The vivid blue dress that had made her skin glow.
No, Zain needed to purge thoughts like that. Ivy may be trying to help them for the time being, but in his book, she would always be his enemy first and everything else after.
His dragon growled, meaning Zain hadn't kept his last few thoughts private. Usually you're more openminded about people. Give her a chance.
If she earns it, then maybe. But I won't risk the clan. All too easily she could turn and show her true colors again, hurting many of the people we love. Do you really want to put Freddie or Alfie in danger?
Don't use our nephews as a shield for what you don't want to recognize.
Which is?
That Ivy may have decided to help us and is accepting the truth before her.
What his dragon didn't say was more important—if she did accept the truth and helped them eradicate the Knights, Zain would have fewer excuses to keep away from the female he'd mated.
He mentally sighed, wishing his life was a little easier. There's the landing area. The quicker we touch ground, the quicker we can go find her. That should make you happy.
Fine, be grumpy. I'll enjoy the human for us both.
Not wanting to read into his beast's words, Zain allowed his dragon to maneuver them toward the landing area and to slowly touch the ground again. Within seconds, his snout shrunk into a nose, his wings retreated into his back, and his limbs returned to normal size.
After quickly pulling on his clothes, Zain headed toward the school and checked his mobile phone, finding a few messages. According to Nikki's text message, they were in the school's auditorium and would be there for an hour or two. Since the timestamp was nearly two hours ago—with no follow-up note from Nikki about a change of plans—part of him wondered if he lucked out and would only have to deal with Ivy inside her hospital room again.
For some reason, when she was in that bed and wearing her hospital garb, he could think clearer. He might be able to avoid the pretty blue dress that made him forget she'd been his enemy in the past.
Zain reached the school grounds, waved to some of the staff outside the auditorium, and entered.
The room was large, with seats around the edges that could be folded up against the wall. Unlike most human ones he'd seen in pictures, the Stonefire school had a retractable ceiling. After all, it helped to have dragons land right in the room instead of having them shift in front of the students. Some of the young ones would get ideas about how to attempt to shift on their own, which was never good with an untrained dragon out to prove themselves.
Students, and quite a few parents, filled the seats. He also noted a few clan members who weren't teachers, including Blake Whitby—the dragonman helping with the special effects for the kids' play—and a teenage human boy named Oliver, who was Melanie Hall-MacLeod's younger brother.
So the meeting was for more than just the students, then.
Zain visually searched through the crowd for Ivy and finally found her sitting off to the side in a wheelchair. A long queue started at her location and wound around the empty and open center of the room.
Keeping close to the wall, mostly hidden by one of the stands, Zain watched Ivy as she spoke with one child and then another.
She mostly smiled and nodded. And while he noted the dark circles under her eyes, meaning she had to be tired, she looked more alive and animated than he'd seen her so far.
And the students who talked with her didn't look angry. No, many of them had wide eyes and slack jaws, as if in awe of the human female.
It seemed Ivy had won over some of the children in less than two hours. She was either really good at playing people, or she had a natural affinity for children.
His dragon spoke up. Then why not give her a child? She won't get one from anyone else anytime soon. And then I will have someone to pass on my knowledge and skills to.
No, we're not talking about babies right now.
His beast huffed. And people think I'm the stubborn half.
A familiar voice came from his right—Bram's. "You finally showed up, I see."
Zain never took his gaze from Ivy's form, watching her every move to determine her tells. "I had some duties to attend to. Nikki and Jane watched over her for me, and since you trust them, too, I don't see the problem."
Bram kept his voice low so that only Zain could hear him. "If you weren't going to act as her mate, then you shouldn't have claimed her."
He finally met Bram's gaze. "Not even you spend every second of every day with Evie."
Bram raised his brows. "No, but I bloody well tried for the first few months and still do, if I can manage it. And before you say ours is a love match, just know that not all matings start out that way, especially with some true mates."