Prologue #2
“We’ve already begun the steps,” he reminded.
They’d been investing their wealth in something called stocks, a way to apparently gain control of human industries.
With enough ownership came power, with power came influence, with influence came the eventual revelation that dragons existed.
Once that secret was unveiled, they would begin the conversion of the population from obeying human mismanaged governments to dragon rule. Or as he liked to call it, Dragocracy.
“I know we have, but it’s such a slow and utterly dull process,” she lamented, pouting prettily, not something he was used to seeing from the usually happy dragoness.
His muzzle pursed. “You haven’t shed recently.” He pinpointed the real reason for her discontent. Hormones.
“No, I haven’t,” she sulked. “I don’t understand. I’ve been eating so well and yet it’s been weeks since my last molt.”
“It’s coming,” he promised. “Females have ever been slower to grow.”
“So unfair,” Pollita grumbled. “Here you are, hatched after me, and yet look at you. Much larger already.”
She’d noticed? He casually expanded his chest. “Your growth will come.”
A sigh huffed from her, the heat of it momentarily misting the camera. “I know. I’m just impatient. On to other matters. Have you had any luck with the locations of the other eggs from our spawning?”
According to Leo, who’d uncovered some ancients scrolls, their maternal progenitor had allowed a human scribe to note where she’d dropped her eggs.
Although “note” was being generous. The clues left behind were vague, saying things such as “where the mountains rise and touch the clouds” and “overlook a lake with serpentine creatures”.
It didn’t help that it had been eons since those references had been penned and the landscapes that once might have seemed distinctive had changed.
“Leo’s been working on the clues and has come up with some possible locations.”
“As have my servants,” Pollita interjected. “But we won’t know if their theories are correct until we find an actual egg.”
“Hence why I’ve begun a subtle effort to recruit people to scout those locations.” So subtle, Abaddon didn’t have anyone yet, but he wasn’t about to let Pollita know that he’d been lax about forming a scouting team.
“You really think a human can tell a dragon egg from a regular rock?” she scoffed.
“Probably not. Most likely, once I get to be a proper size, I shall go hunt for them myself.”
“Destroy the competition before it hatches. A wise plan of action if this were another time. Given the way humans have exploded population-wise, we might need allies.”
“Allies that will later require elimination if we’re to rule the world,” Abaddon countered.
“Are you scared of competition?” Pollita purred.
“No,” he blurted. As if he’d lose.
“What of the scientist Malone? Have you eaten him yet for being insubordinate?”
“He lives. For the moment. He thinks himself clever for refusing to divulge which volcanoes he attempted to ignite. However, Pip has a hacker who’s been working on his encrypted files. Once they’re cracked, we will know everything.”
“Do you think we’re the only ones who hatched through his machinations?” she asked.
“He seems to think those other attempts failed.” But then again, Malone had also thought Pollita dead, and look how wrong he’d been about that.
“My servant, Juan, has been using his connections to get a list of all the volcanoes that erupted in the past few years. Of those documented, six were unexpected and could have been induced by your Malone.”
“If you want to send me what he’s found, I can have Leo compare those locations to see if by any chance their descriptions match our clues.”
“Excellent idea,” Pollita stated, and he almost preened at the praise. “I’ve also had some of my other servants combing the internet for any stories of mysterious flying creatures or an uptick in the loss of herds in areas of eruption.”
“Good thinking,” he complimented. Beautiful and smart.
Pollita half turned as if she heard something. “Time for me to go. They just rang the dinner bell.”
“Before you do…” He lowered his voice. “I figure another few months and I’ll be able to plot a course to visit. That is, if you would like to meet still.”
Her teeth gleamed as she replied, “I would like that very much, Abba.”
It took all his fortitude to remain stoic rather than give in to giddiness. “Like you, I must go now. Important matters to attend.”
They ended the call and he allowed himself a loud bugle of excitement.
“Someone’s happy,” Pip noted, having returned.
“Don’t know what you mean,” he fibbed even as he fairly vibrated with anticipation. “Open the doors. I need to hunt.” And feed. And grow. Because a certain female dragon waited for him.
Best he cement that alliance before she discovered he’d told a lie.
Despite him asking her to send a list of activated volcanoes her servant had sniffed out, he already knew of them.
One in particular happened to be a name Leo recognized.
“I remember Mount Amiata. It was the first one we tried to erupt, only nothing really happened other than heightened underground seismic activity. Malone was so pissed.”
Leo and Malone had assumed that the lack of the top blown off the mountain meant their attempt to hatch a dragon failed.
After all, increased magma wouldn’t matter if the egg wasn’t anywhere near a lava flow.
But… what if an egg did crack and its occupant perished because it never found its way to the surface?
Or worse, what if it built up its strength while remaining hidden inside the mountain?
There could be another male out there who would become competition for Pollita’s attention. The very thought had him steaming.
She’s mine. Because dragons didn’t share.