24. MonClem #2
“The first is Nullus,” I answered. “A rider will only have access to their dragon’s powers while riding them.
The second is Semis, where a rider can access their dragon’s powers regardless of if they are near their dragon or not, and the third is the most rare.
It’s called a Plenus, which is a completed bond. ”
“What does the complete bond do?” she asked.
“It gives the rider independent access.”
“So the magic is endless?”
I shook my head. “Each of the three bonds have limits and will eventually drain. Typically the stronger the bond, the larger the well of power a rider can access. The Plenus bond has the deepest well, but you can still use too much with any of them, and a rider will have to wait for it to refill. It makes lower bonds more susceptible to moments of burnout and power loss. But what makes a Plenus bond separate from the other two is that the dragon permanently gifts their bonded rider some of their own magic during the creation of the Vinculum. It grants the rider their own well of magic, on top of still being able to pull from their dragon.”
“So each type of dragon has different magic?”
“Each dragon breed, yes.”
“What are they?”
I eyed her for a moment, trying to decide how much I should tell her. “I need you to promise me that you won’t tell Elion or anyone back at the castle first.”
Her lips parted before she nodded.
“There’s two manipulation dragons and four elemental ones,” I said. “Ignis, the red dragons, produce fire magic. Viridis dragons, the green ones, have ground, and Caerulus, the blues, have water. Crepitos are air.”
“So you have air magic?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Her back straightened as she perked up. It was how I burned the girl, how I kept her from leaving the fire pit that night, but I didn’t comment on it, didn’t want to give her a reminder to hate me.
“What type of bond did you get?”
I stared at her for a moment. I shouldn’t keep answering her. I should walk away from her, hell I shouldn’t have even brought her here. “I’ll tell you what,” I finally said, watching her swallow. “I’ll answer all of your questions if you answer mine.”
“What do you want to know?”
I shrugged. “Let me ask, and you’ll find out.”
“Okay, fine.”
“I have a Plenus bond,” I started.
“Are you the only drakin with air magic?” she asked, immediately after.
I shook my head. “My turn. You said you can’t run, why?”
“Because it won’t help me,” she answered.
I stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell that meant. It was only confirmation that something else was going on with her, it had to be.
“I’m the only drakin with air magic,” I answered her last question.
“Crepitos are rare. No one knows why. Dragons don’t live in MonClem.
Although they come and go as they please, they live further up the mountain pass with the other unbonded dragons.
We don’t know if it’s because not many Crepitos exist or if they just don’t like bonding. ”
“Your dragon didn’t tell you that?” she asked.
I smirked before shaking my head. “No. We communicate, but it’s not in the same way people can.” I watched her play with the rim of her glass, still not taking a sip out of it. “How did you climb the Senith?” I asked.
“With a knife.” Her finger paused over the glass. “What magic do the black dragons have? You said there were two manipulation ones, and the gray ones control metal, so what do the black do?”
“You don’t miss anything, do you?” I couldn’t help but smile. Her eyes flicked to my mouth, toward the movement, then lingered on my upper lip, to the chunk of flesh that was missing.
“Black dragons are called Aters,” I said. “They have psychic manipulation.”
“Psychic? What does that mean?”
“No one fully knows because there hasn’t been an Ater dragon that came to bond at the Vargothi since the war.” I leaned back in my chair. “Is Nollie your real name?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice rising an octave. “Why do you think it would be something else?”
“Because you hesitated when I asked you for your name, and the moment you said Nollie, that,” I pointed to her face, “was the exact expression you made.”
“It’s my name,” she said. “I just haven’t been called it in awhile. Does anyone else know that drakins have magic?”
“No,” I answered after a moment, watching her subtle movements shift at my answer.
“Besides drakins, only King Elion knows, which is why I asked you not to tell anyone,” I added.
“Everyone that attends the Vargothi knows there’s a bond between rider and dragon, but they have no idea it gives us access to their powers. ”
“Why did you tell me?”
I was silent for a long time, having no idea how much I wanted to tell her. “I don’t know,” I finally settled on. “I can’t explain it, but I just feel like I can trust you.”
Her face paled as she immediately looked down at the table. I watched her swallow twice before her fingers frantically picked at the wood on the table.
“Besides,” I added, fully aware at how uncomfortable I made her, “you already saw it, and I don’t think you’re stupid enough to believe any lies I would have told.”
That got her to scoff. “Thanks, I think.”
I took another sip from my drink, watching her below the rim as her gaze finally met mine again.
“Have you ever brought anyone here before?” she asked.
“You aren’t good at taking turns,” I smiled, watching her cheeks heat.
“Oh. Right.”
“Was there someone in Moriann you were involved with?” I asked.
“Like a relationship?”
I nodded, but I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I waited for her answer.
“No.”
“No,” I repeated the word, answering her previous one, even though I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was lying.
“No, what?”
“No—I’ve never brought anyone here before,” I said.
“So there’s no one you’re involved with?” She threw my question back at me.
I shook my head, then went into my own question. “Your Token…” The moment I said it, her breath hitched like she was bracing herself for what I was about to ask. “Whatever happened to make it manifest,” I said carefully, “is that why you ran away from Moriann?”
“I…” she started, then stopped.
“You don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to,” I cut in. The last thing I wanted her to do was have another panic attack like she had from the brothel, but I couldn’t stop the question. It felt compulsive, like I needed to know why she left, why she thought she couldn’t run now.
I needed to know what the hell she was going through so I could fix it…
“Why do you want to know?” Her back straightened as she shifted in the chair. “Are you trying to figure out why I left so you can report it to Elion?”
“No.” I set my drink down, already wishing I had more of it. I ran my fingers over my face before letting out a half laugh. “Hell, if Elion knew I had you here, he’d skin me alive.”
Which was exactly what he was going to do the second Cash told him what happened. I knew the prick wouldn’t let an opportunity pass to publicly incriminate me.
“So King Elion didn’t order you to watch me?”
“No, Nollie.”
She sat there for a moment, her breathing picking up a notch. “Why do you want to know then?”
My hand fell from my face. She was so fucking guarded that it ate away at me, wondering what the hell happened to her that made her this way. “I’m curious,” I said. “I’d seen the drop in the cliffs to know not many people are willing to risk their lives to climb it.”
“Why…” she started, then swallowed. “Why was that person at the brothel? The one who got me out?”
“Because I asked him to follow you. I saw you walk out of the Dome with Cash, and he’s a fucking bastard. I don’t trust him.”
“Why do you care?” she asked, her voice was so quiet, and she wouldn’t look at me.
“I have no idea,” I said, even though I knew it was a lie. Deep down, I knew what was happening between us, but I was too much of a coward to admit it. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” I said, giving her some sort of truth, “and I don’t even know you.”
I stood then, not wanting to get into this conversation. It was too dangerous. “I can bring you back to the castle if you want. I can’t promise Cash won’t be there, but I can make sure he doesn’t come into your room.”
I wanted her to stay here, but if she felt safer back in her room, I’d do it.
“No, you can’t,” she scoffed.
“I can.” I stared at her. I didn’t care what Tokens Cash possessed, it wouldn’t break through my shields. “But I can’t protect you if you scale rooftops and leave your room when you’re not supposed to.”
Her mouth parted.
“Because of your air magic?” she guessed, recomposing herself.
I nodded, still standing above her at the table. I had to tilt my neck down to look at her. The candle light was playing tricks on me, making her eyes more blue than gray in the soft glow, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
“And if I don’t want you to take me back?” she whispered.
“You can stay here,” I said, not looking away.
“I’ll…” she swallowed. “I’ll stay here.”
I was about to walk away when she blurted, “Why did you kill them today?”
My expression hardened without meaning to. “It’s the way of the Vargothi,” I answered, not needing her to confirm what she meant. We both knew exactly what she was talking about. “If the Moon Gods don’t bless a bond, the rules are death.”
“Are those the Gods’ rules or Elion’s?”
I didn’t answer, but I didn’t need to. It was written all over my face.
“And you agree with that?” she asked.
“I have a shield over the cabin,” I said, refusing to acknowledge it.
I started walking toward the door.
“Wait,” she blurted, her chair scraping against the wood as she stood. “Where are you going?”
“No one can enter except for me. You’re safe here.” I paused to look at her, my hand gripping the handle. “But for once in your life listen to me and don’t leave the cabin. The shield stops at the door.”
Then I left, not trusting myself to stay with her.