Page 103 of Dragon’s Ending

Grumbling, he settled down, and I got on with my papers. It was a full half hour before he announced he’d finished, and held out his creation for my inspection. He still had the lack of artistic ability he’d displayed as a child, but that didn’t matter—Teddy would love this.

Around the swirly letters in which he’d written our acceptance, he’d drawn a series of pictures. Teddy, Laura, Dominic and me on a conker hunt, finding the best conker in the world, according to the title. He’d drawn Teddy’s collection of pine cones. And along the top, a dragon over a ruined castle breathed smoke that spelled out ‘Happy Birthday, Teddy’.

I smiled, drawing my finger along the edge of the paper. There we were, recorded together on the page. Dominic and me.

“We haven’t talked about what happens when I finish my work here.” I blurted it out as the thought struck me, and I could have kicked myself when I saw the fear in Dominic’s eyes.

“I mean, obviously, we’re together no matter what,” I said, and his look of dread drained away almost as quickly as it had come. “I’m just wondering. You’re going to be head of this family, but…”

I loved Dominic. I was beginning to love parts of this family too. But I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life somewhere people lowered their voices when Rhodri entered a room. Somewhere everyone watched themselves all the time.

I should have worded it better, but the truth spilled out. “I don’t want to live here, not the way it is.”

There was a long pause, with Dominic staring at the table in front of him. Then he lifted his head and met my eyes. “Neither do I.”

I hadn’t realised until that moment how afraid I’d been that he would ask me to accept it anyway. To endure it because Dragon’s Ending was his responsibility.

But he just looked at me, open and honest.

“It can’t stay like this,” he said quietly. “Not if I’m going to lead this family one day. And I’m not waiting until I take over to change things.”

“Okay,” I said. I knew he wasn’t making me a promise he hoped to keep. He was telling me what he was going to do.

For a while afterwards, neither of us spoke much. Dominic perched on the table and returned to his sorting, though his system appeared to consist largely of making wobbly piles while humming under his breath. I tried to work too, but found myself looking at him more often than my notes.

Watching him, a thought occurred to me.

“Wait,” I said.

Dominic stopped humming and looked up.

“If Mortimer’s forming this council, then our theory about Mordred doesn’t make sense.”

He leaned over and kissed me. “Most conspiracy theories don’t.”

“A conspiracy theory you bought into,” I reminded him. “But the point is, if he’s not searching for some kind of historical authority for his family, why’s he so interested in dragon history? Why’s he gone to the trouble of getting my family access to whatever records are left?”

Dominic was quiet for a moment. Then he shrugged. “He must be about a hundred,” he said. “Maybe this is about his legacy. So that when future generations actually know dragon history, instead of the confusing myths and huge blank spots most families have now, they’ll get down on their knees and praise his name.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” I said. “And I guess this way, Evelyn owes him a favour, which is always helpful.”

“Or maybe,” Dominic said, swinging his leg in a most distracting way, “he just wants to know everyone’s secrets.”

That. That was the explanation that made most sense to me. I still shivered when I thought of Abimelech Mortimer, and there was no way he didn’t have ulterior motives for everything he did. Secrets meant leverage.

“I’d better let Evelyn know what’s going on,” I said.

Dominic listened shamelessly as I brought Evelyn up to date on what had happened with Mortimer and also told her that I was apparently forgiven and no longer at risk of being expelled from the house.

“And the castle? Made any progress there?”

“There hasn’t really been a good moment to suggest to Rhodri we knock down some walls,” I told her, “but I haven’t forgotten. In fact”—and despite myself I paused and swallowed nervously—“it might be easier now, because Dominic and I are together.”

She was silent. Probably only for seconds, but it felt like hours.

“Dominic,” she said at last. “The Bedwyr heir?”

The one she’d told me not to go near, the one she’d trusted me not to fall for because I was far too sensible to have my head turned.