"Woah," Yuvien exclaimed and looked around at everyone as if gauging their reactions.

Ryne's eyes widened for just a moment. He leaned forward on his knees, tilted his head and said, "Tell me more."

"The curse that Hecate placed was two-fold. Dragons couldn't shift anymore, reducing our powers to just a percentage of what we were capable of. That was what helped you win the war."

"To make sure our sins are never forgotten, she also placed a curse on the royal bloodline. A Dragomir can only give birth to one child. And like I told you, we don't survive past twenty-five."

I looked up at Arlan, "Which is why we were betrothed when were just children. If I don't have a child, it will be the end of the royal bloodline. With no hope of ever becoming their former selves, the dragons will truly become extinct."

"Hope?" Arlan spoke for the first time.

"There's a prophecy that's been in our clan since the curse. That Fendal Dragomir's direct descendant by blood, who succeeds in finding the lost god Dragomitus, shall save our clan. Every generation has only one such person on whom the burden of the quest is placed."

"Is that where you went with your teacher all those years ago?" Arlan asked and everyone turned to look at him.

"Remember how we were supposed to get married at sixteen?" I said and he nodded.

"You were what?" Gyrod spoke for the first time. "Wait, aren't you sixteen?" he asked me, his amethyst eyes glowing.

"She's eighteen," Arlan said on my behest, getting up and nodding at me to continue.

"Well, I pleaded with the elders and... I got it postponed. I promised them to successfully complete my quest. I'm sorry I didn't confide in you earlier. You are very dear to me but I didn't want to marry you," I said looking down at my palms again. My cheeks flared up. This was turning into a confession and I wasn't very comfortable with the black eyes that pierced into me from my side as I spoke.

"Do you still not want to?" Arlan asked softly.

"No! I mean, yes," I said quickly. "I..." I sighed, "I love you, Arlan. You are my best friend," I said to the blue-eyed boy.

Keelin began coughing violently. I didn't want an audience as well, but if I didn't do this now, I never would.

"I just don't want to be another irrelevant Dragomir. Besides, I don't want you to end up alone," I said and tears clouded my sight. "I will die soon if I don't find the great god. Although my mother lived until twenty-five, that is almost never the case in my lineage. Apart from her, everyone else has usually died by twenty. I don't have much time," I said and I couldn't help but sob. 

"I have always been terrified of death. And I am almost at the end of the line. If... if I do end up failing, I will have no other choice. But I want to try my best to make sure we both don't go down that road. As much as I hate my father, I also pity him for having to live on..."

Arlan walked up to me quickly and hugged me. "Oh, Ditty. Why didn't you just tell me everything? I would have helped you. I..." he buried his face in my neck and I hugged him back. I had never said any of it aloud before. Now that I had, I couldn't help but be frightened. 

Everything seemed so real. I had less than two years of life left. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't come to terms with that. I had never allowed myself to think of failure. Now, it seemed like a possible alternative to the one I had always hoped for.

I peered at Ryne and saw a fleeting moment of despair on his face. Did my imminent death affect him as well? Was I of any significance to him? Even until earlier tonight, I hated him, didn't I? Yes, he was a pain in the ass and a warlock. But, did I hate him?

"As much as I am moved by your story, I still do have to report this to the Council. It's my duty as the ti-eglor," Ryne said with a sigh as he ran his fingers through his dark hair.

Yup, I hated him alright.