Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“It would.” He paused and blinked at Sam once as if something he’d said suddenly sunk in. “A twin? Heavens yes, that would be the perfect way to study this. Can we arrange this quickly?”
“Well, really, the ball’s already rolling. I called home when I found this place, as I had to tell them I succeeded—and that I was mated to a dragon. Lots of news there.” Sam shot Dimitri a smile, getting one in return. “My parents and brother offered to help me pack up my apartment and move me down here. In the short term, they’re bringing more of my things down for me, so I don’t have to stop here and go up there. I expect my brother end of next week.”
“Perfect. Introduce us as soon as he lands. I will say, I read over the information you did send to King Alric and it was very, very promising. The translated text was a clearly documented case, with a good resolution. The Sousa knew what they were about and didn’t think anything of a broken core. It means that fixing the Jaeggi is firmly within the realm of possibility. I have no doubts that we can reverse what Kaiser Jaeggi’s spell has done.”
Sam felt a little weak in the knees hearing that. He stared up at Ryu, not sure if he was hallucinating. Was it possible to have a waking dream this realistic?
“I think you just broke his brain, Ryu.” Dimitri slung an arm around Sam’s shoulders and hugged him tightly for a moment. “This has been weighing heavily on him.”
“A mated mage without the ability to bond with his dragon? Of course it weighed heavily.” Ryu shook his head, expression sympathetic. “It’s why I wanted to look you over first thing and reassure you. This is possible, Samuel. We may have lost the knowledge over time, but I don’t believe that anyone can create something that another can’t recreate. Man’s ingenuity is not so limited. They figured this out without anyone about to tell them it was even possible. We know it’s possible. If we can’t figure it out, it’s because we’re stupid or limiting ourselves.”
Sam really liked this attitude. He felt overwhelmed with hope, to the point that he felt his heart might burst with it. “I…God, Ryu, you seriously just made my day. My year.”
“This will happen,” Ryu promised him firmly. “Especially with you here to translate for us, speeding the process along, we can figure this out. My wife is coming after our grandchildren are born. We have twins coming in. You of all people can appreciate that, since you are one.”
Sam grinned. “Yes, I can. I’m amazed you’re here.”
“Wind dragon twins,” he said with a proud and happy sigh. He shook his head slightly, still smiling. “I will be here for a week or two, then go back for the birth, before returning. I wanted to dig into this. It was too tempting to let it sit. Now, you said that there was a building you were sure is a hospital. While Gunter scans things in, show me that. As a doctor myself, I’m keenly interested in what they were doing here. Did they leave behind tools?”
“They left everything behind. It does look like they just got up from dinner, walked out, and never returned. You wouldn’t believe the number of things we’ve found here. Why they left is a mystery I’d love to crack, but in the meantime, come see their medical equipment. I have a whole storeroom that might interest you.”
“Oh, I’m definitely interested.”
Sam led the way out of the building with Ryu and Dimitri right at his side. He pointed things out as they walked, knowing that Ryu would want to get his bearings. Part of him couldn’t help but be giddy.
When he’d come down to Brazil, he’d done it with only a thin string of hope sustaining him. He’d been betrayed by hope too often to invest his whole heart into it, but he’d been too desperate to not try. For the first time in his life, he felt like he could really hope for the future. He had the considerable magical prowess and intellect of multiple clans backing him. The only possibility was success.
His hand found Dimitri’s as they walked, lacing their fingers together. Dimitri gave it a light squeeze, bringing a smile to Sam’s face. He’d be able in the near future to heal his core, to bind them together. Sam had perfect faith in that. Failure was no longer a bitter pill he had to swallow.
The answer was in these ruins. All Sam had to do was find it.
That, he could do.
To all interested parties, we invite you to come and see if you’re a mage! Or possibly a dragon, I don’t want to limit people. Do you think you have magical blood in your ancestry? Why not try and see if you’re magical yourself?