Page 34 of Queen of the Cursed Egg
“Archer, Blade, Bowie, Macey... the list goes on...” I roll my eyes and look down at him, my fingers absently tracing patterns in his hair. “I think I’m going to continue on with the poisonous names and go with Lily.” I spin the flower he gave me in my hand.
“We’ll have a perfect bouquet of flowers for your poison garden,” Ziggy smiles as the babies wake up, hearing their father. The soft rustling of scales against stone and tiny yawns fill the air as they stir. His two kittens lunge for him, their movement creating a blur of green and black as they leap onto his stomach, purring up a storm. The vibration of their combined purrs is strong enough to be felt through the stone beneath us.
Abraxis’s daughter ambles over, her tiny talons clicking against the stone floor, and wiggles between Ziggy’s head and my stomach. I hug her to me, feeling her warm scales against my chest, her heartbeat quick and strong against my own. “Let’s get the little ones home,” I murmur, inhaling the scent of her—pine and iron, just like her father, but with a hint of my own metallic aroma.
I silently summon the next dragoness to me to take over, sending a specific pattern of thoughts down our shared bond. When I see her in the doorway, Ziggy phases us home. The world blurs, colors and sounds stretching and compressing as we move between spaces, before resolving into the familiar surroundings of our private chambers, the air thick with the scent of home.
To sayI’m not happy is an understatement.
I sit cross-legged on the cool stone floor. My fingers cramping from just having finished brushing my daughter's fur, the discarded brush beside me still holding tufts of soft green and black. Now I’m preening my other daughter’s scales, feeling each one shift slightly beneath my touch as I align them properly. The metallic scraping sound is oddly soothing, despite my growing irritation. The scent of baby dragon—warm leather and something uniquely abyssal—mingles with the faint lavender soap I used to bathe the twins.
“Mina, are you almost ready?” Abraxis pokes his head in, beaming, his scent of pine and leather announcing his presence before his voice does. By the look on my face—which I can feel hardening, like setting concrete—he pauses and looks around nervously, his confidence visibly crumbling. “What did I miss?”
“Well, first we weren’t introducing the babies to anyone until after my father was handled.” I grit my teeth, the grinding sound audible even to my own ears, as I finish with Lily’s scales. The little black dragon chirps contentedly, oblivious to the tension crackling in the air like static electricity. “Second, I was left to handle all three babies when you said you were going to bathe Lily for me.” I motion to his spotless hatchling, her scales gleaming like polished obsidian in thedim light. Then to the pile of wet towels in the corner, the musty scent of damp fabric adding to my irritation.
“What do you need me to do?” He steps in, his footfalls hesitant on the stone floor, and Thauglor trails behind him, the ancient’s imposing frame filling the doorway. His scent—smoke and cloves and ancient stone—identifies culprit number two.
“I needed you here an hour ago. I haven’t even taken care of myself yet.” My voice is tight, the words clipped as I gesture to my disheveled appearance—hair tangled from wrestling with three energetic hatchlings. “Instead, you were worried about getting your very capable parents here.” I glare at Abraxis, the heat of my anger making my skin flush. Just when I think things are getting better with him, he takes a step backward. The taste of disappointment is bitter on my tongue.
“My treasure, inviting my descendants was my idea, not his,” Thauglor says, his deep voice rumbling through the chamber. I tilt my head, staring at him, feeling the tendons in my neck stretch taut with the motion. My eyes narrow, focusing on him with predatory intensity.
“Meaning what?” I feel the scales on the back of my neck rising, the sensation like tiny needles pricking my skin from within, a physical manifestation of my growing anger.
“It’s the only dragon in its clutch. Its siblings won’t be able to play with it how another dragon would.” Thauglor says quickly, his words rushing together as he realizes he’s digging himself into a hole. A bead of sweat forms at his temple, catching the light.
“So Lily spending time in the nursery down below with other dragons isn’t enough? It has to be specifically your bloodline?” I growl as the words fall from my lips, the sound vibrating deep in my chest. The air between us grows heavy with tension, almost difficult to breathe.
Thauglor opens and closes his mouth several times before he chooses silence, his jaw clicking shut audibly. Klauth pushes into the room, the door swinging wide with a creak, and looks between Abraxis and Thauglor. His scent of brimstone and sulfur cuts through the tension like a blade. “It’s bad enough you two went off script; now you’re trying to isolate the black dragon from its siblings over archaic traditions.”
“What traditions?” I stare at Klauth, my gaze boring into him as I wait for his answer. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, drowning out the soft sounds of the hatchlings playing behind me.
“Usually if a black dragon is born to a dragon not of that species, it’s sent to spend time with their own species.” He says the words and takes two steps back, his boots scraping against the stone floor. The sound grates on my already frayed nerves.
“So having two black dragon drakes in the nest isn’t enough?” I practically roar at Thauglor and Abraxis, my voice echoing off the stone walls. The hatchlings move to hide behind me with a chorus of frightened chirps and mewls. Their tiny claws scratching against the floor as they huddle together. I feel their warmth against my back, their tiny bodies trembling.
“It’s...” Thauglor pauses, his eyes flicking to Klauth, who shakes his head no, the movement sharp and decisive. “Not as important as I originally thought. Yes, we have two black dragons here for Lily to learn from. Who knows, she may take after you more than us.” Thauglor raises his hands in a placating manner, palms outward, the gesture doing nothing to soothe my anger. I’m still pissed, the heat radiating from my skin in waves.
“Good. Cancel dinner then.” I look back at my huddled clutch, their eyes wide with concern, reflecting the dim light like precious gems. My heart softens at the sight of them, even as it hardens toward their fathers.
“Slight problem with that, everyone is here.” Abraxis winces when he says it, his shoulders hunching as if preparing for a physical blow.
“Who is everyone?” My heart is pounding in my chest, each beat a painful thud against my ribs as I think about the shit storm I’m about to walk into. My mouth goes dry, tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.
“These two invited his parents and his sister and her family.” Klauth is quick to point out the folly of their ways, a hint of satisfaction in his crimson flecked amber eyes as he throws the others under the bus.
“Wonderful...” I turn on my heels, the motion causing a sharp pain in my ankle where I twisted it earlier wrestling with the hatchlings, and head into the bathroom to get ready. The cold stone beneath my feet gradually gives way to warmer tiles as I cross the threshold.
“See, she’s okay with it,” I hear Thauglor say in a cheery tone, his voice carrying through the partially closed door.
“Oh no, that was sarcasm. She’s pissed, and we’re dead.” Abraxis says softly, fear evident in his hushed tone.
“Who’s night is it?” Klauth asks as I hear the purring of one of Ziggy’s twins, the vibration almost tangible even from the bathroom. The sound reminds me of distant thunder, comforting despite my anger.
“Balor’s, according to the calendar.” Abraxis mentions, his voice higher than normal with anxiety. “We should probably warn him we put her in a bad mood.”
“She’s not mad at him, so he’s safe. You two are in deep shit.” Klauth says as I hear him herd the other two out, the door creaking again as they exit. “Mina, I have the babies in here with me. We’ll wait for you,” he calls, his voice gentler when addressing me.
Hearing Klauth deciding to take control is the best news yet today. I stare at my reflection in the polished metal mirror, noting the fatigue in my eyes and the tension in my jaw. I splash cold water on my face, the shock of it against my heated skin bringing me back to myself slightly. I swear the dynamic duo is going to be the death of me. Their well-intentioned meddling is more dangerous than any enemy we’ve faced so far.
