Hushed whispers shared between clan heads filled the room with white noise. From their frantic discussions, Ian picked out key words and phrases—did you see?; impossible; only a dragon could; magic.Matthieu, meanwhile, pushed back from the table and craned his neck from side to side, then shook his head to send his red locks flying and retook his position at the center of the room.
“For years,” Matthieu said, speaking from his diaphragm, “I believed that my time within the Pedigree had squandered my potential. I no longer believe that to be entirely true. While I was deprived the education I rightfully deserved and held back from a career that I would have excelled in so that I could be groomed into a dragon’s plaything, I have learned one valuable lesson—dragons are simplistic, oblivious creatures, and they need to be told in no uncertain terms what you mean if you ever wish for them to understand it.”
What was happening? They hadn’t planned this. Part of Ian wanted to rush forward and drag Matthieu off the floor so he couldn’t say anything that would endanger their future, but a louder, more insistent part was proud of Matthieu for taking a stand and speaking with such forceful eloquence. Ian stole a look at Geoffrey, who was pale and trembling, and sent both his mates the calmest, most soothing love he could summon. Geoffrey visibly relaxed, but Matthieu did not react. He resumed his speech.
“I am a dragon.” Matthieu pointed a finger at the collection of nestlers by Nate’s feet. “I have laid a clutch, and I have stunned your council member to silence with my magic.”
The final piece clicked into place, and Ian couldn’t help but gawk. The same magic he had once used to freeze Matthieu in place, Matthieu now borrowed to use on Liu Wei.
How long had Matthieu been able to do this?
Ian racked his mind, tracing back over the events of the last few months. All of the small details he’d once overlooked stood out to him in retrospect. Matthieu’s resistance to his magic, the bizarre way the embers in the hearth at Geoffrey’s brownstone had ignited out of nowhere, then died down shortly after, how Geoffrey, and sometimes even Ian, had given in to Matthieu’s instruction as if compelled to do so…
All this time, had Matthieu known?
Ian glanced across the room at Perry, who had been by on more than one occasion over the last forty-eight hours to “spend time with the eggs and offer Matthieu support” while Geoffrey and Ian discussed their plan of attack in another room. There was a small, knowing smile on his angelic face, and he looked as proud of Matthieu as a father might a son.
It couldn’t be, could it?
All this time…
Ian’s mouth went dry. He looked over the stunned faces of the clan heads, then back at Perry. Beside him stood Harry, who was able to see bonds, and whose healing magic was crude, but undeniable.
Why hadn’t they thought of this, he and Geoffrey? The defense was airtight.
He knew where Matthieu was going with this, and if he was right, then…
“If this is not proof enough for you, and you do not grant me rights equal to every other dragon in this room, then it is best you leave immediately. You are wrong according to scienceandmagic, and you will be forgotten by history.”
Nate grinned. Harry bounced on the balls of his feet, his eyes squeezed shut and Darwin held tightly to his chest. Perry tucked his hands behind his back, one cupped behind the other. He looked, Ian thought, like an emperor standing on high grounds, surveying his army.
Ian, whose emotions could not endure much more of this roller coaster ride, slumped against the wall. Alistair, who stood nearby, put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear, “I see the family resemblance.”
“Does it ever get better?” Ian whispered back.
Alistair snorted. “No.”
“Mr. Boudreaux,” Grimbold replied stiffly, “we do not take kindly to speakers who threaten the council.”
Matthieu nodded at Grimbold, then glared at Liu Wei. “I simply did not want to appear too ‘lenient’ in my address. If it has been determined that what I have to say is just as valuable as any alpha’s word, then I will continue in a respectful manner.”
Liu Wei, whose will was bound by magic, did not reply, but Grimbold did. “I believe you have proven yourself. Please, continue. We have yet to hear anything about how any of this relates to the case of Mr. Sigric Brand.”
“You will in a moment.” Matthieu took a deep, calming breath and resumed his address with less vehemence. “As has been demonstrated by Harrison Lessardi-Drake’s research, omega children born from the coupling of a dragon and an omega are dragons. Not only are they capable of bearing draconian offspring, but they are capable of performing magic and forming mate bonds as well. Harry, of the couples you have brought together, how many have formed bonds?”
“Eighty-eight percent,” Harry replied excitedly. “Granted, the sample size is very small, but—”
“Eighty-eight percent,” Matthieu repeated for emphasis, wisely cutting Harry off before he had a chance to get started. “Prior to this experiment, mate bonds were rare—almost unheard of. What has changed?”
“This has nothing to do with Sigric Brand’s case,” Ammon, head of the Onyx clan, commented. “Grimbold, why are you allowing the boy to speak?”
Grimbold waved his hand, dismissing the argument. “Mr. Boudreaux, go on.”
“The answer is simple.” Matthieu balled his fists. “We have started to mate dragons with dragons again. Dragons do not share bonds with other species—they will only bond with other dragons.”
“Grimbold,” Ammon snapped.
“The research has proven that bonds form betweendragons,not between alphas and omegas.” Matthieu lifted his chin. “Sigric Brand trespassed on Amethyst territory because he discovered the truth, and he wished to destroy it.”
