Page 34 of Silver Claws, Crimson Tears
I blink, stunned by this admission.—Are you actually saying you might forgive him for being Fragor’s rider?
The mention of Fragor triggers something—a memory sharp as dragon spikes cutting through the fog. Suddenly I’m back at that terrible moment when Vaylen discovered my truth, when Zephyros tried to flee with me...
—Zephyros, heed my order. Land now and calm yourself. You are letting anger control you once more,Fragor said.
—You do not command me, Fragor,Zephyros spat back.When will you understand that the day you abandoned my offspring was the day our old alliance ended?
I gasp aloud, the bread falling from my fingers.
“What’s the matter?” Vaylen looks up, concern etching his features.
I barely hear him, my mind reeling. Two impossible revelations I’d forgotten collide in my consciousness. One, I heard Fragor’s thoughts. Two, Fragor abandoned Zephyros’s offspring.
—Zephyros?I push across our bond, desperate for explanation.—What offspring? What happened with Fragor?
—Nothing worth discussing.
—But I heard his thoughts. How is that possible?
—You can speak to all dragons, if they choose to speak back, which they rarely do to those they have not bonded.
—Really?
—Really. You’re a Weaver. It’s what Weavers do.
I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise. It makes sense.—And what about what he said? Your offspring?
—We will speak of this later.His tone turns glacial.—Not here. Not now.
I stare at my dragon, this creature I thought I knew completely. But that’s impossible. He’s five thousand years old, and I can barely keep my own life straight.
Vaylen crouches beside me, his hand warm on my shoulder. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
I look up into those blue-gold eyes, wondering how many more surprises wait beneath the surface of everything I thought I understood.
“Nothing,” I lie. “Just... remembering.”
Vaylen frowns, his fingers tensing on my shoulder. He starts to pull away, disappointment clouding his eyes.
I grab his wrist. “Wait.”
The promise I made last night echoes in my mind. No more lies between us. But this isn’t exactly a lie. It’s just... complicated. Private dragon business that I barely understand myself. But no. That’s exactly the kind of hairsplitting justification I’ve used my entire life. I promised him truth. He deserves truth.
“Don’t go,” I whisper, tugging him closer. “I remembered something just now. Something that happened before I disappeared.”
His expression softens as he lowers himself beside me. Phoebe busies herself with the horses, tactfully out of earshot.
“I heard Fragor’s thoughts,” I confess, voice barely audible. “The day we fought the Screechclaws. When Zephyros tried to fly away with me.”
Vaylen’s eyes widen. “That’s not possible. You’re bonded to Zephyros, not Fragor.”
“Apparently, they all can speak to Weavers if they choose so. Anyway,” I lean closer, the words tumbling out, “Fragor was commanding Zephyros to land, and he refused. He said something about Fragor abandoning his offspring, that theirold allianceended that day.”
Vaylen stares at me, stunned.
“Zephyros doesn’t want to talk about it.” My fingers tighten around Vaylen’s wrist. “There’s history between them, Vaylen. Ancient history. And somehow I heard Fragor’s thoughts. Or he let me hear them, I guess.”
“Can you hear him now?”
