Page 81 of The Dragon's Mate

“Tell me, Kaida.”

She didn’t want to. Christ, how she didn’twant to, but from the way Bren was looking at her, he wouldn’t be satisfied untilshe explained it. Her stomach churning, she said, “When a dragon breaks therules of the clan, they are punished. Sometimes that punishment is banishmentfrom the clan.”

“Banishment from the clan,” Bren repeated.

“Yes. The dragon is driven from the clanand not allowed to return.”

“But you said that if a dragon is away fromits clan for more than forty-eight hours, they’ll go crazy and…”

He trailed off before sitting up. “Are youfucking kidding me?”

She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest.“I know how it sounds, Bren, but -”

“You know how it sounds?” He stared ather. “You banish them knowing that it’s a death sentence.”

“We do,” she said. “The elders of the clansare serious about keeping our existence a secret. Knowing we’ll be banished forbreaking that rule, keeps us in line.

He snorted angrily. “I guess it’s not reallya big, happy family after all.”

She reached out and took his hand, more thankfulthan she could say when he didn’t pull away. “It is a barbaric and outdatedpunishment that some dragons are beginning to question.”

“Oh good,” he said sarcastically, “it’snice to know that they’rebeginningto question it.”

“Banishment doesn’t happen very often,” shesaid. “And it has never happened in our clan. When Bishop learned of our existence,I should have been banished but wasn’t.”

“You were a kid,” he said.

“I was a yearling and old enough to knowbetter.”

“So why weren’t you banished?”

“Cadmus, the high elder of our clan, is…more lenient than some. It’s why I brought Tyler and Corey back to our clanwhen the fox was injured. I knew that Cadmus would not banish me for it. Idid not expect that he would agree to allow me to train Tyler and Corey.”

“Why did he?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “The council votedagainst it, but Cadmus has the power to overrule their decision and he did.”

“Does he do that often?”

“Only once before that I know of,” shesaid.

“When you brought Bishop to the clan,” hesaid.

She looked away. “Yes. The council votedto banish me, Cadmus said no.”

“Jesus.” Bren swiped his free hand throughhis hair. “Dragon clans are fucked up.”

“They aren’t,” she said. “We are veryprotective of each other. Cadmus knows what we’re doing is wrong and he’s beenspeaking with the other clan councils for years now to try and change theirminds. But they’re afraid. If the humans found out we existed, their fear ofus could lead to war between us, Bren.”

He didn’t reply and she squeezed his hand.“The humans would not win that war.”

“I know,” he said.

He stared at their clasped hands for almosta minute before lifting his head to study her. A trickle of unease went down herback at the look on his face. “Does Ava know you’re a dragon?”

“Yes, as does Mal and Kat and their mates,”she said.

“Why?” he asked.

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