Chapter 22: Two roads diverged in a wood

I self-edit and admit editing isn’t my greatest skill. I apologize in advance for anything I missed.

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 from your hotel room 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 even consider 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 least try 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 ‘As I 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. 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 ... but when 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’t quite 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.

“I don’t think I made myself clear.” The faux-cop said. “Could you all come with me please.”

Again, it wasn’t a question.

Alana watched from the door to the captain’s cabin frozen in indecision. She had her bow at the ready, but wasn’t sure it could harm the copper dragon. Havorleth was much younger and her arrows had merely skittered off of his scales. She wanted to rush out and help somehow, but Ethan had told her to stay put and keep his other wives safe. Besides, she didn’t want to put the baby at risk.

She wanted to protect Rachel, because it was stupid to try and match wits with a dragon. Everyone said so; dragons were notoriously clever and hard to outwit, yet the kind and stunning redhead was going to try. If she lost...

Alana shuddered.

Rachel had a cocky grin on her face. She was looking forward to this. The wood only wished she felt as confident as the teen mage looked.

“Kyrupto.” Rachel said with a smirk. “You acknowledge Illuminar as creator of all; the highest and greatest being who ever has lived and ever will live. And thus He is supreme over even dragons?”

The copper dragon glowered as if he hated admitting to this fact, but nodded.

“You also maintain that dragons are a higher form of life than that of mortals like humans, elves, Fey, etcetera?”

“Obviously.”

“Then let me ask you a question.” Rachel took a few steps forward, casually handing the satchel full of grenades to Ethan, as if she were merely freeing her hands.

“Clever.* Alana thought to her husband.

She is indeed. He replied appreciatively.

“Since Illuminar’s Book of Light says that both dragons and mortals were both created in the image of Illuminar, and since he is the highest being in existence, then how can dragons be a higher form of being than mortals since they are both made in the image of the highest being in the universe?”

Damn she’s clever. Ethan thought with undeniable admiration.

Yeah... Alana agreed as she kept her eyes on Kyrupto.

The elder dragon sneered, then growled. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head. He tapped a long, sharp claw on the deck and then started pacing back and forth. He was brooding, and not a pensive brooding either. There was clear, visible anger on the dragon’s countenance. She prayed to Illuminar that this dragon’s sense of pride in honoring his agreements would override his anger, because if it didn’t...

The Drago took a threatening step forward.

Rachel set her face and took one also.

Kyrupto locked eyes with Rachel, and Alana remembered what happened when Ethan did that to her, or his other wives. She took a deep, calming breath, made sure the arrow was nocked firmly into her bowstring, and waited.

Rachel could feel the dragon’s gaze boring into her. It was powerful and compelling. She’d heard that ancient dragons could compel people to do things with just the force of their gaze, but she had always dismissed it as a myth.

Now she wasn’t so sure.

The copper dragon’s gaze was telling her to kneel, to submit; to concede. She could feel the iron will of the dragon pressing on her own will. She could feel the force of his desire to dominate; the power of his lust for control. She could feel the full weight of his iron willpower telling her to bend the knee to him.

She fought it.

It was among the hardest things she’d ever done. It felt like trying to lift a house, or perhaps like trying to prevent a house from crushing you. Only twice could she recall needing to apply as much willpower as she did now: when she had lifted the stasis spell on Beth’s body, and when she’d engaged in the battle of willpower with Gonorran.

Both times she had needed to plumb the depths of her willpower to succeed. Both times she had fought tooth and nail to prevent her mind from giving in. And while she’d won both times, something strange had accompanied both struggles.

Both times she’d felt something that seemed completely unrelated, but clearly must be related because it was happening again right now. All three times she’d applied the full force of her will, this had happened. It couldn’t be coincidence because it was happening again right now.

The birthmark on her shoulder tingled.

The small birthmark on her left shoulder that slightly resembled dragon scales was tingling slightly. It was subtle, but unmistakable and only appeared when she strained her willpower to the limit.

Why?

Why her birthmark?

Why only when she applied all of her willpower? She put the question out of her mind to concentrate on the matter at hand.

Kyrupto took another step forward.

Rachel decided to match him, but found it hard. Slowly and with deliberate force of will, she raised her foot, moved it forward, and planted it firmly on the wooden deck.

Kyrupto took another step forward, and so did Rachel, though with the same difficulty. He took another and so did she. She found it hard to move, but possible. Not easy, but doable with a great deal of effort.

Several steps later, she found herself face-to-face with the copper dragon. Its face was mere feet away, its eyes boring into her. She briefly wondered if he had moved closer for the same reason that Gonorran and herself had closed the distance during the willpower duel: proximity mattered.

Kyrupto growled low in his throat.

She could see the frustration on his face. He had assuredly tried this on other men and women with success, yet he had none now. There was one last burst of compulsion from the copper dragon, which she barely resisted, then it ceased and he blinked.

The compulsion disappeared.

Rachel let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. He had been pushing so hard and she resisting so hard that when the force was removed it caused her to physically stagger on the spot for a moment. She quickly found her balance and staggered backwards until she was behind Ethan. It wasn’t until she’d done so that she realized she was backing up behind him for protection.

She’d never done that before.

She had always relied on herself and felt perfectly up to the task of protecting herself. She didn’t need him to protect her, but she wanted to feel protected. She wasn’t sure why.

She looked back at Kyrupto in time to see him turn his powerful gaze on Ethan’s other wives.

Alana looked directly and defiantly back at Kyrupto as he turned his gaze on her. She could feel a compulsion buried in it, but it was pathetically weak. Unlike Ethan’s gaze which took all her willpower to resist, this was like resisting the impulse to touch something fascinating but gross. She briefly wondered if that was because of her bond with Ethan.

The copper dragon bored his gaze into her for several seconds before she gave him the same expression she might give a child who swore they hadn’t eaten the sticky rolls ... when their hands and mouth were covered in sugar.

The dragon growled before turning his gaze elsewhere.

Beth met Kyrupto’s gaze and felt a very strange sensation. It was like when Ethan told her to do something, but it was easily resisted. Like when you’ve finished the first book in a series, but it was so disappointing that you only had the vaguest inclination to pick up the second book. She had just started to wonder if her bond with Ethan made it so easy to resist when the copper dragon’s gaze moved on.

Taloni met the Drago’s gaze and felt the compulsion. She balled her hands into fists and for the first time in a very long time wanted to hit something.

How dare he!

She could feel his pathetic attempt to compel her and it made her want to throttle him with her bare hands. She already had a master; he had absolutely no right and no business trying to usurp Ethan’s place!

She glared pure murder back at him.

“Hey, are you okay?” Alana asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Taloni? Ethan’s thoughts broke into hers, momentarily suppressing her rage.

Master, do you know what he just tried to do? She thought back.

What did he try? Her wonderful husband said with a hard edge in his voice that wasn’t directed at her, but at the other dragon.

Ethan felt white hot rage begin to boil through his veins as each of his wives described what Kyrupto had just tried to do. He clenched his fist so tight that he would’ve sliced right through the scales of his palm if his claws had been extended.

“How?” Kyrupto said, turning to Ethan. “How did these pathetic--”

“SHUT UP!!!” Ethan shouted as his dragon rage swelled at the other dragon. Without thinking, he reached into the Grenade satchel, armed a grenade, and threw it directly at the confused Drago. The copper dragon looked with mild disinterest as the grenade rolled to his feet.

“What is--”

BOOM!

Kyrupto roared.