Page 2 of Escaping my Dragon

Alistair Graham, formerly known as the mighty dragon Shamash, had only days before, without warning, landed in front of me and offered revelations that shattered everything I knew about my existence.

It appeared my understanding of dragons had been vastly skewed. The female who’d imbued my egg with her knowledge had also passed on her thirst for world domination. According to Shamash, the inseminator, her violent nature and mistreatment of humans led to our kind being wiped out.

Still, just because the older dragon had no plans to become a supreme leader and insisted we should instead strive to cohabit with humans didn’t mean I didn’t still desire the title of supreme commander. A name Pip refused to use. She giggled each time I demanded, and would smirk as she said, “You’re so cute when you’re trying to be ferocious.” To which I growled, “I should eat you.” “Go ahead and try,” she’d sass in reply.

Lucky for Pip, I liked her more than I wanted to fill my belly.

Shamash—a much more proper name than Alistair—*cringe*— offered a slight smile. “I can keep you mostly undetected so long as you remain close to me, but not so close as to tangle our wings. My bulk will shield you from eyes on the ground, and the signal refraction on my scales will skew with any radar. If we spot any planes in the air, I’ll huff a concealing mist.”

He had a solution for every argument because, unlike me, who’d yet to discover a second gift, my father had many, but the one ability that made me most jealous? My father could change shapes. Human. Animal. The inseminator informed me he could transform into any flesh he’d ever imbibed and then revealed an even more shocking revelation.

Apparently, our kind could acquire the abilities of the dragons we devoured. Another tidbit not imparted by the shell that ensured we hatched knowledgeable. Then again, the female who’d produced my clutch wouldn’t have wanted her progeny to realize her plan to consume us all to grow stronger.

I shuffled restlessly under the starlit sky. “What about when I require rest and sustenance?” For while I could fly for great distances, even I would eventually tire.

“While the world might seem overrun with humans, there are still many areas that are wild and untamed. So long as you don’t decide you need to stop over a city, we will find places you can revive yourself without being seen.”

It all sounded perfect, and yet… I stared at the house I’d been calling home. A home that held Pip, Mads, and Leo, my servants.

My friends...

“It must be frightening to think of leaving the familiar for the unknown,” Shamash murmured.

Accusing me once more of cowardice. My spine went ramrod straight and I hissed, “I’m not scared.”

“You should be.” A flat reply. “We both know what would happen were the humans to discover the existence of dragons.”

I did know. I’d seen the movies. Being shot dead on sight being the kindest of the outcomes. The thought of being locked away in a cage as an experiment, or worse, as some kind of zoo animal for entertainment, horrified.

“Then isn’t that all the more reason to stay here?”

“We can’t.” Shamash paused before sighing, “Astaria says we must go.”

“Your selkie seer?” Shamash appeared to put great stock in her predictions.

“She says it is imperative I gather you all.”

“To do what?”

Shamash shrugged. “She couldn’t say, other than it was important we leave without delay.”

“If it’s so important, shouldn’t we have a video conference and warn the others?” It was how I’d been communicating with my clutch. Pollita in South America, a lovely dragoness with a flirtatious tone. Persephone in Europe, with delicate manners and filigree horns. The only one I’d met in the flesh? Tigger, whose runt size made him small enough to smuggle for travel.

“We will tell them in person.”

“In dragon,” I corrected. “I think you’re being paranoid. Leo assures me our communications are secure.”

“And yet I found you,” my father reminded.

“I still don’t see why you are so determined for us to gather. Aren’t we safer apart in case Malone didn’t drown in Scotland and is still out there?” A reminder of the mad scientist who’d not only deciphered the location of the scattered eggs from Tiamat’s clutch, but found ways to have volcanoes erupt to hatch them. Malone wanted nothing more than to get his greedy hands on a dragon. If he got the chance to capture all of us at once…

He’d pay with his life.

“Must you argue with everything I say?”

“Just pointing out an alternative point of view.”

“Trust me, I am not happy about having to do this. I could be in my castle right now, with Davina, enjoying her company.”