CHAPTER 108
DAKOTA
We return the next morning. Five minutes after we enter the fort, Gwen and Vaan approach.
Vaan is in human form, wearing a pair of pants and a casual T-shirt with a logo on it for a burger chain.
He scratches at it as if it bothers him, and his feet are bare, his toes curling in the dirt.
His mane is tidy and neat, as if he’s just run a comb through it.
He looks fairly civilized, for a drakoni.
In contrast, Murr’s longer, wildly thick mane is windblown, and he’s wearing nothing but his usual wrap around his loins.
I’m oddly happy about Murr’s quiet refusal to change who he is.
He’s perfectly fine with not blending in with humanity, like he doesn’t need to impress anyone in the fort.
Murr nods a greeting at Vaan, clasping hands in an awkward handshake that looks as unnatural as it probably feels.
“Hello again,” Gwen calls out, waving us down. “Spending the day here?”
I nod, indicating the backpack I’m holding. “Visiting Dottie, and we’ve got a few books and some dried meat to trade.”
I’ve also included the book Introduction to Homesteading. If I need to bring up the herd of cattle, I can use it as a bargaining piece, just in case we need more power than we have.
Vaan scratches at his shirt and eyes Murr. “Hunt?”
My mate nods. “Hunt good.”
“You go have fun,” I say. I imagine hunting together is probably a lot of fun for the drakoni.
He could use some time in his dragon form anyhow.
Back at the bookstore, he stays in human form a lot just to be near me, and he could probably stretch his wings a little. “You know where I am if you need me.”
Gwen’s smile remains friendly as she moves in close. “Do you like coffee? Melina is brewing a pot, and I thought we could all sit down together and chat.”
A shiver goes down my spine. “Melina? Isn’t she the mate to the Salorian?”
“She is, but she’s good people. It’s not a bad chat, by the way. It’s just a bit of talking. I promise. No one’s going to manipulate you or try to get you to stay.” Gwen raises a hand. “Scout’s honor. She really does just want to chat.”
I don’t know that I believe that. Someone just wanting to chat can come find me, not bribe me to go hang out with them. The offer of coffee is tempting, but I also know I’m being bribed. I hesitate.
“Is ok,” Murr says, looping a casual arm around my shoulders. He leans in and rubs his nose against my temple, holding me close. “Dakota get scared, Murr come get. Promise.”
So that’s how I end up having coffee with Melina.
To be fair to her, she’s an absolutely lovely and gracious woman.
She has long, cascading hair that’s been braided back from her face.
Her warm brown skin is set off by a floaty yellow dress that looks comfortable and elegant at the same time.
She meets me in a private dining area that’s heavily guarded by the Fort Dallas militia.
The exterior of the building is all concrete and metal reinforcement, but inside it’s charming and tastefully decorated.
There are a few paintings hanging on the wall that I’m pretty sure were from a museum, and delicate glassware adorns the table.
Melina pours the coffee from a fancy teapot, and we sip it in old-fashioned cups and saucers that remind me of Dottie’s birthday presents. Man, she would love this tea set. The coffee is delicious, too. It’s harsh and strong enough to make me cough, which means I love it.
“You didn’t have to waste your coffee on me,” I say, even as she pours us a second cup. I downed the first one greedily, but Melina doesn’t seem to mind. “I know how precious it is.”
She gives me a small smile and pours more coffee for Gwen. “Coffee is for special occasions. I’m sorry it’s plain. I can’t get the kitchen to spare any sugar or honey, and there’s no milk.”
I know where she could get some milk. I think about the cattle herd and how I should bring it up to bargain. About the book in my pack. And yet…I don’t. It feels like handing over all our power. “Black coffee is fine, I promise. It’s nice to have coffee at all.”
“I’m all about making alliances with additional dragons and their mates. Gwen tells me you’re not interested in living in the fort?” She arches a brow, settling back with her coffee. “I’m not asking to pressure, just curious to know more.”
“We’ve got a good set-up where we are,” I tell her. “We’re happy to trade with the fort, but I don’t feel the need to live inside it when we can be independent.”
Melina nods. “Between you and me, if you can be independent, I’d rather you not be in the fort.
Our resources are finite. We don’t turn anyone away, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and worry about how we’re going to feed everyone.
Azar and I feel responsible for everyone that lives in these walls, and sometimes it’s a lot.
I’d much rather have good allies to trade with than another set of mouths to feed. ”
“Tell that to Thess,” Gwen murmurs as she sips her coffee.
Melina laughs, shaking her head. “Thess means well but she doesn’t see things the same way I do.
She figures that if there are more people, all we have to do is get more food.
But I’m thinking about housing, and waste, and schooling and a thousand tiny other things that have nothing to do with feeding hungry mouths.
” Her gaze focuses on me. “Which is why I wanted to talk to you today.”
Here it comes. “Oh?” I feign innocence. “What about?”
“About your wealth,” she says in a blunt voice. “And how it can affect the status quo here.”
I sputter at that. Right now I’m wearing my torn jeans, grubby shoes, and an old T-shirt. I don’t have a lick of jewelry. I didn’t bring a single battery or solar panel to trade with. “My wealth? What wealth? The books? The meat?”
“Both of those are welcome but not really what I was thinking of.” Melina curls her fingers around her cup, raising it to her lips to take a sip. “I was thinking of the dogs.”