A Dragon's Tale Ch. 22

***I self-edit and admit editing isn't my greatest skill. I apologize in advance for anything I missed. I had planned on getting an editor for this chapter, but life happened.***

CHAPTER 22: Two roads diverged in a wood

Kunk! Kunk!

Selene jerked awake as someone knocked on the steel door of her room. Or perhaps 'cell' was a more accurate term. The door locked from the outside instead of the inside and the room was made entirely of concrete. She pulled the rough covers back and sat up, feeling her back complain.

The mattress wasn't the worst she'd ever slept on, but it was close. Her neck had a slight crick in it from the hard, lumpy pillow. The blankets were warm at least, but rough, which was half the reason she'd slept fully dressed. The other reason was she just didn't feel safe sleeping in the nude here as she preferred.

"Come in." She said through a yawn, mildly surprised that whoever it was hadn't already entered without her permission.

She heard the external lock slide open and Smithbond came through the door wearing a crisp suit and a wide smile. He looked refreshed and well rested.

She was jealous.

"Good morning, sleep well?" He didn't even wait for her response before continuing. "I might have a tentative agreement with our unpleasant friend. However, I need more information."

She was glad she hadn't needed to strike a deal with the necromancer. The man gave her the creeps, and she didn't get creeped out easily.

"What kind of agreement?" She said through another yawn.

Curiously, he didn't even appear to stifle a mirroring yawn as he replied, ignoring her question. "I don't trust that snake as far as I could throw him, so I want more information about the other world. I think we both know where to get it."

"Where?"

"You've had contact with several people who clearly know something, and one who lived on the other world for years. Their intelligence will be invaluable."

"You mean..." She thought back to the woman that the dragon-man had dropped off with the pregnant couple.

"I do mean. I already sent a squad to pick them up."

"Pick them up?" Selene stood up and narrowed her eyes. "They haven't done anything wrong."

"They are material witnesses with information we need." He replied. "Therefore, I've arranged to debrief them."

"And they'll come willingly?"

"More or less." He shrugged. Something about the way he said it made her think it would be 'less'.

"They're American citizens; you can't just haul them off to God-knows-where to interrogate them."

Smithbond stepped aside and she saw the same burly soldier from the night before. She resisted the urge to think of him as a 'henchman'.

Although...

Smithbond ignored her comment. "The Sergeant will lead you to the mess hall for some chow and then to the showers. We've arranged for some of your clothes to be brought here too."

If she was skeptical of him before, she was even more so now. He seemed pleasant enough to talk to, but his actions told a different story. She decided to play along for now, but right now she trusted him about as much as he trusted the necromancer.

"Thanks, I guess." She said eyeing him.

He inclined his head slightly before becoming businesslike again. "Oh and Miss Dawson, I'm not going to interrogate them; you will."

* * *

Kendra frowned.

She had felt herself start to worry a little bit when she'd heard the dragon she'd been hunting and the Drago roar at each other. At least, she was pretty sure it was a Drago from the roar.

She wasn't worried for the dragon of course, but for the Fey girl, Taloni. A Drago could be merciless when angered and from the roar it sounded like he had indeed been angered. She was behind the Argo and thus couldn't see what was happening on deck, but knew it couldn't be good.

For a moment, she considered grabbing her last Dragon Slayer arrow and sailing closer to help.

She shook her head.

That was silly; stupid.

There was no way that she would evenconsider coming to the rescue of a dragon. Ever.

But Taloni...

She glanced at her wind gauge. She could make sail to nearly triple her speed, but it would still take a while to catch up because she was following them from so far behind. She did this on purpose, knowing that being any closer risked her airship being spotted by the dragon, or possibly even the wood elf.

She hesitated for several seconds before she started raising the sails. She didn't remember deciding to move closer, but she knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't at leasttry to help Taloni.

* * *

Ethan felt the copper dragon's eyes bore into him. The elder dragon clearly wasn't very amused anymore and he had only a short time to think up some riddle with which to trick him. He was very aware of Alana, Beth, Taloni, and Rachel behind him, not to mention the rest of the crew. Their lives might rest in his hands and his ability to come up with a suitable challenge.

Kyrupto tapped one of his claws on the Argo's deck. "I agreed to hear you out if you could pose a riddle that I couldn't answer hatchling, but my patience isn't eternal."

*Know any good ones?* He asked each of his three wives telepathically. They really needed to figure out that whole magical 'group chat' thing.

Beth and Taloni were silent, but Alana thought back. *Not really. I only know a few childish riddles that he'd get in a moment.*

Hmm...

That's when Ethan realized he was thinking about this all wrong. The trick here wasn't to come up with a hard riddle. That trick was to come up with a riddle that seemed hard, but was actually very easy. He knew at least one that might do the trick, because very few people got it correct the first time they heard it.

That could work.

He looked at Kyrupto. "As I was going to Saint Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Each wife had seven sacks, each sack had seven cats, each cat had seven kits; of all those who are alive, how many were going to Saint Ives?"

"That's your riddle?" Kyrupto snorted. "You think I cannot multiply because I am a dragon?"

"I said no such thing." Ethan replied, allowing a smug smile onto his face. The more upset the other dragon was, the less likely he was to see through the ruse.

Kyrupto opened his mouth, and then closed it and nodded. "You seek to distract me with an apparent insult, while hoping I wouldn't notice the little trick of your riddle."

Ethan tried to keep his expression neutral, but could feel a touch of panic seeping in.

Kyrupto opened his mouth again, then closed it again. "Ah, a double trick. You thought I would do the math and either forget that the sacks aren't living, or else forget that you and the man should be counted too." He said with a smug expression.

"Oh?" Ethan replied, determined not to give anything away.

"Yes." Kyrupto smiled in triumph. "There is you, plus the man, the seven wives, we don't count sacks as they aren't living, plus three hundred and forty three cats, and thus two thousand four hundred and one kits. That is a grand total of two thousand seven hundred fifty three living beings."

"Is 'two thousand seven hundred fifty three' your final answer?" Ethan asked, resisting the urge to imitate Regis Philbin on 'Who Wants to be A Millionaire?'

Kyrupto chuckled a mirthless laugh. "Yes."

"Shame." Ethan said, his grin of victory splitting his face. "You're wrong."

The Drago's countenance changed instantly, becoming suspicious. "My math was perfect." He sneered.

"Your math was indeed perfect." Ethan agreed, assuming it was because he'd never bothered to do it before. "It's your hearing that could use a little work. I said 'AsI was going to Saint Ives'.I, not the others, who I met on the way. They were logically either coming back from Saint Ives or else lived on the way. There was only one going to Saint Ives; me."

Kyrupto stared.

Then he narrowed his eyes.

A low growl escaped the copper dragon's throat. He looked like he was having a furious battle with himself. Ethan could see the dragon's rage that he'd also often fought bubbling up. But he also could see the supreme arrogance of this Drago who knew that attacking would be tantamount to admitting defeat. He didn't think the dragon's anger would overwhelm his pride.

At least, he hoped it wouldn't.

Kyrupto growled and then crouched low, like a cat ready to pounce. Ethan dropped his hammer and pulled his spear into a ready position. The copper dragon watched the hammer as it fell to the deck, his eyes never leaving it.

"Is that the hammer through which you summon Illuminar's lightning?" He asked. He was still crouched, but seemed less likely to pounce at any moment.

Ethan nodded.

"Show me." The Drago commanded.

"Back off and I will." He replied, tightening his grip on his spear.

The copper dragon seemed to relax and slowly backed away until he was a good thirty feet away, near the Argo's bow. Ethan called the hammer to his hand and started charging it without dropping his spear or taking his eyes off the other dragon.

"I'm waiting." Kyrupto sneered.

Feeling there was enough charge in the hammer for a demonstration, Ethan threw it high into the air. He waited until it hit the apex of its throw, then released the spell.

CRACK!

The lightning bolt arched down from the hammer, avoided the wooden hull of the Argo, and forked down over the side of the ship.

Kyrupto looked mildly impressed. "Havorleth wasn't lying."

Ethan called the hammer back to his hand. "I wasn't either when I said I didn't take a single gold piece from Havorleth."

The copper dragon snorted. "Many things I will believe hatching, but a dragon not absorbing another dragon's hoard after defeating him is simply preposterous."

"So is a dragon summoning lightning, yet here we are."

Kyrupto stared at him.

The copper dragon's breathing was loud enough to hear, and each exhale almost came across as a bit of a growl. He then closed his eyes and raised his hand as if feeling for something invisible that Ethan couldn't see.

"You have gold aboard hatchling." He finally said. "That much is obvious."

"Yes but how much?" Ethan countered. "You yourself can feel the amount in my own personal hoard is but a pittance compared to what Havorleth had."

"And how would you know that?" Kyrupto replied, suddenly looking suspicious.

"I could feel it when I was near his hoard, during the battle, but I've taken nothing from Havorleth, and therefore I've taken nothing from you." Ethan declared. "Therefore, you have no quarrel with me."

Kyrupto sneered again.

Ethan wondered if his face was ever going to freeze hat way, since he made the expression so much. His mother had always warned him about that in jest, but it seemed applicable to this Drago.

"You would conspire to deceive me hatchling?" The Drago took a threatening step forward. "I can feel the mana flowing into you. Mana that far outpaces the paltry sum of gold I can feel onboard. Therefore, you must have hidden the gold from my senses with some clever enchantment. No true dragon would ever leave so much gold behind."

"My wife was hurt; I needed to help her." He said, and then felt a warm rush of emotions coming from Alana.

Kyrupto blinked. "Wife?"

"Yes wife."

The copper dragon stared, seemingly confused.

"You know, a spouse; a person I married. A woman who is married to me." Ethan prompted.

Kyrupto stared like Ethan had said that water is solid, the sky is red, and dragons hated gold.

*What's he thinking?* Beth asked telepathically.

*I have no idea, but he seems-* He started to reply, but then Alana broke in on his thoughts.

*He must've heard the term, maybe-* The wood elf started to say, but he didn't hear the end because Taloni chose that moment to comment.

*Master, is he confused about what a wife is?*

Ethan sighed; they really needed to figure out that whole 'magical group chat' thing. That was next on his to-do list, right after 'survive the next ten minutes'.

*We'll talk later.* He replied to each wife individually, and then turned his concentration back to the coper dragon, who finally spoke.

"But there are no female dragons, so how could you take a wife?"

"It wasn't hard; some vows and a Luminar."

"But vows to whom?" The Drago seemed genuinely puzzled.

"My wives." Ethan gestured behind him to Alana, Beth, and Taloni, all of whom were inside the captain's cabin looking on with great interest and more than a little apprehension. He noticed that Alana had her bow out and an arrow nocked, but she hadn't drawn or raised it yet.

"Mortals?" Kyrupto snorted. "That would be like one of them marrying a cow."

Ethan bristled.

The Drago continued as if he didn't notice or care. "Mortal men are good only to dig up gold for us to take, and mortal women are only good for breeding or a cock-sleeve when the fancy strikes." He looked slightly disgusted. "Why stoop to their silly rituals about pair bonding? Simply take whatever females you wish and discard them when you're finished."

Ethan opened his mouth to reply, but Rachel beat him to the punch.

"He would never do that." She said with absolute confidence.

Kyrupto never so much as looked at her as he snorted derisively. "Then he's a fool. Dragons are as far above mortals as mortals are above a beast of the field." He shook his head. "I have now fulfilled my oath and heard you out; I'm not convinced. Give what is owed, or..."

He puffed some smoke.

Ethan glanced at the redheaded mage, who frowned.

"Well that didn't work, let me try." She said with a grin before looking back to the Drago. "If you think you're so far above us 'mere mortals', then I also challenge you to a game of wits."

"This insult is not to be borne." The copper dragon growled. "I would sooner engage in a battle of wits with a cow."

Ethan glanced at Rachel, who looked nervous but undeterred. "Then wouldn't it be satisfying to prove your superiority by showing a 'mere cow' how stupid she is?"

Kyrupto sneered, but looked amused. Ethan didn't need to be psychic to know that dragon loved the idea of proving his superiority.

"Very well." Kyrupto almost purred in anticipation. "But when you fail, you'll become my permanent cocksleeve to breed and use whenever..." His eyes roamed her body, lingering on her butt. "...and however I please."

"Rachel, are you sure..." He heard Alana's voice from the captain's cabin, but the redhead ignored her.

Their resident mage shuddered at the Drago's comment, but nodded. "Agreed... butwhen I win, you must agree to leave the Argo, its crew, and its cargo unharmed."

The copper dragon smiled wickedly. "Agreed."

* * *

Hailey felt completely unsure what to do with herself. She had borrowed some of Melinda's non-maternity exercise clothes, which the Latina woman obviously wasn't using. Now she was taking a run around town to clear her head. She loved running. She wasn't sure why, but she did and had missed it terribly.

Not much had changed in the town. She recognized many of the people she passed. Judging by the strange looks she got, some of them recognized her too. Despite the odd looks, everyone was friendly though. The town had a nice, old-time, homey feel that was part of the reason she'd ended up staying.

Of course, the other reasons were Jason and Melinda.

Her two best friends had made all the difference. Jason because he'd been so kind, even after she lifted his wallet, and Melinda because she'd gone out of her way to help Hailey get a job waitressing - a job she desperately needed - on the day they had met.

Melinda and Jason seemed really happy together too. They had that 'old friends turned lovers' vibe which she envied slightly. Jason and herself had been hot and heavy fairly quickly, and only gotten to know each other after moving in together. She didn't want to ruin the couple's happiness, but she also wanted some for herself.

She stopped her run to check her pulse.

"Damn, I'm way out of shape." She said as she panted. A few years ago she would've hardly be breaking a sweat at this point.

She shook her head and resumed her run, all the while thinking about the situation at home. Well, at Jason and Melinda's home. She thought back to the Ten Kingdoms and Ethan with his wives on the Argo. She didn't want to share Jason, but couldn't bear the thought of hurting Melinda.

Maybe, just maybe, Ethan's solution could work here too?

She ran circles in her head as she finished her run. She was breathing pretty hard when she got back. Oddly there, was a large van that looked vaguely police-like parked outside the apartment that she'd never seen before. She shrugged and walked up the stairs to Jason and Melinda's apartment. She used the key they had given her to unlock the door and open it.

She stopped short when she did.

Jason was sitting on the couch, leaning far back to make room for Melinda's very pregnant belly as she straddled him in an undeniably sexual way. They were both fully clothed, but she got the distinct impression that this would've been very embarrassing if she had returned five minutes later.

"Hi Hail-storm." Jason said with a wink and without shame, using the pet nickname for her she did something disruptive. He was also grinning, and apparently found the situation highly amusing.

"Hailey." Melinda said, looking slightly embarrassed as she slid off of him.

"Um, it's okay." Hailey said awkwardly. "I mean, I know how the baby got in there, so..."

"Well, it wasn'tquite like this." Jason said mischievously.

Melinda turned beet red.

Hailey followed suit.

As much as Jason had a talent for using humor to make people relax and break the ice, he sometimes didn't know when to stop.

"How was your run?" He asked, seemingly oblivious to their embarrassment, or maybe he was changing the topic for their sakes. She wasn't sure.

"Um, it was good. I haven't done that in a long time and I really missed it." She said, though seeing Melinda straddle Jason like that had reminded Hailey of another form of exercise that she also hadn't engaged in for far too long.

"I'm sorry if I..." Melinda looked at Jason. "I mean, if we made you uncomfortable."

She shook her head. "No it's okay. I mean, you're together now. I don't expect you to stop having sex on my account."

Melinda nodded looking relieved, and Hailey couldn't blame her. Jason wasn't just an Adonis outside the bedroom, he was a stallion in bed too. She hadn't thought about it very much lately because she'd been too preoccupied with getting home. Now that she was...

Knock! Knock!

Jason frowned and turned to Melinda. "We weren't expecting anyone were we?"

"No." She made to get up, but Jason beat her to it.

He opened the door to see a police officer standing there looking imposing.

"Jason Stiles, Hailey Oswald, and Melinda Estello?" The officer asked without preamble.

"That's us." Jason said.

"Could you come with me please sir." The officer said.

It wasn't a question.

Something about him seemed... 'off' to Hailey. He looked like a police officer and had all the right gear, but something about his uniform and the way he carried himself just didn't seem right. Apparently, Jason noticed that too.

"Actually officer, I'm very comfortable right here." He replied coolly.

The officer put his hand on his gun. "You need to come with me sir."

"I'd like to speak to your supervisor." Jason replied.

The faux-cop looked towards the stairs and nodded his head as if to indicate someone should approach. Moments later, a half dozen other people who looked like police officers crowded the landing; all had their stun batons out and ready. Something told Hailey that they weren't actually with the cops.