Sacrificed to the Dragon: Part Two Read Online Free PDF

even though I have moved her into a cottage next to mine and have tried to take care of her ever since Neil left, she’s afraid of all dragon-shifters, except maybe the children. Even though she intends to leave as soon as the child is born, I’d really like her to go back to her people as unbroken as possible.”
    “Why? To protect your reputation?”
    “No, because it breaks my heart that she’s been hurt because of me.”
    Bram’s expression and tone made it seem as if he truly cared for Cait, but she didn’t know him well enough to know if it was all an act or not. And while she’d planned on trying to befriend Cait anyway, her gut told her that this was her chance to ask for what she wanted. “I’ll say yes on one condition.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “You want to bargain with me?” She nodded. “Not many here would try to do that. There’s hope for you yet.”
    She didn’t know how to interpret that, so she pushed on. “I want the ability to roam Stonefire’s land without needing your or some other dragon-shifter’s permission every time I go out.”
    “Do you think that wise? While no one in the clan will physically harm you, especially now that you’re carrying Tristan’s child, I can’t control their likes or dislikes. Some of them will outright hate you for your intrusion here, and won’t be afraid to show it.”
    Mel thought of the dragonwoman she’d encountered on the way here. “I’d rather take my chances. A few harsh words I can handle, but endless months of boredom I cannot.”
    “There are a few sections which will remain off limits until I can better assess your loyalties. But provided you do the second thing I ask, I don’t see you roaming the unrestricted areas as a problem.”
    Considering she’d been here just over a week, his caveats seemed reasonable. “Okay, so what’s the second thing you want to ask me for?”
    “I want you to help teach the young dragons about humans.”
    She frowned. “About what, exactly? I’m not a trained teacher. I’m studying to be an anthropologist.”
    “I know that, and I think your degree will help you to present your people in an unbiased light. Isn’t that one of the tenants of anthropology? To try and limit personal bias?”
    She decided to avoid getting into complicated theory about whether that was possible or not and simply said, “For the most part, yes.”
    “Good. Then you’re exactly what they need. Our texts are outdated, and most of my clan is still somewhat biased against your kind due to our bloody, and often violent, past. You’ll be able to answer the children’s questions without peppering it with hate.”
    She eyed Bram for a second. “Why are you so keen on changing the children’s perceptions? There is still a huge amount of bias against dragon-shifters in the human world. If the children get too rosy a view, it could end up harming them in the long run.”
    He waved a hand in dismissal. “My other teachers can help balance your version with our recorded history, giving the children a better idea of the full truth. But I want to start the next generation on thinking that they can change the status quo instead of just putting up with it.”
    Bram was cleverer than she’d originally given him credit for. “As long as there’s a dragon-shifter adult there too, in case things go wrong, I’ll try.”
    Bram smiled. “Good. You’ll start in three days.”
    Mel didn’t like the devious look in Bram’s eye, but at least she wouldn’t have to spend all of her time here doing nothing. Children were usually more honest and more open than adults were. She could probably learn just as much from them as they would from her.
    Her only reservation was that Tristan taught the young dragon-shifters. If Bram thought to play matchmaker, he wasn’t going to be successful. Unless Tristan groveled and pleaded, which was highly unlikely, she wasn’t going to put herself out there only to have him shoot her down again.
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