Page 4 of Slay Me

Fallyn laughed her cute little giggle that made him want to laugh too. “I know, silly. We’ve come for your party.”

He swallowed. She would understand his secret. He wasn't supposed to tell, but she would understand. She must. “Today, I am forty-two years old.”

Fallyn frowned at him in a very disapproving way. He didn't like that she thought he was fibbing to her.

“Father said to tell the villagers and the other boys I am seven, but I wanted to tell you the truth.” Please believe.

She shook her head. “You are not that old. That’s how old my papa is.”

Actually, her papa was two-hundred and fifty-two, a dragon in his Prime. That was for her father to tell her in his own time, if he chose to.

The Cervony Wyr kept their secrets close. Match had been lectured interminably by his father about keeping quiet. Only an elite few humans in the village knew. Nanny, a couple of the women who were companions to the Dragon Warriors. That was about it. He wondered how those men had told their secret and been believed.

He led Fallyn to a little stool he’d carved out of a stump. “Sit here. There’s something I want to show you.”

He stepped into the middle of the field and took a deep breath. “Don’t be scared, okay?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Okay.”

Match closed his eyes and searched inside himself for the part that was dragon. He couldn’t always find it, but today, it was there as soon as he called upon it. Because of the soul shard.

A ripple of warmth spread across his skin as he let it rise up. His body expanded, his shoulders became wings, he sprouted a tail and claws burst from his hands and feet. A shiver rolled through his entire body and in a blink, he stood as tall as the trees, looking down on the red fire burning in Fallyn's chest, in her soul.

Match held very, very still, which was really hard to do. Because even though she said she wouldn't be scared, he didn't think she'd ever seen a real-life Dragon before. She tipped her head to the side and slowly stood up. Cautiously, she reached out her hand and he lowered his head to nuzzle her palm.

Fallyn touched his nose and ran her finger along the ridges of his scales. It both tickled and felt like a thousand tiny lightning strikes.

"You're so pretty."

I am not pretty. I am... majestic.

"Oh. You said that right in my head." She looked surprised and a little worried. She held on hand over her ear like she was trying to hold something in.

It's Dragonspeak. All dragons can do it, since we can't talk in our dragon forms.

"All dragons? Girl dragons too?"

No.He snorted and smoke came out of his nose, which made him sneeze and he singed the flowers next to the creek with his flames.There is no such thing as girl dragons.

"Are you sure? I think I would make a very good dragon. If you can be one, I can too."

I'm sure. You have to be born a dragon to be one. You would know if you were.

Fallyn crossed her arms and glared at him. "Change back now."

His dragon really didn't want to be contained anymore now that it was out. He had to concentrate very hard to reign that part of him back in. It took him a minute, but he finally did it. His hands were hands again, the fire inside banked, and he even couldn't see Fallyn's fire anymore.

“Now that you know, you must keep my secret. You can’t tell anyone.” He probably should have gotten her to promise that before he shifted. Oops.

“Why? If I was a dragon, I'd fly all over town and light haystacks on fire and things."

“It would be dangerous. Regular people would be afraid." He made that part up. The only enemies dragons had were demon wyrms and he would make sure Fallyn never even knew of their existence if he could. "Do you promise?”

She chewed on her lip for moment, thinking. “Yes.”

Thank the First Dragon. “We will seal the oath with a kiss.”

“I don’t want to kiss you.” She wrinkled up her nose.

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