Page 29 of The Bond That Burns

No.His tone was sharp.Fragmented. Missing.

I bit my lip, feeling a pang of sympathy for the creature beneath me. I had no illusions about his ruthlessness, but the idea of waking to such a harsh reality seemed cruel.

Do you know how it happened?I asked cautiously.How were you made stone in the first place?

If I knew that, do you think I’d be here with you? Asking you questions? You really are frustratingly ignorant even for a young one, the dragon snapped.

I flinched, then held on a little tighter as we dropped sharply. I’d upset him.

It must have been a curse of some kind. A powerful enchantment,I guessed, after the silence had gone on for a while.

Obviously,Nyxaris replied grumpily.

Don’t you want revenge on whoever did that to you?I asked curiously.

Of course I want revenge. But they are probably long dead. Now are you asking the questions or am I?Nyxaris snapped. He was lying. But I wasn’t going to press him. Not yet.Tell me everything you know about what happened to my kind.

And in that moment, something snapped into place. All that I knew was woefully inadequate.

Nyxaris’s wings cut through the air as I searched my mind. We’d learned a little about the Dragon Wars. Everyone knew the war had been the dragons’ undoing. But how? The books Rodriguez gave me hadn’t been written recently enough to include the Dragon Wars. Professor Hassan’s lectures had barely scratched the surface. She had spoken about alliances between houses, civil war, catastrophic losses. But she hadn’t explicitly saidhowthe dragons perished.

I glanced down at the sea, my stomach lurching at the height.

So quiet.Nyxaris’s voice rumbled, tinged with annoyance.Have I frightened you into silence? Tell me.

I swallowed hard.I learned about the Dragon Wars in a history class last year. My professor said the last of the dragons perished during that time. Some must have been killed in battle. One of my other professors said some died of a plague. But...

But what?Nyxaris’s voice lashed through my mind, demanding more.

I inhaled, trying to gather my thoughts.But I don’t know if anyone knows how your kind went extinct. Not precisely. Maybe I just haven’t read the right books. Or maybe... Maybe no one truly knows.

Nyxaris’s growl reverberated through my skull, sending a shiver down my spine.Are you saying your kindforgotus?

For a moment I worried I’d offended him worse than Lord Mortis had.

No,I said hastily.Not forgot.I hesitated.I mean they can’t remember. Because the truth has been hidden.

Nyxaris snorted. He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he banked left, tilting sharply.

I gasped, my heart in my throat, as we dropped down closer to the glittering surface of the sea.

This is unbearable,Nyxaris said finally. I could hear the desperation tinging his voice.

I know. You deserve answers. You deserve...I searched for the right words.You deserve so much more than this. To awaken alone... I can’t imagine how awful that must have been.

He was quiet for a long time.

No, you don’t,he said finally.To be the last of one’s kind–I am not sure it is a life worth living.

A lump formed in my throat.Don’t say that. Please. I need you. I care about what happens to you.

He snorted.You care only about your own survival, young one.

No, I said stubbornly.It’s more than that. Be patient. Let me search for more answers. I swear, I’ll get some for you. One of my professors has books—very old ones. I’ll look through them. He’s helped me before. But if he doesn’t, I’ll find a way. I’ll do whatever it takes.

Silence.

When Nyxaris’s voice returned to my head, it was low and commanding.You owe me more than promises. Do not fail me.

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