Page 74 of The Dragon's Perfect Omega
She looked into my eyes. "People have lost their magic this way."
"Lost it?" Completely? The idea gave me pause.
"You grow incredibly powerful after drinking the tea, but after that follows a period of time where you won't be able to draw on your magic at all. The recovery period is different for everyone. Some unfortunate dragons have never recovered their abilities at all. It's one of the reasons we make sure to harvest all dragonshine flowers growing on the volcano each year. It's simply too dangerous for public consumption."
"What do you mean I wouldn't be able to use my magic anymore? Would I still be able to shift?"
"Dear boy, that's magic so innate no plant can take it away from you for longer than a few months, but..."
"But I'd be useless to you," I concluded.
She licked her lips as if unsure what to say, how to defend herself. Her silver aura flickered, dimming for only a second. "Just as the tea would be useless to you."
"It wouldn't be," I protested. "I know what I saw in my vision."
"Seeing isn't the same as understanding. The way you described you were going to use the tea... that's how you transfer magic energy to someone else."
"Zim getting some of my energy sounds perfect to me."
"It wouldn't work. He's not a magical being. Unless..." Her mouth opened wide. "Oh."
"What?"
"I suppose he has magic inside of him if he's carrying your babies."
I smiled victoriously. "That solves it then. I'm doing it."
"Are you sure that you..." She stopped talking midway through her sentence. "There's no point in trying to dissuade you, is there? But maybe things were always going to happen this way. Maybe you were never meant to be my successor. Maybe."
"Maybe what?"
"I have a feeling those twins of yours are going to be more powerful than either of us. The product of fated mates and super-charged before birth. I'm sure the Gods will be smiling on them."
"You seriously believe all of this was part of fate's plan?" Could that really be true? "You'll have to hope they'll choose to get involved with religion because I'm not forcing them into anything."
She sighed. "I understand, but I'm only giving you more of dragonshine flowers in exchange for a promise that you won't vilify the shrine to your children either."
"Don't worry about that. They'll have my mother in their lives."
She nodded. "Well, let me get the flowers for you."
"Thank you. For all your help."
She stopped with her hand on the door. "You're welcome. You were right, I think. After the way I gave you up, it's the least I can do for you." Her aura flickered again as she smiled at me, almost as if she wanted to say something more but couldn't find the words.
"You know," I found myself saying, "if the twins are going to be as powerful as you assume, they might need some guidance when they're old enough to dive into their abilities." This woman hadn't been part of my life, but the way she helped me save Zim told me she wasn't entirely a bad person. Should I keep her from her grandchildren if she expressed interest in seeing them? "Just promise me that there won't be any evangelizing."
The silver around the high priestess glowed brighter as she held her hand out to me. "I believe that's a promise I can keep."
We shook on it.
36
Zim
Shortly after Lowenleft the house, my smart phone rang. Hoping it wasn't my parents, I dug it out of my pocket and looked at the Caller ID. Not my parents.
Kathy.
