Oliver knew me too well.I shrugged.“That too.”
“Is visiting Nessie wise, though?”
“Probably not.It’s been about ten years since I last saw her.”And the meeting hadn’t gone well, mostly because I told her there was nothing I could do to help.Despite it being eons since her injury, she’d convinced herself I could somehow bring back her wings.I couldn’t.No one could, but Nessie still railed against her plight.She’d even dared to attack me, spitting water at me as if I could drown.I couldn’t, but that didn’t stop her.
I could have killed her then and there, but I’d felt pity for the maimed dragon.In retrospect, it might have perhaps been merciful to put her out of her misery, but I couldn’t help but be nostalgic for the kinder Nessie I’d known.Davina would accuse me of having feelings, but I saw it as being pragmatic.It made no sense to kill someone who couldn’t actually do me harm.
“When are you going to take these dragon babies under your wing?”Oliver asked next.
“Never.You know we don’t coddle our young like other species,” I reminded.
“The world is much different now than when your kind flew the skies.”
“Since you were the one who provided the dossiers on them, then you know they’ve surrounded themselves with servants who can provide protection.”
“I’m just surprised you wouldn’t be more interested in helping them thrive so that you don’t go extinct.”
“Isn’t that your job as a steward?”As one of the few remaining members of the Ušum-galAbarakkum, caring for dragons was kind of his prime directive.
Oliver grimaced.“A title that’s meant nothing for a long time since you and Nessie were the only ones left.I don’t know what to do with hatchlings.”
“You could try reaching out.Open a channel of communication.”
“So could you.”
“They might perceive me as a threat.”I paused before adding, “From what I’ve gleaned from the files, there’s a distinct possibility they are from Tiamat’s lost clutch.”
The claim widened Oliver’s eyes.“Oh.That wouldn’t be good.She’s the reason humans hunted your kind to death.”
“And it’s possible she passed on her bloodthirsty lust for power to her progeny.”
“Meaning they might take up where she left off.”Oliver sighed.“Surely, they’ll realize world domination isn’t feasible.Humans are much more populous and well-armed than in Tiamat’s time.”
“That they are, but these eggs would have been marinating in Tiamat’s madness for eons.The male, Abaddon, apparently has made claims about wanting to rule the world.”Which wasn’t entirely unusual with the young who’d yet to experience reality.
“Hence why I would encourage you to make contact.Perhaps you can counter their preprogramming.Teach them how to cohabit with humans rather than seek to destroy and enslave.Someone also needs to tell them to be more discreet.Luckily, we managed to get the videos of them scrubbed, but if they keep exposing themselves, it won’t be long before people realize they’re not fakes.”
I frowned.“Didn’t the dossier mention Abaddon was in contact with two society members?”I’d skimmed over the staff details but did remember that key fact.
“They’re not real stewards,” Oliver scoffed.“More like wannabes that were never brought into the true inner circle.”Which currently consisted of three people.Oliver, Josie, a hacker whom I’d never met, and the decrepit mentor who’d inducted my lawyer.Because of Tiamat’s violent actions, the Ušum-galAbarakkum society split eons ago with some of the stewards becoming part of the movement to eliminate dragons.They couldn’t really be blamed, as they’d become disillusioned when Tiamat began murdering wantonly and, worse, convinced other dragons to follow her bloody path.
“Surely even these wannabes, as you call them, have enough sense to not let this Abaddon expose himself and to curb his thirst for world domination.”
“Keep in mind, we’re only getting bits and pieces of information, as whoever is maintaining Abaddon’s servers keeps them locked down tight.It’s a wonder we managed to get anything at all.If the most recent batch of messages we managed to decode can be believed, then one of those wannabe stewards might have been behind the sudden hatchings.”
“And I’m just hearing about this now?”I managed not to roar, but only barely.
“Maybe if you’d replied to my last message requesting a meeting?—”
“I thought you wanted to discuss my investments or how I’m spending too much on my renovation again.”I didn’t need Oliver chastising me about how I wasted my money.I had more than enough to be as frivolous as I liked, and if I ran low, I’d simply acquire some more.
“As if you’d listen to anything I advise,” Oliver scoffed.
“You’re right, I wouldn’t.So tell me why you think this person is behind the sudden rash of hatchings.”
“The exact details weren’t clear, but you might recognize the name.Doctor Ian Malone.”
I racked my memories before murmuring, “Wasn’t he the one who discovered Tiamat’s cave?”A tomb that still held her bones.The doctor had presented them as proof of dragons and been soundly mocked.Oliver’s doing.As a proper steward, he actually did a good job of keeping the dragon secret.
