preserve much.” Sora looked up at King Alric to find the dragon frowning down at his desktop. “I’ve already petitioned my family to share our records, and they’ve agreed.”
King Alric’s frown eased a bit. “Thank you. We’ve done the best we could, but being able to regain what was lost to us would be an amazing boon to me and mine. Our lack of knowledge and smaller numbers have hampered us. Gaining access to your clan’s knowledge will be immensely helpful. Thank you.”
“But why did you return now?” Dieter inquired.
Ravi darted up to place his hand on Sora’s arm and lightly squeezed. A look of intense worry filled his eyes. “The Jaeggi haven’t found your clan, have they?”
“No,” Sora said, and Ravi breathed an immediate sigh of relief. “We’ve heard not a peep from the Jaeggi in all this time. In fact, we’d begun to hope that they’d all been wiped out.”
King Alric grinned. “The interviews.”
Sora nodded, huffing a small laugh.
“Yes. Many of us watched your interview with Cameron with a mix of great interest and surprise.” His expression twisted into something a bit wry. “While we have been hidden, we have tried to keep up with news and technology. We’ve seen the rumors on the internet over the years about dragon sightings. We knew we weren’t the only ones left, but when you conducted that interview, we—no, I thought that we’d become too cut off from our own kind. It was clear that things have changed in the past five centuries. While the Sodalicium might not be ready to come out to the entire world, I thought we needed to at least be in contact with our own kind.”
“Just you?”
Sora chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment. “The Abe clan is quite reclusive and hesitant to reach out to anyone outside of our clan.”
He hesitated. King Alric and the others definitely didn’t need to know that he’d become bored and restless with his own clan. That he’d come here not only wanting to speak to other dragons and mages, but that he needed to see more of the world, find…something to give him purpose.
“With the approval of the leaders of the Sodalicium, I came here as a sort of scout. I wished to assess whether it would be safe for more members of the Sodalicium to reach out to the rest of the world, to other dragons.” He bowed low to King Alric. “I pray you will forgive my deception.”
“Of course, Sora,” King Alric said immediately. “I recognize that you meant no harm. You were only protecting your people.”
Sora straightened. “Thank you, King Alric.”
“Speaking of your people, how big is the Sodalicium now, if you don’t mind me asking?” Dieter broke in.
“There are about 400 dragons and roughly 2,000 mages across at least a dozen different clans.”
Gunter slumped in his seat, looking a little wide-eyed and pale. If the dragon hadn’t already been seated in a chair, he probably would have ended up on the floor again. “Oh, dear heaven.”
“That’s amazing,” King Alric added. “To know there are so many dragons still in the world, and mages…I never would have guessed.”
“Yes, that’s why I find it all the more infuriating that your clan is dealing with the Jaeggi once again, but this time you are doing it alone.”
“We have had help recently from King Rodrigo and the Valerii Clan.”
“Ravi has also told me that they are roughly the same size as the Burkhard Clan and struggling to find mage mates.” Sora shook his head. “I’m sorry, King Alric, but that just won’t do. Not when the Sodalicium can help. It’s our duty to stand by our own kind. And it would be our honor, if you would let us.”
King Alric’s mouth fell open, and no words came out for a second. “What are you saying?”
“I’ve contacted my clan. I’ve told them how you are battling the Jaeggi and about their dangerous attacks on mages. The leaders of the Sodalicium are coming here now to help you.”
Unshed tears glistened in King Alric’s eyes for a moment before he rapidly blinked them away. He drew in a ragged breath and swallowed hard.
“Thank you. Thank you so very much, Abe Sora. We greatly appreciate all the allies we can get for this battle.”
Reaching over, King Alric tapped a couple of buttons on the phone sitting at his right. The room was filled with the sound of ringing for a moment before the call was answered.