Page 7 of The Timeless Vigilante

“Well, I’m just hoping that you all can tell me when he’s going to hatch,” Gen said with a sigh. “I’m hoping it will be this century.”

“I think it will be soon,” Lunis said, a new seriousness to his voice.

Gen was about to press for more information but right then, the two men from the Castle neared. One was tall, slender and stoic. He had dark, tan skin and his long black hair pulled back in a long braid, much like how Gen wore hers. The other, well, he was a short, round gnome with rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes.

“Oh, you must be Quiet,” Gen said, stepping forward and curtseying slightly to the tall man wearing a serious expression.

“Actually, I’m Mahkah, the expert on dragons,” the man said, pointing to himself and then to the gnome, several feet shorter than him. “This is Quiet. This is his Gullington which gives him a distinct knowledge of dragons, being the one who looks after their home and has for over five hundred years.”

“Oh,” Gen said in sudden surprise and embarrassment. She hadn’t expected that the unassuming gnome with the chubby cheeks and a burlap hat covering his round head was the demi-god who Sophia had described as being all of the land and castle where they stood presently. “My apologies. Well, I’m Genevieve Beaufont but please call me Gen.”

“We’ve heard much about you, Gen,” Mahkah said, bowing slightly. “And of your dragon, the first egg ever spawned.”

The gnome muttered something, but Gen didn’t make it out, either because his voice was so low or his words incoherent, she couldn’t tell. However, Mahkah and Sophia both nodded to him, like they perfectly understood what he said.

“It is very exciting that we will have another dragonrider and the first egg ever,” Sophia said, smiling at Gen. “We simply have to wait until your dragon hatches.”

“And you said that would be soon?” Gen asked, looking at Lunis quizzically.

“Yes, I think so,” Lunis said in a suddenly refined voice.

“Well, when? What can I do?” Gen questioned.

“Why don’t you try telling him a few jokes,” Lunis offered.

Sophia groaned. “Oh, no. Not this… She’s brand new to our world. Give her a break, would you?”

“What do you mean?” Gen asked, confused, looking between Sophia and her dragon. “Why would I tell my dragon’s egg a few jokes?”

“To see if you can crack him up,” Lunis said and then roared with laughter, throwing his head back and vibrating the ground with the noise.

Sophia sighed. “Sorry, Gen. My dragon is special. I told you, he tells dad jokes. They never, ever stop. Not for decades.”

Gen smiled, chuckling softly. “I like a good joke. But I’m not sure that will work on my dragon. Do you all have any ideas? He says he will hatch when he’s ready, when I am and when the environment is.”

“How about you give us a moment to inspect the egg,” Mahkah offered, thoughtfully, the picture of calmness. “Then we can give you a full assessment and hopefully some answers.”

“That’s a good idea,” Sophia said, motioning to the Castle. “And in the meantime, I’ll introduce Gen to the leader of the Dragon Elite, Hiker Wallce.”

Quiet muttered something, again inaudible under his breath.

Sophia nodded, a grim expression on her face. “I know. I’ll deal with the wrath of that man. It’s sort of my full-time hobby at this point.”

“What wrath?” Gen asked, looking between the gnome and Sophia, wishing she knew what was going on. “Is something wrong?”

“Just that I’ve been keeping secrets,” Sophia answered, tugging Gen toward the Castle. “Come on, this will be fun. Let’s go to Hiker Wallace’s office. I love watching that man get angry.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE TALE OF TWO SISTERS

Hiker Wallace’s Office, The Castle, The Gullington, Scotland, United Kingdom

When Sophia led Gen into the Castle, she hurried her upstairs, giving her a guilty look. Gen didn’t ask any questions, as she was taken to a second-floor office which apparently belonged to this Hiker Wallace. However, Gen’s silence was mostly because she was overwhelmed by the grandness and whimsy of the Castle’s interior. It was unlike anything that Gen had seen and then also, ironically, very much like the places she’d grown up. It had the bones of a medieval castle, but the flare of the modern world.

Gen had stepped through the towering front door, its stained-glass window of angels casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the stone floor in a silent welcome. The grandeur of the entryway unfolded before her with its exposed beams. They were a testament to the craftsmanship of her time, intricately carved with old charm.

A grand staircase swept upwards, inviting exploration leading to an open loft. Paintings adorned the walls, each a portal to a moment frozen in time. Overhead, a rustic chandelier dangled, its light flickering like stars caught in a net of iron.

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