Free The Finding by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

encrusted with tiny, yellow rhinestones. Gieaun and Scede shifted behind her and she turned her head to see what had caught their attention. Right behind the first carriage were four or five more exactly like the first, also drawn by two white horses.
    The lead carriage came to a complete stop and a young footman hopped down and opened the door, completing his task flawlessly despite the shocked look he flashed towards Hroombra.
    A matching girl and boy, both with hazelnut brown hair and clear, brown eyes, stepped out of the carriage. They were shortly followed by a dozen or so other children. The twins, for there was no mistaking that fact, wore the same uniform that Jahrra, Gieaun and Scede wore but theirs looked to be made of silk and satin.
    Jahrra could only imagine that these children came from a palace and she hoped, with a small thrill that they might even be pure elves. Their ears looked pointed at the end, and they had an air of richness and importance floating about them. As she stood there gaping in wonder, the other carriages unloaded more blue and white clad students of various ages.
    Despite their intimidating appearance however, Jahrra was glad to see the other children and couldn’t wait to introduce herself. She’d gotten along so well with Gieaun and Scede that she figured it would be wonderful to make friends with all the new students, especially if these children were really true elves. She quickly ran over to greet them, Gieaun close behind and Scede trailing back.
    Before Jahrra could say anything at all, however, the brown haired girl looked up from fussing with her uniform and let out a blood-curdling scream. Jahrra froze and felt her heart jump into her throat. What’s the matter? she thought as she stood staring at the girl in confusion. Only, the girl didn’t seem to notice Jahrra; she was standing with her eyes fixed on something just over her shoulder.
    Jahrra turned to look and then realized what had caused the girl to scream: Hroombra. Hroombra stood back, still as stone and blending in with the gray shadows of the trees. Jahrra almost laughed. How could these children not have noticed Hroombra before now?
    “A dragon! We have a dragon teaching us? This can’t be right!” the girl shouted, sounding half outraged, half frightened.
    Jahrra was taken aback and quickly jumped to Hroombra’s defense.
    “He- he’s Master Hroombra and he teaches me once a week,” she faltered. “He only wanted to bring us to school on the first day.”
    The girl finally noticed Jahrra and looked her up and down, sneering rudely. “When did they start letting Nesnans in to study with the Resai?”
    The hazelnut haired boy sniggered along with most of the other children. Jahrra inched away, feeling the full blast of the girl’s acidic tone. She had thought school would be an exciting adventure where she’d make new friends, but it seemed she was making enemies before class even begun and she didn’t even know why. By now all of the other children had started murmuring and backing away from the dragon and the three children that had come with it. Jahrra looked back at Gieaun and Scede for support but they only let their eyes drop, moving away charily from the crowd of upset students.
    “He won’t hurt you!” Jahrra blurted out desperately.
    But the girl who’d screamed and the boy standing next to her started shaking their heads in disgust and began gathering the other children together as far away from Hroombra as they could. Jahrra stood on the pathway feeling like the only person in the world. Why doesn’t Master Hroombra just tell them he won’t hurt them like he did with Gieaun and Scede? she thought, feeling smaller and smaller as so many wary pairs of eyes darted between her and the towering reptile standing behind her.
    “We don’t make friends with people who know dragons.” The girl whispered haughtily to her friends, “My mother and father told me that dragons sometimes eat