Legon Awakening: Book One in the Legon Series by Nicholas Taylor

me and said ‘You are mine’ in this growling voice.”
    “I did? That was the worst part, and then right after
that it ate me, or at least I think it did. I woke up.”
    He left out what he was feeling right before the
dragon spoke. It ran through his head and he felt a twinge of
shame. Sasha had stayed with him all night with only the wall for a
pillow, and just a few hours ago he had been thinking about leaving
her to save his own neck.
    She paused “We were talking last night about what
your tattoo may mean.”
    Of course they were. It wasn’t a new topic of
conversation, but changing colors would have added a new
wrinkle.
    “And?”
    “Well I guess Arkin told our parents a few years back
that Elves only marked their own. So he thinks you’re part
Elf.”
    He tensed. “And why didn’t mom tell me this
yesterday?”
    She looked at him. “Well, we don’t know for sure, and
do you think you could have handled it? Was it worth adding more
stress to your day over a theory from the town carpenter?”
    If he was being honest, the answer was no. He
couldn’t have handled it. But how was Arkin an expert on this?
    “Do you agree with Arkin?”
    She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. Think about it:
what do we know about Elves? They are like Iumenta.”
    “Yeah, but I don’t see how that connects.”
    “You are stronger and faster than anyone your size,
Legon. You seem to have an edge at everything. Maybe that has to do
with your parents.”
    He was about to protest, then thought about walking
home in the dark last night. “Maybe you’re right. It just doesn’t
seem real to me, you know?”
    She laughed. “No, I don’t know, but it’s something to
consider. Don’t be mad. We didn’t say anything horrible about you
last night. It’s just a theory, and one I don’t think our parents
think is possible.”
    He shook his head. “I’m going to get ready and help
dad for a bit, but after lunch I want to go see Arkin. I need
answers and I think he can give them to me.”
    She nodded her head in agreement, got up, and walked
out of his room, shutting the door behind her. He could tell there
was something on her mind. She was normally talkative in the
mornings, and he thought that she would want to talk about the news
of his adoption and his dream, but she didn’t. She seemed
distant.
    He knew that his parents had told Sasha about how he
came to their family last night; he could see it in her eyes. She
knew and it scared her. He wondered what that fear was. He wouldn’t
blame her if she was scared of him; after all, if he was marked by
an Elf it would be understandable.
    He was on his feet and putting on his work clothes.
He tried to push everything out of his mind. He could feel another
headache coming on and he didn’t want it to get worse. He was
getting so many headaches lately; he made a mental note to talk to
his mother about it and walked out of his room and down the
hall.
    It was early, and only Sasha and he were up. Sasha’s
door was shut and Legon figured she was getting ready for her day.
He walked down to the lower level of the house, went out the door
and turned to the shop. W ork will be good for me. It will take
my mind off things for now, he thought. There wasn’t much to do
today, but Legon began to work as if he had a week’s worth to do.
After an hour or so his father came in.
    “How are you today, son? Sasha told me that she
mentioned the Elf thing to you, and you should know that I don’t
buy into it.” He looked tired and Legon figured no one in the
family had slept well last night.
    “I’m fine, I guess. I don’t know, maybe I’m not fine.
It just seems like…” He struggled, not sure what to say. It was
hard to fathom the news that he had received yesterday and this
morning, and he was feeling like his life up to this point had been
a lie, but he didn’t want to say this to his father; he knew this
would cause unnecessary pain.
    “I guess I just don’t know what or who I