Page 103 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

“I knew elders like her,” he told me.

I studied him, knowing this was my chance to do better and find out more about his life. This couldn’t all be one sided. “Tell me about where you’re from.”

He paused and I saw all his muscles tense before he caught himself and looked at me.

“It was a very remote place,” He said casually. “No connection with the rest of the realm. It was very quiet.”

That was vague. “And your family?”

“There’s nothing to tell, really. I don’t remember the fae who created me. I was found as a youngling by a kind couple whotook me in. We lived in a small village, never really mixing with the outside. That’s my whole story.” He shrugged, turning back to the books, trying to find the relevant sections ready to show Gran.

I frowned. There must be more to it than that, so I pushed. “Were you close to your parents?”

“I was.”

I didn’t know where to go with the dead end of conversation I’d found myself in. He clearly wasn’t into opening up about it, but I didn’t know why.

I came up beside him and touched his arm. “Jaxus?”

He looked over at me with an expression I could not read. “Yes?”

“I don’t want to push you to talk about your past if it’s painful in some way.” It was the only reason I could think of that would have him shutting down this way.

“It’s not painful, it’s just not interesting.”

“Oh—” I didn’t know if that was a closing statement or permission to continue. I’d never found him this difficult to figure out before.

I decided to try another question to see if I could find a way in. “Was it hard for you growing up the only dragon?”

“Not really. I never knew anything different.” He moved some papers. “Do you think we should start translating this while we wait? It will make things easier if we have it transcribed, and I think between us, we can do it.”

I blinked, caught totally off guard. That was a shutdown, wasn’t it? I was so confused. What was so wrong with me asking how he grew up? I’d brought him to my home, knowing the chaos it would cause and he wouldn’t even talk about his. “Sure.” I tried not to sound shaken by the way he was being as I took a seat at the table with him.

We worked through the text and translated most of it with ease, though his confidence with the old language far surpassedmine. “It’s unusual to have such a grasp of the old language,” I mused.

“You do,” he shot back.

“It’s necessary for me as I’m a custodian of the archive by birth. But for most, it’s unheard of. Did your parents teach you?”

“As I told you, my village was different. We were expected to all help each other because of how small it was. No one could be trained at one thing.” His words were curt.

“Even so, without the archives and with—” I dropped my voice. “Old magic being forbidden by the King, it has gone out of practice.”

“Not where I’m from.” He wouldn’t look at me.

“What purpose is there to teach children the old language.” I couldn’t put my finger on what bugged me about his answers, but it didn’t add up.

“Does it matter?” Jaxus snapped

I reeled back, shocked at the harshness of his tone.

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to focus on this translation. I didn’t mean to snap.”

He could hardly meet my eye and I was more conflicted than ever. Everything in me wanted to ask more questions, but I could see it was the wrong time or the wrong subject. “That’s okay,” I said circumspectly.

At that moment, he looked towards the stairs. “Your Gran is on her way back.”

I studied him. I couldn’t hear anything, but it was clear he was tuned in to a sound beyond my range. “Dragon hearing?”