#merlinus

Fa nodded.

“Fa is not the only one!” she said. “But there are not many. After the Sundering dragons have to keep most of their power in Dragonstones most of the time.”

She rummaged in her pocket and produced a glittering blue stone. “Fa’s one is this!”

“My word,” Merlinus said, his voice hushed. “If that were not so important to you, it would be a priceless jewel regardless.”

Roy had to agree. The Dragonstone looked like it held an entire universe of power inside it, glittering with strange energies.

“I don’t know if I expect it to be light or heavy,” he said. “Or warm or cool, for that matter – it is a stone, but is it like a stone? Or does the power inside it change that?”

“See for yourself!” Fa said, and put it into Roy’s hand.

There was a moment of morphological confusion, and then Roy was – very suddenly – a dragon.

He seemed just as surprised about this as everyone else.

“Wow!” Fa said, clapping her hands together. “Fa did not know that you were an Ice Dragon!”

“I didn’t know I was an Ice Dragon!” Roy said. “I-”

He stopped.

“Merlinus?” he asked, carefully. “You knew my mother, correct?”

“Yes,” Merlinus replied. “Master Roy, I was told by your father to not speak of Ninian’s true nature… it would have been too dangerous for all concerned. Dragons are… a dangerous thing, and something that would bring down the disapproval of the church upon Pherae.”

He lowered his head. “It was better for all concerned that your mother Ninian was thought to be a simple dancer.”

“Still, I would have liked to know before now,” Roy muttered. “Fa, how do I get your Dragonstone back?”