"Why wait till now to tell me?" I asked, my voice weak. Mother waited to answer, first taking off her gray shawl and handing it to me. I pulled it over my burnt clothes, then collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. She knelt in front of me and took my hands in hers.
"Your powers were never strong enough to do any real damage. Occasionally, you'd light the fireplace by accident or turn on glow orbs without touching them, but that was all," she started. I remembered my door and how it had caught on fire. I told her, and she frowned slightly.
"That is easy enough to fix."
"But why are you telling me now?" I asked, remembering my question. My eyes were stinging from the smoke wafting off my clothes, and they started watering as she finished explaining.
"We thought it best if you made talme friends and never knew about your heritage. It wasn't a problem until you decided to go to the Ceremony against our wishes." She rubbed my fingers with hers, and I realized that mine were sprinkled with ash.
"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, keeping my eyes on my hands. I felt hollow inside. Everything I had ever known was a lie, and the future would be even worse.
"When a paltor is joined with a dragon, their powers are greatly magnified. You won't be able to hide them nearly as easily now. There might even be physical changes, but you shouldn't have any because of how similar wizards and talmes look," she explained. I wiped my eyes on the back of my hand. I could handle this. But physical changes? I could deal with it, maybe. I could hide it; I had to. But how?
"What am I supposed to do?" I asked, voice wavering. Tears came before I could stop them, and Mother wrapped me in her arms like I was a babe again. I felt almost as if I was.
"You will have to keep your emotions in check. It's not just for your safety. Your powers are dangerous, especially when you're upset. You must never use them or tell a soul about what you are. Be prepared to run if someone finds out, but you can't come home if they do. Always be on your guard. And remember, we will always love you, no matter what happens." She let go of me and handed me a small sack full of Alabris. They were the ones she'd confiscated from my room earlier. I took them, and she stood, helping me to my feet.
"You will be leaving with the riders soon. I know you're not in the mood to enjoy yourself at the party, but you might want to say goodbye to your father and sister," she suggested. "Did you bring a trunk?" I nodded and walked with her to the others. Ashyr bristled with hostility, so I just hugged Father and Mother several times before it was time to go. The entire time, I couldn't bring myself to think about what had happened or what I would have to deal with at the Academy.
I retrieved my trunk and went to where the other riders and dragons were waiting. They'd all tied their luggage behind their dragons' saddles, so I did the same. Even after how long I'd dreamed of sitting in a dragon's saddle, actually doing it after all that had happened only made me wish I had never come.
The older riders took off first, followed by the rest of us. Usually, flying in any form made me happy, but this was different. I couldn't imagine ever again taking to the sky for an afternoon of carefree enjoyment. I knew that never again could I show my true self, not even to the only friend I had.
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