Page 59 of The Black Dragon
They were infused with dragon magick, Ariel realized. Real dragons, not shifters likeJustin.
Justin clasped her hand, but she shrugged it off. After the way he’d left, without giving her a chance to explain, she wasn’t ready to resume trusting himagain.
He sighed. “Comeon.”
In the next room they found a cache of citrine, lapis,turquoise, quartz, and rose quartz crystals. They wandered to another cavern. Justin’s breath hitched. He squatted next to a red stone and picked itup.
“What is it?” The crystal was beautiful, glowing and seeming to emitenergy.
“Red diamond. Drust told me about them. They’re worth a lot of money.” He picked up one diamond. “Whoa. That feels…amazing.”
Ariel picked up anotherred diamond. Energy pulsed through her, raw and primitive. So much power she felt heady with it. And more than a littlescared.
They set down thegemstones.
Nearby, the baby dragons slumbered. Two dozen, all curled up next to each other in an alcove, fastasleep.
Large as German shepherd puppies, each dark green dragon had its tails curled around him, resting his head on hisfront legs. Tiny jeweled horns grew from their heads. Not jewels, Ariel realized. Crystals, the same kind that littered the cavernfloor.
Wonder filled his expression as Justin squatted down to observe the sleeping babies. “The dragons are connected to the crystals. Drust told me the babies eat the rock walls, carving out the cavern and enlarging it and after they absorb the minerals, theyspit out the rest, turning the extra intocrystals.”
Ariel wrinkled her nose. “You mean all this is dragonvomit?”
His deep laugh reverberated throughout the cave. “In away.”
Fascinated, she hunkered down next to him, careful to stay back from the dragons. It was wonderful to see them, but she wasn’t certain if they wouldn’t be grumpy and snap ifawakened.
He seemedto read her thoughts. “Go on. Petone.”
“I’d be safer petting an alligator.” But this was why she came here. Only one way to find out what shewas…
“It won’t hurt you.” Justin reached out, stroked a sleeping dragon. It gave a purring sound and snuggled against itsneighbor.
“All right. But if I lose my hand to those sharp teeth, you’re paying the medical bill.” Wary, she reachedout and touched the same dragon Justinhad.
Two reptilian eyes opened. Yellow as citrine, the baby dragon blinked at her. She drew back. It crawled closer, lifting itshead.
“Touch him again,” Justinencouraged.
Enthralled, she stroked its head. The baby dragon purred again and when she pulled away, playfully butted herhand.
“More?” Ariel laughed. “All right, littlefella.”
To her shock, the dragon crawled over to her and put its paws on her knee, like a dog begging to be petted. Ariel lifted it up into her arms and stroked itsbody.
“It feels like soft leather,” she marveled, running her hands along the dragon’slength.
“Their scales won’t turn hard for another ten years. They’re vulnerable until then, which is why they hide in thesecaves. In about twenty years, they’ll leave the nest and seek out mage communities that need crystals for healing or meditation purposes. The dragons make the crystals and in return, the communities look after thedragons.”
“No mothers or fathers. Poorbabies.”
“They have a guardian, who is supposed to look after them, hold them, and when they are older, teach them to fly. Like us,they’re invisible toSkins.”
It bothered her to think they were alone, only that creature outside for company. “So this means I’m really a dragon. Half dragon,anyway.”
“Didn’t you really want to know?” he askedquietly.
Ariel swallowed hard. “Yes.”
