Page 41 of Consort's Dragon
“You want me to get close?”Simhi squeaked with wide eyes, but despite her trepidation she ventured forth and knelt slowly, settling the cup down before retreating, keeping her gaze on Argent the entire time.
Before Griff could ask what next, Argent’s head dipped, and the cup disappeared.
Ugh.Nasty.I see a thousand years hasn’t improved the taste.And here come the cramps.
The dragon shuddered, its whole body rippling.
“What’s happening?”Simhi whispered.“Why does it look like it’s having a fit?”
“I don’t know.”Griff and Simhi retreated from the shaking beast.
“Watch the tail!”Kreed yelled.
“Yeehaw!It’s just like that time we had to avoid that giant octopus’ arms,” Monty hollered in reply.Only he would find avoiding a thrashing tail fun.
Argent suddenly went rigid and quiet.Had his blood killed it?
Griff blinked and frowned.Then blinked again.“Is it me or Argent is shrinking?”he muttered to Simhi.
“It’s definitely getting smaller,” Simhi confirmed.
Not just smaller.Its scales receded and the shape of its body changed.If Griff hadn’t been watching, he would have never believed it.Never thought a dragon the size of a house could become the size and shape of a man.
An actual man.
Simhi whistled.“Well damn.That’s one pretty boy.”
“Thank you.”The mellow voice emerged from a square jaw lacking bristle.Brilliant mauve eyes peeked from a face tanned like Griff’s, the hair on his head long and lustrous, the color exactly like the scales used to be, black with a hint of red.Muscled upper body, arms and legs, and…
Monty whistled.“Forget horses, I wanna be hung like a dragon.”
Chapter10
“Your plan isto hatch all of the eggs at once?”Avera shook her head.“It’s risky.Shouldn’t you try with just one?”She didn’t add her thought they shouldn’t be playing with dragon fire.
“We don’t have time.As it is, they’ll still be in their growth stage when Zhos escapes.”
A sharp glance in Titus’ direction showed a serious mien.“How can you know when that’s going to happen?”
“I don’t.Not exactly, but my vizier who can see bits of the future believes it will happen before the end of spring.”
“That’s only a few weeks away.”
“Exactly.I’d hoped to have more time, however…” He shook his head.“I’m afraid we can’t wait.Not if we’re to have the dragons ready in time.”
“You do realize if they’re sentient, as you claim, that expecting them to sacrifice themselves so soon after rebirth will most likely be poorly received?”
“They are ways to ensure they do as they’re told.”
She wasn’t sure she liked the ominous sound of that.“What kind of ways?”
“Our ancestors, once freed from the dragons’ control, decided they had no interest in becoming their servants again.They designed objects of power—collars, to be exact—that could control the dragons if they ever returned.”
“You mean, force them to do your bidding.”She frowned.
“You’d prefer to be their slave?”
“No, but you’re talking about using these objects to bleed them and sacrifice at least one.”
