Page 18 of The White Dragon Revealed

“It is a cylinder containing poison gas,” Adama answered. “Certain of these others were fitted with them.”

“Oh, by the Gods.” Chione brought a hand up to her lips. Her eyes were wide with horror.

The Red Dragon has betrayed us, Raziel growled and smoke and flames flooded out of its mouth.

Valerius slowly turned towards Mei. Hellfire caused his vision to go red. She lifted a hand as she stepped back from him.

“No, Valerius, I did not do this! It would be insane of me to do this!” Mei cried.

“If these robots had released this gas in my city, how many would have died?” Valerius’ voice sounded so calm.

“The deaths could have been in the thousands, depending on where they released the gas,” Adama answered simply.

His eyes narrowed as rage built. Mei staggered back. For the bandit queen who had never shown fear, she was terrified here. Not even Xipil’s scales could save her from his flames.

“How did you know about the gas, Adama?” Chione asked. “Did you see the cylinders being installed?”

“No,” Adama answered. “I intercepted a message that was sent to the others to leave here and enter the city to deliver their payload. I had to stop them.”

“I did not do this, Valerius!” Mei cried again. “Someone took over control of the soldiers from me!” She held up the hologram she had been tapping on to try and stop the fight. “It wasn’t me! Why would I use my own robots to gas your people and be asleep as it was about to happen?”

That caused Valerius to pause. Mei would hardly have been asleep in bed when she knew that he would come after her immediately.

“It does seem unlikely, but you showed bad judgment to bring them here in the first place,” Chione said dryly.

“And if it was me why would I give you Adama when it was capable of stopping the attack I supposedly was planning?” Mei kept her eyes on Valerius’ face.

That, too, was very true. The fires lowered. Raziel swished its tail angrily though. It wanted to punish Xipil simply for coming here and bringing the tin men in the first place.

“You could have arranged all of this in order for me to trust Adama when you have something else planned,” Valerius said, but he didn’t believe it. This was all too elaborate, not that Mei was above elaborate plans. Yet unlike her tricking of the mayor and his son long ago, this was too much.

Mei shook her head. She gestured at the carnage. “You have no idea what this has cost me!”

“Money--”

“No, time and materials! These represent years of production! That bastard Illarion will hear of this destruction and he will be encouraged to attack our shared border!” Mei sounded almost shrill and she never sounded shrill.

This was a real concern on her part. The fires died. She wasn’t their enemy in this. And she was honestly afraid of Illarion coming after her. Instead of wanting to destroy Mei, he and Raziel almost felt protective of her.

“Mei, considering that your robots were able to be programmed to act against your will perhaps it is best that you not rely upon them in battle?” Chione suggested kindly. “This might have been a good thing in a way.”

“No one should have been able to get through my security walls!” Mei slammed one small fist into the palm of her other hand.

“Yet they did,” Valerius reminded her and Mei’s expression crumpled. She was truly unnerved by this to show so much emotion.

“You intercepted a message, Adama? Can you locate where it came from?” Chione asked the robot.

“It has stopped sending, but I can take you to the last point where the transmission ended,” Adama stated.

Mei’s head jerked up. “Adama, we must go there! We must find out who did this!” Her small hands fisted at her sides and he saw Mei’s temper. “I will kill whoever did this! I will--”

“You will get in line, Mei. I have first dibs,” Valerius interrupted her.

“Just leave me something of them,” she growled. “Adama--”

“I serve King Valerius only. Do you want me to take you to the location?” Adama asked him.

Valerius was amused by Mei’s momentary surprise that again, her creation was not following her orders. She surprised him by laughing at herself.

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