Selene starts to explain a few things about Morphwings to me, like how they're a part of the Mystery class and how they have the ability to shoot blasts of sylvite fire from their mouths, meaning purple flames. It sounds pretty cool, to be honest.
"So what happened to my father and supposed brother?" I ask Selene. I'm still calling her by her name as I'm not comfortable with calling her my mother yet. It's just a bit much at the moment. Hopefully she understands.
Selene sighs, looking down. "My mate - your father - he was wounded during that attack that caused us to leave you behind. We both left and I was carrying your brother, so he turned to grab you, but then he got shot by an arrow. He landed just in front of the cave you were in. His body hid you from the hunters, which is how you weren't caught too."
My father gave up his own life to save mine... and what did I ever do for him? I did nothing to help him. Nothing at all. Ever. I'm a useless daughter.
"And my brother?" I ask quietly. "Your brother and I made it here safely," Selene replied. "Then I had another child. Their names are Asher and Melanite."
"Do they look like humans or dragons?" I ask. "Both are dragons. You're the only one who looks different, but that won't last for long," she answers.
"What? Why not?"
"Indigo, you're a Morphwing, you can change forms just like us," Selene smiles softly. "At least you'll be able to soon. Do you know how long it will be until you're seventeen?"
"Um... it should be next week," I reply, not understanding. "Perfect, that means you'll have time to prepare things," Selene states. "Once a Morphwing reaches seventeen, they can change form at will, though it takes a little while to master completely."
"How come I'm the only one who looks like a monster?" I ask. "What?" She doesn't seem to know what I mean. "The others were born dragons. I have to spend the first seventeen years of my life looking like one of those disgusting humans."
I know not all humans are bad, I know that. But sometimes it just seems like it. Plus I'm still a little bitter from Valka, so let's just say I prefer dragons over humans.
"What makes you think that they're disgusting monsters?" Selene seems worried now, as though she knows I've had bad experiences with those I share a form with.
"They kill for sport. They lie and deceive one another as well as other species. They care only about their own wealth and greed. They don't care about who they hurt to get what they want, even when they don't know what they want themself. They refuse to leave any stones unturned if they want to know your secrets, yet they completely ignore everything else should they not be fully interested."
"Not all humans are like that," Selene says what I knew she would. "I know, but I've met far too few that aren't that way," I reply. "Too little and too late."
"What have humans ever done to you?" She asks it without annoyance or ignorance, simply curiosity. "They wish to capture and kill my partners, along with me. They think that I have more knowledge of dragons than anyone else or something crazy like that. They want to find my home, they want to find where all my partners are. All just so they can capture them, then either enslave, torture or kill them."
By this time I'm furious with myself. "I should've saved more of them by now. I should've raided more bases by now. But instead I'm just sitting around and having a chat with someone while they all suffer."
"Indigo, don't think that," Selene put her hand on my shoulder, but I automatically flinch back and reach for my sword since she was in human form. It's instinct for me now to prepare for a fight if a human gets too close. She's lucky I didn't draw my sword and instead merely fingered the hilt.
But Selene didn't see it that way and moved back slightly, eyes wide. I drop my hold on my weapon the moment I realise what I'm doing. "Sorry. It's kill or be killed for me," I say. "Instinct is the difference between life and death."
"Indi..." she slowly wrapped her arm around me, making sure I could tell what she was doing so I wouldn't freak out again, and pulled me into her. "I should've searched harder for you all these years. Then I would've found you sooner and you'd never have had to be like this. I'm so sorry."
"If you did find me sooner, thousands of dragons would be dead," I say. "And I never would've met my partners."
"Who are your partners, anyway?" She asks. "They're a dragon pack," I explain. "I've lived among them for years. I help protect them under the command of the Alpha."
"You listen to an Alpha?" She seems surprised. "If I keep the pack safe and well kept, the Alpha will allow me to stay," I reply. "Though I get on well with the Alpha. He's good to us."
"So even after everything, you're still part of a pack," Selene smiles. "Technically I'm not," I say. "We all thought I was human so I could never truly be one of them."
"Well now you get to meet our own Alpha and possibly live under their rule instead."
"What makes you think I'll submit to another Alpha?" I question, slightly annoyed that she thinks I'll just give up on my own pack to join hers. "I didn't mean it like that," she sighs. "I just meant that if you want to join us here, there's always a place for you."
"A place for me..." I repeat, smirking beneath my mask at the words. "I've found my place in life. I found it years ago when I first helped to shape the pack. My place is among my pack. They're the place for me."