Tiberius frowned. “He’s not normal.”
“Don’t say that,” Sasha snapped, acting the mama bear without hesitation. “There is nothing wrong with Noel.”
Everyone stared at Sasha in surprise, everyone apart from Max. He’d learned how protective Sasha was of people she loved.
“My brother was born with a condition called Down syndrome. It means he has an extra chromosome.”
“Which makes him special,” Sasha snapped, glaring at each of her family members.
“What’s a chromosome?” Blaze asked.
“It’s part of every living thing and holds our genetic code,” Max said.
When everyone looked blank, Sasha said, “We need a Justine, The Smart Computer, here to help everyone learn mainland stuff.” She wrinkled her nose. “Everything is more advanced on the mainland. Humans are smart and have progressed faster than our people.”
“Then the outlandish stories Blaze and Griffith have been telling me are true?” Tiberius asked.
“Yes,” Sasha said, clenching her hands beneath the table. “I will say this only once. I refuse to become the wife of Bruceous. He spends his time pinching bottoms at social gatherings but does it on the sly. I have my suspicions he forces some dragon women into having sex with him. For you to compel me to marry him is ludicrous.”
“Sasha will marry me,” Max said. “Or at least, I intend to ask her once the moment is right.”
“Mother. Father. We are already mates. I know everyone believed the old tales of mates were pure fiction, but Leo and Martinos and now me have discovered our true mates. Each of us has a human mate. It is wrong for you to consider even trying to part us. It would be cruel. Wait, why are you smiling?” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her parents.
“We never intended for you to become Bruceous’s wife,”Dalinda said. “But it concerned us when you turned down every eligible offer.”
“Child, we could sense your restlessness,” Tiberius said. “You needed an adventure of sorts.” His brows drew together. “We didn’t envision you bursting through the barrier and taking on the mainland, but it appears we underestimated you. You have not only had your adventure, but you have thrived.”
“Wait, you were intent on pushing me to act on my own?” Sasha asked, her confusion clear.
“We didn’t want you to follow in the footsteps of your friend and agree to marry a much older dragon to have your own home,” her mother said.
“We didn’t expect you to disappear without warning or to bring back a human mate.” Tiberius glanced at Noel and grinned. “Or a child.”
“What are your plans now? Will you stay on Perfume Isle?”Dalinda asked.
“Family is important to Sasha,” Max said before Sasha could speak. “We’d like to have a base here, but we will also spend time on the other islands with Leo and Liza, and Martinos and Cherry, plus David and Rena. It doesn’t feel right to abscond with Noel and have the law on our tail. I’d like to clear my name on the mainland, which means traveling back there sometimes.”
“I’m going with you to the mainland,” Blaze said.
“Me too,” Griffith said at the same time.
“We can arrange that if everyone agrees, the visit is a good idea,” Max said.
“Cherry and Martinos are moving to Bamburgh,” Blaze said. “We have a plan to work together and slowly introduce a few chosen dragons.”
“We can’t have dragons flying everywhere,” Max said.
“The newspapermen saw me,” Sasha said, “although they didn’t know it was me. Any dragons who travel to the mainland must keep to their human forms unless it’s a matter of life or death.”
“We’ve already agreed to those terms with the others,” Griffith said.
“We understand the dangers to us as a species. Sasha, we told you what happened here while you were on the mainland.” Blaze glanced at his parents. “You haven’t heard everything. Max is a reporter. He is writing the stories to go into a newspaper.”
When Tiberius andDalinda exchanged a puzzled glance, Max wondered if the dragons and humans here could read. He’d thought Sasha had told him they could. Before he could ask questions, Sasha enlightened him.
“If we wish to impart news here on Perfume Isle, we pin posters up in several strategicplaces. The other islands do the same. A newspaper will be radical for the Dragon Isles’ residents. A step toward progress. It’s an excellent idea,” Sasha said. “I wish we could have the internet here along with Justine, The Smart Computer. I liked Justine very much, and she taught me a lot.”
“Communication is important,” Tiberius conceded.
