Dragonborn by Maeghan Friday

Author:Maeghan Friday [Friday, Maeghan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA romance, Poly, Fantasy
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Published: 2015-11-16T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Two nights before the tournament, Ben was lying on the bed in Cecily's room. Crispin led Lila in to where Rachel and Jude were standing by the foot of the bed.

"I don't understand," said Lila. "What's going on? Ben, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Lila, don't worry," he said, briefly moving his gaze off the ceiling to comfort her. But he immediately turned pale, as if seasick, and looked back up again. "This happens to me every night, okay? And I'm perfectly fine. But this is really secret, all right? Only my parents know, and Rowan and Alloran. So I'd rather you not tell anyone, even your parents, not yet—"

"Sensitive information," Lila answered readily. "I understand. But can't you tell me what it is?"

"You'll see," he said in grim tones. "Just wait."

Lila waited.

It started slowly, with the skeleton changing shape, the chest moving out and the stomach moving in. Then his arms shortened slightly and his hair began to grow. As the last of his facial features settled into something completely different, and it was a girl who stood up—a very familiar girl.

"Cecily?"

"Don't freak out," she said to Lila, who felt as if she were about to pass out.

"But—it's you," Lila said. "It's you, I know you…"

"We met in the village," Cecily told the others, and then to Lila, kindly, "I'm Ben's sister. We're dragonborn. Changing is our special magic. Ben's still here, in my head—he can come out and say hi if you need him to."

"It doesn't matter to me," said Lila, still reeling. "So—dragonborn?"

"That's right. It means—"

"I know what it means." Lila suddenly became stricken. "Your twentieth birthday. That's why—"

"We figured we could override the bond with the dragon if we got married to someone else first. At least, that's what my parents think."

"It's utterly ridiculous," Jude put in. "Not to mention dangerous. We're trying to think of a better way."

"In the meantime…"

"So it's not a real engagement," Lila said softly. Everything she had ever known was a lie.

This was her job: to negotiate an alliance with Aethier, to find a successful marriage and rule as queen. Now what good was she?

Ben had probably never even wanted her in the first place.

But no, she couldn't allow herself to think like that. He had been kind, more than was required by the situation. And Cecily, she dared think, had been more than kind.

So she smiled up at Cecily, though inside she was still recovering from the shock. Her duty was different now—to save these two from the dragon, whatever it took.

And Princess Lila always did her duty.

*~*~*

"I've upset Cecily," said Rachel to Ben on the morning of the tournament.

Cecily was still sleeping in the back of Ben's head, having said she wanted to get away from his constant worrying. Not that it was unwarranted. Ben knew he was useless with a sword, but as the crown prince he was expected to compete all the same. It was comforting to have the constant presence of Rachel beside him.

"What makes you say that?" he asked, struggling with his chain mail.

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