Page 24 of Under the Dragon's Spell
He waited until we were alone, and then he dragged me along with him into one of the rather spacious bathrooms.
"You can't let her get to you," was the first thing he said once we were alone.
"What are you even talking about?" It wasn't like I had no idea, but I was irritated with this situation and with his mother and with him for standing by. More and more I was wondering whether this was really a household I wanted to belong to.
"She knows," he explained, or at least, he tried to explain, because I didn't understand. What did she know? About my powers? About me and Rory? Neither of that was good. I felt cold sweat break out on my skin as I waited for Tyrel to elaborate.
"What does she know?"
"Paul saw me head into your room yesterday, and he told her."
"Oh."
"Oh? You don't seem to understand how bad this is."
I shook my head. "You had me thinking she knew more than that."
"What do you mean?"
"I thought she might know about my powers."
Tyrel narrowed his eyes at me, as if he suspected that there was something I wasn't telling him. I wondered if he remembered our date in the café, and why I'd first resisted him. I wondered whether he was still interested in that conversation. Whether he'd try to get it again. If so, now was not the time, and he seemed to realize that, too, at least.
"She knows I've taken an interest in you. It's only a matter of time until she figures out why."
"You say that like it's impossible you could simply find me hot."
He gave me a wry smile. "You have to understand I was against this arrangement from the start. I didn't want any of it. In truth, I don't much like associating with humans. You're all so fragile and weak-minded."
"You mean we're easy to push around because you have magic."
For a second, I feared he might take offense, but then he grinned instead, showing a hint of sharp teeth. "Yes."
"If you don't like humans, why mate one?"
"That was my mother's idea. She believes I need to correct my opinion of humans and also that a mixed gene pool is a good thing. She wants a strong heir."
"Wouldn't a pure dragon be stronger than a mixed one?"
Tyrel laughed softly. "You'd think so, but I'm mixed, and I'm exceptional."
"You're mixed?" Come to think of it, where was his father during all this?
"My father was human."
"Was?"
"Indeed." He didn't say any more on the topic, and I felt it was something he didn't want to talk about, so I backed off. "You can't let my mother know about your power," he said eventually. "Just because she believes in mating with humans doesn't mean she believes they should be equal to us, I'm afraid."
I nodded slowly. I'd gotten that vibe from her. "You realize I can't spend my whole life hiding from your mother."
"I'll take care of it. But for now, don't draw her attention unnecessarily."
"So if she tries to force me to do something…?"
He sighed. "Comply. I don't think she caught your lie earlier."
But you did.
