Page 40 of Scales ’N’ Spells: Volume Two

“I’d damn well like the chance to try, when he’s not hurting. When the family he loves is not fighting for their very existence. But I can’t even contemplate it, not while carrying a false name and identity.”

Sora held his breath and hoped she’d take the bait.

She did, without a single second of hesitation. “I’ll convene a meeting tonight. We’ll be over there in two days. Just wait a little longer before revealing yourself; I need time to get people moving down here.”

As expected of his mother. Sora grinned, bouncing a little on his toes in delight.

“I think I can get Ravi on his feet in two days. Maybe three. You have until then.”

“I won’t need a second longer. Oh, son, I’m so happy to hear that you’ve finally found someone you like! Is he handsome?”

“Gorgeous. And vibrant with life, with a happy personality. My eyes are constantly drawn to him. And I’m usually laughing when I’m with him.”

Even with Ravi wrapped in bandages, that had proven to be the case.

“Even in your rage and heartache for this clan, I can hear your happiness when you say his name. I’m so glad. I was afraid that you wouldn’t ever find someone you liked. Do you think he’ll accept a courtship from you?”

“I have no idea. But I know that he considers me attractive. I barely knew him five minutes when he warned me that I was too handsome, that his clanmates would jump on me quickly. I thought he was joking, but I could tell he liked what he saw, too. He’s been very keen on making me feel welcome here. We eat every meal together, and we had a date that went very well. I think my odds are good.”

Sora prayed they were, at least. He’d like the chance to at least try dating. He honestly couldn’t recall liking anyone else like this.

“I’ll move quickly,” his mother promised, and she sounded as if she were already moving in a hurry. Her skirts flapped loudly as she half-jogged. “I want to meet him. Just wait until I give you the all-clear before revealing who you truly are.”

“I will. But work fast, Kaa-san. I want to come clean before it gets any more awkward.”

“I will. Be safe, and for god’s sake, ward your room! I don’t want you taking any chances before we can get up there.”

“I will. Keep me updated. Bye.”

Sora hung up, letting his head fall back. With the promise of his family coming, he felt some of the tension that had been riding him fall from his shoulders. It left him exhausted in its wake.

A good night’s sleep would restore him. And he’d need the energy if he was to keep a bored wind dragon still for the next two days. The thought made him shake his head, even as he turned toward the bathroom. A hot shower, then sleep.

And hopefully, nothing else bad would happen until his family could get here.

Bored.

Ravi was so bored. And he hurt.

Which was a bad combination.

He was stuck in the main foyer on a giant mound of pillows in his dragon form. And it was grumbling about being stuck in place and not moving. Normally, if he was in this form, Ravi was flying. His dragon was not happy about being grounded. He felt like a strange mix of cherished prince, dragon sacrifice, and sideshow freak. Not that his own family was making him feel like a freak.

It was more the human police and detectives who had come tromping through the previous day and early that morning. No matter how professional they attempted to be, they all still ended up passing through with their mouths hanging open and tripping over each other at the sight of him.

He got it. Not one of them had seen a real dragon in the flesh before. As far as they had known, up until a week ago, all dragons had been extinct.

But, come on! He was in pain and bored. He didn’t want to be gawked at. It might have been better if they’d at least stopped over to say hi or ask how he was doing. But, nope. They stared and gave him a wide berth as if they expected him to leap up and swallow them down whole.

Not a chance. He wasn’t going to be leaping anywhere for another day or two, at least.

If he was going to be stuck healing, he would have preferred to do it in the privacy of his own room, or at least somewhere that wasn’t a main thoroughfare for the entire castle.

His friends were trying to keep him occupied and happy, but they were also trying to clean up the mess from the explosion, deal with the police, hold back the reporters, and soothe their new mages so no one would bolt, all while looking out for more attacks from the Jaeggi. Ravi couldn’t be a priority in the middle of that chaos.

“How’s my favorite patient?” Sora’s playful inquiry instantly lifted Ravi’s spirits.

His head jerked up from where it had been resting on a pile of pillows and he looked around until he spotted Sora striding purposefully toward him from the far staircase. The mage had a knapsack hanging from one shoulder, and he was comfortably dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a slouchy sweater that seemed to offer up a few tantalizing hints of warm fawn skin around his shoulder and chest.