“Lord Aurexian Valemont the Third,” Flight Captain Shi intoned. “My white.”
He had a white dragon. The formality of the man and the dragon type matched well. I was glad there was another ice-breather here with Salvadora. She had grown weary of the fire breathers in Pasaocea thinking they were so above everyone and everything.
“He does not like to be known as Aurex,” Shi went on, looking down at my son. “Even by me. Where did you hear that name?”
Fin moved to half-hide behind my leg. Shi frowned, his lips slightly parted. This was something that I was starting to see more in Fin. He loved talking to dragons, but he was shy of talking about it to humans. When Fin didn’t respond, Shi looked at me.
I took a breath. “Fin can mind-speak with my dragon.”
“Double bondings are rare, but—”
I shook my head. “Forgive me, Flight Captain Shi. This is not a double bond.” I looked down at my son and automatically ran my hand over his short-cropped hair. “Fin has always been able to communicate with dragons, lots of them.” I swallowed. “Quite what the extent of his ability to speak to them is I am uncertain.”
“I see.” Flight Captain Shi bent so he could look directly at Fin. “You have a rare gift, boy,” he said, his voice low and gentle, still serious and uncompromising. “And to have discovered it at such a young age suggests that as you grow, the strength of this ability will increase.”
That he was taking the information and my son seriously was welcome. Far too many adults would dismiss anything from a child.
“There are not many who can mind-speak to more than one or two dragons,” Shi went on. “The ability to speak with many is a special talent indeed.” He looked Fin over again, considering perhaps. “But it’s also a very dangerous talent. Most riders would be … less than happy to know that their dragon could speak to any human other than themselves. They may come to see your ability as a threat. As may some dragons. You will need to be very careful, Mister Segast. Do not let the extent of your gifts be widely known.”
Fin’s eyes were wide as he looked at Shi, then he glanced quickly at me, and back to Shi. “Ye-es, sir.”
A muscle twitched in Shi’s cheek that may have been the start of a smile, but he controlled even that. Fin was offered a small nod, and Shi stood.
“What’s your magic?” Fin blurted the question at Shi.
Heat rose in my cheeks. “I’m sorry, sir. He doesn’t mean to intrude.”
“He is enthusiastic for life,” Shi said. “Curiosity is a good sign in a child. I believe it to be an indicator of intelligence.”
“You do have magic, don’t you?” Fin asked. “I can glow.”
Shi looked at him and blinked. Then he surprised me by hitching up his trouser legs so he could hunker down to be at my son’s level. “What do you mean, Mister Segast, that you can glow?”
Fin dragged in a breath, closed his eyes, held the breath, and started to glow. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Shi, whose expression hadn’t changed.
“See,” Fin said, his grin wide. “I can glow.”
“Yes, I see,” Shi said. “That is an interesting ability. Perhaps you could glow a little less now?”
He did so. “And Dad can heal small wounds.”
“Yes,” Shi said again. “I read that in the files I was sent.”
“So what can you do?”
“Fin.” I tried to control the enthusiasm, but Fin was five.
“Magic is a special resource,” Shi said. “It is not to be squandered on silly flashy displays.” Shi raised a hand. Electricity arced between his thumb and forefinger. Then he stood and I wondered if I had seen the flash or just imagined it. Shi looked at me. “I trust you will be willing to assist with injuries should they occur in the fortress?”
“Of course, sir.”
He nodded. “And we will find ways to help Fin explore his magic safely.”
I swallowed. “Thank you, sir. That would be greatly appreciated, sir.”
He raised a hand to the door he had originally stopped at. Only now did I notice the number on the door. Twelve. “Your quarters.”
The door didn’t have a lock, which was not unusual in rider quarters for single occupancy, but usually family and couples’ rooms had locks.
