made sense.
And I hated even more how I wanted to ask him questions—What are we? How many of us are out there? Are we dangerous?
But I couldn't bring myself to say it.
Lucian rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm sure from our discussion, you can already guess I'm a dragon as well."
"I figured that already. I'm not dumb."
"You've got power, Nova. Way more than you probably realize. And judging by the ashes you left behind, I'd guess…"
He hesitated.
I turned to him slowly. "Guess what?"
His eyes met mine. Calm. Serious.
"That you're not just any dragon, but a fire breathing dragon. Just like me." he replied bringing flames to his hand.
For a moment, I was lost for words as I stared into the flames in his hand. I came to the conclusion that my life had changed forever.
And I wasn't sure if I wanted this change.