Page 86 of Connor and the Dragons

“Sky told me about resonance,” Connor said. “The thing he has with Moerrven. Could that happen with us?”

Kessrin’s eyes darted my way, then down to the grass.

“It’s… a possibility, when people are as well-bonded as we are,” Kessrin said. “A magical possibility, one which would extend your lifespan to be more in line with ours. But it’s no guarantee, so I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

“I’m getting my hopes up,” I said. “No point in keeping them down. Imagine how much sex we can fit into the next couple of centuries.”

Kessrin groaned. Connor’s lips twitched. The guards at the gate let us pass through with a nod to Kessrin. Thyren and Leo were standing beneath the mirror staring up at it, and looked our way as we walked closer.

“That’s… wow,” Connor said, slowly circling the mirror, which was just hanging in space. “I can see why it tripped Kessrin up.”

“It’s holding,” Thyren said. “Whatever it’s fixed to on the other side seems pretty… sturdy.”

Leo nodded. “Really fucked Lord Frost up to just hit it mid-air. You okay?”

Kessrin blushed and nodded. “I was not aware that it would be such a secure attachment and it caught me off guard, but I am well. Thank you.”

Connor walked all the way around it twice. He did not touch it. He put his hands behind his back like a man in a museum and he circled it and returned to the front and stood there looking at himself in it, and at the grass behind him, and at the sky.

“So somebody has to walk through it,” he said, taking a step away from it. “To see if it works.”

“I don’t think it’ll just suck you in. But it works.” Leo stepped up and poked one finger at the surface, which became liquid and pliable the moment he touched it. “Easier to use than the Earth side one, I guess it’s not spelled to turn off when you look at it.”

Connor blinked, then tugged on his hair, glancing towards Kessrin as he took another step away from the mirror. “It’s just that I need to be cautious. Because of the dragons.”

Thyren laughed, then clapped Connor on the back. “I don’t think it’ll just suck them in, either.”

Kessrin took a shaky breath and looked at his feet.

“I mean, because I can’t leave without the dragons,” Connor clarified. “And Kessrin is… not in a state to be leaving his home at the moment.”

“Are you sure you want to take two dragons into San Jose? Imagine what’ll happen if the military gets ahold of them.” Leo shoved his hands in his pockets and shuddered. “You don’t want your boyfriends to get dissected.”

“What’s dissected?” I asked, sure I wasn’t understanding what he was saying.

“You don’t want to know, buddy,” Leo said, looking worried.

“I told Sky I’d go. He can’t leave his husband, Moerrven. In case there’s no chance of a return trip. And someone has to go, someone has to let our families know. I mean, it’s been at least three weeks since we got here. People are probably worried about all of us. How much is that in Earth time?”

“Like twelve hours,” Leo said, grinning.

Connor blinked. “Oh. Okay. I guess it’s not a huge rush.”

“No rush at all.”

“When and if someone needs to test the mirror, we’ll go,” Thyren said.

Everyone looked at him.

“Leo and I are the perfect test subjects.” He had his arms folded and he said it the way he said everything, as though somebody else had decided it and he was passing it along. “Neither you nor Sky can leave, and Pip doesn’t want to. He says he doesn’t have anyone back home.”

“Thyren,” Leo said.

“All I need is Leo. Wherever this mirror takes us, it’ll be together. It costs us nothing.” He looked at Leo. “Unless you’d rather not.”

“I’d rather. You’re right. I’m just saying you could have had a quick discussion with me first. Also, you might… stand out.”

“I’ll wear a hat,” Thyren said. “And tell people I’m tall for a human.”