Free Rayne's Return (Hearts of ICARUS Book 3) by Laura Jo Phillips

fed her, monitored her, and kept her alive and paralyzed for eleven months.  She pretended to be unconscious so that she didn’t have to look at them, or their eyes.  She hated their eyes.  In an effort to distract herself, she called out to Wolef.  “May I ask you some questions, Wolef?  I know we talked a lot last night and you’re probably tired of me already, so don’t hesitate to say no if you want.”
    “On the contrary, I find you to be very agreeable company, and I have no desire to refuse you.  Ask what you will.”
    “How long have the little blue thugs kept you prisoner here?”
    “Little blue thugs,” Wolef repeated slowly.  “How very apt that is.”
    “They never told me who they are, what they are, or where they’re from, so that’s what I call them.”
    “They call themselves the Doftle, but I like little blue thugs ever so much better,” he said.  “I’ve only been here, in the Facility , for fourteen months.  However, if your intention was to ask how long I’ve been a prisoner, the answer is just a bit over five hundred years.”
    “How is it that you’re still sane?” she asked, appalled.
    “Unfortunately, dragons do not lose their sanity, no matter how much they might wish otherwise.”
    “Why didn’t you speak to me before now?”
    “I was…hibernating.”
    “Hibernating?”
    “ That’s the best word I can think of for it in Standard, yes,” Wolef replied.  “ When I was first brought here, to the Facility , I attempted to communicate with the other prisoners as I am now communicating with you.  Since none of them responded with anything close to sanity, I chose to hibernate.  It passes the time, you see.  I awoke yesterday and reached out again, surprised to find brain waves that matched those of Tanjelia Dracon, who I’d heard of some time back.  Even though you are not Tanjelia, I must say that it’s very refreshing to speak with someone who hasn’t gone completely ‘round the bend.” 
    “Um…thank you,” Rayne said uncertainly.  “ How did you hear about Tani from here?”
    “Information important to dragons is put out into the universe for all to find,” he said.  “And before you ask, no, I can’t call for help in that way.  Such messages can be sent only by dragons who no longer reside upon the living plane, and even then, only when the message affects all dragons.” 
    “What sort of dragon are you?”
    “Does it matter?  No offense Rayne, but you’re human.  I doubt you know anything about dragons that isn’t human folklore which is, frankly, anything but reliable.”
    “It would be more accurate to say I’m humanoid,” she corrected.  “My parents are dracons, and of course Tani is now a dragon.  They’re all shifters, so they’re still humanoid most of the time, but their alter-forms are very much a part of their natures.”
    “If your parents are shifters, then why aren’t you?”
    “Females aren’t usually born shifters.  We have to wait until we find our soul mates, and then they change us so that we can shift into whatever clan they belong to.”  Sadness filled her as she thought about the Bearen-Hirus’ rejection, but it was worth it just to have someone to talk to.
    “I am, much to my surprise, inordinately interested, something that hasn’t happened in more years than I like to contemplate,” Wolef said.  “ Would you mind telling me more?  If it’s too personal, I will understand.”
    “No, I don’t mind at all,” Rayne replied.  “ But I’d like you to answer my question, first, if you will.”
    “Ah yes, I’d nearly forgotten,” Wolef said.  “ I am a golden dragon.”
    “I’ve never heard of a golden dragon.”
    “That’s not surprising as there are very few of us,” Wolef said.  “Only one in every twenty generations or so is born golden.  We are the largest of all dragons, and we each have one extraordinary magical ability in addition to the usual.  In short, we are