Battle Bond: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series (Death Before Dragons #2) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,72
and the goblins didn’t. It wasn’t that I wanted a reward, but my mother’s words had been in my mind, that maybe if I helped more magical beings, the innocent ones would stop fearing me as much as the guilty ones did. Then maybe there would be fewer break-ins of my apartment and drive-by shootings. But that would only happen if the magical community knew I was helping them.
“From what I’ve learned, this is not usual for you,” he continued. “Typically, you side with the vermin—the humans—infesting this world instead of the magical, even though you are half magical.”
“That’s because I was born here, and humans are my people.”
What did he want from me? His gaze was impossible to read when it latched onto me—and more than a little disconcerting. He was close enough that I could feel that now-familiar tingle of power emanating from him, like high-voltage electricity crawling over my skin. Except less unpleasant. I didn’t have the urge to hurry away from it, like I would from power lines. No, I had the urge to step closer, to intensify that sensation, and that disturbed me. It was too much like the pull of a moth to a flame—or a bug zapper.
“That is no reason not to embrace the superior half of your heritage,” Zav said. “Your father could teach you much.”
“I’m sure he could, but it’s not like I can look him up on LinkedIn.”
A gust of wind swept down the road, blowing more soggy leaves off the trees and threatening to give me a glimpse of Zav’s legs under his robe. I wondered if he was wearing socks with his slippers and smirked at the thought.
He frowned, no doubt thinking my twitching lips indicated some disrespect or another. “He has left this world?”
“All elves did. And dwarves. Forty-odd years ago. Nobody knows why, but there are lots of theories. Nobody left behind knew how to make portals, so it’s not like I could get a ticket and go looking for him, even if I wanted to see him. And I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“He left my mother before I was even born.” I pulled my collar up against another chilly gust. It was almost summer, but I was wet, and the rain was threatening to turn into a more serious storm. “She forgives him, or so she says, because he had to choose between leaving with his people and staying here with her and only her. He chose his people.”
Why was I speaking about this to a dragon? What did he care?
“Look, never mind any of this. I’ve been searching this area using the points on the map that Greemaw gave me, but I haven’t found anything yet. That’s why I didn’t call you. Also, I don’t have your number.”
“My what?”
“I don’t know how to get in touch with you.”
Zav touched his temple. “I do not have my mental shields up against telepathic intrusion, not in this world. There is little need. You can reach me telepathically.”
“Uh, sure. If I could do that, I would.” Actually, I wouldn’t. The idea of trying to touch my mind to his seemed disturbingly intimate. Either that, or he’d give me a headache with the power of his responses. Thus far, that had been my experience with telepathic communication with dragons.
Zav lowered his hand. “You cannot?”
“Nope.”
“What magical powers do you have? Besides your charms and your weapons. It would be useful for me to know before we confront Dobsaurin.”
“I don’t have any magical powers besides healing quicker than normal for a human.”
“That cannot be possible.”
“Oh, it is.”
“You are half-elf.”
“Yeah, and I tried to do magical things when I found out. Nothing ever happened. I don’t have any powers.” I remembered the magical bonds I’d broken in the dark-elf laboratory—and how I wasn’t positive the lock-picking charm had been responsible for that. Or at least wholly responsible.
“You were trained by a practitioner and failed to show abilities?”
“No. I tried to teach myself. That’s how it goes for most mixed-bloods here. There’s nobody left to teach. You muddle through and figure things out on your own. Lots of people manage it.”
“Magic must be taught. Muddling is unacceptable.”
“That’s how it works here. Let’s drop it, okay? My charms and my weapons and my ambassador are plenty.” I waved toward Sindari. He’d moved farther up the trail to sniff at something in the woods. The sky was growing darker, and his fur glowed a soft silver.
The wind gusted again, tugging at my braid and leaving a