probably didn’t want to argue openly with Zane, but he came very close to doing so. The boy looked around and drew his sword, taking a step back.
Draco also looked around, but all he noticed was that everyone else was watching them surreptitiously. They were trying to pretend they weren’t, but their curiosity got the better of them. The dragon thought it over and decided to use the weapon Oscar had prepared. Earlier, Zane and Aiden had mentioned protective necklaces, but they hadn’t received them yet. Hurting Cedric before the lessons had properly begun wouldn’t do the dragon any favours.
The dragon drew his weapon and glanced at his opponent. Retfield nodded at him impatiently. Draco had nothing to wait for, nor did he want to. Perhaps he was even hoping to land a blow on the other lad, thereby venting some of the irritation caused by Cedric’s behaviour.
He leapt forward and slashed upwards from below. Despite his recent attachment to Gler’thys, the ordinary sword lay comfortably in his hands. He hadn’t forgotten that this was the very type he’d practised with for the past few years. The blade barely missed his startled opponent, who nearly stumbled as he leapt backwards. Cedric didn’t manage to regain his balance, however, as the sword was hurtling towards him once more. The thrust almost reached its target, but at the last moment he managed to alter its trajectory slightly. Draco, however, was neither shocked nor caught off guard; using his momentum and superior strength, he struck with his shoulder, knocking Cedric off his feet. The boy rolled a short distance along the ground and lay on the grass, struggling to catch his breath.
The dragon realised that, as he attacked, he’d instinctively leaned forward slightly and had almost driven his shoulder into Cedric’s solar plexus. That must have hurt, and above all, it had incapacitated the boy for a good while.
Before anyone could react, a sharp sound, like the crack of a whip, swept through their group. Everyone instinctively flinched and looked behind them. One of the assistant instructors was
