Page 36 of Captured By the Dragon Warlord
I turn the snarl into a grumble. If Dalsor’s reaction to her is anything to go by, the chance of any warrior getting close is minimal to non-existent.
They know what will happen if they do.
“Fine.” I can’t quite keep the growl from my throat. “I need to go look at the site where the cave-in happened. You can accompany me.”
If that was supposed to put her off, I was wrong. Scarlett nods solemnly.
“I know a little about mining. There was an old lead mine on my family’s land, and I did some research into it,” she says tentatively as we make our way through the ship to the mining entrance. “I doubt it’s anything like the operation you have.”
“I expect digging into the crust of a planet is the same whatever the planet,” I respond. “Did your family mine much?”
“They didn’t. They mostly raised animals.”
“And did you?”
“No, I was a research chemist.”
I tip my head on one side. The words don’t make a lot of sense through my nano translator.
“You looked at chemicals?”
“Sort of…” she says. “I had a small business helping develop compounds to the point of manufacture. Like whatever process it is you use to turn the stuff you mine into star fuel.”
“Interesting.”
“Oh, you didn’t expect a female to be able to do something like that?” She stares at me, daring to dispute her words.
“On the contrary, Sarkarnii females were extremely good with tech. Significantly better than males. Our top scientists were female, back on our home planet,” I respond, attempting and probably failing to keep the smugness out of my voice. “My ship, theSteel Jewelwould not exist if it wasn’t for Sarkarnii females.”
I’m not sure what the emotion is which flits over Scarlett’s face, and with the absence of her thoughts, unless she tells me, I will not know.
“Then you don’t think what I do…what I did, is boring?”
“Not in the least,” I respond. “Who would call your work boring?” I growl.
“Oh…no one,” she says cagily. “No one on Vorostor anyway.”
I half growl, half purr under my breath.
“If you know about chemistry, then I am going to need your help, little mate.” I point at the entrance to the main shaft just as two warriors burst from it in their Sarkarnii forms. “And it is also my time.”
“Your time for what?” She is still watching the others as they make several turns around the large atrium.
“My time to shift,” I say through teeth which are growing larger by the second. “I hope you are ready.”
SCARLETT
It’s not like I haven’t seen Sarkarnii as dragons up close, or seen them change from man to dragon, but even so, watching Dexx become his Sarkarnii in a violent swirl of light is intriguing.
What rises above me should be terrifying. But I’ve seen dragons now, and instead, I see Dexx for what he is.
Magnificent.
His blue scales are even deeper in color, almost black in places, with a pattern that runs over him, diamond like, snake like. His huge eye burns with fire, and the slit pupil has a reflection of me.
“Come, little mate.” Dexx uncurls a paw filled with vast claws.
“I am not flying down there with you.” I fold my arms.
