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“And you did not see fit to inform the Seat when we have all been assuming you have a strange variety of Ethereal in your home. One capable of teleporting to the other side of the planet?”
Dekka’s precise, measured calm didn’t waver. “I was waiting until we divined thewhyand the purpose of her existence.”
Petrarchyan slid his blue/green gaze towards Lemuel.
“It is not like you to be philosophical, Dekka, and askwhat is our purpose in life.”
“I am not being philosophical. I was protecting her while she molted. She is a Chaos dragon.”
This wasn’t news to half the Seat, but the half itwasnews to were every bit as shocked and horrified as Dekka had predicted. Petrarchyan, Mayriel, and Hekon looked uncomfortable but composed.
Lemuel dropped his hands to his lap along with his jaw. A thousand year old dragon being gobsmacked was disconcerting. “You’recertain?”
Hekon glanced between Dekka and Lemuel, then said, “In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been aware of the situation. She fully molted on the Atlantis mission. I’ve since seen her amphiptere form. Sheisa Chaos dragon, with three consorts: a Prime, a Mooring, and we believe a Distant Star. That would make her a very particular type of Chaos dragon.”
Important choice of words there:believedto be a Distant Star.
“How particular?” Mayriel asked dryly.
Dekka ignored the Diamond Wyrm. “I wanted to protect her for as long as possible, and didn’t see any harm in doing so. She’s been very slow to come into her magic, and in the process, she’s done less damage than we accept as normal from Ethereals. Some dead plants, damaged circulatory fans, a crater in a fallow field.”
“A collapsed portal,” Sorren said. “She is aChaosdragon, Dekka.”
“What shall we do with her, then? Chain her to the Seat and allow Lemuria to gawk at her like a horrifying sideshow?”
“It’s an idea.”
“That is your son’s consort,” Petrarchyan said, his words modulated to hit like rocks.
“Which I understand even less now that he has the opportunity to leave,” Sorren shot back.
Akoni snapped, “I do notwantto leave.”
“Of course you don’t want to admit defeat. I didn’t teach you to surrender. But the cosmos forced this on you. Make your own choice.”
Akoni snarled, “All of thisiswhat I’ve chosen.”
Lemuel snapped his fingers, and a crack of thunder echoed through the garden, silencing everyone. “Dekka. The portal. Or should I ask Helena?”
Dekka remained cool and dismissive, eyes slightly narrowed. “Chaos dragons were trained by a grimoire. A relic left by apreviousChaos dragon. No grimoire meant the Chaos dragon had to re-learn everything. Since there is obviously no grimoire on Earth, she has been studying the few relics and scraps of information we have. She wanted to examine the portal for clues. Unfortunately, the portal collapsed.”
I hung my head.
“I apologize if this is not a more remarkable story,” Dekka said dryly. “She went to study some ancient technology, and it crumbled in her hands. She ended up trapped in the nothing of the now-void where the portal had been, and used her consorts as stars to orient herself and pull herself back into reality. Hence why she was so exhausted, she required extended medical observation.”
A’ka nodded once to confirm this.
Lemuel stared at Dekka, then stood. His silver-white hair was braided away from his face with pale yellow and blue ribbons, while his shendyt was a muted pastel blue. Faint sworls appeared over his hands, and the airpushedlike fog rolling down a hillside.
Dekka kept her gaze on Lemuel.
“I can sense there are things you are withholding,” Lemuel said. “Pits and valleys in the story. What did she expect to find in the portal?”
“I don’t know.”
Lemuel’s magic increased and now clouds rushed down his arms and wrapped around Dekka’s throat. Pale magic drove down the large blood vessels of her neck and up inside her skull, down into her chest.
Mahon moved, Dekka flicked a finger to stay him. Petrarchyan sat up straighter. “Lemuel. That isn’t necessary.”
