The Dragon Rebellion (M-Preg) - ON HOLD

Chapter Twenty-Four: Unexpected Truth

Hi! I'm alive, it's just been super crazy in my personal life that I haven't been able to keep up with things. Thank you for your grace and understanding!

The room was shrouded in an eerie silence, broken only by the soft, rhythmic hum of the Gemma crystals embedded in the walls. Reid sat on the center of the bed, his body tense with frustration and exhaustion. Beads of sweat clung to his skin, glistening in the soft light that permeated the chamber. Before him, a tiny cloud of Gemma dust hovered in the air, an elusive wisp that danced just out of his reach.

"Almost!" Nayavu's voice chimed with youthful enthusiasm as he watched Reid's efforts with unwavering interest. The young Naerian hatchling was perched on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on the tiny cloud as though it held the secret to the universe.

But for Reid, it was a different story. The Gemma dust refused to yield to his command, slipping through his fingers like elusive smoke. He had been at it for hours, beads of sweat trickling down his neck, betraying the sheer concentration it took just to maintain the fragile form of the dust.

Why was this so damn hard?

Reid couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration, even as he marveled at Nayavu's proficiency. He had a hard time imagining that he could ever reach the level of control Nayavu had mastered. Sure, he had managed to blast Kincaid across the room once, but it had felt more like a stroke of luck than a true display of skill. The way Nayavu wielded his Gemma abilities, with a finesse and mastery that seemed impossible to attain, left Reid feeling disheartened.

And then it happened.

For just a brief moment, his concentration waned, his mind wandering to the sheer impossibility of it all. In that instant, the delicate cloud of Gemma dust dissipated, disappearing into thin air before he could react.

"Fuck!" Reid spat in frustration, his voice echoing through the chamber.

"Fuck?" Nayavu repeated with a curious tilt of his head, his youthful innocence not quite grasping the weight of the expletive.

Reid winced, realizing his mistake. He needed to be more cautious around Nayavu, especially given their precarious situation. The last thing he wanted was their colorful language to rub off on him. They might find out who he has been around if he starts adapting human terminology.

"It's a bad word. You shouldn't say it," Reid cautioned, his attempt at being stern.

"But you said it. You said 'fuck'," Nayavu pointed out, his gaze unwavering.

Reid sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He needed to choose his words carefully. "Yes, I did, but... Well, it's not a word that's appropriate for young ones to use."

Nayavu crawled on the bed, curling on Reid's lap like he always did. Reid brushed his fingers through the young male's hair.

"What does it mean?" he asked, not letting it go.

"It's something humans say when they are...frustrated."

Among other things.

Nayavu seemed placated by this explanation, his scales shimmering with understanding, even though he likely didn't fully grasp the concept. "You are frustrated with Nayavu?" he asked, his speech mired in the third person revealing his uncertainty, a habit that Reid found endearing.

"No, no! Of course not! I am frustrated with myself. You are very skilled with your abilities; it's truly impressive," Reid admitted, watching as Nayavu preened at the praise. "I only wish that I could be as skilled as you."

Nayavu, still in a state of youthful wonder, replied matter-of-factly, "Reid is only a redrya, does not have a bond with a pair to stabilize. It is much harder to control Gemma without a bond."

Reid could tell the statement was meant as a sort of comfort but it only proved to pique his curiosity in another way.

"What do you mean by that?" Reid inquired carefully, hoping to learn more.

"There are many ways to stabilize power," Nayavu began, his tone thoughtful. "Uncle Pel tells me this. One way is for a redrya and a Naerian to bond, to become one. It stabilizes their power and makes it easier to control."

He said "Uncle Pel", was he referring to Lord Pelryn? Did that mean he had a familial relation to him as well or was Reid misinterpreting the use of the title? Did that then mean that Nayavu wasn't actually related to Kincaid but called him Uncle as an endearment?

"Nayavu, you don't have a pair, so how are you able to use your power so easily?" Reid pressed, his curiosity growing with each passing moment.

Nayavu hesitated, as if contemplating whether to reveal his secret. Finally, he spoke, his voice a mixture of reluctance and trust. "Nayavu used another method."

"What method did you use?" Reid asked, his fascination piqued but also taking note of Nayavu's switch back to third person.

"Nayavu had to eat redrya who lay him."

All the blood in Reid's veins turned to ice as revulsion and terror made its home. He couldn't possibly have heard that right.

Noticing the look of horror on Reid's face, Nayavu twisted around and rushed to explain. "Nayavu didn't want to do it! Nayavu didn't like it! Nayavu likes redrya!" He insisted, eyes wide with conviction but it did not serve to quell Reid's fear, only made him realize how reptilian those eyes truly were. All of their differences rushed to the surface.

Nayavu grabbed Reid's hands, eyes watering as the human flinched.

"Nayavu swears! Will not eat redrya again! Did not like it! But-but Nayavu cannot disobey King."

Reid took a deep shaky breath before steeling his resolve and meeting the young male's eyes.

"Did...did the other hatchlings, the ones that survived like you, did they also...?" He couldn't finish the question, too sick to even utter the words.

Reluctantly Nayavu nodded.

A whimper escaped Reid's lips unknowingly, his mind immediately going to the twins he saw ravaged during the Laying. Would they also share that fate when the time came and their eggs hatched? Had Kincaid lied to him about the redrya recovery? He said they'd be cared for until they were breedable again, but were they only cared for long enough for the eggs to hatch? Were they then eaten?

Was that to be Reid's fate?

"Nayavu is sorry. Reid hates Nayavu now," the hatchling cried, rubbing his tear-streaked cheek on Reid's hand desperate for comfort. He understood that there wasn't a choice...or he thought he did at least, but he still couldn't stomach the idea of comforting Nayavu after knowing that. Knowing what he had done.

Even though his mind was reeling, he had to do damage control. If he was ever going to get the fuck out of here, he needed Nayavu.

"I don't hate you, Nayavu. I-I just need some time to process this. Okay?" He tried to keep his voice soft, but the tremors gave him away.

Nayavu blinked up at him warily. "Nayavu can still visit Reid?"

Reid gave him a fake smile, "Of course. I still need to learn manipulation, right? But...just give me a couple of days, alright?"

Nayavu nodded sadly, then in a huff of Gemma dust, disappeared.

The moment he was gone, Reid broke down into sobs.