Page 14 of Scales of Time

“Good.” She sipped at her watered wine or wined water. “So, I am guessing the original bloodlines stem from your original children?”

The family was looking at them with cautious smiles.

Essan nodded. “There were four. Yorness is off the Kavenesh’s line. There were Miscaleth, Remiara, and Helbornen lines as well. They were all my children and lived to be five hundred. The next generation four hundred, three hundred, and now, Yorness is two hundred, and I hope she will see decades more.”

Yorness said softly, “My family keeps me young.”

Kris made an intuitive leap as she stared at her boss. Yorness looked determined. “Oh, wow. You want me here to protect them.”

Yorness quirked her lips. “I thought you would have figured that out earlier today.”

Kris shrugged. “It took me a while to recover from the shot I needed after the reception meal.”

“I thought we had gotten everything.”

“Nope. My immune system and allergen sensitivities are no joke. I am frankly amazed I have survived this long.” She smiled. “While I would love to remain here and take care of your family, I am fairly sure I would be dead within six months. I can be killed with the wrong salad.” She snorted. “I am not sturdy enough for Kifessan. Maybe something with a containment suit.”

Yorness looked upset. “No! I want you here. You need to be here!”

Kris was concerned, and she touched her friend’s scaled hand. “Hey, I am here now. I am meeting your world.” It was one of the only flares of elderly panic that Kris remembered in her own grandmother.

Yorness took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Right. You are here. Maybe our physicians can help you.”

“You have doctors? I thought everyone here was all artsy-fartsy.” The words didn’t translate, but the wiggling fingers seemed to get the description across.

Yorness snorted, and Essan sighed. “She can see the physicians at the palace. They are good with alien physiology.”

“Great. I am busy tomorrow and think we will be done by evening. So, the next day?”

Essan got to his feet, tucked the statue under one arm, and pulled her to him with the other. “What about now?”

He lifted her off her feet, spread his wings, and launched skyward.

It was a precarious grip, but the lights of the city were gorgeous. She tried to focus on the positive. The palace was glowing with light, and he slowly descended and landed. Servants came from all directions, and he handed the box to a male in armour. “That is to go into my personal gallery.”

He began to walk, and the crowd parted. “We are heading to the physician’s office.”

A slim male nodded and sprinted down the halls.

“He’s going to warn them?” Kris muttered.

“He’s going to make sure the exam room is empty for you.” Essan walked casually through his home.

She had one hand braced on his shoulder, and he just carried her down the hall like a vase. His wide-legged loose trousers flared with every step, and she caught the occasional glimpse of his feet.

Kris asked, “So, Overlord, why did you focus on art?”

“I find it relaxing, and the species I brought in enjoyed it, so first, they were settled, then they were productive, and now, they are artistic. Science is already getting its own time, and I believe that your issues can be analyzed and corrected.”

“There is a complication.”

He hissed softly. “Don’t ruin the surprise.”

There was a heavily guarded gateway, and he walked through it with nods to the guards. On the other side was another archway that led to a seriously decked-out med centre. “Wow, you weren’t kidding.”

He chuckled with no trace of a hiss in it. “It has been a while since I have been able to actually act as a host without a gaggle of servants doing the work.”

He set her next to one of the analyzers and smiled. “You need to shuck out of that suit. The armour will interfere with the readings.”

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