Mine?

Xavier’s POV

The instructor cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to the front of the room. “Let’s go ahead and settle in. We have quite a bit to cover this morning.”

I slid into the chair beside the ridiculous girl before anyone else could even think about taking it.

“That’s our seat,” Blaze huffed.

“Actually,” I answered dryly, “it’s the academy’s chair.”

He let out a low snort. “Our chair… at our academy.”

I rolled my eyes. Possessive. That was Blaze in a nutshell. It didn’t matter whether it was my room, my motorcycle, my favorite training field, or apparently a chair I’d been sitting in since my freshman year. If Blaze decided something belonged to us, arguing with him was about as productive as arguing with a brick wall.

My attention drifted toward the tiny blonde sitting beside me. She refused to acknowledge me. Instead, she faced the front of the room with her arms folded across her chest, looking as stubborn as ever.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. She’d actually argued with me. Most people froze the second they recognized the dragon crest on my blazer. Some apologized before I’d even spoken. Others simply walked away. Not her. She’d looked me dead in the eye… Called me Mr. Lizard Boy… Then refused to move.

Blaze chuckled. “I like her.”

That earned another eye roll. “You like anyone who argues with us.”

“No.” I could practically hear his grin. “I like anyone who’s dumb enough to argue with us.”

I shook my head, fighting back another laugh. He wasn’t entirely wrong. Most students spent their first week trying to stay off my radar. It wasn’t because I’d done anything to them. It was because everyone knew who I was long before I ever introduced myself. Dragon. Prince. Future King. Titles had a funny way of making people nervous. This girl either had absolutely no survival instincts… or she simply didn’t care. Honestly, I wasn’t sure which answer amused me more.

Mr. Wilson continued explaining academy rules, class schedules, training requirements, and disciplinary policies. I’d already sat through orientation enough times that I could’ve recited half the speech myself.

My attention wandered again. Golden strands framed her face, catching the sunlight pouring through the tall windows. Her bright blue eyes remained fixed on the front of the room, though I doubted she was absorbing a single word. She looked… Tiny. Barely five feet tall.

Blaze immediately noticed. “She’d fit perfectly against us.”

“Behave,” I sighed.

A smug chuckle echoed through my head. “I am behaving.”

I resisted the urge to answer him. That alone was an accomplishment. A quiet laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

The blonde turned toward me, annoyance flashing across her face. “What?”

“Nothing.”

She narrowed her eyes like she didn’t believe me for a second before turning back toward the front. A heartbeat later… Everything changed. A sharp gasp escaped her lips. Her entire body went rigid. One hand shot to the back of her neck so suddenly that my smile vanished. Pain flashed across her face. Real pain. The kind that struck without warning and stole the air from your lungs. Her fingers pressed hard against the back of her neck as though she could somehow stop whatever was happening.

Blaze’s amusement disappeared instantly. “Did you feel that?” His tone turned serious. “Something’s wrong.”

I was already watching her. Her breathing became uneven. The color drained from her face. For several long seconds she sat perfectly still before slowly lifting her head. Our eyes met. Confusion. Fear. Questions neither of us could answer.

She broke eye contact first, shoved her chair backward, and stood so quickly it scraped across the floor. “I’m… sorry.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Before Mr. Wilson could say a word, she hurried from the classroom.

The doors slammed behind her. Silence settled over the room. Every pair of eyes followed the doorway she’d disappeared through. Whispers slowly spread as students exchanged confused looks.

Mr. Wilson adjusted his glasses before clearing his throat. “Well… let’s continue.”

His lecture resumed as though nothing had happened. I barely heard any of it. Instead, I kept replaying the image of her clutching the back of her neck. That wasn’t fake. Whatever had happened… It had terrified her.

“Go after her,” Blaze said.

“We’re in class,” I reminded him as I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t care.”

I sighed quietly. “I noticed.”

Before Blaze could argue again, another chair scraped across the floor. A girl from the second row hurried to her feet. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I need to excuse myself.” She rushed out before Mr. Wilson had the chance to respond.

Mr. Wilson pinched the bridge of his nose. “Is anyone else planning on leaving?”

Nobody moved. I slowly stood anyway. Several students turned toward me.

Blaze practically laughed. “Now this should be entertaining.”

Ignoring the curious stares, I stepped toward the back corner and stopped beside the chair she’d abandoned. I pulled it away from the desk, turned it slightly, and sat down with exaggerated satisfaction. Stretching my legs out, I propped my boots onto the empty chair in front of me. “There.” I leaned back. “Much better.”

Laughter rippled through the classroom. Even Mr. Wilson shook his head. “As long as you’re finished rearranging my classroom, Mr. Blackwood.”

I offered him my most innocent smile. “For now.”

More laughter followed before everyone finally settled again. The lecture dragged on for another hour. Policies. Dorm assignments. Training schedules. None of it held my attention.

Every few minutes my eyes wandered back to the classroom doors. They never opened. She never returned. An hour passed. Then another fifteen minutes. Still nothing.

I drummed my fingers lightly against the desktop.

“You’re worried,” Blaze pointed out.

“I’m curious,” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

I didn’t bother arguing. Because no matter how many times I tried convincing myself otherwise, my thoughts always circled back to the same girl.

What happened to her? Why had she grabbed the back of her neck? And why, out of every student in Eclipse Academy, had the stubborn little human who’d called me Mr. Lizard Boy become the only person I couldn’t get out of my head?