Xuan Xi opened her eyes and found her hand still intertwined with SigrdrÃfa’s, who remained with her eyes closed, seemingly not yet awake.
Xuan Xi studied Sig’s sleeping face in quiet detail—the usual cold, standoffish distance had melted into a gentle vulnerability reserved only for someone she loved, a faint smile playing on her lips.
A moment later, SigrdrÃfa’s lashes fluttered slightly, and her eyes slowly opened.
She looked at Xuan Xi, then closed her eyes again and buried her face into the pillow, as if still not fully awake.
Xuan Xi curved her lips. “Morning, Sig.”
“…Good morning.” SigrdrÃfa’s voice was muffled by the pillow, thick with the haze of just waking up.
Neither of them moved, savoring the last day of sunlight together.
Xuan Xi let go first—if she held on any longer, her hand would go numb.
She sat up from the covers, her ink-teal hair a tangled mess, a red mark on her right cheek from whatever she’d been pressed against.
SigrdrÃfa also sat up, her silver-white hair equally disheveled. They exchanged a glance and simultaneously reached for the comb on the cabinet.
“You first.”
“You first.”
“Your hair is sticking up more.”
“And yours isn’t?”
They both laughed, very soft, very quiet. The laughter echoed through the empty dormitory for a moment, then vanished without a trace.
Xuan Xi handed the comb to Sig. Sig took it and began working through her own chaotic mess of hair.
Her movements were practiced—starting from the ends, strand by strand, gently working through the tangles.
Silver-white strands slipped through her fingers like a flowing river of stars.
Xuan Xi watched her comb her hair for a few seconds, then looked down and began finger-combing her own ink-teal tangle.
“When you go back for winter break, remember to practice your spells often.” Sig’s voice came from beside her, still in that flat tone. “Your water blade’s condensation speed is too slow. In Echo Valley, it took you forever. Luckily we were there to hold off the dragon lizard for you, or you’d have been defeated long before.”
“Got it.”
“Now that five of your destiny marks have awakened, your perception range should have expanded. When you get back, find a quiet place to test it. Remember: don’t show off in public. Except to me.”
“Okay.”
“Eat three meals on time. Don’t just scrape by. Your injuries haven’t fully healed, and poor nutrition will slow your recovery.”
“Got it. Anything else?” Xuan Xi looked up.
SigrdrÃfa looked at her, morning light reflecting in her amethyst eyes.
“Yes. When school starts, I want to see you at least five pounds heavier.”
Xuan Xi blinked. “Five pounds?”
“Yes, five pounds.”
“Are you going to weigh me?”
“Mm. There’s a scale at the cafeteria entrance.”
Xuan Xi wanted to ask, “How do you know there’s a scale at the cafeteria entrance?” but the words died in her throat.
Don’t ask. If she asked, the answer would just be that Sig noticed it through her usual observation.
“Alright.” Xuan Xi said. “I promise you. At least five pounds.”
Xuan Xi pulled up her suitcase, and SigrdrÃfa shouldered her backpack. They both reached out at the same time, fingers threading through each other’s, interlacing tightly.
Neither spoke, neither let go, and together they walked out of the dormitory.
The two arrived at the plaza in front of the academy.
The carriages there had already thinned out considerably.
Most students had left last night or this morning.
Only a few carriages remained in the plaza, along with a couple of dragon-race seniors who were shifting forms in preparation for takeoff.
Elsa stood beside the Ashes Family carriage, her short brown hair fluttering in the morning breeze. When she saw Xuan Xi and Sig emerge from the academy gates, her eyes lit up.
“Xuan Xi! You’re finally here! We’ve been waiting forever!”
“Why haven’t you left yet?” Xuan Xi walked over.
“Waiting for you, obviously.” Elsa said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then lowered her voice.
“Plus, I really wanted to see if Sig was going to dragon-transform and fly you to the teleportation point again.”
SigrdrÃfa glanced at her, and Elsa immediately shrunk back. “I didn’t say anything.”
Reggie walked over from the Steel Mane Family carriage, holding two hot drinks. He handed one to Elsa and one to Xuan Xi.
“Something to drink on the road.”
Xuan Xi took it and found it was hot cocoa, still a little too warm, the heat from the cup seeping through her gloves into her palms.
She took a sip.
The sweetness was just right.
“Are your injuries healed?” Reggie asked.
“They’re fine now.”
“Remember to train hard during break.” He said it exactly the same way Sig would.
Xuan Xi looked at him. His expression hadn’t changed at all, but she knew—this was Reggie’s way of caring.
Veralis walked over from the Frostmark Family carriage, her ice-blue eyes fixed on Xuan Xi for a few seconds.
“Five now.” Her voice was soft.
“Mm.”
“Don’t force your way to the sixth mark during break. You Easterners have a saying—water flows naturally. Between the fifth and sixth marks, you need a long period of sedimentation. Rushing it will damage your foundation.”
“Got it.”
Veralis nodded, turned, and walked to her carriage, leaving.
Elsa watched her retreating figure and whispered, “Why does she always talk so cryptically?” but before she could finish, Reggie had already pulled her away.
The plaza grew emptier.
The Ashes Family and Steel Mane Family carriages drove out one after another, with the Frostmark Family carriage leaving last.
Only Xuan Xi and SigrdrÃfa remained in the plaza.
SigrdrÃfa walked to the center of the plaza and turned to face Xuan Xi.
Then her body began to change. Silver-white scales emerged from beneath her skin, her form expanded and elongated, limbs became powerful dragon claws, and a broad pair of dragon wings rose from her back.
A full silver western dragon now coiled in the center of the plaza, amethyst dragon eyes gazing down at Xuan Xi from above.
“Come up, Xuan Xi.” The dragon spoke, her voice resonating directly in Xuan Xi’s mind—low and gentle.
Xuan Xi adjusted her pack and climbed up.
This time was smoother than the previous two—hands gripping scale gaps, feet pressing into ridges of the dragon’s spine. In a few moves, she was seated and steady.
The great dragon spread her wings and gave a single powerful beat. They were airborne, smooth as water.
The winter sky was higher and bluer than the last time she’d flown.
Cold wind rushed past her ears, whipping her ink-teal hair behind her in a graceful arc.
In the distance, the teleportation gate glowed faint blue among the mountains, like a sapphire set into the earth.
Xuan Xi hugged SigrdrÃfa’s back tightly, her cheek pressed against the silver-white mane.
The faint scent of body wash seeped from between the scales, mixing with the cold winter air.
The teleportation gate arrived. SigrdrÃfa landed before it, folding her wings, hind legs touching down first, foreclaws pressing gently into the ground.
Only after Xuan Xi slid off the dragon’s spine did SigrdrÃfa shift back to human form, silver-white hair spilling over her shoulders, her deep gray dress looking somewhat thin in the winter sunlight.
They stood face to face. The light of the teleportation gate pulsed beside them, pale blue glow illuminating both their faces. It was time to part.
“We’re here.” SigrdrÃfa said.
“Mm.” Xuan Xi looked into her amethyst eyes, and at those hands that would never reach out first unless she did.
Xuan Xi curved her lips. “Sig.”
“Mm.”
“Happy New Year in advance.”
“…Happy New Year. You too.”
Xuan Xi turned and walked toward the teleportation gate.
After two steps, something occurred to her, and she stopped.
She didn’t turn back.
Instead, she raised her hand, pressed her palm to her lips, then waved it behind her—blowing a magic flying kiss.
Sig’s entire body froze the moment she saw it.
The light of the teleportation gate had already enveloped Xuan Xi, her body beginning to turn transparent.
In the glow, she turned her head and took one last look at SigrdrÃfa—SigrdrÃfa stood rooted in place, one hand raised midair, as if reaching for something, unsure whether to extend it.
“See you when school starts!” Xuan Xi called out.
The light swallowed her. In the split second before her vision went completely dark, she saw SigrdrÃfa’s lips move. No sound reached her, but she could guess what it meant—”Wait for me.”
The light of the teleportation array faded, and Xuan Xi stood in the teleportation station of the border town.
Winter sunlight filtered through the gaps in the worn-out roof, falling onto her shoulders.
The air smelled of rust, of hay, of cooking smoke from distant chimneys—a world apart from the academic atmosphere of the academy.
She reached into her pocket and touched the moon-white handkerchief Sig had given her after school started. Her fingertips traced the embroidery along its marking.
“A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near.” Her bosom friend was clearly Sig.
She curved her lips and walked out of the teleportation station.
By the time the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, she arrived at the familiar blacksmith shop.
Smoke rose from the chimney.
Hellas stood at the door, his gray-brown scales glinting under the moonlight, iron hammer still in hand, apron covered in metal shavings.
“You’re back?” His voice was a little hoarse.
“I’m back.” Xuan Xi walked up and hugged him. Hellas froze, nearly dropping the hammer.
He wasn’t used to hugs—his daughter never initiated them—but he still placed that rough, calloused hand on top of Xuan Xi’s head and gave a gentle pat.
“Good to have you back. Good to have you back.”
Xuan Xi buried her face in her adoptive father’s shoulder, breathing in the smell of rust, charcoal fire, and the grease that never washed out of his apron.
It was completely different from the cold fragrance of Sig, but this, too, was the smell of home.
At the academy gates, SigrdrÃfa was still standing there.
The light of the teleportation gate had faded. Xuan Xi’s figure had vanished. Her hand, still raised in midair, stayed there for a long time.
She felt as if Xuan Xi’s flying kiss had been a paralysis spell, freezing her hand in place—unable to raise it, unable to lower it.
Eventually, she lowered her hand and walked to her family’s carriage. The driver had been waiting for a long while. He opened the door and gave a slight bow.
SigrdrÃfa slipped into the carriage with practiced ease, settling onto the deep blue velvet seat, and drew open the curtain.
The carriage began to move, wheels grinding over the cobblestones with a faint clatter.
SigrdrÃfa leaned against the window, watching the scenery blur past—she thought of Xuan Xi’s magic flying kiss as she left, of the New Year’s blessing she’d shouted back at her.
At that thought, the light in Sig’s eyes softened all at once, a faint, unreadable smile flickering through them.
The carriage rode through the night toward House Edelstein’s castle, and the driver, ever professional, never once looked back, knowing nothing at all.
[End of Volume One]