I open my arms again. “Come on then.”
Mac steps into my arms, wrapping his around my waist, and I focus on our location, easily slipping into the void.
In the blink of an eye, our feet touch the crumbled ruins of the village. It’s dark here, a concept that still messes with my head when I’m in the human realm. I understand the movement of the planet and the star that warms it, but it’s still odd for it to be light in one area and dark in another. The underworld is always dark.
Mac stumbles slightly, then drags his hand through his hair. He clears his throat, peering through the darkened ruins.
“Can dragons see well in the dark?”
Mac looks over his shoulder at me, nodding as his eyes glow emerald. “Perfectly.”
“There he is. Such a handsome boy. I’m curious though. Do you choose your human appearance?”
“No. We grow into it over time, and when we fully mature, our adult features settle in.”
“Fascinating.”
“Do you choose yours?”
“Yes.” I smile, stepping over a large rock. “I can change my appearance to meet the societal standards of the time, and I chose my human form based on a singer I saw long ago.”
He chuckles. “It’s a good look.”
“Thank you.” I preen a bit. At least he finds me appealing.
“I guess we should look for the amulet.”
I nod, gazing ahead. “There’s only one standing structure. There.” I point. “At the end of the path.”
There’s a small stone house with a dim light in the window. Mac heads in that direction without hesitation.
“Does anything frighten a dragon?”
“Disappointment,” he mutters, but I heard it.
“Yours or causing someone else’s?”
He huffs and a tendril of smoke rises above his head. “The second one. My older brothers are rock stars in my parents’ eyes. They do everything well. It’s hard growing up in their shadows.”
“Are they famous musicians?”
He chuckles. “Not actual rock stars, just really good. They have a business, and they help people. They have these incredible homes and they’re really tight with each other. I never bonded with my clutch like they did with theirs.”
“You’re close to them?”
He shrugs. “Not close, but they’re always there for me. Dragons are born in clutches, you know?”
“A cluster of eggs.”
“Right. I have four others in my clutch but we’re all off just doing our things. Lord, the oldest brother of the other clutch, says they were like that when they were younger too, and someday, I’ll want to settle down and be close to family. I can’t see it, but Lord’s always right, so I believe him.”
“Mm. I’m very curious what caused you to call on Auri when you have such family support. Is your problem something only a demon can solve?”
“I don’t even know.” He slows, pausing and glancing around. “I’ve gotten myself into a lot of trouble over the years, and I guess I didn’t want to call them for help and…” His words trail off as he shrugs again.
“Disappoint them.”
I know I’m right from the way the bond pulses between us.
