Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
It was highly uncommon.
“Some areas here mix more than others but especially now that everyone is bonding right and left lately.” Still swinging my arm, he frowned again. “Do you think the portal being open again is what’s made the magic change?”
“It has changed?” Getting distracted by my mate was going to have dangerous consequences if I continued to forget to ask important questions. “How has it changed?”
Wren shrugged but it indicated not feeling confident because he gave some information. “All I can tell you is the stories that have been passed down, but according to people like my great-grandparents, they said that their oldest relatives had stronger abilities and always found their bonded mates. Always.”
He said that like it was a surprise, but I could not understand.
Our people always found their mates.
“But over the generations that changed. When I was a kid maybe twenty percent of couples were actually mates?” My expression must’ve shown shock because he nodded and his face tightened. “Yeah. Now they’re popping up right and left, though.”
They had gone through entire lives without finding their mate?
“They paired and had families with someone other than their mate?” It was clearly a human influence and necessary based on his assertions, but to go through an entire life missing their other half? “That is something that will take some getting used to, as the diner men say.”
They used that expression often when dealing with topics of sexuality and something they called kinks.
“You’re allowed to be sad about that or to feel shocked.” My insightful mate squeezed my hand. “There’s no right or wrong way to feel, but it’s something our people got used to. I always hoped for my mate, but I know a lot of people who have been very happy raising families without being mates.”
“I did not know we could have children without being mates.” Did anyone know that? “We…we do not touch as casually as you do here but meeting mates so late in life has probably effected that.”
Human influences were to be considered as well.
“Humans seem to be able to breed with anything.” My mate giggled mischievously. “There are whole genres of books about humans mating and breeding with aliens.”
“I do not have a good response to that.” Humans were fascinating and influenced everything. “You have made me wonder what Klynn has been reading.”
His hoarding of the book tablet was starting to make sense, however.
“Probably lots of fun stuff.” Making another happy sound, he leaned into my shoulder to nuzzle against me before straightening. “Where did you get the ereader?”
“He traded for it along with the cash money humans use as currency.” I should probably question how that exchange had gone as well. “We brought gems and he exchanged the gem for the device and its contents. Something called a fully stocked library. He simply had to promise that he would not purchase new ones because that would cost the previous owner money.”
Wren laughed. “There is only one person in town who’d trade an ereader full of romance novels for a gem and not think to tell anyone about it. The sparkly dragon. I’ve heard about him.”
Some local dragons stood out more than others.
“I was told he was very nice and provided information on dealing with the locals.” I should have asked more questions, though. “Klynn has spent much time going through the information.”
More giggles poured from my mate. “Yep, that’s a romance reader for you.”
Romance.
That was unexpected as well but made sense with the information I had at hand.
“I wonder if he wants to go to the used bookstore tomorrow?” Wren smiled when my confusion was obvious. “Our books come in physical forms called paperbacks too. I’m not sure if you’d have seen anyone reading them in the diner, though. Well, anyway, we have stores that just sell used books. Once you read it, if you know you don’t want to read it again then you can trade it in for other books.”
Ah.
“And the best part for Klynn is that it’s run by a human, so no naughty diner men running around.” Wren’s walk gained more excitement as he talked about another shopping hunt. “There are a lot of stores on the other side of town that are run by local humans who pretend that the mages and dragons are perfectly normal.”
His shrug and exaggerated expression made his belief on that obvious. “It’s all pretend, though, because I have to promise that I’m not a local every time I go in one of those stores. It’s funny, but they’re making me wonder what the other dragons and mages have gotten up to.”
Sighing, he shook his head. “Yesterday I had to promise one of the store owners that I wouldn’t talk about sex toys.”
They had met the diner men.
“I have started learning about those as well.” Another curious human influence. “You are my mate, so it is appropriate to discuss those, correct?”