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“Oh, yes. Of course.”
The pool of magic inside of Perry, once free-flowing, collected in a very small and centralized place low in his body. Perry breathed out a sigh of relief. While the heat of Harrison’s magic was still somewhat uncomfortable, at least now he didn’t feel at risk of losing his lunch.
The magic remained stationary for a few minutes before Harrison spoke again. “Like I said before, I’m not a doctor, and I’m certainly not a reproductive specialist, but I think you do have some scar tissue. The problem is, magic can’t do much after an injury has already been healed, and it can’t fix any natural defects. It’s why Pavel needs his mechanical wing and leg brace, and why I still need glasses.”
Perry’s spirits sank. “So there’s nothing that can be done?”
“Well…” Harrison pushed his lips to the side. “I can try to use a little magic, just to see what it will do. It can’t hurt. The best-case scenario is that it changes something inside you that fixes the problem. The worst case is that it does nothing. Would you like me to try?”
“Please.”
“Okay. Get ready. Here I go.”
Perry had been healed with magic before, and even brought back from the brink of death thanks to its power. He had suffered through clumsy and painful attempts to knit wounds shut and, conversely, experienced how pleasant magic could be in the hands of an experienced user, but he had never felt any magic quite like this. It was a little clumsy, yes, but it was tentative and thoughtful instead of headstrong. Perhaps such was the difference between the power of a dragon and a dragonet.
In any case, the magic coalesced inside of him, shrinking down until it barely felt any larger than a pearl; burned hot and pulsed for a brief moment; then disappeared.
“There,” Harrison said cheerfully as he took his hand away. “I hope it helps.”
“As do I.”
Perry buttoned his blouse and, once Harrison had stepped out of the way, stood. Physically he didn’t feel any different than he had before, but there was hope in his heart now, and if nothing else, it alone was worth the risk.
“Do you promise to keep my secret?” Perry asked as Harrison saw him to the door. “The family doesn’t know—not even Grimbold—and I’d prefer to keep it that way.”
Harrison nodded. “Of course. It’s a matter of doctor-patient confidentiality. Your secret is safe with me.”
Perry kissed his cheek, which turned a pretty shade of pink. “You are a true friend, Harry.”
Harrison lifted his hand to his cheek and smiled the same cheerful smile he always did. “Thank you. I really do try my best. But it’s not all that hard when I have friends like you.”
10
Peregrine
1508
It was not a second too soon when the ship moored and Sebastian carried Peregrine bridal-style onto dry land. From over Sebastian’s shoulder, Peregrine watched a perturbed Alistair trail behind them, doing his very best to look anywhere but at them. In his efforts to avert his eyes, he failed to notice a raised board on the gangplank, tripped, and toppled with a shout into the Mediterranean.
“Brother,” Sebastian grumbled.
Alistair splashed wildly in response. One or two of them sounded somewhat like, “Fuck!”
Sebastian set Peregrine down with a sigh, dropped to his knees, and gazed down at his brother. “Cease this at once. We must secure my omega.”
“I’m drowning, Sebastian. Your omega can wait.”
Sebastian grumbled again, this time with increased irritation, and hopped off the pier into the water.
While the two splashed around, Peregrine turned his back to the ocean to take in the sights. Beirut was every bit as impressive as he had heard. Peregrine hadn’t seen very much of the world, but he had never imagined a place could be so busy. A sea of heads crowded the port and, from what he could tell, the streets beyond. Stately buildings blotted out the skyline, sunlight sparkling off the veins of quartz streaked through their stone facades. Here the smell of the ocean mingled with spices and perfumes and smoke, and the babble of conversation he was used to in the streets back home sounded far more like a roar.
It was chaos, but it was fascinating.
So this was the world of dragons.
Peregrine vowed to remember it for the rest of his life.
“Out, you cumberground,” Sebastian growled. There was a wet plop, which Peregrine turned to investigate.
