Page 76 of Queen's Griffon

“I should kill you for that,” hissed Lenno.

Avera understood his anger. Frisk’s last scream would most likely haunt her. She’d not particularly cared for the man, still, even she could feel regret for a horrible death.

“Ah yes, kill me despite the fact I explicitly cautioned against entering. You were the one who insisted,” a smug Basil replied.

A reply that only deepened Lenno’s scowl. “You’re lucky I still fucking need you. As to those damnable rocks, you’re sure they’re in there?”

“They were the last time I saw them, but for obvious reasons, it’s been a while since I’ve been inside so I cannot state with one hundred percent certainty if they still remain.”

Avera kept quiet, not mentioning the fact she could feel a tug but from a different direction than the bat cave. Either Basil lied, or he didn’t know they’d been moved.

“I should have sent you in,” Lenno growled.

“I would have refused. I haven’t lived this long by acting rash and stupid,” Basil chided.

True. Of all the things Avera had expected—danger, death, surprise—finding her father alive never made the list.

Yet there he stood. The man her mother had loved enough she’d born his child despite the stigma attached to it. Had he felt the same? He’d said he cared for her but blamed the stones—and likely Zhos’ influence—for his betrayal and abandonment. He’d left his lover without seemingly a backwards glance, but it seems it wasn’t of his own volition. Would he have acted differently if he’d known about the pregnancy? Avera doubted that. From the sounds of it, he'd been obsessed with the rocks he’d stolen.

“Guess we’re fucking waiting until the morning,” Lenno grumbled. “Got any food? I’m starved.”

“If you can tolerate mushrooms, then yes, I have a stew brewing. I made enough to feed me for the entire week, but I guess circumstances call for sharing. It’s quite delicious.” Basil beamed vapidly.

“Anything’s got to be better than the hard tack in my pack,” Lenno grumbled.

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to the cave I call home. It’s a bit of a walk. When the volcano erupted, those of us who couldn’tescape the continent went deep to avoid the poisoning of the air.”

“That’s how you survived,” Avera murmured. “Did anyone else?”

“Yes. We started out with about a hundred people. Alas, that number dwindled over the years. Lack of nutrients. Suicide. And then, of course, the hazards. Now I’m the only one left.” His lips turned down. “I’m afraid Verlora’s current state doesn’t allow for humans to thrive.”

“No shit,” Lenno grumbled. “Oversized fucking critters and a bloody dragon. Where did that thing come from, anyhow? Or was it just a normal lizard until your bullshit serum made it big?”

“Oh, it’s a real dragon, born in the magma of the volcano.” Basil gave a sideways glance to Avera, as if trying to convey something.

She thought over what he’d said before. Something about tossing in one of the stones?—

Her eyes widened and Basil winked.

The Dracova stones weren’t actually rocks but dragon eggs!Oh my.A startling revelation.

Lenno didn’t catch on. “I wonder if Merisu might end up with its own dragon. Our volcano spits every decade or so. At least we weren’t dumb enough to build a city at its base.”

Basil’s lips pursed. “At the time of Sitnalta’s creation, the volcano had been dormant for quite some time. Long enough even the histories didn’t mention it. The eruption ended up violently powerful creating geyser of lava and rivers of magma.” Basil’s expression turned somber. “Those on the far side of the continent fared poorly. The shallow waters meant only small-sized boats could be tethered. I don’t know if anyone managed to escape. For years after, the waters around the continent boiled, killing everything that used to live there. Even now, they’re still warmer than is conducive for a thriving marine ecosystem.”

“That’s why there’s a constant fog,” Avera stated.

“Yes. We’re not far,” Basil announced as he turned at a fork in the tunnels. He moved rapidly and Avera only had a second to note the markings on the wall, arrows with labels written in Verlorian, a language she only knew a smattering of.

The air warmed noticeably and hinted of sulfur. The inner tug also became much stronger. Did Basil keep the stones in his home?

“Holy fucking stink,” Lenno complained.

“It won’t smell for long. We’re almost there. My place is through the end of that tunnel,” Basil pointed. The corridor of rock sloped downward and ended in an opening that glowed orange.

“I’m going first.” Lenno pushed past Basil. “Don’t need you or whoever is inside your place pulling any tricks. And don’t even think of attacking me from behind. I’m fast with a blade.”

“Would never dream of it. Just be sure to save us some soup. I’m sure my daughter is hungry,” Basil stated.

---