CHAPTER 17

            Mrs. Chang didn’t mince words.  “You’re unemployed, a single parent to three illegally adopted daughters.  One of those daughters is a dragon whose survival wasn’t reported to the correct authorities.  On paper, she is presumed dead – along with her biological parents.  I broke many laws for you, Mr. Greyve.  We are ALL in a great deal of trouble.”

            Sagacity felt even more terrible.  She… hadn’t thought about that.  It went against every draconic instinct to hide and cover one’s greatness – she’d felt stifled.  She remembered the terror on Simon’s face when he had been just human – when everyone had looked at him like a prime piece of meat.

            Odd was right.  She looked down at her hands.  She’d been in her humanoid form for so long without breathing free… she’d forgotten.  It was illegal to own anything made of dragon skin, but she was old enough to know of the underground, profitable dragon skin jacket trade.  Dragon spines, teeth, and blood were valuable potion ingredients.  And dragon eyes… they greatly increased one’s magic when consumed.

            Dragons were born to rule.  Dragons were born to protect their subjects.  Dragons were also closely watched because their very bodies were government assets.  Sagacity’s parents hadn’t told her this – she’d learned of it in second-grade Civics class. 

            Mrs. Chang was still talking.  “The only reason I knew Sage here was a dragon was by smell.  Out of dragon form, a dragonet still smells like a dragon a month out.  She’s been playing human for years now.  No one else has sniffed her out – but they’re going to send a were-dog out.  They’ll confirm her, but they’ll also sniff out Ten and Odd.  Odd’s blood smells sweet, but she is a cupcake of magic.  You’re a bundt, and Ten is a three-tier cake.”

            Simon took the hint.  He got up and went to the refrigerator.  He didn’t bother to get plates for the cheesecake he pulled out.  He simply put down three spoons and sat back down.  “We took the home magic tests a while back.  Ten and I were identified as Enchanters, and Odd’s a Spellcraft.”

            Mrs. Chang arched both brows.  “You took a home magic test?  I didn’t think they made those kits anymore.  Where’d you get ‘em?”

            Sagacity smiled when Simon blushed.  Home magic tests didn’t exist.  Everything he knew came from the Divinity Management app, which was far more accurate than any test.

            “Never you mind.  They can’t simply take human children away for having magic potential.”

            “No, they can’t,” Mrs. Chang agreed.  “… they would try to entice them away with scholarships and sponsorships once they were of age.  Speaking of age… you have two years before Odd and Ten reach turning age themselves.  You’ll be having all the factions coming to fight for their turning selection.  Ten is in the most danger.  The dragons won’t want her turned.  They’ll want her neutral, caged in their court as a Dragon Sorceress.”

            Simon and Sagacity did not like hearing that.  “No one’s taking Ten,” Sagacity growled.

            Mrs. Chang didn’t talk until she’d finished her second giant bite of cheesecake.  “… They’re going to want to take all of you.  Sage, you’re a dragon – they’ll want to groom you to take your place in court.  Ten’s got enough magic to enchant full treasure rooms without breaking too much of a sweat.  Odd’s a Spellcraft.  Spellcrafts aren’t as rare as Enchanters, but they make deadly soldiers.  After a bit of training, she could disarm and impair enemy movements – and enchant comrades and herself with increased speed and strength.  You, Mr. Greyve… are perfectly safe.”

            Simon’s silver eyes narrowed.  “What are you intimating?”

            The civil servant hitched a shoulder.  “You’re also an Enchanter, but… look around.  Your skills are domestic.  You’re a house-witch, Mr. Greyve.”  She waved her spoon around.

            Sagacity didn’t think Mrs. Chang was being fair.  As they sat around the table, the cottage’s household items shuddered to life.  A broom was sweeping the hard floor while a pair of blue tongs picked up and deposited dirty laundry into the mudroom hampers.  It really was impressive how he’d enchanted the tongs to sort the dirty laundry into their respective hampers.  Sponges turned on the faucet, dampened themselves, cleaned the counters, rinsed themselves dry, turned off the faucet, and put themselves away.  Rags cleaned the windows perfectly, removing every fingerprint and smudge of dirt.  It really was impressive that he’d timed the enchantments perfectly to come alive after their set dinner time.  She could see the watering pot outside, carefully watering their vegetable patch.

            Witches were cool.  Sagacity may be a dragon, but it wasn’t like being a dragon was useful for everyday life.  She had impenetrable skin, but aside from never getting any cuts or bruises – what good was it?  Hitting things was fun, but Simon would kill her if she messed up their home.  Her skin was impenetrable, but he would find other ways… like poison.

            Simon didn’t take too much offense.  He was proud of his magical household skills and very grateful for them.  He waved at the Natalia tree swaying in the evening breeze outside.  “Does that thing give me any protection?”

            Mrs. Chang scoffed and put down her spoon.  “Only if you were a priest.  You refused, remember?  It would have made everyone’s lives easier if you did.  Priests get all sorts of benefits.  Monthly stipends, free food and lodging, a neat pocket-watch…”

            “I already have free lodging.  In my house.  I would also have to attend a divinity school for ten years, swear to celibacy until after I’ve completed training, and wear dots for the rest of my life.  I don’t do dots.  I also don’t do robes outside the privacy of my own home.”

            Mrs. Chang gaped at Simon in disbelief.  Sagacity couldn’t stop herself from giggling this time.  Simon was dead serious.  Their family didn’t attend church, but she’d seen priests wandering about here and there.  They didn’t wear ‘dots’ exactly, but they usually wore gold-colored robes with the tiniest pale-yellow dots trimming the sleeves and hems.  Sagacity hadn’t even noticed the dots until Simon had pointed them out.  He’d called the holy garments a ‘crime against taste’.

            “Your standards are ludicrous,” Mrs. Chang sputtered.  “Priests-in-training can commute; you would just have to move your family to the capital.  Your judgment of a holy priest’s robes is just… utterly… ridiculous.  And you’re already celibate!”

            “You don’t know that,” Simon argued, bristling.

            “Everyone knows that!”

            “What’s ‘celibate’?”

            Simon and Mrs. Chang refused to look at Sagacity, but both of their faces flushed at her question.  Sagacity wondered if the meaning was inappropriate or grown-up, but it couldn’t be.  ‘Celibacy’ sounded like a dragon name.