CHAPTER 93
DAKOTA
The delicious food I’ve been enjoying suddenly feels like a bribe. Of course Thess wants to show us how amazing the fort is. She wants us to move in and live here, with Murr hunting for the locals and offering protection.
Maybe it’s selfish, but I like our cozy set-up in the bookstore. I’ve no desire to change it up, no desire to live with more of my fellow man.
Thess must see my sour reaction, because her smile gets brighter and she reaches over, touching the hand I’m holding my fork with.
“It’s merely a question. Of course we want both you and Murtades around at all times.
If all of us work together, we can do amazing things, and I want more drakoni and humans to pair up.
I want to show the world we’re no longer a threat, and what better way than a thriving city that showcases the best of humanity and the best of the drakoni? ”
“No,” Murr says, his hand going to my spine. He rubs my back, as if he knows I need reassurance. “Murr, Dakota happy. No change.”
I glance over at him, not wanting to be a problem. “We can talk about it later.”
“No change,” Murr says again, and pulls me in for a kiss at my temple. “Is decided.”
Thess just smiles brightly. “I hope we can change your mind at some point.”
I doubt that sincerely, but I also don’t want to decide for the others. Aggie and Dottie might like this fort. I’ll talk to them when we go home, when we’ve had time to process and no one’s influencing us.
Gwen crumbles her cornbread and adds it to her soup, speaking up. “Don’t stress about it. Thess asked because she asks everyone that visits. She likes to manage people. No one expects you to jump at the chance to live in a fort.”
I manage a small smile at that. “We’re pretty happy where we are.”
“Murr cats need food,” my husband points out. “No cats here in fort.”
“Well, we should have cats,” Gwen comments. “We could use a few good mousers. If you have any ferals that want to be transplanted to somewhere that has a lot of rats, this is where you want to go.”
Nudging my soup with my spoon, I grimace. “Maybe we don’t talk about rats over lunch.” Now I’m wondering if I should stop eating while I’m ahead.
“To be fair, this fort is far less gross than others I’ve seen, right, babe?” Gwen gives her dragon husband a meaningful look.
“It is a fort,” Vaan says, his words slow and careful. He turns to Murr. “Do you recall who you served?”
Murr shakes his head, tapping his temple. “Much confuse. No good. No remember Thess, see her, then remember.”
Vaan nods. “Memories are difficult. Mine are…polluted. I recall some things, but not others.”
“Which is also why it’s important for us to spend time together,” Thess says, clasping her hands under her chin. “The more we share, the more we can help each other recall.”
“Thess,” Gwen says in a warning tone.
“I know, I know,” Thess says. “I will not bring it up again.”
But she shoots me a pleading look anyhow, as if I can somehow make a difference.
“We’ll talk about it,” is all I say again, but my answer grows more firm by the moment.
I’m already feeling a bit overstimulated by how many people are around.
A noisy group enters the cafeteria, sweaty and tracking in dirt, and they talk over each other to the point that my head hurts.
I’d forgotten how loud so many people can be so close together.
I must be turning into a hermit.
Vaan eyes Thess. “Not all want their memories back. Some are happy to be where they are.”
“But if we can remember things, it can help us with what we’ve lost. Like our connection.” She presses a fingertip to the center of her forehead. “I miss having everyone in my mind. It’s so quiet now. So lonely. If we can all share what we know, maybe we can somehow bring it back.”
My irritation at Thess vanishes and I’m filled with sympathy.
I get why she’s trying so hard to bring more drakoni together.
She’s gone from a world where she had someone always “touching” her mind, a great many someones.
Being completely cut off must be so lonely.
Murr turned to his cats. Vaan has a wife. Thess has…the fort, I guess?
And possibly Samir, but we still haven’t met him.
Gwen clears her throat, ignoring Thess’s pleading. “So what’s on your list for the day? The trading post, I assume? What else?”
I think of the flourishing gardens we passed over. “I want to talk to your gardeners. I got some seeds from an old store, but the instructions on the packet are rubbed off and I’m not sure if I should plant them or wait. I’m new to gardening and wouldn’t mind some tips.”
“And I should find Samir,” Thess says, getting to her feet. She offers us all an apologetic smile. “While you eat and speak with the gardeners, I will check on him and see how much longer he will be.”
She gets up and leaves.