Riverstone was a small hamlet with only a few buildings gathered around a crossroads. Sophia would be staying at the inn that had only recently been built. The Dragon landed only a few hundred feet from the building and I looked at her as I climbed off her back. She held up a small amulet sized band.

“Nondetection charm. Nobody notices me flying about if I have this on me. If I do anything to actually get their attention then they will notice me but if I am simply flying about or landing and taking off a ways from them, they won’t notice a thing.” She said with a smile.

“Useful. Now the question is how to get Sophia to come see me without drawing attention to myself.” I mused, looking over towards the hamlet.

The Dragon stared at me like I was a fool as I itched my neck.

“What?”

“Did you not just learn a way to do so without having to enter the Inn?” She asked, acting as if I were no more than a child asking stupid questions.

“It can work that far away?”

“I’ve known telepaths who could speak to each other from hundreds of miles away. I had no talent for it and I can still manage a mile before the connection becomes unusable. Try reaching out to your lover.” She said, sitting me down on a fallen log.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance and tried doing the same as I had with her earlier. I reached out with my mind, feeling out slowly but surely. I was fairly certain she was still helping me, guiding me towards the Inn when my mind wandered. Eventually I felt them, half a dozen minds all awake and alert buzzing with thoughts of dishes, food and cleaning. The staff of the Inn no doubt. I felt around a bit more and found a single mind by itself, one thinking slowly as it focused on the book in it’s hands. Sophia.

“Hello Love.” I thought across the connection.

I felt her panic, the shock of the words causing her to drop her book.

“What the hells?! Siran?!” She practically yelled back across the link.

I winced as I tried to calm her down and quiet her thoughts.

“Yes yes its me. No yelling please.” I thought, my own mental voice quiet and calm.

“Where are you? What is this?!” She asked, her volume raising again.

“Well I may have run into a problem in my dragon hunt. I’d like to talk about it face to face. I’m outside, a bit to the south behind the back of the Inn.” I thought, sending her a thought of what I could see of the back of the building.

I could feel her confusion and her wariness and I simply sat on the log and waited. The Dragon wandered off into the trees with a simple message of calling out to her mentally when I was done. I waited in the morning sun, scratching at my neck as that itching refused to subside. It took Sophia nearly thirty minutes to emerge from the trees, wearing a simple outfit for traveling instead of her usual dresses. I hopped off of the log and walked towards her and she took a handful of steps back, suspicion in her eyes.

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“Who are you? You aren’t Siran.” She said, fear flashing in her eyes.

“I am. I… it’s a bit of an odd story if you’ll listen.” I offered, holding up my hands to show I meant her no harm.

She said nothing but nodded.

“I found the Dragon. I did it, I wounded her and drank the blood.” Surprise flashed across her face as well as a brief flash of anger that vanished as quickly as it arrived. “And well… apparently when someone drinks Dragon Blood, they start becoming a Dragon.”

She blinked and I gave her an awkward smile. She tilted her head and I scratched at my throat some more, that itching coming back even worse now. Her brow furrowed and she gave me a look that I wasn’t quite sure of.

“So you are a Dragon?” She asked, looking me over with an angry expression.

“Apparently. I am stronger now but… Well th-” She held up a hand and gave me a hard look.

“Will you be returning to the City? Would you be able to?” She asked, bluntly and her voice now filled with annoyance.

“I want to yes. Once this is done I would like to go home with yo-” I stopped as she held up a hand again.

“That cannot happen. The Church won’t allow it.” She said, her voice growing hard.

“Sophie, we can make this work there are ways that we ca-” I took a step back as she rushed forward and drew a knife from within her traveling cloak.

The dagger hit me just below my shoulder, near my heart as hot blood spilled out, coating her hands. I backed away, a hand flying up to cover the wound as I stared at her.

“Sophie… why?” I asked, as I felt my throat begin to constrict as the itch reached an unbearable level almost equal to the wound in my shoulder.

“You weren’t supposed to come back. The Priest said that drinking it would kill you! But lucky little Siran just had to survive didn’t he?!” She cried, stalking towards me with the knife drawn.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice cracking and breaking as I felt my eyes growing wet.

“Oh don’t be an idiot Siran. You were a pawn! Marrying you meant that my Family would be in control of the Knights of the City, they could be directed by the Church. But then you just had to go and earn yourself the title of the King’s Champion! No power or authority. So we went with Plan B, Argan was more than willing to help me get the Priest to tell you of the Dragon’s Blood myth. The Priest said it should kill you, not actually work! So now I have to do this the dirty way. Argan is a better fit with the family anyway.” She said, thrusting forward with the blade and hitting me in the gut as I tried to grasp what she was saying.

“But I- You… We…” I stammered barely registering the pain in gut from the blade as she broke my heart.

“What you thought I loved you? No, you were terrible for my Family’s reputation, a simpleton in matters beyond Knighthood and a blasted heretic in the eyes of the church. If Greyson hadn’t protected you, they would have strung you up years ago. Just close your eyes and this will all be-” She didn’t finish as a long whip like tail collided with her chest and sent her flying to the opposite side of the clearing. I looked up to see the Dragon above me, teeth bared and eyes full of Hate.

“What have you done to my Hatchling, Wench?” She growled, shielding me with her powerful arms as she glared at Sophia.

“D-D-D-Dragon.” Was all Sophia could say in response.

The Dragon tried to lunge forward but I grabbed at her leg with my own hand, fumbling weakly as blood coated my chest.

“No. Don’t. Please.” I begged, barely managing to keep my eyes open.

“Oh Hatchling.” She said, scooping me up in her claws and taking off.

She kept me there the entire flight back to the cave, I barely registered when she spoke some manner of spell and the wounds in my chest closed. But the ones on my Heart didn’t.