Page 34 of Grumpy Dragon Christmas

Although, if the mayor had ale wine, I have a theory Drekkan might stay a while, given how much he was enjoying the tipple with dinner.

I smile to myself as I get ready for bed, exhaustion overtaking me. Blynda did warn me this would happen as I got closer to giving birth, even if she wasn’t able to say exactly when it would occur. The uncertainty is annoying, especially as I seem to be getting bigger by the day. I stop by the nursery and look in for awhile, imagining what it will be like when there is a little person in there.

It’s quite surreal and I wish, again, Drekkan was here with me.

A noise out in the atrium startles me. It has to be my big, probably drunk, Sarkarnii. It’ll be interesting to see what he’s like with his guard down.

“What time do you call this?” I call out cheerfully as I enter the atrium.

The snow is kept out by some sort of forcefield covering the seemingly open space above, so the area is filled with the scent of the plants and warmed by the water from the pool. All of Kitchik’s heating is created by underground hot springs. However, instead of a worse for wear Drekkan, there is Qrow, flanked by two large armored guards, covered in furs and snow.

“What’s going on?”

“Is Drekkan here?” Qrow says hesitantly, his head shaking slightly.

“I thought he was with the mayor,” I reply.

“So, he’s not here?” Qrow’s voice wavers.

“No, he’s not been back.”

“We will search,” one of the guards says, stomping off.

“Hey! No, you can’t do that!” I take a step forward as the other guard follows. “Qrow, what’s going on? They can’t just search without my permission!”

Qrow wrings one pair of his hands together, his other two arms waving in the air.

“I’m so sorry, Jade,” he says, his voice stuttering. “The mayor needs to find Drekkan. He’s stolen the main power transformer for the Sol celebrations in the square and without it they can’t go ahead.”

I purse my lips. “I know Drekkan can be grumpy, and he likes to think he’s trouble, but why would he do something like that? We were enjoying the celebrations together a few hours ago.”

Qrow wrings his hands even more, his face twisting.

“If there’s something I need to know, tell me,” I demand.

“Drekkan swore revenge on the mayor after he collared him. He said he was going to spoil the celebrations however he could.”

“What? What’s a collar?”

“A control collar,” Qrow wails. “It stopped him from shifting and causing any damage. It would shock him if he tried.”

I feel my knees go from under me, and Qrow reaches out to steady me. I shrug him off and make it to a small stone bench.

“Drekkan had acontrol collar?”

“The mayor closed the spaceport for the celebrations, like he does every turn, but Drekkan wanted to look through a consignment of parts. When the mayor refused, Drekkan said he would cause trouble, so he got collared.”

“I can’t quite believe what I’m hearing.” I shake my head. “Drekkan said he would stop the celebrations?”

“Yes, but that was before he met you. The mayor was very impressed with his behavior. He took the collar off, and then the power transformer was stolen.”

My heart plummets in a way I didn’t think was possible. I can’t concentrate on what Qrow is saying. It’s as if someone has scooped out my insides, leaving only a hollow shell. I didn’t feel like this when I was abducted from Earth, nor since or when I found out I was pregnant by god knows what.

Drekkan can’t have done what they say he has because it means he was using me all along.

DREKKAN

Igroan myself into consciousness. Pain rushes in as my mind sparks to life. Not only does my head hurt, but my leg and hip do. They burn at me in a way which cannot be healthy. As I stretch out, it sears through me like my flesh is being sliced open.

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