Chapter 34

The dracolings were having a good time.

If the dinner guests nearest the girls were unhappy at watching dracolings eating raw meat in the middle of the table, they didn’t mention it.

From what Ricky could observe, most at the table were more fascinated than apprehensive or upset. He was amused when Peridot stalked down the table and stopped in front of one of the women.

She had some crab from her appetiser on her fork. She stopped from putting it into her mouth when Peridot sat in front of her. He looked at her keenly. After a moment, she hesitantly held the fork out to him.

Peridot sniffed delicately at the proffered item and gently took it from her fork. She giggled when he licked his lips and looked at her plate and then at her, expecting more.

Ricky mentally warned his kids to stay on this table and not to wander off. They all agreed, and the two girls happily went to find someone foolish enough to share their repast with them. There were so many enticing new smells it was impossible not to explore them.

Ricky had introduced his girls to Angeni and the people who were sitting beside them. He knew the men nearest Micky and Ronan were Dukes on districts that were close to Spirit City. Interestingly he had never heard them bad mouth him.

The conversation was lively during the first three courses, and it had increased as the dracolings had started circulating the table. Gawkers from the other tables were avidly watching them too.

As the plates were being exchanged for the salad, Angeni said to Ricky, as she watched his dracolings charm the guests. “You know that they will all want one after this introduction to dracolings?”

“Oh, yeah, they are cute like all babies, until they grow up,” he commented. To his surprise, Angeni giggled like a little girl.

“Did Silver ever tell you of her visit to me?” she asked, as she too enjoyed the excellent food. She would have to tell Cooky that she had surpassed herself. She did wonder where all the fresh greens came from since it was winter.

“No, when was that?” Ricky asked in surprise.

“She wasn’t a lot bigger than them. I think she was two, from memory. I believe you were visiting Cooky for her fried rohan. Silver had snuck off when you thought she was asleep, and she flew into my breakfast room. We had a pleasant chat.”

“One of the fireplaces in the kitchen shares the same chimney. I get my best gossip from that fireplace, and you aren’t to tell the servants or Cooky,” she said, waving her fork at him as a warning.

“They are very intelligent beings, aren’t they,” she commented as she stabbed a tiny, round, bright red fruit. She loved these things, and she quickly popped it into her mouth to bite into it and enjoyed the tang as it squirted juice and seeds onto her tastebuds.

“Yes, Dragons have inherited memories. From the moment they are born, they know who and what they are, and how to be a dragon. I don’t know what these three got from me, but I do believe they got something. Shadow called me daddy when we bonded.”

Angeni shook her head in wonderment as she watched the three beautiful babies doing the rounds of the twenty guests at her table and so far, charming each of them.

She’d had only the people who had been sympathetic to Ricky in the past shifted to her table tonight, despite protocols. Interestingly these were also some of the people she liked best.

“I think they got something too, Richard. Notice that they are all being careful not to surprise the person they approach and are using their best manners. That has to have come from you. It was something I could never fault you for. Although your taste in clothes is still atrocious,” she replied and then grinned at him.

Ricky grinned back, “Shukra catches more bees than shit does.”

Angeni nodded in agreement, and they ate quietly for several mouthfuls. She put down her fork as she had finished the salad, and said, “Your mother was my favourite daughter, you know. I should never have forced her to marry that idiot Theosis, politics be damned.”

“I couldn’t blame her for seeking solace with your father. Like you, he was handsome, compassionate and had such charm. I was pissed at him because he had spurned me. Then I found out why he had stopped being my lover. You were supposed to be my child, not my daughter’s. However, that is all water under the bridge.”

Ricky put his fork down without putting the contents into his mouth. He didn’t even see the servant remove his plate for the main course. “Is that why he never spoke ill of you?”

“Possibly, even when I banished him in anger and jealousy, he was just sad. His face haunted me for months after I left him at the crossroads holding you. I came to believe that he had fallen in love with your mother. He was as devasted as I was when told of her death.”

“When he came, hat in hand, begging me to help the dragons, he never reproached me for sending him away. He even agreed to my stipulations without hesitation.”

“Due to the deaths, as three princes were killed the year you turned five, we Queens had agreed to meet in Knowledge City. We let him say his peace at the meeting. I’m still not sure how he and Fleur convinced the others to agree.”

“It was Kendra who called for a map. She drew a circle around the crossroads, and the two mountains and told him that it was his to administer. He and Queen Fleur just had to keep the dragons out of the other provinces. We would make sure the hunting stopped.”

“So that was it. My Seth became the only King on Zeta Island. Then you turned up here without him and told me he was gone and possibly dead. I was devastated and so angry that he had thwarted me again, I took it out on you. I’m sorry, but I loved him as much as Bella did.”

Ricky was stupefied by her admissions. A lot of what his father had told him and many of her actions now made sense to him. “Is that why you haven’t married again?” he had to ask.

“Yes, he was special, like you are. When I heard the rumours about Kineta having lovers I just couldn’t believe it. The problem was, I wasn’t the person to tell her that she was a fool. Others had her ears, and she wouldn’t have listened to me after what had I said about you, in the past.”

Ricky responded, “She was spelled by your brother, but Joshua couldn’t turn her to his ways because he still wanted access to me. So, he used her as a whore to find magical people for him. One of the mages that were with him when Queen Fleur killed him had these memories and many more that I wish I hadn’t collected.”

“He knew I would have reacted badly to the smell of blood magic. I was so busy setting back up here and cranky at her spending habits that I’d not realised we had such a deep rift until I heard about Lord Finch.”

“So, where did you send his sorry arse? I chuckled for a month when my informant told me you took the bait and got rid of him. I was amazed that you didn’t kill him,” Angeni commented.

“Orin,” Ricky supplied with a chuckle.

“Richard, I’m sorry I stopped you from killing Lord Ashly. I was more concerned about the political fallout if you did than what he may have done. Did you know that the mages who rescued him took off with him? I have no idea what happened to them as all three left the city.”

“No, I didn’t, thank you for telling me, he is still high on my most-wanted list,” Ricky responded.

They chatted amicably for the rest of the meal.

Once the final serving was over, the horde headed back to the ballroom for more drinking, music and dancing. Ricky and the girls were drawn into polite conversations but stayed with Angeni.

Ricky danced with each of the girls before they were claimed by the men wishing to further their acquaintances. He wished the men luck but knew the girls would come back to him, for now at least.

He was amused by the introductions to several young ladies and some older ones looking for a good prospect. Since he was now in the Queen’s favour, he was fair game as far as the gentry thought.

Because of the dracolings, they didn’t stay more than another hour or so. Ricky promised to come and see his grandmother the next day. They still had a lot to talk about. Primarily, the sextet, his new role and the users of blood magic.

They took their leave before the witching hour.

It was a busy month.

For one, they were inundated with callers and requests for business meetings, dinner parties, favours and introductions.

Ricky hired a new cook, recommend by Cooky of course. The young-looking man, who was actually in his forties, informed Ricky that his mother had sent him to help out. The girls knew that when Ricky hugged him and escorted him in with his portmanteau dragging behind him, that Sam was welcome.

Sam took over the kitchen and one of the bedrooms on the top floor. To Micky’s and Ronan’s amusement they soon realised he was smitten with Hetty. The fact she went all shy when he paid her attention wasn’t lost on them, either.