Rylana licked her lips and was tempted to say it had been an accident, but if Jixana could see her thoughts, there was no point in lying. “Yes.”
How foolish of him to bring you into his lair. If you had the opportunity, you would slay him with those arrows.
She would not,a second telepathic voice boomed. Jildarin.
Rylana slumped against the stone slab in relief as he soared into view, silver wings spread wide. He landed on a pile of fallen rubble a few yards to the side of her and faced his mother, not noticeably daunted by her or the fact that she had the high ground.
Rylana’s relief was short-lived because the other black dragon—that had to be his aunt—also flew into view, finding a perch near the pyramid. She faced Rylana, icy yellow eyes scouring her.
She fought with me when other dragons attacked me,Jildarin added.
What other dragons dared attack my son?Jixana asked.
Foxvonla and Loxvonla.
His mother’s gaze shifted from Rylana to Jildarin.My son, those were the females you were supposed tomatewith. You weren’t supposed to battle them.
They sought to manipulate me into doing their bidding.Jildarin'stail went out rigid, and he flexed his wings.No respectable male would allow that.
That is true,his aunt, Lysilria, said.
No doubt that is why they desire him even more and are complaining daily to me,Jixana said dryly.They both returned with wounds.Did she sound pleased?
For Jildarin's sake, Rylanahopedhis mother was proud of him.
You should slay this puny female human so that she doesn’t attempt again to seduce you,Jixana said.
Seduce him!Lysilria boomed in indignation.She is not even elven. Who would rut with such an inferior female?
Rylana sighed and hoped Vormalt wasn’t getting all this, but she feared the telepathic voices of the dragons carried far and wide. With her luck, Sylin, who was probably back sipping coffee on the rooftop of her favorite shop, was hearing everything too.
I will not slay my bookkeeper,Jildarin stated.She has proven useful.
She tried to kill you!Jixana snarled, her own tail going rigid and her icy gaze returning to Rylana.
Yes, in the war. We killed many of her kind. And her kind managed to slay a few of our kind. It is the way of conflict.Jildarin's reasonable comment almost surprised Rylana since he’d been furious with her when she’d first appeared at his diner, but she was glad he was here, standing up for her now.
For some, the war never ends,Jixana said.She will bide her time and slay you if you are not vigilant.
I am always vigilant, Mother. Many of the two-legs seek the end of dragons. I do not lower my neck near to the ground where they can reach it with their blades.
If you slay her, your neck will not be in danger.
There are others in the city who seek the death of dragons far more than she.
Yet, you desire to live there,Jixana said.And, as your brother has informed me, youservethem!
I am teaching them about dragon culture and what wonderful creations we are capable of making. Perhaps they will one day see our kind as wise and worthy, not as simple beasts.
How they see us does not matter,Jixana said.
They are inferior, and their opinions are insignificant,his aunt added.
Because of their opinions, they thought nothing of starting a war with our kind,Jildarin said.Through my work and education of them, the future may be different.
Listen, my son, you have earned a respite after your many years of battle, and I do not care that you pursue this strange… hobby, but I insist that you return home to mate with the fertile females who are worthy of having your hatchlings. There are several that I have deemed suitable.
Rylana blinked. Several? Jixana wanted her son to be like a stud horse, not caring if he felt anything for those dragons or not?
