Page 82 of Dragon Me Through Space

“Leave no trails,” Gage agreed with a nod.

“Is it really that serious that they not find out you’re teaching me what I need to know? I mean, they all know that I was missing for a decade.”

“It’s politics and appearances,” Preston explained. “We want them to think you’re capable of taking over as queen today. That you have already learned everything that you need to learn.”

“The Games, are they deadly?” I asked nervously.

Both shook their heads.

“We prize our females too much for us to let them die during the Games,” Gage said.

“However, they are still dangerous. The events are mostly primitive – fights, obstacle courses, that type of thing. They do not use any scientific technology and you cannot use any type of tech during them, either. Everything must be done by your own hands. There’ve been a few with permanent dismemberment from the Games, though,” Preston advised.

“Wonderful,” I grumbled.

Scout chirped a warning just before someone knocked on the door.

Gage hopped up from the bed to answer it and a meek, adolescent, female Dragonkin bowed when he opened the door. “Gr-Greeting, Princes. I have brought the afternoon meal.”

My brows furrowed as I looked at the time. We hadn’t been talking for more than half an hour. It wasn’t even close to afternoon.

“Tell the chef that we will retrieve our meals and snacks from the hall along with the others,” Gage said sternly.

She fumbled with her tray a moment. “The Captain said⁠—”

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Gage growled.

The girl jumped and hurried away from the room, the tray shaking in her hands as she left.

“What was that?” I asked softly.

“Most likely drugged,” Gage said nonchalantly.

“Why would they want to drug us?”

“A good question, but one I don’t have an answer for,” Preston said. “From now on, double up in the rooms and ensure you keep it secured.”

“Scout, you’ll need to reserve your batteries to stay alert during the night for any intruders,” I said softly.

Scout chirped an affirmative.

“Scout has weapons, right?” Preston asked.

I nodded. “Scout, drone with guns.”

Scout slipped out from behind my ear, expanded into a large, round drone with a single red eye, and two large guns appeared on each side of it.

“It boggles my mind how such a small disc turns into … that,” Gage whispered.

“The amount of time I spent on Scout is almost undefinable since I didn’t track it and it was over the last ten years,” I explained. “Plus, there were a few failures that resulted in me starting from almost scratch.”

Scout chirped sadly.

“Oh, don’t act like that, Scout! I fixed you, right? And no matter what happens, I’ll always fix you.”

Scout changed shapes, turning into a mechanical bear, and hugged my neck.

It was rare for Scout to take this shape, one I’d made as a child, but I accepted the hug and returned it as well. “There, there, Scout,” I whispered and patted his metal back.