Elodie stood outside of the address printed on the invitation. Since it was a Saturday morning, Brad and Jinn didn't ask too many questions. Especially since her father was eager for her to have a social life that did not revolve around Speech and Debate.

Never mind that it never would again, after her birthday. Hanging around Kira had revealed a side to her friends she was no longer content to ignore. Now she was recalling minor offenses she let slide, because at least it wasn't her that was the victim, at least she was safe.

She could no longer afford to think that way. 

A car pulled up behind her, and Elodie turned to get her first glimpse at Dr. Gershwin. After hearing that Kira's dad was a professor at Skycroft, she'd asked Brad if he had him.

Being in engineering, Brad had in fact had a physics class with Dr. Gershwin. Basic, as they would be for engineers, but nontheless, he had a grasp on his character.

"Guy's a bona fide nerd," he said. "Has like, Lord of the Rings stuff all around his classroom and office. It's weird. Wouldn't surprise me that he has a weird kid, too."

Kira gave her dad a brief hug before grabbing a purse with unicorn decals riddled with pins out of a Hot Topic and joining Elodie outside. 

"I rang the doorbell, but no one answered," Elodie explained.

Kira drew out her invitation. "And to think, I was going to be ten minutes late."

The door then opened to reveal Aideen. She was wearing a simple black tank top and cargo shorts, her long blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

"Hey guys, come on in," she said breathlessly, as if she'd just run across the house to get to them. 

"Okay," Elodie said, as Kira waved wildly at Dr. Gershwin before he drove off. Then she stopped abruptly in the foyer.

With chandeliers, elegant rugs, and gilded staircases, it looked like a hotel or a movie. 

"You live in a lovely place," Kira said immediately.

"Thanks, come on, Grandmother is waiting in the back," Aideen said, dismissing their awe with a casual wave of the hand. Beckoning them to follow, Elodie did, although she kept spotting all the splendor around her.

Aideen Wentworth's family was clearly loaded. 

Outside, on the back porch, Felecia Wentworth lounged on the lawn furniture, dressed in black pants and a short-sleeved blouse that showed off that Felecia managed to still be striking even if she was moving on in her years.

"Welcome," she said, standing up. "I am delighted that the Council of Crowns declared me as your tutor. I'm Aideen's grandmother, and I was born about twenty years before the curse took place. I'm eager to teach you all about what you can do as dragons, for it will all help you pass your Trials by Fire and make you good Pendragons."

Elodie briefly wondered what they would be doing in the Trials by Fire that would require whatever abilities they would be taught. She hoped it wouldn't all be a cop-out. 

Felecia observed them all for a moment. "First, we need to get you all acclimated to the transformation, and going from human to dragon, and back again. It's a necessary skill, as no one will take any of you seriously if you can only stay in your human form. And I, for one, would like for none of you to be revolted against for something so petty."

Elodie and Kira exchanged a look. Yes, monarchy meant keeping the people happy— but would their people be that petty?

How could Elodie ever rule over that.

An image of herself, exhausted on a bejeweled throne, popped into her head. Because they'd given her no time, explained nothing, she was forced to compete. And she knew better than to try and break some magical vow.

She knew the consequences of that from all of the books of fairytales on her shelf in her room. It would be a really bad idea to break a magical vow.

Why couldn't Aideen just be crowned and everyone be done with it, Elodie wondered. She wanted the job. She was the only one who knew anything about this dragon stuff.

Who was Elodie to be a dragon queen, when Aideen, or even Kira would make a better leader? 

Elodie was so lost in her angry thoughts, she didn't notice that both of the other girls had already transformed into their dragon forms. 

"Elodie, dear, don't you want to transform?" Felecia asked.

"I can't, I don't know how." 

Felecia frowned. "It should be instinctive. Just imagine yourself a dragon—"

Elodie tried, then shook her head. "I can't, I can't— I don't know how to do any of this."

"Just a minute," said the dragon of red and gold, looking like the blazing fire she was supposed to spit. She transformed into Aideen, and moved past her grandmother, compassion in her eyes.

"It's okay," Aideen assured her. "Look, I'll help you— I read about this, we can share magic."

"We can?" Elodie didn't realize she'd been crying until she looked up and felt the hot tears on her cheek. 

"Take my hand," Aideen said, offering her. "I'll help you get the right kind of energy. Teach you how to do it without some magical reaction kickstarting it."

Elodie thought of her transformation just two days before. "Will it hurt?"

"No, it doesn't," Kira said, still lumbering above them in her violet and green shimmering scales.

Elodie let out a sigh of mild relief.

"That's it," Aideen said. "Let go. I'll carry you, metaphorically-speaking."

Elodie took her hand, and relaxed her shoulders, closing her eyes. She felt the surge of energy, and a warm fire, like standing at a comfortable distance from a space heater outside of a football game. It started in her heart and spread, making her stretch and grow not painfully, but like she was practicing particularly rejuvenating yoga. 

When she opened her eyes, she was a dragon, as was Aideen. And she knew exactly what she needed to do to transform back— so she did, as did Aideen. In her joy, Elodie hugged the blonde girl, and they laughed.

"Hey guys?" Kira sounded vaguely uncomfortable, so they turned to face her.

"What's wrong?" Aideen asked, shielding the sun from her eyes.

"I can't shift back."

The girls put their hands on Kira's paws, and Elodie pushed the knowledge of her transformation back onto Kira.

In a flash, Kira was there, right in front of them. The three girls laughed, and hugged. 

It was only the beginning, but at least it would be a good beginning.

"Thanks for coming," Aideen said as she walked them all to the door. She hesitated before opening it. "I wanted to ask you guys something."

"What?" Kira stopped and turned back to Aideen, her wide brown eyes very pretty and doe-like.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to have a sleepover next week," Aideen said. "Just a small get-together. Plus, I thought I'd want to tell you some stories about our family— the Ananta family."

The other girls considered a moment, Elodie being the first to speak.

"I'll have to talk it over with Mama," Elodie said carefully. "But at the worst, Baba will agree to this."

"I think Abba and Dad wouldn't mind," Kira said excitedly. "I always wanted to go to a sleepover party."

"Then it's settled." Aideen smiled. "I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow for more training."

"Tomorrow?"

Aideen laughed and closed the door. These girls were meant to be her friends, she decided. Not her rivals. Whatever jealousy she had— it wasn't their fault. Aideen just had to get over it.

The best way, she figured, was a party.