Luminous

57 - The Heir and The Spare

"So—we can transform into dragons?" said Atmund Herzin, his voice shrill, his back ramrod straight and taut as a wire. Coris and Meya nodded for the fifth time. Yet, Frenix Pearlwater was still wary.

"And we can fly? And shoot fireballs? And our limbs grow back? And our eyes keep our memories?"

Meya rolled her eyes. Ever patient, Coris nodded again,

"How does that make you feel?"

Atmund teetered as if caught unaware by a gust of wind. He grasped the edge of Coris's desk,

"Lightheaded—but that could have been the blood loss." He froze, then continued glumly, "If I'd known all this sooner, I could've told Dad whenever I didn't feel like selling blood."

The older teens gulped, unnerved by the dark tale relayed in such a bland, unassuming tone.

"These blood sellers get pricked with metal needles every fortnight. Why has nobody ever transformed? There's bound to be some Lattis in those needles." Fione deftly steered the topic away.

"Dineira reckoned Jaise's court officials are behind the blood traders. They've probably been told not to mix Lattis with Greeneye blood."

Arinel suggested. Yet, Lady Crosset seemed occupied elsewhere. Her eyes stared out from her ashen face, wide and unseeing, as if her body was reacting in the present but her mind was reeling from the past. Meya narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe the amount of Lattis also isn't enough for our bodies to react. Took a whole arrowhead for me, according to Coris." She tilted her head at Coris, who nodded.

"What about you, Frenix?" He turned to young Lord Pearlwater. Frenix churned his lips, then blew a sigh at his shuffling feet.

"Honestly, if I gotta choose between ruler of Pearlwater and dragon, I think dragon's more fun." He said levelly, then surfaced with a wry grin, "But I shouldn't have to choose, should I?"

"What d'you mean?" Meya asked. Frenix turned to her, then went on in that same dull, morose tone,

"I'm the firstborn—the Pearlwater seat should've been mine next, but Father said he'd give it to my little brother because I'm a Greeneye and I wouldn't find a lady to marry me. Then he sent me all the way here to train." He shrugged at Coris, "Now I know why. I could torch the whole castle if I really wanted the birthright."

Frenix left off in a manner just as chillingly innocent as Atmund, who nodded in agreement. Abandoning all effort to liven the air of bleakness, Coris sighed and weaved his steepled fingers together.

"Though it galls me, I'd have to agree." He straightened, his sharp stare piercing the three Greeneyes lined up before the desk in turn, "You all must learn to harness your power. Though I'd always be thankful for the rescue, it was fortunate you simply burned down half of Lord Crosset's forest, and that Draken and his men escaped unscathed."

Coris eyed Meya, drawing all eyes in the room to her as well. Meya shifted in her seat at the unpleasant reminder.

"Yeah. Could've been worse." She threw the ungrateful prick a glower, then studied her fellow Greeneyes in confusion and awe, "You three are receiving it much better than I did. Why, you didnae seem fettered at all, Lady Heloise?"

Heloise jumped. She hadn't been allowed to speak, and didn't seem inclined to protest, either. From her fidgeting hands and restless rocking on the balls of her feet, she seemed more desperate to be freed from the conversation.

"Perhaps I need time for it to sink in. Ever since I saw you take out your eye, I've begun to realize we're not exactly human, but I hadn't imagined we'd be something different altogether." She forced a smile, fingering her bracelet,