This couldn’t be normal, or more people would talk about it, and he could only imagine that it was somehow tied to the reason he could talk to dragons.
But what did it mean if she didn’t have the same ability?Did she feel the same tightness in her chest every time he left?Or were the dragons the only ones who seemed sad to see him leave?
He was deep in thought as he walked into the store, nearly running into Thea Alder and her husband, Nathaniel.
“Oh, sorry,” Mrs.Alder said, giving him a big smile as he quickly moved to hold the door open for them.
“I’m sorry,” Darian said, smiling back at her.“I didn’t see you there.”
“You seem lost in thought.”
“I am,” he admitted.“I hope you are having a pleasant day and that sales are going well.”
“They are,” she said, smiling at her husband.“Nat convinced me to leave Linnea in charge so we could come get a few supplies.”
“I’ll have to come by soon,” he told her.“I need to get my hands on some of those pastries you make.My mouth has been watering for them ever since the last one.”
“I’ll try to remember to bring you one next time I come,” Thea said with a smile.“Have a good day.”
“I will,” Darian said, letting the door shut behind them.Thea had become a new person after marrying Nathaniel, and it was fun to see her transformation.
His mouth was watering at the thought of her pastries.He should bring Celia to the Cozy Cat Café one of these days—she would love it.
She loved good food, he knew that much, and she deserved to be spoiled with delicious food that she didn’t have to make herself.And since his skills in the kitchen were decidedly lackluster, the least he could do was bring her to the café.
“There you are,” Uncle Amos said.“What are you up to?You’re back early.”
Darian shrugged, making his way behind the counter and pulling his shop apron over his head.“She was helping an air dragon,” he said under his breath in case there were any customers he couldn’t see.“The air dragon didn’t want to talk to me, so it didn’t seem like I was needed, and I thought I’d come back and actually do my job for once.”
It had nothing to do with the fact that it was almost painful to be close to her and not talk to her about the way he came to life when she was near.
Not that it was any easier to be away from her.
His uncle laughed.“That is a good point.You have been absent of late.But we don’t mind, do we, Bram?”
Uncle Bram put his head around the corner.“We don’t mind,” he said.“You deserve to find happiness, my boy, and your destiny.”
Darian narrowed his eyes.“What does that mean?”
His uncle’s eyes twinkled.“Surely by now you’ve noticed you have an unusual relationship with the dragons.”
“Well, yes,” he admitted.“But what does that have to do with my destiny?”
“Quite a lot, actually,” his uncle said.“I don’t know much about it, but I know enough to know that you should be figuring out more and more the more time you spend with them.Your mother said it would come to you.”
“What do you mean my mother said it would come to me?”Darian asked.His head felt hot.Were they finally going to tell him more?
“We don’t know much more than that,” Uncle Amos said.
“That’s what you said last time,” Darian pointed out, and Uncle Bram laughed.
“Well, yes,” he admitted, “but I really don’t know much more.She didn’t understand much of it herself.It’s from your father.As far as we know, your mother was just like us and didn’t have that connection to the dragons.Your father… I think he had an extra connection to them.”
“I think I’ve noticed something like that,” he admitted.
The hatchlings seemed to know something about him and his family innately, even if they didn’t know any details.
“Your mother also said that her marriage to your father felt different.I don’t know if you’re feeling that yet—”
