by Aaron Crash
The money felt good. Steven’s first twenty years had been a constant worry about how to pay his bills. But what was better? His Escort was safe. His father was avenged. And when Rahaab had breathed his last, more of the third volume became accessible to them.
Outside the ranch/castle, his Escort and vassals were getting the party ready, but he wasn’t up to being social yet. Leaning heavily on his cane, he climbed the spiral staircase up to the first floor, to one of the libraries. There were no windows in his chamber, since it was so close to the ground and needed to be secure. The rooms above him had arrows slits and narrow windows barred with iron. He and Tessa were working on warding sigils. Once they perfected them, they might be able to add some real windows to the sixth and seventh floors.
Steven clicked on a light and went to the bookcase that held the three volumes of the Drokharis Grimoire. He eased the third volume off the shelf and sat down at a big oak desk. Across the room was Samael’s Lash hanging on the wall. He’d taken it as his weapon of choice, though he hadn’t had time to practice with it just yet. He looked forward to unlocking the whip-sword’s secrets.
Steven opened the book and found the once encrypted pages. He read a little about Merlin, the real Merlin, a powerful sorcerer who might not have been descended from the Dragonsouls or from the Alpheros. What did that mean? His father didn’t say, but it did open a lot of questions. Could there be other entities on Earth besides humans and dragons? It seemed possible. His father did wonder if the Drokharis line had descended from the Alpheros, but he hadn’t been able to solve that mystery.
Steven thought of Tessa. Everyone agreed she wasn’t fully human. Then what was she?
Steven turned more pages to gaze down on the updated skill tree.
<<<>>>
PATH OF THE MIRROR-Souled Dragon (Second Tail of the Dragon)
HeartStrike
AnimusChain
FleshForge
Path of the Mirror-Souled Dragon (Second Head of the Dragon)
Enchantrix
<<<>>>
There were still two hidden abilities on the second head. And there was another section of the third volume that was still encrypted. It wasn’t from Mathaal, and it wasn’t Rahaab, so who was it?
Steven had hit level fifteen, but he wasn’t sure which new ability he wanted to work on. He’d figure that out later. He leafed through the book.
The ink on the page swirled around until it ran together to form words in a tight paragraph.
Does the world want order? Do those in power ever want to give it up? And do humans want to survive, or are they hungry for Armageddon? Humans love the idea of the end of the world. It means they won’t have to get up and go to work in the morning. However, to be truly faced with death? I don’t know. I think hardly one of them ever ponders their own mortality. They are in denial. I would rouse them. At what cost? Am I wrong to think I can bring peace on Earth and good will toward all?
“Revolution,” Steven whispered. He thought it might be his father who was encrypting the pages, but he didn’t know for sure. One more thing to add to the pile of mysteries still unsolved.
On the desk was a topaz dagger that Tessa had pulled out of the undead dragon. Liam had taken a look and cast some spells but couldn’t discern what it was. Steven laid the topaz pen, with its sapphire feather quill, next to the knife. Both seemed to be made of the same substance. Both had been imbued with powerful magic. And that was all they knew for sure.
The dagger had reanimated Nikki Angel’s corpse —that was the name of the widow Rahaab had murdered. Could the Enchantrix ability be in play? Could be. Steven’s father had had access to it, and Steven knew it was how he’d created the topaz pen, which had been a pendant not all that long ago.
Unexpected movement in Steven’s vision made him glance up with a start. His heart hit his throat. “Dammit, Uchiko, you can’t sneak up on me like that.”
She bowed. She wore a robe that covered her head, and she kept her face turned away so he couldn’t see her disfigurement. She and the Onari Guard had survived the attack on the Yellowstone Aerie without losing a single ninja. Their tactics had been good. They’d broken Rahaab’s defenses, outmaneuvered his army, and kept them guessing.
“I am ninja,” Uchiko murmured. “I have spent lifetimes perfecting the art of silence. I will try and be louder when I approach you.”
Steven had to grin. “Maybe we’ll put a cowbell on you.” He got up and went to her, but she backed up. She still felt too insecure to let him touch her. He was just glad she’d survived Rahaab’s AnimusChain attack.
Uchiko whispered, “The Onari Guard and I thank you. We have prepared much for the party, but we can’t be seen by your friends and your family. We must keep the secrets of the Dragonsouls away from the humans.”
Steven nodded. His mom and Tessa’s family had driven up, along with Bud and his family. They were celebrating the Fourth of July on the Infinity Ranch. Uchiko and the Onari Guard had moved into the tower. They had a sort of barracks there, and the two dozen failed Dragonskins didn’t mind the close quarters. Luckily each level had a bathroom.
“I’m excited to try your peach cobbler,” Steven said. “I heard you made a bathtub full.”
“Not that much,” Uchiko answered. Her hands came together to be covered by her robes. “And I had to use frozen peaches. It won’t be as good. This fall, I will make it for you.” She paused. “Steven, I have to thank you. For giving us a home. For bringing us into your Primacy. With Mathaal gone, we have nothing.” She broke down, crying. “I can’t believe Mathaal is gone.”
Steven so wanted to go and comfort her, but she wouldn’t allow it. He stood, feeling uncomfortable as she wept. Then he said, “Mathaal wanted us to win. He wanted the world to change. I miss him, too, though. I only knew him a little, but he did so much for me.”
“With him gone, we have no purpose,” Uchiko sniffed.
“You do now,” Steven said. “This is just starting. Every Prime in the world now knows me, and what I can do. They’ve started calling me, but I’m sending them to Bud. This’ll start out polite, I’m sure, but sooner or later, we’ll find ourselves fighting.”
“It’s the nature of the life of Dragonsouls,” Uchiko said softly.
“It is. At some point, I’m going to change that.”
He left to walk back down the stairs. He recalled what he’d read. Do those in power ever want to give it up?
Chapter Thirty-Two
STEVEN SET HIS CANE against the wall next to the back-patio doors. He wanted to show everyone he was getting stronger. He stepped outside. It was early evening, and today the storm clouds decided to pass over with just some wind and no rain or thunder. It had cooled off the day, and it would make the sunset amazing.
The back doors led to an outdoor paradise built around the garden, the same garden they’d used to summon Mathaal during the battle where they’d kill Rhaegen Mulk. Fountains burbled, cactus and flowers were sprinkled about low retaining walls, and a blue-gray gravel path wandered, creating a labyrinth. On the other side was Sabina’s house—a little kitchen, a little bathroom, and two small bedrooms, one perfect for a baby.
A baby.
Steven wasn’t sure he could comprehend it. Was he really going to have a daughter named Regina? He wasn’t sure he could wrap his head around that. And luckily, Sabina wasn’t pregnant. He’d have to ask Aria more about how that whole Dragonsoul procreation thing worked.
Because of the brutal Wyoming wind, which most of the time came out of the west, they’d put the outdoor living area on the southeast side of the ranch. It included an outdoor kitchen, couches, and a full bar. They’d also added three tall concrete windbreaks designed by Tessa. They looked more like modern art than shelters, waves of cement with dragon letters on them, spelling out the battles they’d survived: The Battle of the Denver Apartment, The Siege of the St. Vrain tower, The Wells Fargo Duel, The Lookout Mountain Massacre, The Battle of Ash Hollow, The Fall of Rh
aegen Mulk, The Guernsey Reservoir Gambit, The Battle of Mont-Saint-Michel, and The Yellowstone Victory. It was their history together, and though they didn’t include every single skirmish, Steven loved it.
On the three windbreaks, at the very top, in dragon script were his father’s directives: Gather an Escort, Acquire a Hoard, and Build Aeries. Let Nothing Stop You.
Steven made his way down a concrete path with colorful glass embedded into the stone. From above, that glass made the Draco constellation. He was a Drokharis, after all, and couldn’t break with tradition.
He rounded the corner and every eye was on him.
Tessa was with her mother, her sister, and her brother, who was in his massive wheelchair. Jared had a tiny, withered body, but a large head with big expressive eyes and soft dark hair. His smile was a beautiful thing. Tessa’s sister, Abby, was two years older than her, traditionally pretty, with long brown hair, bangs, and a nice smile. Her mom was a mom, thick around the middle, smiley, and ready to help. She’d cut her hair short and was letting it go gray.
Aria stood with Sabina, helping her maneuver around. The two had gotten closer, now that Aria saw the blind woman gave them a tactical advantage during battle. Yeah, that was an understatement. Mouse was chatting with Bud’s family—his mom, his dad, a couple of brothers and a sister—as well as other people from the law firm that knew nothing of the secret world of the Dragonsouls. At some point, they’d have to be told, but not at a Fourth of July party.
Bud himself was catching up with some of the staff from the Coffee Clutch. Tessa had invited them, since she loved people and needed friends to dance with.
Steven searched for his mom but couldn’t find her. Liam Strider, however, was holding court and talking with three lady lawyers at the same time. They were definitely giving him the eye, and Steven hoped Liam would find it in himself to get over the loss of his Escort fifty years prior.
For a long time, Steven hadn’t been able to understand the Yellow Ronin’s reluctance to get back in the saddle, but now, with his own Escort? He could see it. Aria, Tessa, Mouse, and even Sabina had become incredibly important to him.
Liam excused himself from what could be a harem for the Ronin and did the grilling: hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, and sausages of all kinds.
A team of caterers—humans, not ninja lizard people—came out and served food. Sabina only ate the salads, still in the rituals to become a Dragonskin.
Soft music pumped through hidden speakers, a killer sound system because Tessa loved music and come to find out, she loved to dance. She’d insisted on a top-of-the-line stereo system for them.
Five beautiful women stood in a circle with drinks in their hands. Skylar Blacke had come to him, had knelt before him, but Steven had told her to stand up. Yes, he’d just inherited five women who seemed eager to join his Escort, and he was eager to have them. Aria was on his side. She wanted him to sleep with the new women to ensure their loyalty.
However, there were logistics to consider.
Most importantly, the widows weren’t ready to jump into bed with Steven. According to Mouse and Sabina, transitioning from one Prime to another wasn’t an easy thing. However, Skylar made it clear that Cassius Pine had been an asshole and deserved to die. One of their favorite things was to have Mouse retell cutting the former Prime to pieces with the Slayer Blade.
Steven wanted to build another house on the property for his five new Escorts. They had the room, but zoning was going to be a pain in the ass. He knew the construction teams were already calling the Infinity Ranch a compound. Like a cult. And he was the leader. Tessa didn’t help make it any less weird. She was quick with the purple Kool-Aid jokes. Steven suggested a Mind Wipe for the construction workers, but Aria didn’t think that was a very good idea.
For now, the five women were staying in Rhaegen Mulk’s old Aerie in downtown Cheyenne. And slowly, Steven was having a meal with each of them. He felt he could trust them. And yeah, the idea of sleeping with them certainly had him buzzing.
Steven filled a plate and ate two hamburgers, three hot dogs, and six sausages with sauerkraut, mustard, and sweet pickle relish. Liam had also thrown on some pork ribs, so Steven had a rack. Of course, his Escort, mostly Mouse, made fun of him for eating so much.
As he ate, he kept an eye out for his mom but didn’t see her. He went looking and found her, out front, sitting in a chair. Their driveway was full of cars and trucks, but Steven had to smile at the battered old Ford Bronco II, the Orange Crush. And the new rusted Suburban that Tessa had named the Poupon.
“Are you okay, Mom?” Steven asked.
His mom had done a pretty good job with her makeup, but she had frizzy hair, and he knew she was embarrassed by her red, big-knuckled hands. They were the hands of a working woman. Even though Steven had more than enough money in his hoard to take care of her, she hadn’t quit her job cleaning at the Denver International Airport.
Florence Whipp glanced up at him, confused. “Steven, this is all so much. And you bit a coin to get this? Or real estate? I don’t understand anything.”
“Yeah, Mom, it was an investment we made in internet money, Bitcoin. And yes, real estate. Bud and I made a lot of deals and got a lot of prime property really cheap.” He grinned at the pun. Prime property. Yeah, and he’d gotten it cheap because he’d murdered the dragons who’d wanted to murder him.
His mom’s eyes filled with tears. “I need to keep my job!”
Steven bent and took his mom’s strong hands. “You can. We talked about it. But what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
She smiled through her tears. “You’ve done it, Steven. You’ve become successful. All of your hard work has paid off.”
Steven felt his own eyes fill. “No, Ma, our hard work. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it. You made so many sacrifices for me. If you want to keep your job, you can.”
Mrs. Whipp sniffed and wiped at her eyes with the very tips of her fingers, trying to save her eye makeup. “My job makes me feel needed. I love seeing you doing so well, though I’m not sure about this situation with all these beautiful women. That Sabina looks like a movie star. And Aria must be a model. But Steven, with you doing so well, you don’t need me anymore.”
“I do, Mom,” he said. “But it’s changed now. You don’t have to work, but you can. As for what I need? I need you to be a mom, to love and support me, and yeah, my romantic situation is, uh...”
“Complicated.” Mrs. Whipp patted his hand.
“Come back to the party,” Steven said. “I’m sure you and Mrs. Ross have something to talk about.”
“She is so nice!” his mom said a little too loudly. “And we both agree that Tessa needs to grow out her hair and try something more traditional.”
He guided her back to the party. He didn’t mention that, soon, she might have a full-time job being a grandmother.
Back at the buffet table, Steven ate enough ambrosia salad and cookie salad to send his blood sugar into the atmosphere. Yeah, Sabina couldn’t eat those kinds of salads. She stuck with the greens and a sugar-free three-bean casserole.
And then the peach cobbler was rolled out. With homemade vanilla ice cream, it was amazingly delicious. He thought of Mathaal and his final sacrifice. “At least you went out eating well, Old Matchstick,” Steven said quietly. It was the end of the Alpheros, and the beginning of a new age.
As it got dark, Tessa brought out a microphone. “Okay, Steven, it’s time for you to give the big speech.”
Steven shook his head.
“It’s either this or karaoke.” The barista turned magician grinned evilly.
Steven took the microphone. “Anything to avoid singing in public. No one wants to see that.” He cleared his throat. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming, especially the Novaks. Without them, we wouldn’t have had the money for even the hot dogs.”
“Glad to do it, Cool Whipp!” Bud yelled out.
Steven turned serious. “You know, we’ve all been through
a lot, and everyone thought we’d never make it this far.”
“And everyone is wondering why you set up your main Aerie in frickin’ Wyoming!” Mouse belted out. She was drinking sweet tea. No booze for her. And still she was obnoxious, yet she hadn’t cursed in front of Tessa’s brother. She was getting better, and Steven loved her for it. No more going off and being alone for her. She’d promised her days of sacrificing herself were over.
“I like Wyoming,” Steven said.
“And I like you and the nasty thing we do,” Tessa whispered, loud enough for him to hear.
That totally threw off his concentration. He stared at all the faces waiting for him to say something. Mouse winked at him.
He laughed. “Look, I’m not a big speech guy. I will say this. I’m twenty years old. This world isn’t what it needs to be. I’m going to change it, and I’m going to need everyone’s help here. From the Novak law firm to Liam Strider and his fatherly advice, to my friends, my best friends.”
“Best friends with definite benefits,” Mouse heckled. Sabina elbowed her in the ribs.
Everyone laughed. Even Steven’s mom.
“And it’s Novak, Boaz, & Jessup,” Bud said. “We joined up because they’re not the enemy anymore. I think you own them, or something, since that whole Yellowstone thing went down.”
Damn, what didn’t Steven own?
He took control of the room. “Our success isn’t just about friendship and family and money. It’s about bringing revolution. That’s what my father wanted for me...and for the world. Let’s raise a toast. To my father, Stefan Drokharis, and his visions of a new world.” Or multiple worlds, for that matter, Steven thought.
Bud had hired a professional fireworks team to light up the sky. The booms, the flashes of light, made Steven chuckle. After all the fighting he’d done, all the Dragonsoul aerial battles he’d been in, they were nothing special.
However, he liked how his Escort drifted over to him. First Aria, then Tessa and Sabina, and then Mouse. They stood around him, heads tilted up to watch the colorful explosions.