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“You’re late,” he snapped.
I didn’t know if the ancient dragon could unshift his horns at this point. I’d never seen him without the spiky crown on his head. His medieval wizard robe looked more like a bathrobe today, though I would never say so out loud. If he didn’t find the comment as funny as I did, his wrath would hurt more than Tyson shocking my balls.
Well, almost.
Dad gave me a disappointed frown from across the table. I schooled my face and ducked his gaze.
“Food, now,” Tukaqu called out.
A swarm of human women, including my mom, spilled into the room. They efficiently and quietly covered the tablein tastefully decorated piles of potatoes and beef. China plates clicked together, and pitchers of beer thumped before the small mob disappeared back into the adjoining kitchen, closing the door behind them.
I tried to picture Jay in such a docile role and couldn’t.
My uncle passed me a pitcher of beer, and I filled my pint glass. The light honey color reminded me of Jay’s skin, shining in the sand, pinned under me. My dick twitched. Although, on the one hand, I wished I’d tried to kiss her earlier, I also knew if she hadn’t made the first move, I couldn’t have lived with myself. I’d already marked her without asking. I couldn’t do something like that again.
“Watch your pour,” my uncle hissed.
I tilted the pitcher back upright just as my beer spilled over and passed it on. My uncle accepted it with a shake of his head.
The room quieted as we dug in. I imagined Jay at my side at one of these dinners, and my chewing slowed. Only dragons sat around the table...only male dragons. I forked up another scalloped potato, trying to remember if I’d ever seen a single female at a family meeting. In smaller settings and informal ones, yes, often, but otherwise, no. When we made big decisions, we left out humans and even our better halves. How had I not noticed?
I swallowed, my food losing some of its flavor.
“This is not The Hunt you want to find a mate in, Rehan,” Tukaqu said, interrupting my thoughts. He raised his voice. “I’ve called this dinner to talk about the Ley Lines. They tremble, and not from a source on this island.”
The ease of our meal abruptly ended.
“The Ley Lines are the source of all magic. Even our elemental powers are indirectly fed from them.” Tukaqu glowered at all of us. “If something’s going wrong outside our island that we feel its effects through our shield, then somethingterrible must be happening.” He gestured around the table. “We weren’t always this isolated.”
Dad groaned. “‘We,’” he made air quotes. “Don’t feel anything. It’s just you. Dragon magic has evolved to free us of trivial attachments.”
I kept my face even. This was the other side of the argument I didn’t want to tell Jay. Many dragon shifters felt the decline of our magic was an evolutionary step.
“Powerful mages and shifters exist outside of here,” my dad continued. “Ones who are better at blending into the human world.” He shoved a fork full of beef into his mouth and looked at each of us before swallowing. “We take care of our own. Even if we wanted things to change, we’re only one of four elements on the island. There’s no way everyone would, or should, get along. It’s a lost cause.” He chuckled. “Let the power-hungry idiots who forced us onto this island in the first place do what they do best and fix it.”
“We chose to come here,” my uncle immediately cut in. “No one forced us to isolate.”
“The invention of Radar was a big factor, right?” My little brother piped up.
“Yes, and the dirty mages…” my dad began.
The table devolved into arguments. I took a deep breath and focused on my food. My dad liked his life here. It was easy. He had two human lovers, a dragon mate, and with Tukaqu still in charge, few responsibilities. Although I understood it, I couldn’t be like him. I wanted more.
“This isn’t like my other warnings.” Tukaqu jabbed one of his gnarled fingers. “You’re an ungrateful son with no concept of how interconnected all of this is.” He stabbed the table, accenting his words. “My magic feels wrong. We must at least discover what’s going on so we can be prepared.”
“Nothing’s going on.” My uncle rubbed his eyes. “And we have enough trouble without you adding to it. Dad, you have a bad dream about the Ley Lines, and we have a meeting.”
Tukaqu slammed his fork against the table. “They are a fragile ecosystem which we handicap with our isolation.”
My uncle gestured to a pile of paperwork we were all collectively trying to pretend wasn’t on the table. “No other elements or shield guards have even noted the Ley Lines.”
The tired argument continued around me while I cleaned my plate.
“Rehan, my boy, what say you?” Tukaqu asked with a hint of desperation.
I bit the inside of my cheek. “You already know I don’t agree with our isolation.” I didn’t acknowledge the glares the rest of the family shot me. “I don’t think it would hurt anything to do an extra check and ask the other elements to reach out to their contacts. Knowledge is power, regardless of your actions upon it.”
Tukaqu smiled as I quoted one of his favorite things to say.
