Page 107 of Dragon Rule (Age of Fire 5)

The Copper put a sit to a recent wound in his neck.

“I’m curious about this move of yours, AuRon.”

“Move? You speak as though my actions are part of a strategy. I am not directing forces for a battle. Your ‘Protectors’ in Ghioz are your enemies. It’s not just the greater glory of your Empire or Grand Alliance or whatever it’s called, but they’re plotting something.”>The rest of the conference passed in Imfamnia sounding out Istach on whether she’d like a trained thrall to help shape her scale and train her claws into a more elegant curve. AuRon quit it gladly.

He returned to Dairuss dispirited, and complained that night to Natasatch that he was considering giving up the Protectorship and returning to his island.

“Well, I like it here,” Natasatch said. “I feel at home, for some reason, with these social dragons. What is there to do on our island? Snooze out the winters, then argue all summer with the wolves and blighters about the number of sheep that may be taken. It’s no life for a dragon.”

“It is life. If this contraption my brother the Tyr has set up fails, it’ll be another fall of Silverhigh. A good many dragons will go down with it. I doubt we’ll ever rise from it again.”

Natasatch nuzzled him behind the griff. “There’s another matter. Think of the offspring. They’re doing so well here. Even Istach, who I thought would remain lurking outside our cave like a hungry dog, has found a position—one above her brothers and sister! They’re doing so well, because we’ve been here to help them along. Now, with Wistala acting as Queen, she can be of further use to them.”

“I’m not sure Wistala took the position with that in mind. She only wants to make sure everyone’s treated fairly.”

“What should we do about NiVom and Imfamnia and their ‘conspiracy’?”

“If the Lavadome breaks into factions, some will support the Tyr, some will support NiVom and Imfamnia. That seems a reasonable assumption, does it not, my love?”

“Yes,” AuRon said.

The air was too still in this cave. If they stayed, he’d have to ask Naf about finding another cave with better air flow.

“We have to make sure we’re on the winning side,” Natasatch said. “I’d put my hoard on my nest mate. He’s a survivor. You can’t even kill him with poison, I’d say.”

“Thank you.”

“But Imfamnia and NiVom are building a network of allies. If she was being honest with you.”

“I’d like to hear NiVom’s opinion, personally. He’s a smart dragon,” AuRon said.

“Imfamnia’s smarter,” Natasatch said. “She doesn’t let you know just how smart she is. She plays the birdbrain, but she doesn’t act like one.”

“So, you think we should side with them?” AuRon asked.

Natasatch paused a moment before answering. “No, my love. We have to be sure we back the victor, correct?”

“Yes. From what I know of Lavadome politics, being on the losing side could be deadly.”

“Then we must support both.”

“Just how do we do that?” AuRon asked.

“Simple. You’ll work with Imfamnia. Do all you can to ensure her faction succeeds. She likes you, I can tell. She’s taken you in on her plans very early.”

AuRon didn’t like the sound of that.

“I think she likes me too much.”

“Well, you’re an interesting dragon. Besides, your accent is irresistible, it’s not Lavadome at all.”

“I often wonder why you feel so at home with that oversized snakepit.”

“I don’t know. Perhaps my family came from there. I don’t know anything about where I was hatched. I was taken away so young.”

“You do look a little like some of those dragons, around the griff and the jaw. You and Nilrasha, your scale lie very similarly. Maybe you are from a Lavadome family.” AuRon wasn’t sure he liked where this chain of thought led.

He continued: “No, if I’m going to support someone, I’ll support the Tyr. He trusted me here, and by doing so stopped a war with a friend of mine. I’ll support him.”

---