There’s a gentle smile on his face, and he backs up several steps, giving me room to maneuver. The gesture speaks of understanding and respect for my current emotional state. I step out onto the black sand that lines the spring’s edge, my claws leaving deep impressions in the fine grains, and shift back to human form.
The transformation leaves me standing in my damp leathers, but there’s no discomfort between us. Family doesn’t judge. “How did you find me?” I ask, wrapping my arms around myself as the cooler air raises goosebumps along my exposed skin.
“We’re drawn back to the place where we’re conceived.” He states the fact plainly, his sapphire eyes taking in the carved stone walls and natural formations around us. “You dug a nice nest.”
“Most of the cavern was already here. I just had to dig down to reach it.” The admission feels like sharing a secret. He opens his arms, and I let him hold me, his warmth seeping into my chilled skin. His shirt grows damp where I press against him, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “Did you come to end me?” I tilt my head back to look up into my father’s eyes, searching for any hint of disappointment or rejection.
“End you? Absolutely not.” His voice carries fierce protectiveness, the tone of a father defending his child. “So what if you can’t see two colors and are deaf on one side? That doesn’t define you, Raven. You have a good heart, and you’re very smart. That’s what defines you—nothing else.” He punctuates his words by kissing my forehead, his lips warm against my cool skin.
“Did you tell my mate?” I look down at the black sand beneath our feet, unable to meet his eyes for this question. The grains are fine as powder, worn smooth by centuries of water flow.
“I did.” He gently lifts my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Your mate doesn’t care. You’re a good female, and that’s all that matters to him.” The certainty in his voice makes something tight in my chest loosen.
I nod, letting my father’s words sink into the wounded places in my heart. The acceptance feels foreign after so much fear and shame.
“So now what?” I glance around at the interior of my cavern, taking in the smooth stone walls and the way the spring’s steam creates shifting patterns in the air.
“Is this where you want your nest?” Dad asks, following my gaze as he surveys my hidden sanctuary.
The question makes me consider the space with fresh eyes. “I think I want to go to ground here, eventually. But I want a safe passage connected to where you and Mom are.” I pause, thinking through the implications. “Once I have hatchlings, I’d rather have the safety of the flight nearby.” Deep down, I know black dragonesses become violently protective when they have eggs to guard—territorial to the point of killing anything that comes too close.
“We can make that happen.” His response is immediate and practical. “Anything else?” He runs his fingers through my damp hair, the gentle motion soothing frayed nerves.
“I want to get the implant in my arm.” I rub my forearm where the contraceptive device would go; the skin is pale and unmarked. “My education is very important, especially since I need to add politics to my courses now.” The words come out in a rush, and I force myself to slow down. “I’m not saying I don’t want hatchlings one day. Just not now—there’s too much I need to learn and do before then.” I stare into my father’s sapphire eyes, hoping he understands the weight of this decision.
His expression doesn’t change, but I catch a flicker of something—perhaps disappointment, perhaps relief. “As much as I don’t like the idea of chemicals in your system, I respect your decision. I’ll call the doctor and have him come see you this weekend.” The compromise costs him something, but he offers it freely. “I love you, little one.”
“I love you too, Dad.” The words feel like a benediction, washing away the last of my fears about his reaction. He hugs me one last time, his embrace fierce and protective, then walks out of my cavern. His footsteps echo off the stone walls as he navigates the narrow passages leading back to the surface.
I watch him leave, standing in my damp leathers in my sanctuary, and just stare at the empty space where he was. My mate still wants me despite my flaws. My father understands and accepts my wishes for my body and future. I have a place that is entirely mine, carved from rock and hidden from the world’s judgment.
Today wasn’t a complete shit show after all.
I shift back to my dragon form, my massive body filling the cavern with familiar weight and presence. The transformation feels like coming home to myself—scales replacing skin, power flowing through muscles designed for destruction and flight. I walk back into the deep water, each step sending ripples across the surface.
Slowly, I lay back down in the position that’s become natural—submerged except for the tip of my muzzle, which rests on the sandy shore like a black stone. The hot water and dissolved minerals feel incredible against my scales, each one relaxing under the therapeutic heat. The iron-rich liquid carries the scent of deep earth and ancient stones, a perfume that speaks to something primal in my dragon soul.
For now, I need to sort through my feelings without interference—to process the revelations and acceptance of this day without the weight of others’ expectations. The cavern holds me like a womb, dark and warm and safe, while I figure out how to integrate this new understanding of myself.
The water laps gently against my scales with each breath, a rhythm as soothing as a heartbeat. Steam rises in lazy spirals, carrying away the last of my fears and leaving something new in their place—not perfection, but acceptance. Perhaps that’s enough.
Chapter 15
Corvis
The wavesof the Sea of Whispers lap against the sand with rhythmic persistence as I walk the beach for what feels like the millionth time. The salt-tinged breeze carries the scent of seaweed and distant storms, while foam hisses softly as it retreats across the weathered stones. Raven is with her father and Klauth at the Temple of Tiamat, changing the line of succession in ancient ceremonies that will reshape the future of dragon kind.
I’ve got a canvas bag heavy with sea glass that clicks together like tiny wind chimes with each step, and a metal bucket brimming with beautiful shells and pieces of coral. The treasures catch the afternoon light, creating rainbow patterns that dance across the wet sand. Each piece has been carefully selected, examined for perfection, and deemed worthy of my mate.
Looking up from my latest find—a piece of frosted blue glass worn smooth by countless tides—I spot a pack of blink hounds running the shoreline toward me. Their forms blur and solidify as they move at inhuman speeds, leaving barely visible tracks in the sand. They shift to human form as they approach, and I recognize them as the third years from Shadowcarve.
“Hey, Professor. Whatcha doing?” Keir asks as he walks closer, his blonde hair still windswept from their run. Sand clings to his boots, and he’s breathing harder than he wants to admit.
“Gathering sea glass and shells for my intended mate. They’re her favorite things.” I can’t help but smile to myself at the small horde I’ve accumulated. The bag weighs heavy against my shoulder, filled with treasures that most people would overlook but that mean everything to her.
“A dragoness wants simple things? I thought they liked the expensive shit?” Therion’s voice carries genuine surprise as he looks out over the beach, then bends down and picks up a red piece of sea glass that gleams like a ruby in the sunlight. He offers it to me with casual generosity.
“I gave her an expensive set of blades with...” I pause before I give away who my mate is, catching myself just in time. The secret burns in my throat, desperate to be shared, but it’s not my place to reveal it. “She liked them, then told a reliable source she preferred seashells and sea glass, as well as a specific chocolate.” I look out over the endless expanse of ocean, knowing that Raven and the two ancients won’t return until late tomorrow night.
