“Den you is an Island dragon.”

Weysh knew this was an argument he would never win, and he couldn’t help but enjoy the way Yenni was looking at him, as if she were seeing him for the first time again, so he simply nodded. “As you say, Suli.”

At last they finished up, and Weysh spent a good five minutes arguing with Suli, trying to pay, but the old cook wouldn’t take his money, so Weysh insisted he would make a free run for him sometime in the future.

Weysh and Yenni headed back onto the boardwalk, strolling aimlessly. For someone with no sense of smell, Weysh was inconceivably content. His stomach was full, the night was warm and vibrant, and he walked hand in hand with his Given. Hard to believe that only hours ago he was sulking in his den, surrounded by empty whiskey glasses.

“Weh-sheh, there’s something I want to ask you,” said Yenni cautiously.

“What is it, lovely?”

“Before, you said that your sister’s father is not your own, and today you said your mother wanted to get you away from him. Why is that?”

Weysh sighed. “Well, Yenni, that’s a long story, but I suppose it’s time I told you.”

As they navigated the boardwalk, awash with the light of gas lamps lining the way, he explained the circumstances of his birth, what his mother had done and what was done to his mother. Every time he glanced at Yenni her pretty eyes were a little wider, a little sadder.

“The man who sired me is a rapist,” Weysh finished, struggling to say the words. “Does that disgust you?”

Yenni squinted at him. “Have you ever forced a woman against her will?”

“Never!” he hissed.

“Then why should this disgust me?”

“Ah, my heart, you don’t understand. They don’t teach you this in class, but being a dragon is a twice-pointed sword. As Byen’s divine warriors, we’re expected to be model citizens. Rape, violence, these things aren’t unheard of here, but for a dragon—a mated dragon—to commit such a crime is inconceivable. Guste is known as one of the most terrifying psychopaths in decades. I believe if it had been any another man of high standing, my maman would have taken the brunt of the blame. But Guste underestimated our society’s reverence—and fear—of dragons. He was disowned by his family and exiled once everything came out. Rightly, too, demon that he is. He’s likely on one of the smaller islands somewhere. So thank the Watcher the man who raped my mother was dragonkind, en?” Weysh muttered, bitter.

Yenni squeezed his hand, her only response.