Page 61 of Legends and Longing

“Shit. We’re the genetic troublemakers.” Wren’s grumble had everyone trying not to laugh. “I can’t wait to tell Pierce and my mother.”

“Shiloh of Earth, did anyone of the line of Anoth come through the gate with you?” Baldron didn’t let us distract him, though, and I could feel the weight of the question as his gaze settled back on me. “They were five dragonlings…four girls and one boy.”

How did he know that?

“Yes.” Taking a deep breath, I focused on the information he wanted and gave him a summary of what we knew…thankfully that information hadn’t been lost. “The children all survived until adulthood and several of them moved away from the gate in the next generations. Kaden of Earth is a direct descendant, and there are still two strong family lines on the other side of the gate by the portal but they couldn’t come.”

Ignoring the people on both sides of the gate that started buzzing, I looked around. “Kaden? One of the girls married a mage and they generally all married that way, so his immediate family sees themselves as just mages.”

Kaden looked stunned stupid, but he managed to step closer to Baldron, who smiled even wider. “Emala’s line, correct? She was always the most interested in magic.”

How did he know that?

Hiding the shiver that raced through me, I nodded and tried my best to sound neutral. “Yes. Her line produced strong mages.”

I ignored how that made everyone press their lips together, but it was Agent Murphy that broke first. “Is he related to Kenzie or Lorne?”

The way Wren started to choke was what almost broke me, and made me forget how stressful the whole situation was. “Both.”

That didn’t surprise anyone.

I expected Baldron to have more questions but he focused on Agent Murphy. It was obvious he wanted an answer, and it made Agent Murphy swallow hard. “They’re all…interesting.”

Wren was going to choke to death or end up being punished by his Daddy if he didn’t get his reactions under control.

Baldron didn’t mind our bad behavior, though, because he laughed.

He actually laughed like a human.

Agent Murphy pressed his lips together so he didn’t stand there looking stupid, but Baldron didn’t mind the shock he’d created. “She liked what you would call pranks. I think she would have enjoyed her descendants. Come let me see you better, Kaden of Earth.”

Even Kaden seemed to understand how weird things were, but he obeyed the strangely ancient dragon. “My family passed down a story about how our first ancestor coming through the gate snuck out to come when she shouldn’t have. I don’t know the details. Those were lost over the years, but do you know the story?”

I did…but no one else alive on this planet should’ve…shit…there were only two people alive on my planet that knew it.

But Baldron knew it and nodded softly. “She had pulled a prank the night before leaving for the trip and was what you would call grounded. The story won’t make sense at this point but she…I think describing it as spray painting would be accurate if my knowledge of English is correct. She was supposed to stay home and fix the mess she’d made.”

From what her writings said, she’d never been able to decide if she regretted that decision or not.

“From everything I know she had a happy life.” Kaden looked over at me, wanting to confirm what he’d been told. “Right?”

I nodded before I thought about it. “Yes. There were some struggles, but overall, they all had wonderful lives…traveling and having big families.”

Baldron sighed as his pleased smile grew wider again. “I have waited a very long time to hear that.”

I still wanted to know how…but I was starting to realize I knew how.

“I would like to talk to all of you, but first, I will ask to sit with Shiloh and Kaden for a time.” Baldron’s smile looked just like Lorne’s when the naughty dragon knew he’d get exactly what he wanted. “Then I will answer questions about other families.”

Oh, I had questions alright.

“My family has always done their best to remember their stories and it’s time I pass that down to a new generation.” Baldron somehow made that sound very rational but it looked like only a handful of people realized how weird it was.

The only problem was that I was one of them and I didn’t know if I could ask about it or not. My family had been sworn to secrecy…I was pretty sure by the same person who’d allowed the old dragon to live forever…so did the old oath apply any longer or not?

Chapter 19

Zorin