Foundational Dragon Law: Ember Academy for Magical Beings, #4

By L.C. Mawson

Does being magically bound to a dragon with a death sentence warrant a punishment of its own?

I didn't ask to be bound to Xiatyan, but I am, and apparently that makes me the one person who can free him from his magical confinement.

Which is the last thing the other dragons want.

Either I find a way to convince them I'm not a threat, or I might be heading to a magical prison all my own. And dragging my three bonded loves with me.

Pre-emptively locking me up for a crime I haven't committed shouldn't be that hard to argue against... Right?

FOUNDATIONAL DRAGON LAW is the fourth book in the Ember Academy for Magical Beings New Adult slow-burn Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Academy series. If you love bisexual heroines struggling to find their place in their world, dragon-related mysteries, and magical universities, you'll love this latest fast-paced series in L.C. Mawson's Snowverse.

• Language: English
• Publisher: L.C. Mawson
• Release date: Apr 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201029579

Book preview

Chapter One

Nyssa sighed, drawing my attention from the siren who attacked me as she waved her hands, producing two beds in the corner of the room.

She turned to the siren. I’m sure that whatever you have to say is very important, but we can discuss it when Lorelei and James are not out cold on the floor.

The siren raised an eyebrow, but didn’t otherwise object as Auncle Hell moved James over to one of the beds and Naveen and I moved Lorelei over to the other.

Auncle Hell then turned to me. James will be fine, he just needs rest. I suggest focusing on your Mermaid for now.

I nodded, turning back to Naveen, and the siren who was now by his side.

I think I can wake her up now, Naveen said. And whatever they want, he nodded to the siren, I suspect she’ll want to hear.

The siren nodded. Then I suggest waking her up. I would rather not have to repeat myself.

Naveen moved over to Lorelei, moving his hand over one of the runes he’d drawn on her arm.

Lorelei bolted upright with a gasp. What happened? What– She stopped dead as soon as she saw the siren, and then she glared. Who are you?

She’s the siren who attacked me.

The siren cocked her head at that, but just turned back to Lorelei. Now, there, cousin, don’t you recognise my magic?

Lorelei frowned, looking her over. You’re of House Coral, just like my mother. But she never had any siblings.

No, she didn’t, we’re not that close of a cousin. Your grandmother and my mother were sisters. Twins, actually. They escaped to Earth together.

Lorelei’s frown deepened. Wait, I know how that story ends. My grandmother’s twin sister died. That’s why she was exiled to Earth, the King thought she’d done it.

All a fiction, devised so that my mother could get away from her vindictive husband and live out her life in peace with the Human she fell in love with.

Then what are you doing here? Why did you attack my girlfriend and threaten her? Why get wrapped up in Atlantian politics?

Because the Eel came to me and asked me for my help in making Atlantis safe enough for me and my sisters to return to. Something that you seem determined to get in the way of.

The Eel? The Eel’s a fairytale. A myth.

Naveen folded his arms. Actually, she’s not. The Guardians have had to deal with the Eel more than a few times over the years. She’s very real.

The siren turned back to Lorelei. You were supposed to take over the throne of Atlantis, but I don’t think that will be possible now.

Lorelei frowned. Not possible now? Why? What’s changed?

The siren sighed. You probably want to try standing. And I’m Kiera, by the way. Not that anyone asked.

Lorelei rolled her eyes. Well, apologies for not being polite to, again, the person who attacked my girlfriend.

Kiera sighed again, stepping back as Lorelei swung her legs to the side of the bed and then slid down to put her weight on them.

She cried out in agony, immediately dropping back onto the bed and pulling her feet up to clutch them.

What the hell was that? Lorelei asked between gasps. It was like... Like knives in my feet.

That, Princess, is Cristian-Anderson Syndrome.

Lorelei stared at her. But that’s a genetic condition. You’re born with it, you don’t just develop it one day.

It is, indeed, a genetic condition. One that your mother has. You inherited it, and your parents, knowing that your grandfather wouldn’t accept a disabled princess, cast a very costly spell to cover it up. But the ritual you performed here overloaded the runes that held the spell. It’s broken now.

Lorelei frowned. But Cristian-Anderson Syndrome only affects either your legs or your tail. Why bother casting a costly spell to heal my legs? Why not just keep me in Atlantis?

Because it wasn’t your legs that didn’t work. It was your tail. The spell tied them both together, and now that it’s broken...

Lorelei stared at her. You’re saying that swimming will cause me just as much pain?

I’m sorry, Lorelei. I know this can’t be easy.

Lorelei just continued to stare into the distance, shaking her head. It’s not a pain I will have to live with long. As soon as my grandfather learns of this... He’ll kill me.

Kiera folded her arms, looking away. Look, this isn’t my mission, but I’ll stay and help you hide this from Atlantis until the Eel can think of something.

Lorelei finally blinked, focusing back on Kiera. Thank you.

Kiera shook her head. Don’t thank me yet. If the Eel calls me away on another mission, I’ll go. And it’s likely that whatever the Eel decides to do next will no longer involve you. Which will mean that it won’t involve keeping you safe. She tightened her arms together, frowning a little. Look, your parents are royalty. If they care about keeping you safe, I have no doubt that they’ll be able to protect you.

Right... If they care...

I reached over and placed a hand on Lorelei’s shoulder. She reached up and placed her own hand over mine, giving me a small smile.

Is there anything we can do to help? I asked her. I mean, obviously, we won’t let your grandfather hurt you, but anything else...

Lorelei shook her head. I don’t know. But... This means that it’s probably safest for me to stay here. And that means that I can help to keep the bond whole for longer.

Lorelei... You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.

No, Skye... I was pushing you away because I knew that it would make leaving harder if I didn’t. But I can’t bring myself to keep my distance if returning to Atlantis might not even be an option.

My attention was drawn by my Auncle Hell’s voice behind me.

Renan, if the bond between them stays whole, that should keep Xiatyan away. It will buy us time to figure out what to do with him.

I turned to them, suddenly remembering that the ritual failing meant that I was at the mercy of whatever the Dragons thought would stop Xiatyan from escaping his prison.

Thankfully, Renan nodded.

All right, they said. I’ll work on another solution.

At that, they shifted away.

Auncle Hell turned to me and I looked away, my jaw clenching. How much had zie known about the ritual before zie had agreed to cast it?

I should leave you to recover, Auncle Hell said before turning to Nyssa. Let me know when the Drake hatchling wakes up, and I’ll come back to explain everything to them.

Nyssa nodded. Of course.

At that, Auncle Hell also shifted away, and I let out a breath of relief.

Nyssa made her way over to us at that. Skye... I should apologise. I was worried about the ritual and I should have trusted that instinct.

I sighed, shaking my head. You tried to warn me. I was the one who agreed to go through with the ritual anyway.

Either way, this was too close. I swear, Skye, I will protect you. No matter what. Even if it is my fellow High Priestesses who seek to cause you pain.

I just stared at her, not quite believing her promise. Are you sure? That would mean risking everything...

She smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. I have been an exile from my people before, Skye. I would rather go through that again than live with the guilt that surely would have consumed me had Xiatyan not protected you from this ritual.

Auntie Nyssa... Did Auncle Hell know? Did zie know what the ritual would do?

Auntie Nyssa sighed. I don’t think anyone did. I’m certain that Hell would not have gone through with it if zie’d known.

Would Renan have gone through with it?

Nyssa fell silent, refusing to meet my gaze. Skye, she eventually said, you have two parents who love you dearly. You cannot imagine the pain Renan has gone through, having their father almost kill them and hurting their mother to do it.

I sighed. Is there truly no way for them to reconcile?

Nyssa turned back to me. Skye, that would likely do Renan more harm that they do not deserve. If you truly insist on moving forward with Xiatyan, it has to be with the understanding that what he did to Renan – regardless of what led him to that point – was beyond the pale, and Renan owes him no forgiveness.

I sighed again, folding my arms. That wouldn’t be a problem if the only two options weren’t Renan’s forgiveness or Xiatyan’s death.

Nyssa shook her head. I let Renan take the lead on what to do about Xiatyan, but perhaps that was a mistake. I believed that they understood the situation best, but... I’m not sure any of us understood when we could not speak to Xiatyan ourselves. And when he chose you as his next bride... We were all afraid, Skye. We would have left Xiatyan alone if not for that, but Hell and I feared for your safety. And it’s clear now that everyone else feared Xiatyan breaking free. But I shall speak to the other High Priestesses and try to find another way to handle this. She then turned to look over all of us, her gaze lingering on Lorelei. For now, you should all get some rest.

At that, she made her way back across the room, giving us at least a small semblance of privacy as I turned back to Naveen, and he turned to Lorelei.

"I can charge the healing runes more. I didn’t want to risk overloading them before, but I think that with enough charge, I can keep the pain at bay. It