Page 13 of Mage of the Dragon Prince
“Such stories have persisted through the eons, yet you willfully disregarded them. It does not speak much to your intelligence.”
Auslin’s jaw clenched. “Admittedly, it was not one of my finer moments.”
Tatsuki stared down at Auslin with disdain. “We suppose you had some reason for thinking this was a good idea.”
“My companion is more superstitious than most. I wanted to go somewhere he wouldn’t follow me. It was the only option I could think of at the time.”
“Is there some reason you were trying to escape from him?”
“I was hurt and upset.” Auslin looked away in embarrassment. “I wanted some time to clear my head.”
“This…companion,” Tatsuki said as he gave a look over Auslin’s body that made him instinctively shrink back, “is clearly intimate with you.”
“Yes.” Auslin blushed, humiliated to have such a conversation with Kio’s father.
“Who is this companion of yours?”
Auslin hesitated for a moment. “He is someone I came across during my travels and healed. He has followed me ever since.”
“Healed?” Tatsuki repeated in confusion. “Your companion is clearly a dragon shifter, so why would he need your help with such a thing? Our magic is far superior to any paltry abilities you may have.”
“I could heal him quicker than his own restorative abilities. Given the severity of his injuries, time was of the essence.” Kio had been in danger of bleeding out from his severe wounds after a fight had gone wrong. If Auslin hadn’t healed him, the half-shifter would have died. The thought made something twist painfully inside of Auslin.
“That should not be possible.” Tatsuki frowned suspiciously. “Was he poisoned or cut with a Divine weapon that negated his healing speed?”
“He is half-human, so he can’t heal at the same speed as a full shifter can. His woundswere far too grave for his limited abilities, so I healed him over the complaints of his pride.”
“You voluntarily healed a half-shifter?” Tatsuki asked in surprise. “Why would you do such a thing? Your kind see half-shifters as abominations.”
“That is a prejudice that shifters seem to agree on with most humans,” Auslin said in a disapproving tone before looking down in shame at speaking out of turn. It was not his place.
“You are not one of them.” Tatsuki rubbed his chin as he carefully studied Auslin. “Why?”
“I believe in the compassion of my temple’s teachings. Other temples preach tolerance, but I spread a message of acceptance instead.”
“Meaning?”
“Tolerance is nothing more than the compromise of allowing something you don’t agree with personally,” Auslin said. “Acceptance is wholeheartedly embracing all people, whether they be human, shifter, or half. Fate’s whims are all that separate us from being one or the other. What sense is there in hating others for such a ridiculous reason?”
“You truly believe in such a thing,” Tatsuki stated in disbelief. “Our son is correct. You are indeed a fascinating creature.”
Auslin flushed once more at the compliment. He didn’t know how to respond.
Tatsuki had no problem continuing the conversationon his own. “We can smell your companion is a relation of our clan, but there are no halflings in our midst. We would never tolerate such an abomination.”
Auslin struggled to figure out how to avoid answering a question that may directly impact his era. “There is much that happens between now and the future that I come from.”
“What relation is he?”
Swallowing his fear, Auslin forced himself to stand his ground. “With the greatest respect, it is best that I don’t answer that question, Your Majesty. Anything I do in this time may affect the future. I’m afraid to jeopardize that.”
“You are refusing to tell us?” There was a deadly rumble in his voice.
“It is too dangerous to say.”
Tatsuki studied him carefully. “It is a direct relation of ours, is it not?”
Auslin bit his lower lip and stared at the floor.
