Page 3 of Drakhana's Secret
I get up and face one of my floor to ceiling windows. All around the city there are fights breaking out. I’ve allowed the ice and fire clans to trade in my city because it’s beneficial to our clan.
Now, their stupid clashes are affecting my businesses. That’s something that I cannot take lying down. Too many dragons are relying on the money that we’re bringing in. Trading with the other clans isn’t worth it if we’re getting sucked into their squabbles.
My phone rings again. I turn and look at the name on the screen. It’s one of my trusted confidants over at the community in Purple Mountain. It seems the elders have made up their minds.
I pick up the phone before it can ring a fourth time and bring it to my ear. The skin there already feels hot from all the calls I’ve been taking all day. But if there’s one that’s more important than the rest, it’s this one.
“Tell me,” I say, not bothering with niceties. There’s no time for that. I need to know what I have to do.
“It’s a no,” the dragon at the other end says. “Five votes to none.”
“Unanimous then.”
“The elders don’t think we should interfere with the fight of the other clans. It’s not the earth dragon way.”
I squeeze my phone so hard that I almost crack the screen. The muscles on my neck tense. I can feel my blood pressure rising.
The council doesn’t know anything. They’re all there, tucked away in their mountain, not aware of what’s happening here in the city. It’s easy for them to vote no because they are not the ones holding down the fort.
Without thinking, I hurl my phone across the room. It smacks against the door to my office and shatters, leaving a dent behind. Only when the debris lands in a clatter on the floor do I realize the mistake I’ve committed.
I rush to my desk, pick up my landline, and ask my assistant to get me a new phone with the same number. I’m waiting on too many calls to not have a phone on me at all times. Damn the council and their adherence to the ancient ways!
My fist connects with my table. If it wasn’t made of volcanic rock, it would have cracked beneath my strength. I have never been so dissatisfied with a decision from the council. They are totally out of touch.
While my assistant scrambles for another phone, I pick up my landline again and dial my head of security. I need to do something about this before we lose more of our businesses. I’m in San Francisco because the council trusts me.
“Branson,” the dragon on the other end answers. He too doesn’t have time for niceties.
“I need you to up our security and patrols,” I say. “There’s too much happening in the city. We have to keep our brethren safe.”
“Understood, sir.”
“I also want to make sure that all our warehouses are protected. Pull as many dragons as you can for guard duty. Twenty-four hours.”
“Done.”
See? That’s how you make decisions. Quick and easy. No need for a majority fucking vote.
There’s too much at stake for the earth dragons to just stand aside. We need to protect ourselves. In the back of my mind, I consider going against the council's wishes.
Of course, that will brand myself a traitor to my people. But what if it’s in the name of protecting my people? My instincts tell me not to go against the vote. It’s defying everything that I’ve been taught since I was a fledgling.
Always trust the council. Always adhere to their rules. Always know that what they do is for the best of the clan.
But what happens when what they think is for the best actually isn’t?
Three
Sapphire
Throughout the rest of my work with Baba, I keep my facial expressions as positive and as open as I possibly can. I don’t let on about the storm brewing inside of me. I focus on my work and set aside my doubts for the moment.
We finish so many batches of tonics and salves in a day that I consider it a personal best for us. Now dragons can enjoy the healing benefits that our creations will provide them. It feels good to be able to help others.
This is why I agree with the vote earlier. We should be helping instead of destroying. Fighting is never the solution when there’s a problem. As adult, freethinking dragons, we should be able to sit down and talk out what’s bothering us.
Right now, I only have myself. My thoughts are too jumbled to share with anyone else in the village. It will only cause confusion and misunderstanding. Until I’m sure I have my head on straight, I dare not share anything with anyone.
