Chapter 5.8

Chapter5.8

They also had not inherited immortality from their parents. This was a problem because many dragons turned to stone over time, and so the real ones had become fewer and fewer.

"The changing times are to blame for the fact that human women, who were called gods and honored in the beginning, are now sacrificed. They are mistreated and like cattle. Yet they are the ones who are supposed to bring children into the world," Rei said sourly, running his hand through his blue hair briefly before placing his hand behind his back again.

"It will go on and on until they find a sure way for all women to survive. In doing so, they have to worship the divine women, even if they walk them. They must do everything for them to prove to them that the path through this hell is worth it," he sighed.

Quinn looked thoughtful. "Aren't there already a lot of human women who are now half-dragons?" she asked quietly. She couldn't do the math, but if there were many women, there had to be a lot of children. What about these?

Confirming, he nodded. "You're right. The problem is that most of them are incapable of procreation. However, half the dragons can give birth to procreative dragons. That hasn't happened in ages," Rei sighed again. He sounded disgruntled and not happy.

"That is, the women were transformed, but no children were born?" asked Quinn, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes and no. Children are born, but they must be capable of procreation. Besides, the probabilities of the half-dragons getting pregnant and giving birth are not very high," he explained. All the while, he let his gaze wander over the island as if searching for something. "Most of them are infertile children who live with their fathers. As harsh as it sounds, these bring nothing to the dragons."

"I haven't seen any children," Quinn confessed quietly. "At least, no small ones."

"Harri has been able to father very few children because most women die with him. In the transformation or in childbirth. Also, the half-dragons rarely get to see the children," he continued his explanation. The half-dragon children were usually kept in another part of the island to get too close to their mothers.

"Why? Are they dangerous to the mothers?" asked Quinn quietly. "I think I would despair as a mother if I had to give up my child."

"Not directly. But you don't want to bring them together. Why I'm afraid I can't answer that question for you," he said apologetically. "Perhaps because the woman is a goddess and the procreative ones are a kind of bad influence. I'm not sure."

"Children need their mothers," the young woman asserted in a whisper. "Even among humans, children die faster when they are not with their mothers."

Rei shrugged. "As far as I know, they live together for some time and then get separated when they get older," he admitted.

Quinn began twirling her strand between her fingers before swallowing slightly and turning to Rei. "Can we start the transformation already today?" she asked in a trembling voice. She wanted it to start, not wait any longer.

Rei wanted to but couldn't. Therefore, he shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. We'll wait until tomorrow," he said sternly, brooking no dissent.

"Why?" asked Quinn quietly. Since she couldn't read the letter, she didn't know about it either.

Sighing, he explained to her what it said. He had read everything out of it. Even the exact days they had to go on.

Quinn frowned. "I had rather assumed it was some sort of guideline, but flexible," she said softly.

"Yes and no. Unfortunately, the letter has the schedule in it. Besides, I don't want to start without Elgatos," Rei said apologetically. Hopefully, the other times could be adjusted somehow. Depending on how Quinn was doing.

"Won't he be awake in the next few hours?" asked Quinn curiously. After all, it would only be a day earlier.

"It's early morning. He won't be here until evening," the guard said, glancing outside. He would not be persuaded but would stick to the letter. Or still be convinced by Elgatos if necessary, if he thought it would be all right.

"I just don't want another sleepless night," the young woman stated dejectedly.

Slowly, Rei turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. It felt surprisingly cold and challenging, but not as if he wanted to hurt her. "I understand you want to get through quickly, but we can't go that fast. We need to get you used to my blood first," Rei explained patiently.

Quinn nodded. "That's what I mean," she said softly. "Whether I take it today or tomorrow doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Quinn, no," Rei said adamantly. She'd only just arrived, and she'd had to deal with Harris's bungling the day before. It wasn't good to rush everyone.

The young woman slumped her shoulders. "The waiting is driving me crazy," she whispered. Also, she felt the need for someone to hold her.

"Not just you," he replied with a sigh, running his hand through his hair once more. He didn't want to take the risk of upsetting the whole plan by doing that.

Quinn wrapped her arms around herself as if holding herself. "Ever since they took me, everything's been so cold," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "It feels so good when you hold me and comfort me," she confessed because she missed that form of physical closeness so much.

Confused but also insistently musing, he looked at her. When had he held and comforted her? He could not remember.

Slowly he raised his hand to brush the tears from her cheek with his thumb. In doing so, he had to be careful not to let them freeze by mistake.

This simple touch made her shiver slightly but also relax. "Ever since I landed here in this hell, no one has bothered to reassure me or explain anything to me."

Lightly, Rei shrugged. That was all Harris's fault. I wonder what Quinn would be like if she had gotten to another, better dragon.

"You deserve to know the truth without embellishments and false hopes. Dragons owe that to women," he said softly.

"And yet it scares me," she said, slowly sliding down the wall. Her arms were still wrapped around her. "I know I can't escape."

Slowly, Rei crouched down to be level with her. "You're right that you can't escape. And I know you're scared. I'll still do my best to make you as comfortable as possible," the guard assured her. His hand reached out to her because he felt compassion and actually wanted to comfort her. However, halfway he lowered it again because he could not touch a woman for unimportant reasons.

Yet, that would have been what Quinn needed. She pulled her legs toward her and held them tightly. "I'm trying to be strong," she said through tears. "I was even planning on drinking the blood myself, but the longer I wait, the more that resolve falters."

Again his thumb stroked her cheek as if to reassure her. "I would certainly appreciate that, rather than having to force you," Rei whispered softly. They knew how to get the blood flowing to her, even if she didn't go along with it. But Rei didn't necessarily want that. "I don't want to hurt you unnecessarily, though. Maybe the tea will help ease your fear far enough," he said in a reassuring voice.

Quinn shook his head slightly. "The longer it goes on, the worse it gets," she admitted dejectedly.

He couldn't deny that. That the transformation should take six months bordered on sheer impossibility. How could her body stand it? Rei's hands reached for hers and held her tight.

"It will be worse if you refuse, and we have to force you. The plan specifies in what period which dose has to be administered. So we should stick to it," Rei explained gently.

Quinn looked exhausted and sad. "I have to find the courage to do this," she said softly. "Otherwise, you will have to force me."

There she had been, mustering up the courage to do it willingly, and now she couldn't even do it. This demotivated her so much that she was already panicking again.

"What can I do to make you feel better and get your courage back?" he asked carefully. He didn't even notice that his cold fingers were gently stroking the back of her hand.

"I don't know," she confessed despondently. "Courage comes and goes without me being able to do anything about it."

Looking thoughtfully at the young woman, Rei knelt on the ground in front of her in his noble uniform before simply taking Quinn in his arms without question. Not too tight, but enough that he could hold her and she could slip away. His arms wrapped around her body and gave her a quick squeeze. "Then what gave you the courage now?" he wanted to know. Although he wasn't authorized to hold her or comfort her, he felt it was his duty to stand by her.

Quinn sobbed quietly and leaned against him. "I don't know," she whispered, "It just kind of went through a phase. Maybe the idea that somehow, in the end, there's someone who does care about me."

"You're going to end up with someone who means well," he said firmly. Since he couldn't control where she ended up, he wanted to at least try to give her hope that way.

Quinn shivered slightly and leaned on him even more. "I don't know," came tonelessly from her lips. "But you explained it as if it were possible."

"Because it is possible," Rei affirmed his words. Not everyone was like Harri, but many led the same way of life.

"Come, lie down for a bit," he finally suggested, breaking away from her. He had held her long enough already. Too much closeness was not good. Elegantly, he straightened up and looked down at the young woman.

This immediately made Quinn feel abandoned again, but she tried to suppress those feelings as she lightly wiped tears from her cheeks. "Can I sit in front of the fireplace with a blanket?" she asked, suddenly feeling cold.