Page 6 of Betrayed By Dragons

"But did you know," Amy continues, her plate of food forgotten. "The Sisters--they've actively been breeding the dragon out of their line for, like, centuries. Choosing to mate with wizards or even humans. Grace here is only one sixteenth Stone Dragon."

Jett and I exchange a look.

"Is that, uh." Jett tears a dumpling in half. "Something to be proud of?"

Dragon lineages have always been a thing. That Air Dragon fairy tale about a descendant from all four kingdoms one day bringing light to shadow had its devotees--dragons who intentionally sought mates from other kingdoms to help them create children who might become the saviors of dragonkind.

More recently, King Zephyr's fueled a wave of regressive, backward xenophobia in the Air Kingdom. Pure Air Dragon blood is prized.

I don't know much about my own lineage, but I know that my father was from somewhere far away, and that my mother's family had a mix of just about everything. My wide-ranging ancestry was a point of pride for my family, back when I was a child and we traveled the globe.

My last few years in Wynrath Crest? It might as well have been a curse.

I still never could have imagined trying to "breed the dragon out" of myself. Defective as I am, unable to bring forth my inner beast, my dragon is a part of me. Just the idea of removing her hurts.

But Amy shrugs. "Dragon magic and witch magic don't play nicely, is all I'm saying."

"Many Sisters of mixed ancestry wield powerful magic," Sister Grace assures us.

Amy frowns. "But the less dragon a Sister has, the better, right?"

Grace glances between me and Jett, who's not even trying to hide that he's fuming now. Diplomatically, she says, "Not better. Just simpler."

Jett forces a laugh, but I still smell cinders on his breath. "Well, no one has ever called my sister simple, I'll tell you that."

Rolling her eyes, Amy turns to me. "What about you?" she asks, firmly changing the subject. "High Priestess Fang teach you anything new today?"

I pop another half of a dumpling in my mouth to buy myself a second. I want to tell them that yes, High Priestess Fang gave me a whole list of new things I might someday be able to do, thanks to the Shadow Bracer, but that would require me to, you know, explain to them about the Shadow Bracer.

That's not an option, so I finish my mouthful and shrug. "We had a good chat about some of the possibilities ahead of me."

Amy shoots me a sympathetic look. "So, basically, bupkis, then, huh?"

I sigh and drop my head to thunk it against the surface of the table. "Bupkis," I agree.

"I'm sorry." She reaches out and rubs my shoulder. "That sucks."

I lift my head. "It's okay. She tells me I'm doing well, and that these things take time."

"Dragon magic is not for the impatient," Sister Grace agrees.

Amy shines a half-smirk at her, but I really wish Grace would stop talking crap about dragon magic.

"It's just." I exhale roughly and try to describe how my lesson went without saying too much. "I can feel the potential. I used it, even--that day at the summit."

Amy nods. She knows that as well as I do, considering my accidental protection spell saved her as much as it saved me.

"But I can't seem to access it unless I'm literally about to die." The frustration brewing inside me threatens to bubble over again. High Priestess Fang's reassurances helped, but with saboteurs on the loose, I can't wait years to harness my abilities. "I feel so helpless, you know?"

Especially with two powerful dragons for mates. I don't want to be some damsel they have to cluck at and protect. I want to be able to stand toe to toe with them. To defend myself, should the need arise.

"You are not helpless," Amy promises.

"It feels like I am sometimes."

I wish I could keep the sulkiness out of my voice, but I'm exhausted.

"Even in human form, there are ways you can defend yourself," Jett volunteers, speaking slowly, as if choosing his words with care. "Have you ever considered a self-defense class?"

---