“So, they don’t know about me,” Sam guessed.
“Not yet.” Urien’s jaw tightened. “We violated secrecy laws by revealingourselves to you. If the Council finds out before you’ve bonded with us, before you’re officially recognized as our Treasure, they could separate us permanently.”
Sam’s eyes widened. “They could take you away.”
“They could try.” Rux’s voice held an edge Sam hadn’t heard before. “But we’d fight them. We’d fight anyone who tried to keep us from you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” Sam demanded. “Before you showed me your dragons? If this puts you at risk…”
“Because you deserved the truth,” Mabon said firmly. “Because courting you with lies wasn’t courting at all. Because you’re our fated one, and Treasures are always worth the risk.”
Sam pushed his plate away, his appetite was gone again. “So if I say no, if I decide this is too much…”
“We still don’t regret telling you,” Urien said. “Even if the Council punishes us and we never see you or each other again. You deserved toknow why we were pursuing you and what we were offering. Anything less would have been dishonest.”
“That’s…” Sam’s voice cracked, and he realized he was close to tears again. “That’s incredibly stupid and romantic, and I don’t know how to feel about it.”
“Feel however you need to feel,” Mabon said. “We’ll wait.”
These three are going to be the death of me.Three powerful beings tried to court him, and when that didn’t work, they revealed their true nature, even though they knew it could cost them everything. “Tell me more,” Sam said finally. “Tell me everything. I want to understand what I’m choosing.”
Clearly, that was the right thing to say, if the relief on Rux’s face was any indication.
But they did talk. They told him about dragon childhood, about hatching from eggs into small, clumsy creatures who took decades to master flight. And then about the first time they’d shifted into human form,and how strange it felt having only two legs and no wings.
They told him about the bond between triad members, how Mabon, Urien, and Rux could sense each other’s emotions, communicate wordlessly across distances, and share strength when one of them was injured or weak.
They explained about hoards and territories, and the way dragons felt compelled to protect what was theirs, and to defend their chosen spaces with force that many would think unreasonable, but for a dragon, it was instinct.
They told him about Treasures - how rare they were, how precious, and how most triads went centuries without finding one. How some never found one at all.
“There are only about two hundred dragons left in the world,” Mabon said quietly. “Maybe fewer. We don’t reproduce quickly, and we’ve lost so many to wars, human expansion, and the simple fact that finding a fated mate is nearly impossible when thepopulation is scattered across the world.”
“Treasures are our hope,” Urien added. “Our continuation as a species. Without them, we’ll eventually fade entirely.”
“So there is pressure,” Sam said slowly. “On Treasures, to bond, to have children, to…”
“No.” Rux’s voice was sharp. “The bond doesn’t work if a Treasure isn’t willing. The magic requires willing acceptance from all parties. Anything else is just...” He waved a hand. “Wrong.”
“But you’d want children,” Sam said. “Eventually.”
The three of them exchanged glances.
“We’d want to build a life with you,” Mabon said carefully. “However that looks. If it includes children, if you want them, we’d be honored. If you don’t, we’d still be complete.”
“We’d have you,” Urien said simply. “That’s enough.”
“I’m just really worried about what if I’m terrible at being a Treasure? What if I don’t know how to…what if I can’t be what you need?”
“That’s impossible.” Rux leaned forward. “You already are what we need just by existing.”
“I work in a coffee shop,” Sam said helplessly. “I know I keep saying that, but I’m not…I don’t know how to be important to anyone, since my mom died.”
“You’re important to us.” Mabon’s voice was steady. “You’ve been important to us since the moment Rux saw you and his heart stone appeared. Everything you are, everything you do, it all matters. You matter, Sam. Completely and absolutely.”
“Did I mention this all sounds so crazy?” After a rollercoaster of an evening, Sam didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry.
“Yes,” all three agreed.
