Chapter 22
Agent Murphy
“It’s a good thing we were understanding.
” Stopping us at the door to the conference room we were at again, Klynn whispered quietly as the rest of our group looked around slightly confused by what startled him.
“The man sitting in the corner is the oldest dragon on the planet…as far as I know the oldest person on the planet.”
Really?
“It’s Baldron. I’ve only met him once years ago when I was young, but everyone knows of him.” Klynn’s words stunned everyone from Earth. “Mostly because he’s always said he’s too stubborn to die.”
Well, that was interesting…but Klynn was funny even if he hadn’t meant to be. “I’m getting the picture, but I don’t know if I can laugh about that or not.”
“Me neither.” Klynn’s shrug didn’t make behaving any easier for the group. “He constantly says things that are confusing.”
Sounded like he was related to some of the Earth dragons.
“The rumor is that he’s bargained with questionable mages to help extend his life.” Klynn’s slightly awed tone made it hard to decide if he was exaggerating or not. “That may just be gossip, however, but he is at least one hundred and twenty.”
So maybe he hadn’t been fucking with us?
The man did look like one stiff breeze would send him crashing to the floor, but his gaze was slowly moving over the room studying everyone.
“Just the fact that you don’t know is insane.” This trip just kept getting more and more interesting. I was officially going to have the best stories in the family for the next two generations. “Okay, well, it looks like everyone in town was invited this time.”
Because of Baldron obviously.
Or because Baldron was meeting us?
Yep.
His gaze stopped on us and I could almost feel the intensity of it.
“Anyone else starting to believe that “bargained with the mages” part a lot more?” Wren’s nearly inaudible whisper had the people of Earth exhaling slowly. “Okay, not just me.”
I was grateful they were trying to be subtle, but I wasn’t sure how long it would last.
Fuck it.
Turning around, I glared at everyone who’d meet my gaze. “Do not ask the old dragon if he sold his soul to the Devil or a demon or to the ancestors or anything else offensive.”
It didn’t matter what he’d done as long as it didn’t impact Earth or the politics between our peoples.
“Um.” Wren sighed. “I need to be put at the back of the group.”
Well, at least he knew he had impulse control problems.
“I think that is a good idea.” Toman clearly didn’t like what he’d heard through their bond and shifted them to the back of the group.
That got giggles from several people and even Hugh looked like he was trying not to laugh.
“I will tattle to Boyd, Talon, and the council on anyone who upsets the ancient dragon.” It would not go well no matter what the man had done and I wasn’t going to let any of them fuck with the situation. “Understand?”
I got several dramatic sighs but eventually everyone nodded. “Thank you.”
Hoping they could keep their promises, I had to work at keeping a neutral expression as the older dragon waved us over. “And then I’ll tell Kenzie you made an old man cry.”
It didn’t matter if it was true or not, he’d get Lorne to eat the offender in question.
“That’s cheating.” Beatrice was trying to sound offended but she needed to stop giggling for it to be believable. “We’ll behave.”
Probably not, but at least I’d be able to tell my boss I’d tried my best. “Let’s go.”
Once we started moving, it was the cue for everyone in the room to stop what they were doing and watch what was happening. They’d been waiting quietly and talking, but once we were doing something interesting pretending to behave went out the window.
But I’d have done the same thing in their situation, so I couldn’t complain…not out loud anyway.
“He’s probably just curious and wants to meet the people of Earth.” Klynn’s words made sense, but nothing was ever that simple. “From what I was told, he likes telling stories, so I think you will enjoy speaking with him.”
Klynn was doing a good job of handling the stressed-out Earthlings but I could almost feel his own stress. He wasn’t nearly as confident about what was going on as he was trying to appear, but I appreciated what he was trying to do.
“We haven’t screwed up yet, so I’m sure it will be fine.” Hmm. “Do we know if he’s been given English?”
The old man nodded.
So yes, and I was talking too loudly.
Again.
I managed not to look shocked or worried as we approached the man, who based on Earth aging I would’ve put at only ninety, and I hoped I could keep it up as we finally made our way up to him. “Hello, I’m Agent Murphy of Earth. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Murphy of Earth, I am Baldron and I have waited a long time to meet you. Greetings.” His voice was steadier than I expected but something about his tone or just who he was made him feel ancient and not just old. “Dragons and mages of Earth, welcome home.”
I wasn’t the only one who had to swallow past a lump in my throat, but the old man actually smiled understandingly as several in the group sniffled.
He smiled.
Naturally.
“Thank you.” Hugh actually stepped up and managed to sound polite as he greeted Baldron.
He wasn’t the one I’d have guessed to take over, but it actually made sense since he was the least likely to say something offensive.
“This has been an amazing experience and we can’t wait to go back and share it with our people. ”
“I am glad we have given you appropriate hospitality.” Pausing, the old man seemed to think about the words before shrugging his frustration away.
He shrugged.
Had they gotten better at the transfer of English?
Was it coming with fully integrated gestures now?
“Your people have been very gracious. It’s been wonderful getting to know them.” Hugh’s words had the rest of the group nodding, but they kept their mouths shut so they didn’t say anything offensive. “We never thought we’d have this opportunity, so it’s been amazing to learn about our history.”
“I am eager to hear about your lives, but I must ask a question first.” Glancing between us, he frowned. “Who is the one called Shiloh?”
Shiloh?
“Me.” His quiet voice was nearly a squeak, but he stepped between everyone and moved to the front of the group. “I’m Shiloh of Earth.”
“Welcome.” Baldron studied Shiloh for a moment, upping the stress in everyone watching without meaning to. “I am told you are the historian of family lines.”
Family lines?
Genealogy?
“Yes.” Swallowing hard again, Shiloh straightened and seemed less worried. Did the topic make him more comfortable or was it something else? “I’ve studied as much of the family lines as we have access to.”
And that was why he’d wanted to come so badly.
Why hadn’t anyone mentioned that?
“My family was tasked with keeping track of the family records from when we were first separated.” Finally looking confident, Shiloh didn’t radiate anxiety the way he usually did.
“Some lines were lost because they moved away from the gate early on. We don’t know what happened to them officially, but that doesn’t mean anything bad happened to them. ”
Oh.
Should I interrupt?
Fuck it.
“I might be able to help with that.” I hadn’t expected every eye to turn to me but I probably should have.
“The American government keeps track of every dragon or mage on the planet. I know it sounds intrusive but you guys create chaos everywhere you go and we need to be one step ahead of you to keep the weather working right.”
And they got it.
“Ugh. I should be pissed the government is tracking us all, but hell, I’d track us.” Wren’s honest response and slightly cheeky wave from the back had Baldron smiling again. “Oh, um, sorry.”
He really couldn’t stay quiet no matter how hard he tried.
“That is because the only families who allowed their children to go on the portal adventures were the most outgoing…the ones who had the drive to travel and explore and to create chaos as you said.” Baldron damned near laughed when we all went bug-eyed.
“The lines who were quiet and thoughtful and simply wanted to stay home never crossed the portal.”
Well, that answered a lot of fucking questions.
“Shit. We’re the genetic troublemakers.” Wren just couldn’t help himself. “I can’t wait to tell Pierce and my mother.”
Only if he could keep her out of jail because bailing her out constantly was becoming a problem.
“Shiloh of Earth, did anyone of the line of Anoth come through the gate with you?” Baldron’s tone was back to almost neutral but he was searching each face too hard to be as calm as he was attempting to act. “They were five dragonlings…four girls and one boy.”
His family?
How old was he again?
The way Klynn was slowly blinking said he was thinking something along the same lines, but all I could read from him was confusion.
“Yes.” Shiloh let out a deep breath like he’d just passed his final exam.
“The children all survived until adulthood and several of them moved away from the gate in the next generations. Kaden of Earth is a direct descendant, and there are still two strong family lines on the other side of the gate by the portal but they couldn’t come. ”
Who were the other family lines?
“Kaden?” Shiloh turned around and gestured toward the nervous mage who always looked like he was one boo away from jumping in fright. “One of the girls married a mage and they generally all married that way, so his immediate family sees themselves as just mages.”
Kaden was just blinking but he managed to step forward so Baldron could see him. The old dragon smiled, not bothered by the mage versus dragon thing. “Emala’s line, correct? She was always the most interested in magic.”
Huh?
Shiloh had finally realized something was odd, but just swallowed hard again and nodded. “Yes. Her line produced strong mages.”
But weird ones because Kaden was one of the mages from Florida.
Oh.
“Is he related to Kenzie or Lorne?” My question was probably rude but I ignored the way Wren started to choke.
Shiloh gave a shy smile. “Both.”
I knew it.
Wren was going to die if he didn’t get more air soon.
Oops.
Baldron was focused on me and I could see the question on his face. “They’re all…interesting.”
And that set Wren off again.
The old man actually laughed.
What the fuck?
“She liked what you would call pranks. I think she would have enjoyed her descendants.” If the old man realized how odd his statements were, he was ignoring it and so were the rest of the locals. “Come let me see you better, Kaden of Earth.”
My questions had questions, but I watched in silence as Kaden crossed the final few feet to stand in front of Baldron.
I wasn’t sure if he’d be able to get anything out, but he managed it.
“My family passed down a story about how our first ancestor coming through the gate snuck out to come when she shouldn’t have.
I don’t know the details. Those were lost over the years, but do you know the story? ”
Yep.
He probably shouldn’t…but he did.
“She had pulled a prank the night before leaving for the trip and was what you would call grounded. The story won’t make sense at this point but she…
I think describing it as spray painting would be accurate if my knowledge of English is correct.
She was supposed to stay home and fix the mess she made. ”
But she hadn’t…and then she was gone.
“From everything I know she had a happy life.” Kaden turned to Shiloh who seemed to be the one who knew the most. “Right?”
Shiloh immediately nodded. “Yes. There were some struggles, but overall, they all had wonderful lives…traveling and having big families.”
Baldron smiled again and let out a long sigh. “I have waited a very long time to hear that.”
Yeah, I bet.
“I would like to talk to all of you, but first, I will ask to sit with Shiloh and Kaden for a time.” Looking a bit like his mischievous descendants, he smiled again. “Then I will answer questions about other families.”
Because he’d been there?
“My family has always done their best to remember their stories and it’s time I pass that down to a new generation.” Baldron acted like that would make everything else seem reasonable, and the locals looked like his explanation made perfect sense.
But the chaos-loving drama queens who’d come through the gate had questions…I just wasn’t sure any of us would get answers.
If Lorne had bargained his soul to stay alive until his kids came home, would he tell anyone what he’d done?