“That’s how Phel came to be here in our time.” Tylie closed her book and leaned forward.
“Did you know Agarrenon Shivar?” Trip asked them. “Or—there was a bronze dragon who convinced the elders to force him to go into stasis and then sabotaged his chamber so that he eventually died. Did you know…”
The two dragons looked at each other, and Trip stopped talking, realizing he had no idea what the name of that bronze had been. What information he did know, he’d seen in a vision from the past. What if that deceitful dragon had been one of Shulina Arya’s parents?
If it had been, Trip wouldn’t feel any resentment toward them. Everything he’d learned about his sire suggested that his death had been a good thing for the world.
“We did know Agarrenon Shivar,” Wyleenesh said, “though I cannot say it was an honor to have made his acquaintance.”
“He was a buffalo’s left ass cheek,” Bhajera Liv said.
“Fortunately, you seem to be nothing like him,” Wyleenesh said. “We were pleased to hear from Shulina Arya that you rejected Drysaleskar’s suggestion that you talk her into accepting him as a mate.”
Trip’s breath caught. Sardelle and Tylie looked curiously at him. He hadn’t realized Shulina Arya had been aware of that exchange. He felt guilty because, for however brief a time, he had contemplated Drysaleskar’s suggestion. Was she aware of that? Or only that in the end, he hadn’t done it?
“Drysaleskar is a buffalo’s right ass cheek,” Trip said,
Bhajera Liv threw his head back and laughed. “Most golds are some manner of ass cheek.”
“Goodness,” Wyleenesh told him, “I didn’t know you could do that.”
“What?”
“Laugh.”
“I’m not that stodgy.”
“Telryn,” Wyleenesh said, looking at Trip again, “this was all long, long ago for us, but I did know Grenkolin, the bronze who built some of the large dragon-sized stasis chambers during that particular era. It seems he built smaller ones too. His mark is on that plaque, and likely on the insides of all the other chambers that those babies came out of. He was a bit of a—what is the term you humans use?—mad scientist. We also believe he was responsible, at least partially, for the building of the Portal of Avintnaresi, that which many of us were tricked into using to leave this world. I was actually consulted on the Agarrenon Shivar matter since it was a… delicate situation.”
“Planning the murder of gold dragons often is,” Bhajera Liv said.
“I believe I may have known your mother as well. There was a human woman who was a gifted engineer, especially given what a primitive time that was among humans, so she was known to many of us who considered ourselves scientists and engineers. I worked with her on a project once and saw her not long before Agarrenon Shivar was placed in stasis.”
Trip found himself hanging on the dragon’s words, his chest tight at the idea that someone might exist today who had known his mother, his birth mother, thousands of years ago.
“For a human, she was very bright,” Wyleenesh said.
“Do you know—” Trip’s voice was hoarse, and he cleared his throat before beginning again. “Is there any chance you know about her, uhm, relationship with Agarrenon Shivar? About how I came to be? I’ve worried that it wasn’t…” He paused, not comfortable talking about those precise worries in front of dragons he barely knew.
“Hm, yes, Agarrenon Shivar had quite the harem, did he not?” Wyleenesh looked toward his partner.
Bhajera Liv, his attention back on studying the parts, waved a dismissive hand. “I paid no attention to his animal conquests.”
Trip winced.
“The engineer—ah, what was her name?—Amilda of Songwater was likely too smart to be wooed by Agarrenon Shivar,” Wyleenesh said. “Even if he poured magic into his request, she would have found a way to fight him off. Besides, she was a little older, I believe. I do have a difficult time telling human ages, but she was not like his usual full-bosomed young conquests, as Bhajera Liv called them.”
On the chance the dragon had the name correct, Trip burned it into his memory. Amilda of Songwater. Maybe some history texts somewhere would mention her, and he could learn more.
“She probably wooed him,” Bhajera Liv said, picking up another piece of the device to study.
“Hm, yes, that is quite possible,” Wyleenesh said. “For a time, it was trendy for human women to seek out powerful male dragons for mating. The humans hoped they would have powerful offspring. I remember being a touch miffed that those women always seduced the gold dragons. They should have prioritized intelligence and sought out bronze dragons. Never is there love in the world for bronze dragons.”
“You’re not going to feel sorry for yourself again, are you?” Bhajera Liv asked.
“Is this not a suitable moment for it?”
“No.”
“That’s disappointing.”
It is an interesting thought, Sardelle spoke privately into Trip’s mind. I know you’ve been concerned that you were born out of a forced union. These two don’t know for sure it was otherwise, but perhaps it’s true that your mother sought out a dragon because she hoped to have a remarkable baby who would grow into someone who could change the world.
Trip knew she was trying to be encouraging and offer him hope, but since he’d done precious little to change the world, he mostly found this new idea daunting. If his mother had hoped for some super baby… he didn’t think he was it. At least, he hadn’t been yet. Perhaps there was still time to do something, to come up with some idea that could truly make a difference in the world.
I’d like to check on Zherie, Trip told Sardelle, wanting to make sure his little sister was all right, but also wanting an excuse to go off and find someplace quiet to think about these revelations.
Do you think she’ll want to add something to your list?
Given that she’s four months old, probably not. Trip smiled slightly. You could make a request.
You’ve already made us numerous things. Ridge is pleased with his coffee maker. Thus far, it’s proven simple and durable, unlikely to be destroyed by even dragons.
That was the goal.
Come. Sardelle rose and headed for the stairs. We’ll check on them together. Olek is up there too. I’ve been gone a few hours, so they may be hungry.
Trip had been trailing after her, leaving the bronze dragons to their studies, but he faltered.
I’ll wait until you’ve left the room to start the buffet, Sardelle said dryly, glancing back. I know witnessing breastfeeding makes you uncomfortable.
Just when it’s my commanding officer’s wife doing it. Or women I don’t know. Or women I do.
So, if men were doing it, you wouldn’t be uncomfortable?
Disturbed maybe, but not uncomfortable.
I see.
As Trip followed her up the stairs, he started mulling over what he could do to help Iskandia with the dragon problem, and what he could do to be the man his biological mother may have dreamed he would be.
17