Page 42 of Serving my Dragon
“Mind? This habitat is much more suitable for one of my stature, and it is large enough to accommodate the servants I shall acquire.”
I didn’t mention the fact I didn’t plan to live in a cave forever.
“Do you think whoever emptied this place found the previous owners’ hoard?” Kayleigh posed the question as we returned to the main entrance.
“Doubtful.” Polly perched on my shoulder, her little legs tired, not that she’d admit it. She’d held up her arms and imperiously demanded I carry her as befitted her station. “Dragons keep their treasures in locations usually inaccessible to humans.”
“Perhaps true long ago, but with today’s tools, there isn’t much we can explore,” I stated.
“We’ll soon see, I guess. It would be a great start to my dragocracy if I could locate the wealth accumulated by the previous occupants.”
A part of me wondered how much wealth, but laughter instead burst out as I repeated, “Dragocracy? That’s not a word.”
“It is now. Given your English language didn’t seem to have the proper translation for the term that used to indicate humans governed by dragons, I created one. Fear not, once I attain my proper size and begin claiming my stake, those taken under my wing will start using it.”
Should I point out people weren’t likely to accept Polly being their unelected ruler? Time enough for me to explain humans would be more likely to try to kill her than simply obey and worship.
By the time we got back to the main cavern, Juan had also returned. He’d already placed and lit the torches in the brackets, and wow. The cavern proved even more impressive now that we could see it, the etchings running the circumference, the ceiling vaulted. At the peak, I spotted a large alcove that went who knew where.
“So? What did you think?” my uncle asked.
“This place is insane,” Kayleigh gushed. “So much space, and the carvings are really impressive.”
“I took a rubbing of a few of the inscriptions to a friend at a university who knows ancient languages but he didn’t recognize it.”
“Because only dragons and their closest servants can read it,” Polly announced.
“This was a dragon’s home?” Juan’s eyes widened.
“Yes. You have served me well by bringing me here,” Polly stated before waddling to the pile of fruit my uncle had also brought back.
Juan inclined his head. “We should return to the truck and bring the rest of the supplies.”
I nodded. “Kayleigh, you stay here with Polly while I go give him a hand.”
It took two trips back and forth to bring everything Mama loaded us with. By the time we finished, Kayleigh had prepared the chamber we’d found, sweeping out dust and webs, laying out the bedding—in a single bed I noticed—stacking our clothes in the niches.
My uncle took his leave of us, promising to return in a few days with more supplies. I bit my tongue lest I complain once more about the life I’d been forced to leave. This would only be temporary. For me at least. Polly would most likely remain as this would be the safest spot for her. Only… who would take care of her once Kayleigh and I left? Or would Polly be able to care for herself? Would weekly visits suffice?
Once Juan departed, I fetched some wood for the hearth so we could cook our dinner, a stew that Kayleigh cobbled together using the pot that I’d thought Mama crazy to pack. Kayleigh dangled it from a hook within the fireplace that had survived when others hadn’t.
By the time I’d finished my chores, I was a dusty, sweaty mess.
“I’m going for a swim,” I declared.
Kayleigh’s expression brightened. “Oh, that sounds nice. Me too.”
“I’m going for a nap. I’m tired.” A yawning Polly waddled off, leaving us alone.
We stripped inside the cave, me averting my gaze from Kayleigh despite my desire to look. I kept my underpants on despite not being someone who usually cared much about nudity. I dunked my dirty clothes under the falling water, rinsing them best I could before I draped them on some protrusions that Polly had earlier declared used to be a rack for holding weapons.
As Kayleigh hung her own garments, she laughed. “Been a while since I skinny dipped.”
Her words had me glancing at her and ogling because she’d removed every stitch.
I stared. I couldn’t help myself at the sight of her perfect curves. Flaring hips, indented waist, and heavy breasts made for fondling.
“Goodness, you’ll catch flies if you keep your mouth open like that,” she teased with a wink. “Last one in is a rotten egg,” she declared before stepping through the watery curtain.
