Page 62 of Unbound

"Is it okay if I tell them?"I ask Typhon. I'm still getting used to the fact that he can hear my thoughts.

His answer comes into my mind."I am Typhon, first of his name. Tamer of oceans. Tidefather. Do you think I fear being known by fragile creatures made of meat and bone? Hah!”

I grin as my friends watch me, waiting for my answer. "People are tougher than you think. Stick around and you'll get a chance to see that."

"Once again, you forget I was among your kind for centuries. I know and understand humans, perhaps better than you do, angry human."

"Sure you do." I mentally roll my eyes.

I take a breath, trying to decide the best, most gentle way to explain this to my friends. How exactly do you tell someone your elemental is essentially a giant, ancient dragon?

Mireen grins slightly. "It's okay, Nessa. You don't have to be embarrassed if it's like… a goldfish or something. Ollie told me he'll get bigger and more fierce as we train. So even a goldfish would eventually be something to reckon with if you train right."

I bite my lip. "Typhon isn't a goldfish... He's kind of like... a water dragon?"

Beck narrows his eyes, his attention finally locked in. "When you say dragon… do you mean like a bat? Because wings are cool, but I'd hardly call a bat a dragon."

"Young elementals can't take a form like a dragon, Nessa.” Ambrose says softly, as if explaining something gently so he doesn’t hurt my feelings. “They have to tether several humans and gather strength over centuries to…" he trails off, gaze falling to the floor. Maybe he's recalling my mention of the lake monster.

Mireen's mouth hangs open. "A dragon?" she whispers. "Can we see it?"

"Typhon, are you willing to show them?"My stomach flutters with nervous energy.

I sense a world-weary sigh from my elemental, but the widened eyes and audible gasp from Mireen tell me he has revealed himself.

"Holy. Shit." Beck whispers. "You tethered a fucking dragon? Malakai is never going to mess with you again."

"Impossible…" Ambrose breathes.

"He's so cute!" Mireen says, standing and taking a step toward him.

"Tell her if she calls me cute again, I'll eat her and her damned otter."

"Um," I say, taking Mireen's arm. "It might be best to give him some space. He hasn't been around humans in a long time."

"This is untrue. I have been eating them for the past few centuries.”

I'm suddenly thankful my friends can't hear him. His manners need a lot of work.

After a barrage of questions, most of which I answer truthfully, I've caught them up to speed on the "what the hells" and the "how the hells." The only part I haven't mentioned is about my unbound affinity. It was easy enough to claim the silver threads in my mark were just a side-effect of Typhon's ancient power.

Part of me does want to tell them, but I also know even more than I did before. I know what I am is dangerous, even if I don’t fully understandwhyI’m dangerous yet. Bringing them in will put them at risk, and we've all got more than enough threats against our life as it is. The guilt of keeping secrets from them weighs on me like heavy stones, but I can't risk their lives. This unbound burden is mine to carry, and I won't put it on their shoulders unless I absolutely have to.

Beck's elemental shows itself first. It's a bear that is about half as tall as Beck when on its four legs, and probably taller if it stood on its hind legs.

"Meet Uther," he says, patting the bear on the head. Uther snaps at him, and Beck pulls his hand back with a sheepish smile. "He's grouchy, but we're already becoming fast friends."

His bear looks like he's made of living water of the deepest blue. In most ways, it looks like a bear, except for the peculiar long eyebrows and dangling beard of water on its face.

I don't dare say as much aloud, but I honestly think it's kind of cute.

Mireen's "Ollie" shows himself next. He's the size of a dog and swims through the air with a sleek body that seems made the same way of most water elementals—as if he's a living formation of water. Though the eyes and a few parts, such as its teeth and claws, do seem somewhat more solid. Ollie's "claws" that Mireen bragged about look about as deadly as a cat's.

"You know," Ambrose says. "I have heard that the smaller elementals are often a sign that the primal commands more powerful channeling skills. Maybe Ollie is a little less of a front-line fighter, but he'll bolster your magic as you guys train together."

Mireen scratches his head as Ollie continues to swirl around her. She talks to him in a baby voice. "You could fight on the front lines if you wanted, couldn't you?"

Instead of snapping at her or seeming annoyed, Ollie just curls tighter into her, making me smile. They say elementals are drawn to people who match their own nature. I think it’s true for my friends, but I don’t know if Typhon was exactly a natural pairing for me. At least I hope not, based on his personality.

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