“What do we have to lose?” I pointed out. “We are a team, so we need to figure out all our strengths and weaknesses.”
“If I can’t get control, I have no place on this team,” Sid said firmly. “So far, it hasn’t been promising.”
“Is this a common issue with your people?” I asked.
He grimaced. “We’ve always had issues with berserker rages when we shift to beast. But mine is extreme. And my beast is—powerful.”
There was genuine pain in his eyes, and I wanted to help him. As a shifter, I should be familiar with this concept, but I had no memory of the beast I used to be.
Even as I thought about it, I had the faintest glimpse of soaring through clouds. There, and gone, in an instant.
I focused on the issue at hand. Was this schism between beast and man a normal thing? I wished I knew.
“For now, we can sleep in shifts,” I offered. “You should have told me this earlier. I wouldn’t have slept for so long.”
He shrugged. “You were exhausted. My energy reserves are one of my strengths, and I was enjoying my book.”
I got up and reached for my sword. “Well, I’m up now.”
He eyed me. “Would you like me to show you around some more?”
I snorted. “It’s a school. Think I can handle it. Catch some Zs.”
I didn’t imagine the relief that crossed his features. “If you need anything, come get me. I don’t need long to recharge.”
“Okey-dokey,” I replied, mostly because he needed to hear it. I slung the scabbard over my shoulder and headed out the door.
The students in the hall outside cast me curious glances, but I didn’t think it was anything more than assessing a new student. I might be Dragon sized, but I wasn’t wearing scales. I supposed a Dragon disguising itself as something else wasn’t a common occurrence.
Pausing by the window in the hallway, I noticed that the resilient meadow grasses were already recuperating from the trampling earlier in the day. Lines of refugees stood near the gate, and as I watched, a group passed through. Off to the next phase of their recovery, I hoped.
Then the gate flared, and a trio of Dragon shifters arrived. They carried themselves fully erect, and by their size, I thought they were Legion Dragons.
Amid them was an elderly man, also a Dragon. He walked right up to Tyrez, and the muscles in my stomach clenched. Even though I knew my family was safe, watching the older Dragon deliver the news of their death to Tyrez put every nerve I possessed on edge.
The big Dragon shifter let his wings spring free as a sign of internal agitation, but only I knew that it was more due to restrained anger than grief. Then the group turned away and headed for the academy building.
To take the news to the headmaster, no doubt.
I forced myself to breathe as I scanned those in the field, and other than Tyrez, didn’t recognize anyone. Where was Breana?
As soon as I thought about it, I had the strongest impression of looking down at a tray with meatrolls and veggies. Off to one side was a pastry covered in pink icing with sparkles.
The image was there, and gone again. Another random fragment of memory, although I couldn’t ever believe I’d found that pastry appetizing.
The meatroll memory, though, did elicit a powerful response from my stomach. I headed for the stairs—the cafeteria was an excellent place to start my evening.
I wasn’t the only one with that idea. The counter was busy with hungry students piling their trays with food. I hoped a new shift was working in the kitchen, and experienced a pang of sympathy for the supervisor.
I caught sight of him. He smiled and swung my way.
“Thanks again for your help,” he said.
“No problem.” I hesitated, as a memory pushed at me. “Do you ever make something called pizza?”
He laughed. “You’d be surprised how many ask for it. A lot of Dires live in the human realm. The tomato sauce is the issue—we need a better supplier.”
I had no idea why it had even popped into my mind. “Just thought I would ask,” I said, and moved on to fill my own tray. When I turned away, my eye immediately caught a lone figure sitting at a table.
