“It hurts,” I said again. I didn’t know what else I could say.

  My Cassia had the ability to wound me more deeply than any blade or crossbow bolt. Telling her that opened a deep pit of worry inside of me. It wasn’t something I could fix with my claws or magic. No amount of fire or fury would change it in the slightest.

  There was an extended moment of silence between us.

  One moment Cassia was standing a few meters away. The next, she slammed into me. Her body hit mine at full throttle, without reservation. Strong arms wrapped around my head as her torso pressed against my snout. The force of it surprised me. In spite of my greater size, she was able to move me back across the ground.

  She didn’t say anything. I could feel my gemstone, where the top of her chest was pressing against me. It burned with warmth. I remembered how Edith had connected to me not long before.

  When I knew what to look for, it was as simple as pushing through an open door.

  Connection blossomed, unrestrained.

  I could feel her heart beat like it was my own. There was no barrier between what she felt and myself. The good and the bad rushed in, swallowing me in an ocean of emotion. Unbidden, my own pain boiled outwards.

  To be a dragon was to be alone.

  I had known that from the first moment I drew breath. Existence was pain and struggle. The strong preyed on the weak. When the dark closed in and winter winds blew across your scales, it was up to you to fight and win.

  The towering figure of a bear rose in front of me, its rotting flesh cast in winter moonlight.

  Armored knights drew blades, their armored boots crunching through the snow as they drew close.

  A sorcerer’s staff pointed at me, declaring me a thief and a betrayer.

  One eye the color of the sky begged me, when all the lips could say was, “Please.”

  My egg plummeted into the void as I screamed.

  Warm hands caught me.

  Cassia held me tighter to her body, refusing to let go even as those memories washed over us both. I felt her push back against the tide. Spring winds rolled back winter’s chill.

  Memories of joy slipped into my perception. Little moments of happiness that I had not recognized.

  Cassia’s hand traced over my scales as a hatchling. It was the first time I’d slept in her bed. She wasn’t really mad about the rabbit blood on her bedding. That would wash out. She’d been embarrassed, because of the dreams she’d been having when I woke her. It was a dream of riding a ruby scaled dragon’s back across the free and open sky.

  Small scraps of meat went into my mouth. I’d learned everything Cassia taught me at a frightening pace. She’d been so worried, when we’d caught a small flock of winter birds in a net. I’d spooked them right into the trap. For the first time in ages, Cassia didn’t have to worry about her next meal.

  When the rotting bear had taken her, she had fought with all she had, but still lost. As she’d sunk into the disgusting mire around the vile tree, she’d consoled herself that at least her darling dragon could go live a long life. She’d been ready to let everything go, so long as I escaped. Then I was there, dragging her back out of the muck. From my breath, I had turned her night into day.

  At first, Cassia didn’t get along with Edith. She worried all the time that once she was healed, I’d leave her behind. Edith was so much more capable than her and her long hair was so elegant. Then, she’d slowly grown to appreciate Edith’s wisdom and kindness. Cassia hadn’t had another human she cared about for years. When I declared that Edith was mine, Cassia had been elated. She wouldn’t lose someone else she’d grown to care for.

  Fire burned on the hillside. Cassia wept out of terror. Her arrows were sticking out of other people, even if they were goblins. She called out my name, begging me to come back. Like a bolt of lightning, I dropped out of the smoke and landed in front of her. The terror tightened in her chest when she saw that I was covered in blood. It shifted to numbness when she realized it wasn’t mine. There had been no hesitation from me. When something attacked her or Edith, it died screaming.

  I scared her to her core.

  So many moments of happiness were because I’d come into her life. She didn’t know how to handle it when faced with just how far I’d go for her. The fear came from what would happen to others if she made a mistake.

  Cassia wanted others to experience the same happiness that I had given her. In the deepest part of her heart, her dream was to be princess. She did not want it for fancy dresses or a prince to come save her. I had already saved her in so many ways. Instead, she wanted to be the kind of princess that made everyone’s lives better.

  She wanted the end of her fairy tale to read ‘Everyone lived happily ever after.’

  To Cassia, I was the sun that had come to turn her night into day.

  To me, Cassia was the Spring that was melting the Winter in my soul.

  It was messy and embarrassing. Human emotions often were. Everything would not suddenly be perfect, but I understood a little bit more about her now. Even when we drew away from each other, this moment of connection would remain.

  I felt an entirely different emotion buried beneath the others. We both shared it, but it was a surprisingly fragile thing. Beyond mere happiness, it made excitement rise inside of me. The urge to investigate it was strong, but I held back. I could tell how close it was to Cassia’s heart. She wasn’t ready to share it with me yet, but it would come with time.

  She promised me that she would, without having to say the words.

  I felt Edith trying to get my attention.

  The world came back into focus slowly. Edith’s hands were jostling both me and Cassia insistently.

  “Oi! You bloody kids! OI!” Edith fussed at the both of us. “Knock it off! That kind of magic is dangerous!” Focusing on her was difficult. It was like a heavy weight had settled onto my shoulders.

  “Godsdamnit Sanguine!” Edith said more urgently. “Ye just talked to T’laanga about this! Get ahold of ye’rself!”

  She sounded genuinely afraid for us. With great effort, I dragged my mind back to the present. My forelimbs gripped Cassia and tried to pull her off my head. Again I was surprised at how strong she was. She was latched onto my head like a limpet.

  Edith noticed me trying to pry Cassia off and grabbed the young woman by the waist. Between the two of us, we were able to loosen Cassia’s grip. Both women went sprawling in the dirt. I could hear Cassia complaining loudly but incoherently.

  Despite the physical separation, I could still feel the newly formed connection. It reminded me of how I had once tracked my gemstone into the Dark Wood. The difference was that it was now active all the time. While it didn’t show visibly, it was like a thin cord had formed between me and Cassia. If I followed it, I would find her no matter where she was.

  I carefully moved closer to check on both women. Edith had sat up and was patting herself down. Both of our eyes looked down at Cassia. My gemstone was no longer hanging on a leather cord or seated inside of an amulet. It was embedded in Cassia’s chest right over her sternum.

  The gemstone wasn’t just lodged there, it had become a part of her body. When her heart beat, a faint pulse of light flickered across the gem’s surface.

  “Ugggh,” Edith groaned to herself. “Just one bloody night with ye two. Just one, where nothing crazy happens.” She reached out and patted Cassia's cheek. “Oi, love bird. Up ye get!”

  Cassia grumbled and tried to fend off Edith’s hand, but after some further prodding she sat up as well.

  “Edith, I don’t feel so good,” Cassia mumbled as she moved her hand to her chest. When her fingers found the gem embedded in her flesh, her eyes went wide and she started trying to tuck her chin to get a look at it. “Edith?!”

  “Ah-ah-ah! No touching!” Edith said before she batted Cassia’s hands away. “Let me see dear.” The older woman scooted closer, squinting in the darkness. “Sanguine, can ye do just a little bit of fire, so I can see?”

  With some difficulty I managed to muster some small flickers of fire behind my teeth. Holding them there was the hard part. As carefully as I could I lowered my head by Edith. When she saw the gem in Cassia’s skin in the light, a deep groan of irritation passed her lips.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “Well it’s not… an injury,” Edith muttered. “Bloody dragon magic. What ye two were doing was… some kind of bonding spell?” Her uncertainty was obvious from her tone. “Only seen it one other time and that was… not a good example to go by.”

  “But Edith, I can’t do magic!” Cassia protested. “I’m not a wizard! Or… a sorcerer, like T’laanga.”

  “But ye are carrying around a bloody focus all the same,” Edith growled back. One of her fingers came up and flicked Cassia’s ear. “I told ye lass, that gem is a part of Sanguine. Just because he’s not physically attached to it doesn’t matter much to magic! I bloody near got pulled into it myself!”

  “I- I’m sorry Edith,” Cassia said weakly. “I just wanted to… to understand him.”

  Edith turned her gaze up towards me as she pursed her lips.

  “Aye and ye’r beasty wanted to understand ye, quite badly it seems,” Edith grumbled. “Now ye two are magically bonded through that gem, I think. I couldn’t begin to tell ye how it works though.”

  Edith reached up and touched her broach. She looked at me contemplatively. I shifted uncomfortably in return. If the gem was the method by which the bond had formed, then there was a real possibility Edith’s broach could do the same. She’d be right to take it off. I’d only just learned that her doing so would be painful for me, but I couldn’t blame her for it.

  The older woman sighed again. She looked exhausted, but she seemed able to understand what I was worried about.

  “This happened because of the desire to connect, I think,” Edith said quietly. “I… don’t think it would happen with me even if we tried to force it. Not that I…”

  Edith seemed to muster her strength for a moment.

  “I felt an echo of what ye two went through, with this broach here. I… I want ye to connect with me like that too. I don’t know when. Just… not now.”

  Edith went to stand up and move away, but Cassia grabbed onto her before she could.

  “Edith, I know we messed up,” Cassia told her. “But… You belong with us too. When you’re ready. I just want you to know that.” The older woman grumbled but let herself be pulled into a hug.

  “Cassia, I care for ye both, truly,” Edith admitted out loud. “But I am an old woman, despite what I look like. Right now I want to go dunk my head in the stream before I beat ye both with a broom for acting like fools. I’m demanding that ye both… just give me some space for a bit and I’ll be back.”

  Cassia let Edith go finally. Edith got up and stalked off in the dark towards the stream. Me and Cassia watched her go.

  “Sanguine…,” Cassia said. “We need to do something for Edith, to show her how much we appreciate her. Let’s plan something for her after a day or two.” I nodded in response. A sudden thought crossed my mind.

  “My Cassia,” I rumbled. “I was… supposed to give you… this fruit.”

  I picked up the pomegranate from where I’d dropped it on the ground from the excitement. It was a little smooshed. Cassia watched curiously as I carefully cut an undamaged section from the rind.

  When I lifted it to her face, she showed a bit of hesitation. Her hand came up and delicately plucked the slice full of small red seeds from between my claws. She took a bite before her nose crinkled up. Her slender fingers pulled a filmy cover from the slice and she tried again.

  “Oh!” She said with delight. “This is wonderful! Where did you get this?” She didn’t give me much time to answer. My Cassia devoured each segment that I gave her, not seeming to mind that the juices were staining her fingers or lips.

  Once she was done, she licked the juices from her hands. That wasn’t very lady like, but I kept my mouth shut about it.

  “Thank you, Sanguine,” my Cassia said to me sweetly. She leaned up and pressed her lips against the scales of my cheek. I could briefly smell the fruit’s sweetness on her breath before she pulled back.

  Cassia hopped to her feet with surprising vigor.

  “Let’s get cleaned up before bed!” she declared, practically skipping off towards the camp. I’d not seen her so energetic in a long time.

  I glanced over towards Bronston.

  “‘Young lady things’,” I commented to him blandly. The horse shook his mane and nickered. “Thanks. Very helpful, Bronston.”

  Third looked up from the burning ruin of the farmhouse.

  Out across the horizon, he’d felt his sibling taunting him.

  The Dragon of Slaughter reared back from his meal and screamed his rage at the sky. He’d flown up and down the boring countryside for days, looking for any trace of his sibling. At first the swells of magic had practically screamed at him across the landscape. The petulant screeching of a child.

  Each time, Third’s anger had boiled. Who was this impudent little stain on the earth? Their roar grated on Third’s senses like nothing else. If they had been in the nest with the others, Third would have snapped his neck immediately.

  It didn’t help that First was never far away, always poking and prodding.

  The oath that First had tricked his sibling into swearing only further fanned the flames of Third’s fury. Not a day went by when Third didn’t dream of tracking First down and ripping his heart out from his scales. A couple of times he’d almost tried, only for the oath to take its price.

  ‘This sibling, the weak one, wasn’t bound by the oath.’ The thought slithered into his mind again, unbidden. It had showed up one day all on its own. Third didn’t care much for deep thinking. Thinking only got in the way of doing what he wanted.

  The surge of magic had come from the direction of the mountains. Third’s giant wings flapped once and carried him into the air. He’d been looking in the wrong location. Maybe the earlier surges of magic had been a false lure laid down to distract him. Or this one was.

  Either way, the Dragon of Slaughter would hunt his sibling down and eat them alive for the inconvenience.

  First watched the dark shadow of his younger sibling take flight.

  ‘Good,’ he thought with mild irritation. ‘I was worried that idiot would never catch the scent. He keeps getting distracted eating every farmer he runs across.’

  In the middle of the rubble, there was a sign of movement. First watched with some curiosity as a young human dragged themself out from beneath a charred wooden beam. A short sob came from the creature as it beheld the destruction of all it had ever known.

  ‘Well that could be trouble,’ First thought to himself. ‘Third has been fairly thorough in leaving no survivors thus far. Maybe taunting him so much was a miscalculation, if it’s making him act sloppy.’

  The human was dragging itself on a broken leg and burns covered a large portion of its body. It tried searching through the rubble for its family and found only a few blackened bones. Third was not picky with where he got his meals. This seemed to send the young man into a frenzy, screaming and cursing at the sky through its tears.

  ‘Or perhaps… it could be interesting,’ First reconsidered. ‘Third has been acting a bit too lazy for my liking. He calls himself the Dragon of Slaughter, but the only thing he’s bothered to fight are a bunch of defenseless peasants and cattle. He will be far too weak to properly challenge me if that continues.’

  First watched the human stumble and fall over into the ashes. Even though it was spring, the creature likely wouldn’t survive the night without assistance. Since he couldn’t walk, the human began to drag itself hand over hand towards the nearest human settlement.

  First liked the little human’s tenacity. The desire for vengeance radiating off of the young man was delightful. Anger like that could take a creature far… if they survived long enough to use it.

  ‘I am going to need something to keep me busy while I’m waiting…,’ First considered. ‘And once I’m done devouring my siblings, I’ll still need a healthy snack here and there.’

  ‘Very well, lets see how far he gets.’

  Sigurd dragged himself through the mud, one hand at a time.

  The burning sensation within him had little to do with the weeping wounds covering his body. When he had crawled out from beneath the main support of his home’s roof, all he had felt was terror. If he had not been standing near the chimney when the roof had caved in, he’d have been crushed.

  He’d been arguing with his older sister about who burnt the stew only a moment before. Then a sound like thunder shook the house. It was followed by Sigurd’s entire world collapsing around him.

  The fire within him had come when he’d recognized what was left of Sieglind. Only a bracelet she’d been given by a lad she fancied remained. That bracelet was held in Sigurd’s fist. His fingers ached from how hard they clenched, but he didn’t care.

  One arm in the mud dragged him further forward, then the next.

  Sigurd saw a pair of white boots standing in front of him. He looked up to see an immaculate linen robe above the boots. A voluminous beard like a cloud framed a wizened face. Eyes that shined brighter than stars twinkled beneath a broad brimmed hat. Thin but strong fingers grasped a staff made out of willow wood.

  “Please!” Sigurd gasped at the man, reaching out with one burnt and mud caked hand. “Please help me! There’s a- a dragon!” The raw vitriol is his voice shook Sigurd’s throat. The man dressed in white tilted his head to the side.

  “A dragon? How terrible,” he muttered. “Let’s get you up young man.” Rather than grasp the hand Sigurd held out, he waved his staff. A gust of wind lifted the young man to his feet.

  “You’re- You- A wizard?” Sigurd asked as he tottered unsteadily. His broken leg was already threatening to give out on him. The old man gave a soft tut and pushed his staff into Sigurd’s hands. “But- your staff- isn’t it important to you?”

  “It’s just a stick,” the wizard replied warmly. “I can’t help your leg, but I can give you a stick to let you help yourself.”

  “Thank you!” Sigurd replied. He was too distracted to notice that some of his burns had magically faded. “But please my lord wizard, there’s a dragon! I must get word to the Baron. It-” The young man choked himself with his own emotion. “It needs to die!”

  “Hmm, that’s probably true,” the wizard mused. “The nearest village is a couple hours walk…” He looked at Sigurd’s broken leg. “Closer to four hours, actually. If you hurry, you should be there before sundown. No doubt they can send a man on a fast horse to the Baron’s castle.”

  “Can you not do it with a spell, my lord wizard?” Sigurd asked desperately. “With magic it would only be a moment.” For some reason, the young man felt a chill down his spine. Those eyes that twinkled like stars stared at him for a long moment.

  “Magic has a price boy,” the wizard said jovially. “Some greater than others. Besides, I think this is something you Need.” The wizard’s thin finger pointed at Sigurd’s chest, where the flame of anger simmered. “You said that the dragon Needs to die, yes? Better then, that you see it with your own two eyes.”

  The wizard turned to walk away.

  “But- Where are you going?!” Sigurd cried out, trying to hobble after.

  “Where I must,” the Wizard said over his shoulder. “After all, there’s dragons about. That needs looking after. Don’t worry. We’ll meet again soon enough!” With a wave of his hand, the White Wizard vanished into thin air.

  Sigurd grasped his new staff and gritted his teeth. He’d forgotten to thank the wizard for helping. Sieglind had taught him better than that.

  The wizard was right. He needed to see the dragon die with his own two eyes.