Page 19 of The Dragon’s Captive

“Not really,” Kate said. “I mean, some do, I suppose. Some people have bunkers and things and are trying to buy heavy artillery—not that they’re allowed to, and not that they weren’t doing that before dragons came. But in general… no. I don’t think so.”

“No? That is strange,” Vilka observed. “Did the war not leave a lasting impression?”

“Yes and no,” Kate said, happy to talk, it seemed. “Most people are sort of in denial about it. I mean, outside the areas which were directly affected. There’s conspiracy theories that there never was an invasion, that the government dosed everyone in California on LSD in the water supply and it was just a grand hallucination.”

“You cannot be serious,” Vilka snorted. “My father’s legions rained fire over your lands and whole cities were destroyed, if his stories are to be believed. How could such an event be erased from the collective memory?”

Kate nibbled at her lower lip as she thought. It was a little idiosyncrasy he found quite charming.

“I think maybe people can’t really live with the thought of giant lizard creatures breathing fire behind every atom,” she mused. “It scares them too much. It’s easier to think that the government is experimenting on its own people than to think that we’re at the mercy of forces beyond all our control.”

“So nothing has been done,” he said incredulously. “You’re telling me your realm is simply there for the taking?”

“Don’t get any ideas,” she said sharply. “Obviously we have weapons capable of doing damage to dragons. I’m just saying there’s nothing public or obvious. I’m sure there are other people working on it too; it’s the sort of thing that captures a scientific imagination. And the military, they’re probably working on some things, but they’re also rebuilding after the war and the budgets aren’t really there and…” She shrugged. “It’s just life.”

“It’s just life,” he said. “To ignore a significant threat on your borders and leave the next foray into the world beyond to a young woman with a death wish.”

“I don’t have a death wish!” Her eyes widened at him and she looked utterly confused.

“You certainly don’t have a sense for self-preservation,” he said. “It amounts to the same thing.”

“It does not,” she scowled. “I just think some risks are worth taking. I guess you can’t understand that.”

He looked at her, half wishing he could share his secrets, but knowing that someone like Kate would almost certainly exploit them for her own ends. They would have to wait until she accepted her place in his realm. Then he would tell her everything. Until then, he was left with platitudes to express himself.

“I can understand it more than you imagine.”

“Sure you can,” Kate said, rolling her eyes. “You think you know everything, but you really don’t.”

“How frustrating for you,” Vilka deadpanned, “to be in conversation with someone who insists they know better even though they seem to know nothing at all.”

She made a face at him and tucked herself into his arms, her eyes closing as she started to lose the battle against sleep. Vilka’s heart swelled in his chest, a protective, loving urge rising so powerfully in him that for a moment he did not know how to contain it.

“Good night, my human,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her fire-red hair.

Kate mumbled something back. He suspected it was probably something rude.

CHAPTER 8

The following days and weeks were filled with conversations, or verbal sparring sessions to be more precise. Vilka’s assessment of Kate remained as it had initially been, that she was beautiful, bright, and a great deal of trouble. He watched her like a hawk and kept her on her leash and collar even though she whined and complained about them incessantly. One concession he did make was a woven wrap dress. She was prone to chills. Little bumps would lift on the skin all over her body and she would shiver and huddle into the blankets to avoid the cold. He did not like to see her uncomfortable, though it was difficult to make her entirely comfortable while also keeping her under the kind of confinement she had shown was necessary.

Unfortunately, the fortress did not run itself. After a few days, Erias gave him a respectful reminder that his presence was necessary for several matters and perhaps the human could be left chained up for a few hours at a time without the world crashing and burning.

He was right, of course. Vilka knew he was probably being paranoid. Kate had no way to escape now, even if she did get loose again, there were no portals and she had no way of making one. She was a woman adrift in a world of unfamiliar technology. And yet he had an unsettling feeling that simply would not abate that she was capable of almost anything. Those two impulses warred, distracting him in the carrying out of his duties, much to Erias’ hyper-respectful chagrin.

“Sir…”

“Sir…?”

“Sir!”

“What is it, Erias?” Vilka broke from his reverie and turned to his second in command who was standing next to him with an armful of papers and a concerned expression.

“Sir,” Erias said. “I know you have been preoccupied with the human situation, but there is another you must attend to. I have been detecting movement below the mountain. It began when the portal first opened, and it appears to be growing stronger by the day. The movements are very small, but they are registering on the scales and they continue to do so in greater numbers.”

Vilka rubbed his hands over his face. There must be a reason for what Erias was telling him, but he could not imagine why some practically undetectable tremors should be of such concern. “What does that mean?”

“I am concerned that the world eater may be awakening. Avastias may breach the surface sooner than expected.”