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Jay knew enough about magic to recognize basic spells. That was something, at least. We clinked our mugs together before drinking. Warm chocolate coated my mouth. I needed to do little things like this for myself more often. Maybe with Jay in my life, I would.
After setting down my very warm mug, which I had reheated with my limited magic, I typed.
Rehan:Few dragons are good with magic since we isolated our island. I mean, we still have our elemental alignments, but actually using raw magic is a different story.
I took a deep breath.
Rehan:Those born with strong magic often have physical disabilities.
Jay frowned.
Jay:‘Why?’
I shifted uncomfortably.
Rehan:This should have been covered in your class.
Jay tilted her head back and groaned.
Jay:That’s literally how Tyson answered ninety percent of my questions. Just help a girl out.
I growled, not wanting to be like the fire prince, and thought about how to answer. The problems weren’t so simple. They were paired with a massive decline in female dragon shifter fertility. I believe our isolation from the rest of the world caused the problems. Others did not. It was a charged issue.
Scalehive kept the best records and now regulated how we procreated to save our race, bringing fertile human women here who wanted a quiet domestic life. However, they ostracized anyone who didn’t fall into line. I swallowed hard, thinking of the air dragons. Their current king broke the rules, and his dragon shifter mate died in childbirth. Although he tried to hide his disabled son, the truth eventually came out, and Prince Lux paid the price. No one had any idea where he was anymore. It was the most public display we’d had of anyone breaking our rules in the last twenty years.
Jay furrowed her eyebrows and bore a hole in my forehead with her gaze, trying to read my thoughts. I flexed my back and stared down at my computer screen. I didn’t want to scare her or get into a discussion about morally gray issues over chat. Aftermeeting her gaze, I made a decision: keep it simple but stay true to my side of the agreement.
Rehan:We’ve cut ourselves off from the world to save our race, but we’ve lost our balance with the Ley Lines and nature. Those consequences are seen in our children.
Not all dragons believed that was the ‘why’ of our decline, but I’d be damned if I introduced Jay to the other side of the argument. I didn’t look up from my keyboard and changed the subject.
Rehan:Tukaqu - what we water dragons call Grandad - is a warlock and a dragon shifter. I learned a few things from him, but I’m not a natural with magic. It’s mostly, well, what you just saw.
The biting of her lower lip turned into chewing, and she sat up straighter. Her unease made me shift uncomfortably, needing to fix it. Was she still focusing on dragon fertility? Or was it my admission to using magic? Although I had a gut feeling she was fine with magic, she was still human. What if it made her uncomfortable?
I ran a hand through my hair, pulling out my ponytail, only to remake it again. Jay studied the line of my arm muscles, and I flexed, making her smile. The tension building around us eased, though she still held me in suspense.
I broke first and focused on my keyboard.
Rehan:I honestly only got into magic to mess with my cousins.
Rehan:Did you mess with your siblings?
She shook her head, but a small smile cracked her lips.
Jay:I can picture teenage Rehan heating his fellow surfers' beers after a few rad waves.
I grunted, praying the sound hid my relief we’d moved onto a new topic.
Her gaze unfocused, something that happened more often than I’d like. She took a deep breath and typed before dramatically pressing enter.
Jay:I’m just putting this on the table. What if I’m an immortal enchantress who’s been abducted and put on this island to keep me away from something?
I looked up from the question and studied my mate. Her bright green eyes glowed with defiance, daring me to doubt her. But the corners of her mouth pinched with worry. I couldn’t see her hands; she’d tucked them into the pockets of my hoodie, but I’d bet money they shook.
She was either insane or exactly who she said she was. Every piece of her odd appearance on my island pointed to the latter.
I jerked when she suddenly yanked her hands out of her pockets and typed. My chat box flashed, and I dragged my gaze down to her message.
