Page 33 of Accounting for Drakes

“You can see that?”

“Sure. I always know when drakes or dragons and some other species match. My eyes see the frequency.”

“So, your little friend—”

“Cousin.”

“Right. She has found her match?”

“Yes. I don’t need to stay close now.” She speared a vegetable she didn’t recognize and started eating.

He nodded. “That is good. My home is a distance away from here, and it is larger, so density is required. Something tells me you won’t have an issue with that.”

Nanny looked at him and kept poking at her plate. “Why would I worry about that? I don’t know you. First, I have to see my parents and check on them. They are gonna be hella old right now, but I need to see them and ask them why they sold me to Zenim.”

The table got quiet, and Nanny kept eating.

Abil whispered, “Nanny? They sold you?”

“Yup. That is how they afforded that little temple in the hills. They sold me to the royal family when Zenim expressed interest. They didn’t defend my age, my lack of interest, or care about his cruelty.” She kept eating with focus, stabbing her food.

She finished and looked up to see everyone else staring at her. “Emperor Yorath, is there dessert?”

He blinked. “Yes. Would you like two?”

“Please.”

He raised a hand, but the servant nodded and was out the door before the order could be issued.

Abil was staring with a pale complexion. “Nanny, I had no idea.”

“No one did, but the royal family, and they were interested in keeping things quiet. That is why I ran for so long and tried to become what they told me I never could.”

“A drake?”

She snorted. “Powerful. As was evidenced when I flattened Zenim into the courtyard. I could have crushed him easily, and he knew it after about a minute. I could have waited for them to fly and chased them into the stars, eating them in one crunch of my jaws.” She sighed. “I could have followed them home and consumed their palaces and population, but those actions would have caused the drake council to hunt me down and either destroy or restrain me. Either would be unlikely, and more would die.”

Orwon smiled. “You are that confident in your abilities?”

“No. I am that sure of them.” She sat back as the plate was removed and dessert was slid in front of her. Both of them.

She smiled and kept eating, finishing dessert well ahead of her dinner companions.

She sat and sipped at her water, the buzz of earlier long gone.

Orwon asked, “So, you like shopping?” He continued eating.

“I am good at it.”

“I am guessing that you are good at everything you put your hand to. Do you still need gems and jewellery?”

“Need it? No. I don’t consume it anymore. Now it’s just pretty.”

“Do you wear clothing or shift into it?”

She smiled. “Both, but I like clothing that comes off at the end of the evening.”

Orwon smiled. “Me, too.” He finished his meal, and a dessert was placed in front of him. He looked at it and slid it over to her. “Here you are, my lady.”

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