Blake smiled, but let her comments slide. This was about her, not him. And he didn't want to admit that he'd been too busy with his profession, seen too much in his profession, lost everyone he knew in his profession, to ever want to allow himself the kind of weakness that only love brought. Dragons were notorious for kidnapping or simply slaughtering the loved ones of hunters. The tales told it in the form of a princess being held in a tower and a knight coming to save her.
But still, Alicia's words were kind. She couldn't know his mind on it to know better. She was accepting his challenge and Blake smiled, giving her a friendly and encouraging pat on the shoulder.
"Good. I need you back in class. You're the only one who laughs at my jokes," he said and smirked.