Chapter 15 #2
“It would help if you’d let me test my formulas on you to see if they even work.”
“Never,” Nessie snapped. “I will not be vulnerable to a human.”
“Well then, don’t blame me if the time comes and it doesn’t work.
” Rather than keep arguing with Nessie, the man in the mask turned his attention to me.
“This is the female he’s become attached to?
” The guy sneered. “I would have thought someone of his age to have better taste. She’s already past her prime. ”
Well, that was offensive. “Who are you?” Might as well ask since I had nothing better to do.
He stood as he announced, “I am Dr. Malone, renowned cryptozoologist.”
I snickered. “Oh, you’re one of those.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
It occurred to me in that moment that my humor at the cryptozoologist title—AKA someone who claimed monsters of myth actually existed—may have been valid a week ago, but now, given all I’d seen and experienced… Guess it wasn’t such a joke after all.
“What’s your interest in Alistair?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Other than the fact he’s a dragon?” Dr. Malone smirked. “I’ve been hunting his kind since I discovered Tiamat’s cave a decade ago and realized they truly existed.”
“Isn’t she the dragon who got bloodthirsty and caused the extinction of her kind?”
“She was the greatest of them all and traitors killed her,” hissed Nessie, dipping her head fast and low on that sinuous neck.
“Maybe she shouldn’t have wantonly killed humans,” I pointed out.
“She culled the unworthy,” Nessie argued.
“I heard she ate her servant’s babies.” I couldn’t have said why I deliberately antagonized, only I found it interesting to watch Nessie.
Every so often, I’d swear her eyes slightly changed in color and her demeanor softened.
It lasted only seconds at a time, though, and I had no idea if it meant anything.
“That servant left her no choice. Those needy creatures—”
I interrupted. “You mean the babies.”
“The leeches,” Nessie continued with an impressive sneer of her snout, “would have distracted the servant from doing her duties.”
“I’m surprised you would defend your sister, seeing as how she’s the one who chopped off your wings,” was my blunt reply.
“A maiming is better than killing, wouldn’t you say?” A coy reply that actually puzzled.
“You’re saying you forgive her?”
“Forgive what? If it weren’t for the clipping, Nessie wouldn’t have survived the ensuing massacre of dragons. The killers never even bothered coming to the loch.”
Of the many signs of madness, talking about yourself in the third person? Top of the list. “Is that why you lured Alistair? To steal his power to shift shapes so you can escape the loch?”
“Among other things. He’s also going to help me trap the hatchlings.”
“You want the baby dragons? What for?”
“My plans are none of your business, human.”
I might have prodded more, but a groan from the cage showed Alistair waking. He tried stretching, but the tight confines of his prison wouldn’t allow it.
He made it to his feet, his head brushing the top of the cage, and glowered. “What is the meaning of this, Nessie?” he barked.
“We were long overdue for a visit,” was the taunting reply.
“You’ve put me in a cage,” he growled.
“For my safety and that of my guest, Dr. Malone.”
Alistair stiffened, and by his next words, I realized he’d heard of the man. “What are you doing conspiring with this false steward?”
“False? He’s done more to revive our kind than Oliver and the other two who claim that title. Because of him, there have been four dragons born, and more to come.”
“You do realize he wishes to use them for his own gain.” Alistair gripped the bars as he conversed.
“His plan, perhaps, but not mine. And fear not, once he’s finished doing my bidding, he will meet the same fate other humans have once they’ve outlived their purpose.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Malone whirled to glare at Nessie.
Her head lowered and cast a shadow over the man as she purred, “From the moment you discovered Tiamat the Mighty’s cave, you’ve been doing my bidding. Helping me to achieve my goal. Did you think you found the scroll with the location of the eggs by happenstance?”
“Eggs that would still be just dormant rocks if I’d not acquired the patent for exploding those volcanoes.”
“And where do you think you got the idea to do that?” Nessie stated. “From me.”
“We only met recently.”
“So you were led to believe. In actuality, you’ve been here several times. I just never allowed you to remember.”
“You have not been controlling me,” Malone blustered.
“Oh really?” Nessie taunted. “Kneel.”
The man hit the floor hard on his knees.
“Bow to me.”
I could see the strain on Malone’s face as he fought the command, but in the end, he complied. His forehead pressed against the stone.
“Look at you, finally mustering up the nerve to fight,” Nessie crooned. “To think you used to be eager to serve.”
“Not serve,” Malone huffed. “Working together because I thought our interests were aligned.”
“As if I care what you wanted. You were simply a tool to me. Alas, you proved to be a disappointment. Despite every clue I gave, you failed to capture a single hatchling, hence why I had to enlist Shamash’s aid.”
“I’m not helping you with anything,” Alistair spat. “And if you don’t release me from this cage, I won’t be gentle with my vengeance.”
“I am not so stupid as to release you, seeing as how the cage is the only thing keeping me safe. And before you even think of trying, you won’t be able to use your dragon to bust it open.
Well, technically, you could try, but the bars are made of tungsten, and as such, any attempt to shift will result in you dying because we both know the cage won’t break. ”