Page 94 of Scalebound

1.Maxz (Mahz): Ability

2.Machmuax (Mock-mwah): Connection

3.Yana: Me/Myself/I

4.Wasainalai (Wah-say-naw-lay): Present tense

5.Malmai (Mal-may): Verb to care

6.Yata: Someone else

7.Yana: Me/Myself/I

8.Wasainalai (Wah-say-naw-lay): Present tense

9.Wimeiinaiman (Wim-ee-nay-mawn): The verb to need

10.Uama (Wah-ma): Something to have/Theirs/Yours/His/Hers

11.Mash (Mosh): Lips

12.Mesmeiin (Mehs-meen): Again

13.Waxmau (Wah-maw-ooh): Moon

14.Haxnau (Hah-nah-woo): Hell

Chapter fifty-nine

AURELIA

Preparing to go to my kingdom, we were packing up all of our belongings. The tents were coming to a close, being shoved back into various bags, and being attached to their dragons. Angie was packing up her bag alongsideWashailameii1when I decided to confront her. It had been days of eye rolls and rude gestures, and my body was burning with the need to know what I did wrong.

“What’s your problem with me?” I asked, frustration filling my chest like a heavy weight, still thinking of how she spoke behind my back when Clemmy and I were collecting firewood.

“I don’t have a problem with you,” she said so quickly that I knew it wasn’t true. She deftly adjusted a tie onWashailameii, ensuring it was securely fastened to her rustic belongings.

“Then why are you always rolling your eyes at me, never looking at me, not even able to talk to me?” I asked, taking a step closer.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said, still incapable of looking me in the eye. “If that is your perception, then that sounds like a personal problem.”

Shocked by her rudeness, I huffed, “Scales, you don’t have to be so rude. I am here, and I want to get to know you! I am not here to hurt you in any way. Actually, you are helping me. Thank you. Thank you for stopping what you were doing and helping me save my kingdom. I can tell that I hurt you somehow and I want to apologize. I am sorry if I said or did anything.” As she lowered her arms from the side of her dragon, her shoulders hitched, rising slightly before they fell completely, a sigh escaping her lips.

She quickly turned, her eyes locked on the ground beneath her feet. “You’re not a burden, Aurelia. Unfortunately, I actually kind of like you. It was just bad timing. That's all.” Her eyes finally met mine. The golden glints of them reached out, the pain prominent.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“Not really,” she mustered.

“People find me to be a really good listener,” I stated as she laughed–the laugh that I thought once was rude and disrespectful, but now understood as her way of soothing any hidden insecurities she pushed deep down.

“And by people, do you mean a whole kingdom that you are over, Princess?”

“Is that what this is about? Me being a princess?”

“No, no. It’s not,” she said, her eyes darting back to the floor.

“For your information, you are probably considered just as much of royal stature as I am. As you may know, being a Scaleborne makes it difficult to live up to the title of being a princess, or even a queen. Opportunities in life become extremely limited.”

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