“Thought you were working on cliffs,” Matt said.
The ogress shrugged. “We’ve graduated.”
She stomped steadily down the stairs as I hauled Matt off on the third floor. Trix trotted at our heels.
Matt dragged his.Maybe I should just hang in the back and do partials.
Cody needs to know what’s up with you. And you need to embrace your Dragon.
He grimaced.Neither sounds like much fun.But at the core of it, I sensed his discomfort.
He’s not going to care that you are part Dragon.
He was born a shifter. We aren’t meant to mix.
That is just a biased bunch of rubbish. And if he minds, he isn’t the guy I think he is.
Matt fell silent, but his angst hadn’t abated. We’d just reached the door separating the main hall from the one leading to the staff quarters when the Sabre pushed through it and rocked to a halt in front of us.
“Hey,” he said easily. “Dropping off Trix?”
“She’s in Familiar training,” I said with a smile. “Or so Cara says. Unless you need her?”
“Appreciate is the operative word, I think.” The big Sabre grinned. “Maybe we’ll have to adopt a dog of our own.” He tilted his head. “So—you’re here to see me?”
No flies on him,Matt said, sounding nervous. He couldn’t even stand still—he swayed from foot to foot.
“Yes,” I answered when he wouldn’t.Show him.
Maybe we can just tell him.
Matt, SHOW HIM.
Matt looked around us, and then gestured to Cody. “Can we go back into the hall?”
Cody’s brows rose, but he led us through the door again. Then he glanced at his chronometer.
I held up a finger. “Wait for it.”
The Sabre took a full step back when Matt pulled off his cloak and expanded his wings. Cody regarded them with an unreadable expression, before saying, “I—see.”
“Xumi forced Talakai to bite Matt,” I said.
Matt winced.Couldn’t we have eased into that?
There is no easing into it.
The wings didn’t want to shrink again. Cody watched the struggle and said, “Dani could help with this. But she is busy with Zeke this morning.” His fingers tapped on his thigh. “I have another idea.”
“I’d rather not have everyone know about it. Not yet, anyway,” Matt confessed, pulling the cloak back on.
The Sabre raised a brow. “They are bound to notice a few things.” His eyes slid to the wings. “Two, for sure.”
Matt sighed. “I need time to adjust to this.”
Cody scanned him before nodding. “We’ll set up some private sessions. Why don’t you head for the roof? I’ll send your instructor to you.”
Matt’s relief coursed through the link. Both that he’d be spared a public reveal in special abilities class, and that Cody was taking it completely in stride.
