Maya's POV
"Wait!" I rushed through the door of Master Frost's office and yelled. "Please don't send me away!"
With those icy, threatening eyes, Master Frost raised his head from his desk. In the doorway, the other educators who had been following me halted.
"Maya Chen," he uttered slowly. "What gives you the impression that we're sending you away?"
I said, gasping for air, "I heard you talking in the hallway." "You stated that the time had come. It's time to let me go."
Master Frost smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant one. "Maya, take a seat. We must talk about your... problems."
The chair across from his desk was where I sat. I tried to hide my trembling hands in my lap. The other trainers entered and positioned themselves behind me. I felt trapped.
Master Frost said, "Your teachers are really worried about you, Maya." "You can't do simple magic, you're failing your classes, and now you're saying you can hear voices."
"I don't hear voices! My dragon egg talked with me."
One of the teachers stated, "Dragon eggs don't speak." "That isn't feasible."
However, I heard it! I'm sure I did.
Master Frost indicated silence with his hand. "I've been trying to assist you, Maya. To make your magic stronger, I give you a special tea every morning. But it's not working, is it?"
"No," I muttered. "It's not working."
"In fact," Master Frost went on, "you appear to be losing strength. Even more tired. More... perplexed."
I gave a nod. It was correct. I've felt as though I'm walking through a fog ever since I started drinking his tea. Everything looked more challenging.
"Perhaps," said Master Frost, "we ought to try something different."
He got up and went to the cabinet behind his desk. Dozens of bottles containing different colored liquids were found inside. He produced a bottle of bright blue liquid.
He stated, "This is a much stronger mixture." "This could be your final opportunity to use your magic."
"What's in it?" I inquired.
"Special herbs. magic from past. items that will allow you to unleash your inner power."
He gave it to me after putting the blue liquid into a cup. The smell was worse than that of regular tea. Like old cheese mixed with bad eggs.
"Drink it all," he ordered.
I glanced at the cup I was holding. Something didn't feel right. Totally wrong. However, what choice did I have? They would definitely send me away if I didn't try this.
I asked, "Will it hurt?"
Master Frost stated, "Only if you resist it." "When magic is awakened, it can sometimes fight back."
I raised the cup to my mouth and sipped. In addition to the awful taste, there was another problem. I experienced an odd tingling feeling as soon as the liquid touched my tongue. The feeling is not good. The feeling is bad. As if something were trying to escape my lips.
I put down the cup and said, "I don't feel good."
"Drink more," Master Frost ordered. "The magic is beginning to work."
However, it didn't feel magical. It was deadly. The tingle moved down my throat and into my chest as I forced myself to take another sip. I felt sick and lightheaded.
I pushed the cup away and said, "I can't." "There's a problem."
"There's nothing wrong!" Master Frost became furious. "You're simply weak! You're afraid of the magic, which is why you're fighting it."
"I'm not scared! I'm ill."
"You refuse to accept the help I'm offering you, which is why you're sick!" He snatched up the cup and pushed it back into my grip. "Drink it all, or get out of Sky Wing Academy now!"
I looked at the azure fluid. As usual, my dragon egg was quiet and cold on Master Frost's desk. I would never see it hatch if I didn't drink this. I would never be able to ride a dragon. My parents would never be proud of me.
I took a big gulp of the leftover liquid while closing my eyes. It had an instant effect. Despite being seated, I felt as though I was falling as the room started to spin. Someone sitting on my chest made it feel heavy. The cold was the worst. My entire body felt icy cold.
Master Frost said, "Excellent," but his voice sounded faraway. "How do you feel?"
"Cold," I muttered. "So cold."
"The magic is at work there. It includes locating and assembling all of your body's power."
However, there was no sense of gathering. It was tiring. I felt as though something was draining me of all my warmth and energy.
I said, "My dragon egg," and grabbed it. "Can I hold it?"
Master Frost put it in my hands and said, "Of course."
Amazing things happened as soon as I touched the egg. The chilling sensation stopped. My body began to feel warm, and I regained my strength. incredibly powerful. As if I could accomplish anything.
Then I heard it. As clear as day.
"Maya! Fight it! Keep your magic safe from him."
My dragon egg was the source of the voice. I had a message from my dragon.
"Have you heard that?" Master Frost was asked.
His face changed. He looked irate and... afraid?
He said, "Hear what?" but his tone was harsh.
"My dragon. Something about stealing magic was discussed."
Master Frost's eyes widened. I yanked my dragon egg away from him as he reached for it.
"Give me the egg, Maya," he said. "Now."
"No. I own it."
"You're having dreams because of the egg. It's risky."
I knew he was lying, though. I wasn't having flashbacks from the egg. I was protected from something by it. from him.
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "You're trying to steal my magic." "The tea accomplishes that. It makes my magic less efficient. It pilfers it."
Master Frost stated, "That's ridiculous," but he was now perspiring. "The liquid is causing a reaction in you. I'll help you if you give me the egg."
"No." I hurried to my feet, still clutching my dragon egg. The chill returned as soon as I stood up, but it was not as strong. Somehow, my dragon was keeping me safe.
Master Frost said, "Maya," in a gloomy tone. "You're making a huge error."
I said, "Believing you was the only mistake I made." "You've been poisoning me."
"I've been attempting to assist you!"
"By taking my power away? by weakening me in order to take my authority?"
Master Frost's face went white. "How did you—"
It was too late, but he stopped himself. He had just accepted my correctness.
"I knew it," I mumbled. "I was aware that something wasn't right."
"You don't get it, Maya. That much magic is too much for you. I took some of it away to help you."
"You were stealing it!"
"I was saving your life!"
I didn't believe him, though. No longer. Still holding my dragon egg, I began to back away toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Master Frost asked.
"Away from you."
"Maya, you will be kicked out of Sky Wing Academy if you leave this room. Do you want that?"
I paused. My worst fear was getting kicked out. It was worse, though, to stay here and let him take my magic.
I remarked, "Maybe I don't belong here anyway."
"You don't," said Master Frost icily. "You never did."
His words infuriated me, but they were also hurtful. furious. Additionally, my dragon egg heated up in my hands when I became angry.
"You're right," I answered. "I have no place here. I belong in a better place."
Master Frost yelled behind me as I turned to go. "Maya! The tea is important to your survival! Your magic is too strong! It will kill you."
In the doorway, I stopped. "What do you mean?"
He smiled cruelly and said, "The tea doesn't just steal your magic." "It is under its control. Your power will suddenly burst out of you if you don't have the tea. Everyone in your immediate area will perish along with you."
My blood froze. "You're lying."
"Am I? How about giving it a try? See what happens after you stop drinking the tea."
I glanced down at my dragon egg. It was softly glowing, and I heard my dragon's voice once more.
"Maya, don't believe him. He is trying to frighten you."
However, what if Master Frost was being honest? What if my magic was actually harmful?
"Choose, Maya," said Master Frost. "Remain here and sip the tea, or go and turn into a monster."
Trying to choose between two awful choices, I stood in the doorway with my glowing dragon egg.
Then, from somewhere in the school, I heard yelling. A lot of yelling.
I said, "What's happening?"
Master Frost's face went white. "It's beginning."
"What's starting?"
"The realization. My actions are starting to be recognized by other students. They are releasing their magic."
The halls echoed with more yelling. I heard blasts and crashes.
"Maya," said Master Frost quickly. "You must make a choice now. Join the chaos or stay with me."
Warm, golden light pulsed through my dragon egg. The voice of my dragon whispered, "Maya." "Trust me. Jump."