I Married A Dragon (Prime Mating Agency)(39)

“I am indeed Trinit,” she said in a singsong voice as she released me. “My Rovain couldn’t stop speaking about you. He said you seemed very sweet and that you were pretty, despite your strange appearance.”

My jaw dropped. I blinked, stunned by such brutal honesty. “Strange appearance?” I echoed.

She nodded. “I’d never seen a human before. Rovain told me about your flat face, scaleless body, and the missing segment in your legs. I thought you would walk very stiffly with those straight legs. But your gait is incredibly fluid and elegant. I’m impressed. And your skin is so soft. I bet Cedros is constantly rubbing all over you. You must be wonderful to cuddle with at night.”

“Wow, you guys truly have no problem just speaking your mind,” I said, unable to decide if I was more amused than flabbergasted.

Her eyes widened, and she tilted her head to the side, giving me a curious look. “Of course we do. We’re always honest among ourselves.”

“Jeez… Do come in,” I said, gesturing for her to follow me inside. “Are all Derakeens this forward?”

She shook her head. “No. Only Shadow Lords and Ejayas… or rather, only we are this fully open with each other.”

As she settled on the couch, she gave me an assessing look while pursing her lips. I braced for what would follow.

“Why are you wearing these coverings?” she asked with genuine curiosity. “Aren’t you hot or uncomfortable with them?”

“No,” I said, while settling next to her. “As a human, it’s a lifelong habit for me. Plus, we don’t have scales like Derakeens to protect our soft skin.”

“I see. That’s unfortunate. I feel sorry for Cedros.”

My back stiffened, liking less and less that brutal honesty. “Why sorry?”

“Your human customs are depriving him of the full contact he needs. That’s rather unfair to him.”

My face lost all warmth, and I lifted my chin defiantly. “I do not deprive him. That I’m not traipsing around the house naked all day doesn’t mean that I don’t strip out of my clothes for him when he needs contact.”

She tilted her head again, this time looking at me like I was some oddity. “You are offended,” she said, sounding surprised.

“Yes, a little. You’ve only just met me and are already passing harsh judgments about my interactions with Cedros,” I said, annoyed by the defensiveness in my voice.

She smiled at me in an oddly maternal fashion, her face softening. “It is not harsh judgment, Kaida, and I certainly do not intend to offend you. Words are only mean-spirited if spoken untruthfully or out of malice. Your defensive reaction tells me Cedros has brought up the issue already.”

“Yes, he has. And I’m working on it.”

“Which is all anyone can ask. I do not pretend to understand how overwhelming it must be for you to be plucked from your world and dropped in this one. You’ve inherited the important role of an Ejaya, and so much of it clashes with everything your culture ever taught you.”

I clasped my hands on my lap, trying to calm down. “It does feel rather overwhelming. I want to be a good Ejaya to Cedros, but I don’t even fully understand the role. And the culture shock is a lot to assimilate.”

Trinit gave me a sympathetic look and nodded slowly. She opened her mouth to say something, then appeared to change her mind, going with something else instead.

“Do you know why Shadow Lords and Ejayas are so fully honest with each other?” she asked.

I shook my head, majorly curious about that.

“It’s because, in many ways, Shadow Lords are like younglings. As they raised themselves, they didn’t develop the filters we normally do as we grow among others. They have the candor and forwardness of the little ones. They openly speak of what they think and feel, and ask the questions that pop up in their minds the minute they do. But do not mistake that for naivety or immaturity. They are responsible adults. They merely never developed the artifices and deception one acquires when immersed in social interactions.”

“I see,” I said, pensively.

“Do you?” Trinit asked without condemnation or provocation. “Like every unpaired Shadow Lord, Cedros has lived most of his life isolated. Your arrival has finally allowed him to break out of his shell. Through you, and thanks to you, his true personality can finally emerge. His interactions with you will play a huge role in defining just how much he will open up. Do not stunt him with your human customs.”

I once more bristled at that. “I do not stunt him!”

“Not voluntarily, I’m sure. But your discomfort with straightforwardness tells me you’ve likely done it more than once already. For example, have you told him that he shouldn’t say or ask certain things because it’s unbecoming?”

My cheeks all but burst into flames. “What are you saying?” I asked, the defensiveness seeping back into my voice. “Should I just let him have his way with whatever he asks or wants?”

“Yes,” she said, as if it was self-evident. “You should only refuse him if you believe it is bad for him or if it strongly makes you uncomfortable. Your purpose as an Ejaya is to keep him healthy and make him happy by whatever means necessary.”

“Well, walking around naked makes me uncomfortable,” I countered.