Page 31 of Kingdom of Darkness and Dragons
"All this time," Septimus murmured, still staring at me. "In the ludus, in bed, fighting beside me—you were always..."
"I only learned how to shift recently," I said quickly. "I always knew I was different, stronger and faster than I should be, but I didn't know why until a few months ago. Most Talfen don't discover their dragon nature until their twenties, if at all."
"But you knew," he said, and there was no accusation in it, just a kind of wondering sadness. "You knew what you were and you didn't tell me."
"I was afraid." The admission came out rougher than I'd intended. "Afraid you'd see me as the monster the Empire taught you I was. Afraid you'd—"
"Leave. I understand. I haven’t exactly been the most trustworthy of partners. I don’t blame you for not telling me.”
"You're taking this remarkably well."
"I'm having some kind of breakdown, actually," he said conversationally. "But I'll process it later. Right now I'm more concerned with the implications." His brow furrowed as his tactical mind engaged. "Are all dragons shifters? Can they all take human form?"
"Yes," I said. "All dragons can shift. That's how Sirrax can—" I stopped, grinning as understanding dawned on his face.
"Sirrax," he breathed. "Sirrax is—"
"One of Livia's lovers, yes." I grinned at his shocked expression. "That's where she's been sneaking off to at night. Why she comes back looking like she's been thoroughly—"
"I do not need details," Septimus said quickly, though I could see him fighting a smile. "Though that does explain why she's been walking differently lately."
I laughed, the sound echoing off the trees around us. It felt good to laugh, to share this secret with someone who understood, who accepted it without judgment. He shook his head, still looking dazed. "A dragon. Multiple human lovers are apparently not enough for Livia, apparently, she's sleeping with a dragon. Two dragons."
"Are you scandalized?" I asked, settling beside him on the log.
"I'm impressed," he said honestly. "And slightly terrified for her structural integrity."
I burst out laughing again, and after a moment, he joined me. The laughter felt cleansing, washing away the last of my tension about the revelation. When it faded, we sat in comfortable silence, listening to the stream babble and the wind sigh through the pines.
"So what now?" Septimus asked eventually. "You said you needed to do this to heal fully."
"Flying helps," I said. "Being able to shift, to be fully myself—it accelerates the healing process. I've been suppressing it for weeks, trying to fit into human spaces, human expectations. My body has been fighting itself trying to heal while only half of what I am was allowed to exist."
"And now?"
"Now I can finish healing properly. Now I can go back to the war and end this once and for all." I turned to look at him,studying his profile in the dappled light. "Will you come with me? I know it's asking a lot—"
"Of course I'll come with you." He met my gaze steadily. "Did you think I'd let you face this alone?"
"It's dangerous. More dangerous now that Kalen knows what I am, what I can do. And if the Emperor discovers the truth about dragons—"
"Then we'll deal with that when it happens." Septimus reached over, his fingers finding mine and intertwining them. "I'm not leaving you, Tarshi. Dragon or human or whatever else you might turn out to be—I'm not leaving you."
The simple declaration sent warmth spreading through my chest, chasing away the last of my fears about his reaction. I lifted our joined hands, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.
"I love you," I said quietly. "I should have told you that before. Should have told you everything before."
"You're telling me now," he said. "That's what matters, but there’s one thing I do need to know.”
My chest tightened slightly at his serious tone.
“And what’s that?”
Septimus winced. “Tell me you don’t expect me to ride you, like Livia rides Sirrax?”
I raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Those two weeks after we escaped the ludus, when I had to ride Sirrax to get us away from the search parties?" Septimus shuddered dramatically. "That was enough dragon-riding for a lifetime. My thighs didn't recover for a month, and don't get me started on what that saddle did to my—"
