“I thought you didn’t like Western dragons. Riley said—”
“Riley,” Jade interrupted in that same serene voice, “has his own philosophies and prejudices to overcome. He was also, from what I understand, part of Talon far longer than you, and the organization’s influence still lingers, regardless of what he believes. But we are not talking about Riley, are we?” She gave me a pointed look. “Or, am I wrong?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know.” Resting my chin on my knee, I brooded over the water. “I guess you don’t see many other dragons out where you live, right?” I murmured. “I mean, not like we did in Talon.”
“No,” Jade agreed. “But I have traveled the world. I have seen much. And my perceptions have not been corrupted by the organization. I am old. Older than you. Older than Riley. If you have questions concerning our nature, know that I will neither judge nor condemn. I will simply answer, to the best of my ability. What passes between us is for our ears alone. Only the fish and the wind will ever know what two dragonells spoke about today.”
I chewed my bottom lip, watching the fish swirl below me, mouths gaping. Should I tell her? I certainly couldn’t talk to the boys about this. At least the Eastern dragon seemed sincere in her desire to help.
“It’s complicated,” I murmured. “I’m not really sure how to start.” Jade didn’t say anything to that, just continued to wait in accepting silence. I took a deep breath and sighed. Well, what did I have to lose? “Okay,” I began. “Have you ever in your travels met another dragon and...you just...um, knew?” She gave me a puzzled look, and I swallowed my embarrassment to stammer on. “I mean, you’ve never seen him before in your life, but you just have this feeling that...well, I can’t really explain it. Like, you’ve always known him, even though you’ve just met.”
“Ah.” Jade sat back, nodding sagely, though now her expression was sympathetic. “The Sallith’tahn. Interesting that you would experience it so young, but I have heard of cases where it has happened before.” She paused a moment, then smiled. “That would explain a few things.”
“The...what?” I furrowed my brow. “Salla-who? What language is that?”
Jade blinked. “It’s Draconic,” she said, startling me. “That you do not know the word is deeply troubling, but not unexpected. It is one of the many ‘inconvenient’ things Talon would rather not exist. So they have attempted to suppress, restrain or erase it from the minds of their dragons altogether.”
“But, what is it?”
The Asian dragon frowned. “It is...difficult to explain in human terms,” she said. “I don’t believe the mortal language has a word that encompasses the Sallith’tahn completely. The closest term I can think of would be life-bond, or life-mate, but that is like calling snow ‘frozen water.’ It is true, but it is also so much more than that.”
My heart seemed to seize up. I stared at the other dragon, as the world around us turned hazy and surreal. “Wait. Life...mate? Then, are you saying Riley and I...”
“When a dragon finds their Sallith’tahn, they remain together for life,” Jade said simply. “It was not a common occurrence, even before Talon, but one that was accepted and known to all. There is a reason the dragons of the East rarely venture into this country anymore. I assume the organization has done its best to strike that term, and all that it implies, from your language and memories. This is the control they wield, making it so that dragons are loyal to Talon and nothing else. And in doing so, they have suppressed a part of who you are.”
“I think I’m going to faint,” I said weakly. Jade cocked her head at me, as if confused, and I gestured wildly back to the building. “So, that’s it? If Riley is my...my Sallith’tahn or whatever, we’re supposed to be together, end of story? How do these things even happen?”
“How does the goose find its way home year after year? How does the eagle choose its mate?” Jade’s voice was infuriatingly calm, the complete opposite of what I was feeling at the moment. “There are no whys or hows when it comes to the natural order of things. It just is.”
“Yep, I’m definitely going to faint. Or puke.” I took several deep breaths to ward off the light-headedness. What did I do now? If Riley and I were dragon life-mates, how could I fight that? Did I even want to try?
“It is a lot to take in all at once,” Jade offered.
Massive understatement of the year, I thought.
“I would suggest meditating on it,” she continued. “Clear your mind, let your thoughts settle and the turmoil die down. When you are at peace, you will have a better understanding of what to do. I can help you, if you like.”