Dragon

Chapter 6

The curtains parted to the faint whisper of wool. Jaimin cast a wary glance around the room. How was it the youngling still slept? So she truly did help Mara last night. And had fled upon discovering what she'd helped come into this world. He tempered the annoyance sparking at such recollection. Had no one thought to tell her? Of course not. No one wanted to tell her anything.

Jipp had wasted little time in informing the council that his half-breed child had turned out to be female. How strange to think the presence of a female who'd grown up knowing what she was would be considered as a boon. Pity they did not see how it would be better to return this dark-skinned youngling to her preferred human life rather than to force her into being what they needed.

But it would be eighteen years before the hatchling, named Jaaloun by her mother, would be able to aid in the survival of their species. Too long for the scaled ones to discover her presence and kill her. Such a pity. He would've preferred not going through with this farce they dared to call tutoring.

Jaimin stepped into the chamber, his boot tapping against a pail. It shuddered along the ground, metal base screeching on the stone and water sloshing over the rim. He scooped it up, placing it atop the cold stove. Hearing no sound of her stirring, he glanced over his shoulder to find she still slept. How odd. He couldn't recall any human ever sleeping so soundly.

Bending to the stove's grill, he quietly filled the dark belly with wood and, after a few false starts with the flint, coaxed the tinder into flame. Stepping up to the foot of the bed, the metal jingling on his boots loud against the backdrop of her breathing, Jaimin cleared his throat. The faster the youngling woke, the sooner he could return to the tunnels more accommodating to his true form.

Maayin sat up, sheets clutched to her breast, though from what he could see, she wore a night shift underneath the covers. She stared at him, chest heaving and her gorgeously dark eyes wide. Laiyn had never reacted so strongly to being woken so, not even when sharing the bed with his wife. Had he forgotten some human tradition? He should've enquired about the customs of those in the east.

"Peace youngling." Jaimin held up a hand, dropping it just as quickly when she flinched. I should've asked Mara to wake her. Or at least one of the other female knights. "The council has chosen me to instruct you in our ways."

"I want to leave." She drew her knees up, hugging them. "Please, take me home."

He sighed. "The council will not allow it." If it had been his choice, he would've returned her last night. Foolish Jipp. Did the runt not think of anything but his own desires?

A flicker of anger flared to life in her eyes. "You promised."

"On the condition that you prove you're only human." He'd never heard any account of the records being wrong, but that didn't mean they couldn't be. There was always the possibility that Maayin was an orphan from beyond the wastelands. Who had arrived at the right castle with Kahin and with the same name as the hatchling given into the knight's care. A slim chance was still a chance. It would be a disservice to her to not consider it no matter the odds.

"How can I possibly do that?"

"If you fail to attain a dragon form I will consider you as human." It shouldn't be too difficult to coax her magic back to life and return her to her natural form. Then she would no longer be able to deny being a dragon and the council would demand no more from him. And everything from her. The last fully dragon female in their possession and they plan use her like a thing.

"What will you do with me if I fail?"

"I –" While he hadn't asked what to do if she did fail, he'd a feeling Karoc would've given the same sentence as if she'd refused. "I ..." It would take less than four summers for her to grow resentful if they held her here. "I will see to it that you return to Byron's Peak." Jaimin leant forward, resting his hands on the end of the bed. "I swear on this by the very egg I hatched from, but you must attempt the task in earnest." How would he know if she truly did try her best? He'd yet to figure that one out. "Do we have an accord?"