Page 38 of Connor and the Dragons

“Kessrin barely spoke,” I said.

“Exactly,” Sky said. “And then there’s the matter of the name.”

“What matter? He told me his name was Kessrin.”

“Do we tell him?” Sky asked Moerrven, and Moerrven shrugged.

“Perhaps that’s for Lord Frost to decide,” Moerrven said. “Nevertheless, he did not cite one rule or regulation at lunch. Something has certainly come over him. He should have been lecturing us on Liminian society or telling us about a treaty or something.”

“And Oallian! He’s on a leash!” Sky added.

“He asked for the leash.” I drank my tea. “It anchors him. Arousal keeps the dragon down, control keeps the arousal steady. I don’t want to be responsible for a forty-foot fire dragon crunching on everybody’s sheep. That’s all.”

“Uh huh. Sure it is,” Sky said. “He was a virgin, you know.”

I rubbed my hands over my thighs and looked anywhere but at my little brother, who squealed and bounced on his seat.

“Connor, you took his virginity?”

Moerrven frowned. “Virginity is a social construct. It is not a thing one can take.”

“Moerrven finds Oallian irritating,” Sky said.

“Oallian Vyranthos is centuries old,” Moerrven said, “but he behaves like a toddler who has only just been allowed to eat at the big kids’ table.”

I shook my head. “Vyranthos has been in control for a long time, and Oallian has hardly ever been let out. He’s wandering around a world where every taste and every experience is completely novel.”

“Well, I find his joy endearing,” Sky said. “Even if he is a bit of a himbo.”

I said nothing, because anything I said would give Sky more ammunition.

“Do you think they’re ready for tomorrow?” Moerrven asked.

I chewed on my bottom lip. “I hope so.”

Moerrven nodded. “I’m glad we’re closer to a solution. It would not do to worry your mother for any longer than necessary.”

I watched him for a long moment. “You’re not concerned? You won’t be able to cross through the portal with Sky. You’d stand out too much in our world.”

Moerrven shrugged. “When the portal is open, I will wait in Qoksmere. Sky needs to settle his worries about your mother, and he needs his family. It’s not optional.”

Sky waved his hand. “We’ll sort it out. I plan to keep the visits quick so Moerrven is never waiting long.”

“But what if the portal fails somehow?”

Sky paled, folding his hands together as he glanced towards Moerrven. “It would be very difficult for us to be apart. We are resonant.”

“You’re what now?”

Sky grinned. “It’s a magic thing. Our wells, our lifespans are bound together, and we’re united in something that goes beyond mere feelings. We belong to each other.”

I glanced at Moerrven. “That sounds… intense.”

“It’s incredible.” Sky reached for Moerrven’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Maybe you’ll find it with one of your dragons!”

I blinked. “Oh. Right. Is that how everyone, er, like gets married here?”

“No, it’s a personal choice, deeper than marriage,” Sky said.