“Okay, fine.”
“I have a Plenus bond,” I started.
“Are you the only drakin with air magic?” she asked, immediately after.
I shook my head. “My turn. You said youcan’trun, why?”
“Because it won’t help me,” she answered.
I stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell that meant. It was only confirmation that something else was going on with her, it had to be.
“I’m the only drakin with air magic,” I answered her last question. “Crepitos are rare. No one knows why. Dragons don’t live in MonClem. Although they come and go as they please, they live further up the mountain pass with the other unbonded dragons. We don’t know if it’s because not many Crepitos exist or if they just don’t like bonding.”
“Your dragon didn’t tell you that?” she asked.
I smirked before shaking my head. “No. We communicate, but it’s not in the same way people can.” I watched her play with the rim of her glass, still not taking a sip out of it. “How did you climb the Senith?” I asked.
“With a knife.” Her finger paused over the glass. “What magic do the black dragons have? You said there were two manipulation ones, and the gray ones control metal, so what do the black do?”
“You don’t miss anything, do you?” I couldn’t help but smile. Her eyes flicked to my mouth, toward the movement, then lingered on my upper lip, to the chunk of flesh that was missing.
“Black dragons are called Aters,” I said. “They have psychic manipulation.”
“Psychic? What does that mean?”
“No one fully knows because there hasn’t been an Ater dragon that came to bond at the Vargothi since the war.” I leaned back in my chair. “Is Nollie your real name?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice rising an octave. “Why do you think it would be something else?”
“Because you hesitated when I asked you for your name, and the moment you said Nollie,that,” I pointed to her face, “was the exact expression you made.”
“It’s my name,” she said. “I just haven’t been called it in awhile. Does anyone else know that drakins have magic?”
“No,” I answered after a moment, watching her subtle movements shift at my answer. “Besides drakins, only King Elion knows, which is why I asked you not to tell anyone,” I added. “Everyone that attends the Vargothi knows there’s a bond between rider and dragon, but they have no idea it gives us access to their powers.”
“Whydidyou tellme?”
I was silent for a long time, having no idea how much I wanted to tell her. “I don’t know,” I finally settled on. “I can’t explain it, but I just feel like I can trust you.”
Her face paled as she immediately looked down at the table. I watched her swallow twice before her fingers frantically picked at the wood on the table.
“Besides,” I added, fully aware at how uncomfortable I made her, “you already saw it, and I don’t think you’re stupid enough to believe any lies I would have told.”
That got her to scoff. “Thanks, I think.”
I took another sip from my drink, watching her below the rim as her gaze finally met mine again.
“Have you ever brought anyone here before?” she asked.
“You aren’t good at taking turns,” I smiled, watching her cheeks heat.
“Oh. Right.”
“Was there someone in Moriann you were involved with?” I asked.
“Like a relationship?”
I nodded, but I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I waited for her answer.
