Page 7 of Dragon Unbound (Dragon Kings 3)
Righteous anger clouded his pale brown eyes. “Why would anyone want to kill a child?”
“He has magic.”
Cullen shrugged. “So?”
Now it was her turn to frown. Only those with magic were nonchalant about the mention of it. Even then, many who had magic pretended they didn’t. There wasn’t a person on the realm who didn’t know why a human with magic was a problem.
She took a step back and thought about the fog that had suddenly rolled in as she ran from the soldiers. Cullen had appeared within the fog. Maybe she’d been too quick to open up. “Who are you?”
“I told you.”
Tamlyn shook her head and took another step back. “Everyone knows why magic is an issue. You don’t. Why?”
“You doona have to be frightened of me.”
“I’m not so certain.”
His chest rose as he drew in a deep breath and slowly released it. “I’m new to the realm.”
That drew her up short. “New? How?”
“It’s…a long story.”
“Only infants arrive here. Not adults.”
His lips flattened. “As I said, it’s a long story.”
“One I want to hear.”
“Finish yours first. Why would anyone want to sacrifice a child?”
She put her hand to her forehead and shook her head. Was it possible that he didn’t know? He could’ve come up with another story if he lied. Only an idiot would claim ignorance—unless he really didn’t know.
“Tamlyn. Please,” he asked softly.
She dropped her arm to her side. “The humans on this realm are in two groups. Those with magic, and those without. Those without have persecuted and hunted those with any type of ability almost from day one. When the infants are found, no one can tell if they have magic or not. It’s up to those who take the child in to tell their leaders. Once they’re notified, the children are imprisoned and killed. These people discovered that if you kill those with magic early on, few can stand against you later on.”
“Bloody hell,” Cullen said as he ran a hand down his face. He shook his head, his gaze on the ground. “These children have no idea they are no’ supposed to use magic.”
“No.”
“And when they do, it seals their Fate.”
“Yes.”
Cullen lifted his head and looked at her. “These people must be stopped.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do, but there are too many of them.”
“How do you learn when a child will be killed? Do you have a source in the city?”
Tamlyn swallowed nervously. “Not exactly.”
“Tell me. I’m no’ your enemy.”
For some reason, her lips parted, and the words fell from her mouth without hesitation. “I’m a Banshee. I hear the screams of the children about to die.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “What of the other cities?”
“I don’t know how everything works.”
“But there’s a possibility other children are being killed?”
She nodded, her gut twisting as it did each time she thought about this. “Those without magic are terrified of us.”
“Why? Have you attacked them?”
“I’m sure some have. But for years, all we’ve tried to do is stay alive. They don’t just kill the children. If they find one of us, they kill us.”
His brow furrowed deeply. “How do they know they’re killing someone with magic?”
“I don’t think they care. If there’s even a hint of it spoken about someone, they take action.”
“It’s like the witch trials,” Cullen mumbled as he paced.
Tamlyn wanted to ask what the witch trials were, but she decided to wait. “Those with magic hide. It’s our only option.”
“Perilously close to dragon land,” he pointed out.
She twisted her lips. The entrance was close to the barrier, but a large part of the underground city was beneath the dragons’ land. She would rather have them to worry about than her kind. The dragons hadn’t hunted her. Not that she wanted to test that theory.
“I told you that you shouldn’t get involved.”
He halted and looked at her. “I wouldna be able to look at myself in a mirror if I didna do something.”
“What can you possibly do?”
