Astrid

 

Gentrix lowered her hood and looked over the unlikely crew that had landed in her courtyard. She was beautiful, in human terms, with bright green eyes and straight reddish brown hair that flowed around her shoulders. But her gaze was calculating, without warmth or compassion and it added a hardness to her demeanor that was unwelcoming. Astrid now understood the complaints of some humans: that dragons didn’t have hearts.

“Captain,” she purred, holding her hands out to Calvin. “Have you come to back to our service?”

Calvin bent his head. “I serve at your pleasure.”

“Excellent,” said Rhea. “When you’ve rested from your ordeal, come and speak to me.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

She eyed Evan with suspicion.

“And who are you?”

“Evan Waters, ma’am.”

“And how did you come into this company?”

“I was in the same prison as Tem and Calvin.”

Rhea sniffed as if trying to catch a scent and frowned.

“A hybrid,” she said with disapproval. “Can you even shift?”

“I didn’t even know I had dragon heritage until I was arrested.”

“This,” she said imperiously, “is what comes of sloppy breeding.” She spoke these last words with a pointed gaze at Tem, who kept an impassive face.

“Excuse me,” said Evan heatedly.

“Step back, boy,” warned Calvin. “She is our Queen and has the right to judge as she sees things. This is not the human world, where everyone is equal before the law.”

“Yes,” hissed Rhea. “This is most decidedly not the human world.” She then turned to Astrid who shivered under her gaze. The Queen of the dragons inspected her coldly as if the human were some sort of commodity to be weighed and measured. Astrid got the impression that she was prey to be taken out with a swift swipe of a dagger-like claw.

Rhea walked toward Astrid, and Tem protectively threw his arm around her.

“I tell you, Aunt, Astrid is here under my protection.”

Rhea Gentrix’s green eyes glittered.

“Is she now? No human has walked this ground, but you bring one now. What makes her so important?”

“She rescued us. Released our bindings so we could escape.”

If Astrid had thought that the Queen would show appreciation, she was disappointed.

“Your problems with the humans are your own, Templeton Rawlins, and puts all of draconry at risk from persecution from humans.”

“But they are doing that already,” burst out Astrid.

“Astrid,” hissed Tem urgently. “Don’t speak.”

“No, Tem,” said Rhea slowly and deliberately. “Let the human speak.”

“Astrid, not another word,” warned Tem.

“No, Astrid. Tell me what you want to say.” Rhea’s voice rolled out seductively and Astrid felt she had to say something.

“Your majesty,” said Astrid. “Tem was arrested under false pretenses.”

“Astrid!” said Tem.

“Silence,” ordered Rhea. “So you are saying, child, that Tem is innocent of the human charges against him?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And that humans deliberately overlooked the evidence of his innocence.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Stop this,” said Tem.

“No!” While Rhea spoke this word in a normal tone of voice, the psychic force of it made each one of them step back. “You bring this human here, to my court, and you expect me not to pass judgment on her?”

“Astrid is not all humans, Rhea. She did, in fact, help us to escape the human prison.”

“And why were you in there in the first place, eh?” said Rhea heatedly. “Did you not ignore my instructions to report here?”

“Are you judging me too, Rhea?”

“Yes!” she boomed. “How dare you disobey me? I am your Queen.”

Astrid stared at Tem, her heart beating double time. Despite her extensive education on dragons, she didn’t understand everything that was going on here. But she gathered that Tem was in serious trouble.

Tem and Rhea stared at each other and Astrid felt the storm in his heart. He had no love for this dragon woman, in fact he felt considerable rancor toward her. A mass of emotions rolled through Astrid from Tem, ranging from disgust to anger. He was close to erupting on the last.

Please, urged Astrid, don’t.

You don’t know what she expects of me, he replied.

No. I don’t. But you brought us here for a reason.

She heard his inward sigh. Yes, I did.

Tem dropped to one knee and bent his head. Astrid felt how he hated this, to submit to this woman. There were deep resentments in his heart toward her. But he was reining that in for what he felt was good purpose.

“Then judge me, Rhea. Leave Astrid out of this quarrel between us.”

Rhea’s face softened then, and she walked to Tem and put her hands on his head.

“You’ve come home and that is what is important. As for the human, she will be our guest until we return her to her home. But mind that she breaks no rule of this house.”

Rhea turned abruptly and walked swiftly away to the portico that surrounded the courtyard and into the shadows of doorway.

“Well,” snorted Calvin. “That’s just lovely.”

“What is all the fuss about?” asked a clearly confused Evan.

“Old business, boy,” said Calvin.  “And new. Tem, how are you going to explain what happened to Rhea?”

“What happened?” asked Astrid.

“I won’t explain anything. Clearly this is beyond the scope of even Rhea’s authority.”

Astrid balled her hands at her side, growing annoyed that Tem was keeping her out of the conversation.

“What is going on?” she asked pointedly.

“She isn’t going to permit it,” replied Calvin. “And frankly, I agree with her. What were you thinking?”

“That is none of your business,” replied Tem.

“What is this ‘sloppy breeding’ business about?” said Evan. His face was drawn in consternation.

“My mother is concerned,” said a new feminine voice from behind them, “that the strength of dragons is diluted by the introduction of human DNA into our lines.” A young woman glided from the shadows of the portico.

“Reanne,” said Tem holding out his hands.

“My Lord,” said Reanne taking them. “Long has it been seen since I’ve seen you last.”

Astrid’s eyes narrowed. She found she did not like this woman touching Tem.

“My lady, it is good to see you again.”

Tem’s bright smile at meeting this Reanne chick really annoyed Astrid. She bit her lip to keep from speaking. Astrid had no claim on Tem and it was obvious these two knew each other from years before she was even born. Besides, even Astrid had to admit that Reanne was stunningly beautiful. An obviously younger version of her mother, her expression was far more relaxed and warm than the dragon Queen’s.

“I am aware of your mother’s views,” said Tem.

“But your guests are not. It was a risk, Tem, that you brought them here.”

“It was the safest place I could think of,” he said simply.

“Yes, the persecution against dragons across the world grows. If my mother could shelter all dragons here, she would. But our Queen does not suffer the intrusions of humans well, Tem, and you know this.”

“It is their world, Reanne, not ours.”

“Yes. There are seven billion of them and at best a few hundred thousand of us.”

“Not counting the hybrids,” said Calvin.

Reanne turned her gaze to Evan and a soft smile played across her lips. “Yes, not counting the hybrids. I’m afraid Mr. Waters, that you are betwixt and between these two worlds now.”

“That’s not a problem. If I can get home, I’ll be fine. Where I come from being part dragon is not a crime.”

Reanne shook her head sadly. “Things have changed since you were imprisoned, Mr. Waters. A new President got new laws passed and things are nearly as dire for dragons as in the United Kingdom. And I’m afraid your case made you notorious in America.”

“Let’s discuss these things later, Reanne,” said Tem. “Calvin is in need of food, and Astrid and Evan need to rest from the shock of our travels.”

Reanne nodded.

“You are right, Lord Tem. There are rooms prepared for each of you and I’ll have food sent to them. Please follow me.”

Reanne walked toward the portico and Tem followed.

Calvin fell in step behind them, but then stopped and swayed. Quickly, both Evan and Astrid moved forward to steady him.

“Let me help,” said Evan and he pulled Calvin’s arm around him.

Reanne and Tem stopped in their tracks upon hearing these words.

“Are you okay, Captain?” asked Reanne.

“He nearly starved himself to death in the prison,” said Tem.

“That was foolish of you, Captain,” scolded Reanne.

“You were not there,” croaked Calvin.

“Well, you are here now. Can you walk?”

“I’ll walk just fine. Evan will help me.”

“Just don’t let my mother know what you did. She is not above administering punishment these days, and that is the last thing you need.”

“And just what is our Queen above these days?” said Tem sourly.

“Very little,” said Reanne. “Which is why it was dangerous for you to come here.”