Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“Murtades,” he says, rubbing his chin. “My full name.”
“Makes you wonder how you forgot any of it, doesn’t it?” Thess says, full of smiles. She has a strange way of speaking, some of her syllables not as crisp as they could be, and it sounds a lot like how Murr speaks. Thess walks up to me, her nostrils flaring, and I know she’s taking in my scent. A moment later she puts out her hand. “Hello. I’m Thess.”
“Oh god, where are my manners? Hi, I’m Dakota.”
Thess glances around. Murr does, too. In this, they’re united.
“I’m not actually looking for manners,” I clarify, and some of my stress over Thess’s arrival disappears at her confusion, mimicked in Murr. “It’s something humans say. I’m sorry. I’m Dakota. We live here.”
She smiles, showing a crooked fang that only adds to her impish look. “And you are friends with Murtades.”
“We are.” She says his name as if it rhymes with “ladies” or “Mercedes.” How did you know he was here?”
“I did not. I am flying in from Fort Dallas. They asked me to come and look for you.” Her hand is still out for a handshake, and I grab it. She squeezes mine, so tight that I yelp in surprise. Immediately, she releases me, her expression contrite. “Oh, I still do not have that right. It is not a show of strength? I thought I was doing it proper.”
I shake my head. “It’s just a friendly greeting. You just kinda…hug hands for a bit.”
Her mouth turns down in a miserable frown. “May I try again?”
We do, though I’m bracing for my hand to be squished once more. This time she holds it gently, pumping our hands together like a used car salesman, and her expression changes to delight once more. “Like that?”
“That was great, thanks.” I extricate myself. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“I like meeting you, too,” Thess gushes. She turns to Rabbit, who’s been hovering behind me in silence, and holds out her hand. “Hello! I am Thess.”
Rabbit shakes her hand, and the greetings continue. Dottie and Aggie reluctantly emerge from the building and eye Thess with skeptical looks. “Are you here to steal Dakota’s man?” Aggie asks point-blank.
“What? Oh no, I am not in heat.” Thess laughs as if the thought amuses her. “Murtades is simply an old friend. We were warriors together back home.”
“Hmph,” is all Dottie says.
I glance over at Murr. He’s being awful quiet, but perhaps he’s just in shock from his friend arriving again? It’s hard to tell. His eyes are swirling fast, usually a sign that he’s agitated, but he looks calm. I don’t know what to make of it.
“Do you want to come and sit near the fire?” I ask Thess. “Join us for some hot tea and wrap up in a blanket? The weather is cold today.”
“You are kind. I would love tea.” She beams at us, oblivious to Murr’s silence or the scowls Aggie is sending her way.
CHAPTER 57
DAKOTA
“I can’t believe we’re meeting another dragon,” my daughter says, squeezing my arm. “I’m freaking out.”
“Me too,” I whisper, but probably for different reasons.
Thess sits by the fire, wrapping a blanket modestly around her long, beautiful limbs. She takes the cup of tea handed to her and smiles sweetly at Dottie and Aggie, asking about Stella. She can scent her (and the blood from the birthing) from afar and wants to make sure she’s not in pain. They chat as Murr approaches our fire, and I automatically hand him his loin wrap. He pauses, giving it a thoughtful look before putting it on.
“Tell me more about how you arrived here,” Thess says to us as we gather around. “I am very curious.”
“We don’t have solar panels, if that’s what you’re asking,” Dottie says, a hint of aggressiveness in her tone.
Thess isn’t bothered. Her smile remains friendly. “I figured. No one does, and if they do, they have a lot more of a protective set-up than what you have here.”
Aggie waves a hand at the female dragon. “So now you can go back and tell the fort that they don’t need to come rob us. We’re just a bunch of old ladies and a kid.”
“Hey,” I protest. I’m not an old lady.
“And a dragon,” Aggie amends. “And a dog.”
My confidence withers a bit more. Bad enough that Thess is besties with Murr and knows him from before, but now I’m just another old lady?
“The fort checks out every report of ‘marauding’ nomads in the area, but that doesn’t mean it’s a problem. I’m going to report to them that you’re all healthy and harmless, and you have nothing of interest. Fort Dallas is very nice, even if it’s run by a Salorian.”
Murr makes a choked sound at that.
“What’s a Salorian?” Rabbit asks.
“Bad,” Murr says immediately, his eyes flashing so dark that it makes me hold my breath. I’ve learned that his moods follow his eyes and so when they turn jet black, I panic.