‘I’m sorry, but you’re not quite that confident in the saddle yet.’ Earl shook his head. Not even the look of disappointment on the dragon’s face softened Bleist’s resolve. ‘If only it were closer… Once you’ve got the hang of it, I don’t see any problem with you riding Fen, but for now, outside of lessons and without the assistance of someone experienced, you shouldn’t do it.’ ‘The second reason, one that Darius kept to himself, was a faint fear that, after yesterday’s accident, something else might happen. ‘After all, Bess’s can be capricious, even when they have a rider. If Fenrir were to carry you off, it’s hard to say what might happen.’ He sighed and shook his head. ‘Not physically,’ he told his pupil. It was true that dragons were hard to hurt by accident, and if nothing actually attacked him, he would face nothing more than a few grazes at most. ‘I’d rather be on the safe side.’ He smiled as he saw the disappointment on his pupil’s face give way to an unwanted realisation. ‘Now go and get your mount ready, or you’ll really be late.’
Draco jumped up and glanced at the clock. He thanked them for their company over the meal and disappeared through the door into the hall. Bleist breathed a sigh of relief, and the exhaustion from a sleepless night, combined with his relaxed nerves, finally allowed him to close his eyes in peace.
‘You’ll get a bit of a breather.’ Gizel also looked more relaxed. ‘At least for a moment.’ She smiled slightly.
‘It turns out that all the worries that have haunted me my whole life are nothing compared to my fear for Draco,’ he admitted openly.
‘I’m afraid that’s proof your heart’s in the right place.’ The elf’s lips curved a little wider.
‘If that’s the case, at least I don’t have to worry about that.’ He wanted to snort, but held back. He wouldn’t have enjoyed spoiling the moment.
‘Unfortunately, I’m afraid I’ll have to bring you back down to earth a bit.’ The woman pushed her plate
