50. AURELIA

Chapter fifty

AURELIA

" M axzq 1 can be difficult, especially if it is not the same ability that you have as a Scaleborne. When combined, the elements can be more confusing to work with, and learning how to separate the two unique abilities."

When I looked at Luella, her light blue dragon was next to her, nestling in close. Her dragon was probably twenty-five feet tall, making it almost impossible for her to mount him. He was a Clanstan 2 breed, making his maxz 3 ice. His body was slick and smooth, the scales nowhere near as aggressive as the other breeds. He had a thin snout and two large horns that were narrow and would slightly curl at the end as they reached out two feet behind his head.

How in the world was she able to mount him?

Belle approached, closing the distance between us until she stood just inches away. Her snout was firm and square. I laid my hand on her, giving her some sort of comfort, if she was nervous at all. Or maybe it was to ease my hatred toward Angie.

"Aurelia, do you know what Belle's maxz is for you?" Angie questioned.

I tilted my head slightly, stealing a glance at Belle beside me. Her gaze met mine, her golden eyes revealing an emotion I struggled to decipher. With a furrowed brow, I hesitated, uncertainty flickering in my own expression. "No," I replied, redirecting my attention back to Angie, a sense of unease lingering in the air between us.

"I was worried about that," she said, raising her arm to her forehead and wiping sweat from the beating sun. "Well, if she hasn't already told you, her breed is known as ‘ Machmuax 4 ,' which you know translates to connection. Their maxz depends on what resonates to you as their connection," she explained.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"So there's not a set ability or ‘ maxz '?" Damian also questioned.

"Unfortunately, no. You will have to find it out with yourself and Belle." I was trying to process what that meant.

"So, how do I accomplish that?" How was I supposed to figure out what maxz we had together?

"Don't you have your own maxz , Belle? Is it different?"

"The Machmua breed normally depends on their riders. It's not that difficult to understand," Angie stated, continuing to make me feel stupid.

"You never told me this? You have no maxz? Is that why your father made you leave your division? It was never about your hurt foot, was it?"

Belle's head hung low. She was in regret.

"Belle, zemoumai 5 ," I apologized. "I didn't mean to be so brash. I just have felt very betrayed recently." She knew that I was talking about Damian. The intensity from Angie wasn't helping, either.

I didn't want to process that Damian had betrayed me. All I could think about was that our relationship meant nothing to him. I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. I knew we were trying to move on from it, but it was still difficult. "Zemoumai," I apologized again. "It's not about you. You know that I will always take you as you are. Whoever or whatever you are," I said, realizing that was all I had ever wished someone would say to me—especially my parents.

"There's something else I should tell you."

"What else is there, Belle?" I was serious when I said that I would be there for her, no matter who or what she was.

"My name is not Blue Belle," she said, sadness dripping in her voice. I always assumed this. Blue Belle was not in the Satas Lerma language. However, if she wanted to be called something else, I didn't mind–especially since it was her connected name I had heard when she saved me.

"What's your real name?" I asked, curious to know why sweet small Belle would ever change her name.

"Nashmeii 6 ," she whispered, entirely ashamed by the name her division had given her.

Nothing.

Her name was nothing.

"Belle, you're my everything," I said, holding what I could of her body between my arms. " Uanai 7 ," I repeated. "I am going to call you my ua. My everything." Emotions were rising in her golden eyes, shimmering like golden dewdrops on delicate petals. The weight of them hung heavy in the air, threatening to overflow like a river breaking through its dam. My arms raised, brushing against her scales in an attempt to comfort her.

"Let's do this," I said out loud, ready to prove how invincible Belle was to the world.

1. Maxzq (Mahz-eck): Abilities

2. Clanstan (Clawn-stahn): Ice

3. Maxz (Mahz): Ability

4. Machmuax (Mock-mwah): Connection

5. Zemoumai (Ehm-ow-may): Sorry

6. Nashmeii (Nosh-mee): Nothing

7. Uanai (Wah-nay): Everything