Page 9 of Drakhana's Treasure
Some of them have their phones out and are tapping away enthusiastically. Kane and his girlfriend Zelena are particularly entranced. This could be a very good sign. I’ve noticed them tagging locations and people and being active on the promo sites. They might have a natural aptitude for social media and current technology.
The others all stream past me, still mostly nameless. I’m starting to remember their names but I’m still far from knowing all of them. I see Kirralee get into the car with her little friend Haywin. She looks like she’s going to prison, not out for a fun night with friends.
Once everyone is safely bundled inside the limos we head off. Even though the entirety of Vegas could be called a carnival, I’m taking them to a proper fair being held on the city outskirts. I want them to have fun and enjoy themselves but I also want to see their reactions to extreme situations.
At carnivals, people run around crazily, screaming. Not just the little kids, either. Adults will quite happily go on dangerous carnival rides where they shriek like tortured babies. There will be loud, garish music and flashing lights. Lots of games to play, shows to watch and food to eat.
You wouldn’t think of it but ordering food at a carnival stand is actually a fantastic social challenge. Plenty of people get flustered just paying for fries and moving away from the counter in a crowd.
I know they will fuck up. What I want to see is how and the way they handle it when they do.
We get let out at the gates while the limos peel off to park and wait for us. I see Kane and Zelena immediately run towards the fair, dragging a few kids with them. They are outgoing and confident which is great but it could also cause them to fall that much harder.
The next group follows a little slower, curious about things but holding back. These few are scared to fuck up. They give off an air of naivety but that can be better than dragon fueled confidence.
Haywin helps Kirralee out of the car. She looks completely terrified. She wraps her arms around herself and shuffles her feet, white rimmed eyes taking in the towering Ferris wheel. A loud bang of a toy gun goes off and she jumps a mile, red gold scales flowing across one cheek.
This is going to be a fucking disaster.
I need to follow the more confident group so I slip past Kirralee and the others and move into the noisy sideshow alley. Kane is getting off a fast and noisy ride and pulling his friends over to a dart throwing game.
I don’t need to look closely to know the game is rigged. The corkboard is too tough and the dart too blunt. The carnie watches the guys with interest, calling out the prizes to be won if the boys are confident enough to play. I lean against a nearby stall to watch.
Kane preps himself and hurls the dart at the target. His aim is perfect and the dart strikes the center of the target but falls to the ground.
He scowls so hard I’m afraid his dragon is going to come roaring out. He glares at the carnie, then at the dart. He’s quick. He understands the game.
I shake my head as he plants his feet and tenses his stomach. I start to move towards them, knowing exactly what is going to happen.
Kane throws the dart. It screams through the air and the tip buries itself in the center of the target. The old carnie’s mouth falls open and his cigarette falls to the floor.
Just as Kane gets ready to throw his next dart, I come up behind him and slap him on the shoulder. He jumps a mile and has the grace to look guilty.
“Kane! Glad I found you. Let’s go. We’ve got somewhere to be.”
Zelena and Kane’s other friends grumble a bit but they follow us as we move away. The carnie looks between Kane and the pierced target a few times, shaking his head as he lights a new cigarette.
“What?” Kane snaps as we move into a quiet spot. His lip curls as he stares me down, challenging me.
“What the fuck do you think you were doing?” I keep my voice low so he has to strain to hear me.
“It was rigged!” he says petulantly. “You saw it.”
“I did.” I keep my voice calm. “But you’re human here, kid. You have to play by human rules.”
“That’s fucking bogus!” he yells.
“Well then.” I shake my head. “Back to the mountain with you.”
“What?”
“It’s your most important task here. Live as a human. That little burst of superiority you’re feeling? Guess what. It’s addictive. The more you do it, the more you’ll want it. Before you know it, you’ll be imposing your supernatural skills on humans every chance you get. You know what that’s called, Kane? It’s called abuse.”
“But he’s just an old fucking carnie! What difference does it make—”
“There is no fucking difference!” I roar at him, stepping forward and letting my rage well up inside me. “Abuse is abuse, no matter who the victim is. We don’t set ourselves up as Gods here and we don’t use our powers against humans. This is a pact made by all three dragon clans. It could start a war—if that makes any difference to you—but your primary concern should be maintaining your cover and playing fairly.”
Kane lowers his head, clearly not wanting to argue with me but having trouble silencing his rage.
