“That’s it?”
“That’s all you need to know.”
Stubborn dragon. There had to be more. He simply didn’t feel like sharing.
“So, you and Thorne. You’re both shifters. Draconis.”
“Hmm,”a grunted acknowledgment.
It was embarrassing that I hadn’t come to the conclusion sooner. Thorne’s belief that I was an uneducated, uncultured slave made my cheeks burn.
A thought struck, so sharp I nearly tumbled into a pile of broken pottery. “That first day. In the pasture with the nerf. That wasn’t you who chased me. It was Thorne.”
“Since I have no idea what you are talking about. I’d hazard yes, that was Thorne.”
“That dirty rat.” I punched my palm. “So, he’s the one who…” Bit me. I trailed off, keeping the details to myself.
I cleared my throat. “Never mind. Could the other inhabitants of Pyrrhus shift as well?”
“No. Only those of us with royal blood, who were god-touched, could shift. Though the others had special gifts of their own.”
Meaningmagic. My skin tingled at the revelation. “What kind of gifts? Could they fly, or exhale flames, perform great feats with a snap of their fingers?” Irony threatened to split me wide open. The Puritans had settled here because there wasn’t a crumb of magic around for miles. When, but a short distance away, was a lost kingdom that had once thrived beneath the mystical limbs of a sacred arbor.
“And the tree.” I held my breath. “What happened to it?”
Alaric’s gaze darkened, shadows painting his features.“Enough questions. There’s something I want to show you.”
Chapter Fourteen
SERAFINA
As the dragon-shifter-kingled me down numerous staircases and hallways, trepidation danced a jig along my spine. Had he changed his mind and decided to get rid of me? Was he leading me to some dank dungeon?
At last, we came to a stone wall.
“Dead end.” I ran my palm over the solid span of rock. “Have you been gone so long you forgot your way?” I teased, my voice shaky with nerves.
Alaric huffed a smoky sigh, his dragonflame pulsing to life, emitting an orange glow. Stone cracked and splintered, a fissure opening in the wall. My jaw dropped, and I stared at the opening.
“It’s a secret passage,” I gasped.
“Exceptionally secret. Before we enter, you must swear an oath to me.”
“You’re kidding?”
The dark scowl on his craggy face revealed no sign of humor.“Dragons do not joke. This space is sacred to the Draconis.”
And yet he’d brought me here. Despite his aggressive behavior earlier, something inside of me softened. “Very well.”
“Place your hand on my chest and swear you will tell nobody what I’m about to reveal to you.”
“Sacred dragon oath, huh?”
“Should you speak a word about the existence of this room to anyone outside the royal family, you will burst into flames.”
“Flark. That’s one serious oath.” For a moment, I considered bailing, but curiosity won out.
Again, the fiery orange light illuminated his chest. As instructed, I set my palm against his sternum and spoke my vow.
