I thought Alistair would deny it, but he sighed.“He did.After being alone so long, and having to hide my true self, it was nice to have someone I could speak frankly with.We lived together, along with his wife, Sima, until his death.During that time, he trained his successors; his son, Samuel, and daughter, Athena.They and those who came after served me for centuries.”
“They obviously liked you,” I interjected.
“It might have to do with the fact I didn’t treat them like chattel.I paid them quite well for their service.”
Oliver snorted.“A good thing you’re generous or, with your attitude, I’d tell you to fuck off.”
“You tell me to fuck off every time we talk,” Alistair said dryly.
I glanced between the two men.“With the way you two bicker, I have to wonder why you became a steward and agreed to work for him.”
“Because, like Astaria, the bastard saved my life.”Oliver glanced at Alistair.“Did you tell her?”
“That you are wulver, yes, but nothing else.”
Oliver pursed his lips.“The curse took me in my early twenties over a century ago.”
“Wait, you’re over a hundred?”
“One of the few benefits to my condition.I live longer than a regular human.The infection happened after a night of carousing.I was staggering home when I was attacked.Would have died if Alistair hadn’t stepped in and dispatched the wulver ripping me apart.In the beginning, as I dealt with my new reality, there were times I wished he’d let me bleed out.It’s not an easy thing to go from being a regular man to someone who becomes a monster when he loses control of his emotions.But Alistair wouldn’t let me run off howling into the woods.”
“What can I say?I always wanted a dog.”A deadpan reply that had Oliver snickering.
“One that tried biting your dragon ass every time I changed to no avail.”Oliver’s lips twisted.“Stupidly tough dragon scales.”
“Since Oliver needed purpose, I introduced him to Vance, my dragon steward for that period.He taught Oliver everything there is to know about my kind.During that time, I also had him educated at a university that he might have a degree in something useful.The evolving world no longer bartered in gold coins and goods anymore but rather relied on banks and paper notes, although whoever thought to make wealth something that burned to ash wasn’t thinking if you ask me.”
“Because of this bastard, I stopped being depressed.”
“And eventually ceased biting me!”Alistair offered a rare grin.
“I’m still tempted, but growing new teeth isn’t pleasant.”
“Ah, that’s a sweet story about how you became friends.”I clapped my hands, and both men shouted, “Like fuck!”
Adorable.They could deny the bromance all they wanted, but they obviously cared for each other even if they liked to toss barbs.
“I take it the dragon-steward thing is why you started working for Nessie too,” I stated.
“Actually, he did that as a favor to me.Nessie almost drowned the first steward that tried to visit her.And tried to do the same to the second.”Alistair grimaced.“Despite hating her sister, Nessie ended up angry at the stewards for organizing Tiamat’s demise.It took her almost being killed by some monster hunters looking to bag her as a prize before she listened to reason.”
“When you say listened to reason…”
“Alistair yelled at her,” Oliver replied.
A claim that once more curved Alistair’s lips, making him much too handsome.“I may have loudly pointed out that she could either wallow in her loch until someone succeeded in taking her head as a trophy or she could allow the stewards to provide protection.”
“A job that would be easier if she’d stop showing herself on purpose,” Oliver complained.“Nessie doesn’t need to surface, as she can breathe the water.”
“No one wants to live in eternal murk, though,” I interjected.“I can see why she’d want to sometimes pop out for a peek.”
“Murk?Ha.Nessie has a grand palace at the bottom of the loch with every amenity you could imagine.I would know since I arranged the purchase, delivery, and installation of everything in it.A task made harder of late since those who go down with the goods aren’t allowed to return.”Oliver’s lips turned down.“I no longer hire nice people to do that job.”
I bit my lip before blurting out, “Are you saying if she invites me into her home, I won’t be allowed to leave?”
“Had you gone alone, most likely,” Alistair grimly confirmed.“But you’ll be with me.”
I felt better knowing he planned to keep me safe.
