Dragon Undon

by Grace, Viola

  “Oh, we don’t think, we see it. Any man you get near who doesn’t have a partner of his own will turn into a giggling teen the moment you glance at them. Here, we find it funny, but you had better watch it, Aeli, one day, it may go wrong.”

  Aeli gave the woman a sober look. “I don’t control it; it is just the way things work out. Maybe all the magic I am around is wearing off on me.”

  “Perhaps. Anyway, we are pulling out some steak and mushroom pies in an hour.” Meggie grinned. “See you then.”

  Aeli nodded. “See you then. Thanks again.”

  The next two stops were residences where she presented her identification and the manifest and got her parcels with only a slight delay.

  The fourth home was out of her comfort zone. Through the gates and down the path, she focused and got herself together. Aeli tucked her parcels in the crook of one arm as she walked up to the door of the tradesman’s entrance the moment that she saw the modest path that was meant for her ilk.

  She rang the door and smiled at the young man who answered. “Hello, I believe one of my parcels has been delivered in error to this address. Could you check it out for me? The delivery would have been within the last three hours.”

  The young man gave her a slow once over. “Just wait a moment.”

  She waited next to the door, which led to the kitchen, for a few minutes, and while she waited, a familiar face wandered into the space.

  She blinked in surprise, and so did he. “Councillor Kreelo.”

  “Miss Warrok, how pleasant to see you. What are you doing here, and why are you at the tradesman’s entrance?”

  She paused. “I am merely waiting for someone to check on a parcel that was delivered here in error.”

  “Come in and wait. I was just getting some coffee. Would you like some?”

  She swayed while she considered it, and then, she nodded. “I would. Yes, thank you.”

  He pulled a chair up to the kitchen table and offered it to her. She wasn’t used to the treatment, but she sat carefully. He smiled and went to the machine on the counter. The councillor touched the controls and set a cup in place before hitting the start button.

  She smiled. “Fancy. I use hot water.”

  He glanced over his shoulder with an amused look. “Oh, this is a fancy home. And this is a gift from my mother. She lives nearer the coast than we do and loves to get the new imported gadgets.”

  “I see.” She didn’t really. Fancy items were so far out of her reach that she hadn’t kept up with what was becoming possible in the world of small appliances.

  “I get this kind of thing for holiday gifts. Don’t you ever get anything silly?”

  Aeli thought of the advanced tomes of spell work that she usually got for the holidays. “Nope. Not silly.”

  He laughed and brought the cup over to her before leaving and returning with cream and sugar.

  Once she had her coffee sorted, he walked over to her and leaned against the table. “So, what is in the parcel?”

  She felt her cheeks get hot. He was closer than she was comfortable with. “Just some herbs. Nothing to worry about, but they don’t grow around here, so I have to import them for spell practice.”

  The councillor smiled. “So, are you going to apply for a mage license?”

  “I was thinking about it.” It had been the day she was waiting for, and the lost herbs had thrown a wrench into the works.

  “There is a preliminary permit application hearing set up tomorrow. You are welcome to make your case.”

  “Really? What time?”

  “We start hearing petitions at nine and continue until four.” He raised his cup to her. “You have until then to make your appearance.”

  Aeli cleared her throat. “Am I keeping you from anything?”

  Councillor Kreelo shook his head. “The session is over for the day, and I was just going to do some of the endless paperwork before getting dinner. Would you—”

  “Miss, your parcel.” The young butler came in, and he froze when he noted the councillor near her. “Sir. Is she bothering you?”

  Kreelo straightened. “Miss Warrok is a respectable young lady born to one of the most powerful master mages in the city. She is always to be considered a guest in my home, no matter the circumstances.”

  It was a very formal declaration for a conversation over coffee.

  The butler blinked rapidly. “Yes, Councillor Kreelo. Of course.”

  Aeli finished her coffee and set it down. “Thank you for retrieving the parcel. I won’t impinge on your hospitality anymore.”

  Kreelo glared at his servant, and the man backed out of the room, leaving the parcel on the counter.

  She looked at Kreelo and cocked her head with a slight smile. “That went weird.”

  He sighed and leaned back against the counter, rubbing his forehead. “I apologize. I was just so surprised to see you in my home that I got a little enthusiastic.”

  “It’s fine. Well, thank you for the coffee and the short conversation.” She got to her feet. “I have to make a quick stop at the pie shop on the way home. Steak and mushroom is one of dad’s favourites.”

  He stood straight. “I would be honoured if you would let me escort you home.”

  Aeli picked up the parcel, and she held it and the others against her. “If I protest, you will insist, and the pies will get cold. So, yes. Please. I would like it if you walked me home.”

  He grinned and set his coffee cup down. “Thank you.”

  Aeli clutched her parcels to her chest and smiled. “Well, we should get going. Those pies sell out fast.”

  He raised his brows and held out his hands. She blushed, and he took her parcels, using kitchen twine to make one large item that he hung from one finger. He offered his arm, and she sighed. Formalities were a pain in the ass, but they made their society adhere to rules and regulations.

  They left the house via the front door, and she was glad that no one saw them leave. It took all her effort not to make a run for it.

  Chapter Three

  “So, you are running around collecting herbs from across the city?”

  Aeli smiled. “Just a few blocks. The parcels never go far.”

  “So, when they do, you have to run around looking for them?”

  “Tracking spells are amazing things.” She chuckled.

  “You can use magic?” He seemed pleased.

  “Of course. I have been learning since I was an infant. My father has insisted that I not simply wait for information to find me. He has trained me to seek it out.”

  They were walking far more slowly than she would normally have walked, and their close proximity was getting a few looks.

  “You seem nervous, Miss Warrok.”

  “I am not used to being out of the shop for this long. My father can get up to all kinds of things when left on his own.”

  He chuckled. “I am sure he is fine.”

  “Well, as long as you are sure, I am sure there won’t be a rioting green hell when I get back to work.”

  He grinned. “It seems you are aware of his quirks.”

  “That is my job as a daughter.” She cleared her throat. “I know you live on your own, but do you have family?”

  “I do. They live in Breaker City and in the capitol.”

  “Why don’t you live with them?”

  “The males in my family head out to make their own way; my sister is living with my mother and learning the ins and outs of being a dragon.”

  “How old is your sister?”

  “She’s twelve. She hasn’t gone through her first transformation, but she is regularly being instructed on what weight she will bear when she changes.”

  “Do you know what kind of dragon she will be?”

  “No. No one knows until the transformation, but my mother is hoping that she ends up on the gem spectrum.”

  Aeli never got to talk about what the dragons were doi
ng in the city, so she was enjoying the conversation.

  “Do you have other members of your family? Cousins?”

  She shook her head. “No, my father is either an only child, or he pretends to be one. I have never met another member of the Warroks. I have those I call aunt or uncle, but they are other mages.”

  “So, you are not completely isolated.”

  She laughed. “I am not.”

  “Do you socialize with any peers?”

  She blinked. “Mmm. No. I did when I was younger, but as no one could ever find our house, the exchange of visits between classmates never really took off.”

  “Ah. Right.”

  “It’s fine. I have had my work, the shop, and correspondend around the world with other master mages.”

  “You are a liaison for your father?”

  “That, and they are my tutors. I will not suggest that it has been an easy life, but it has been interesting to date.” She chuckled.

  “Is your hair naturally tinted?” He paused and immediately retracted the comment. “I am sorry. That was rude.”

  She chuckled. “I have never tinted my hair. The locks do that on their own.”

  “Side effect of magic?”

  “It must be.” She shrugged. “The colouration showed up a few years ago, and nothing I do to it changes the tint.”

  “It looks lovely.” He paused. “Why are you not wed yet?”

  She stopped in her tracks, and he stopped with her. “What?”

  “Most mage-born young ladies are wed in their early twenties. They are engaged in their late teens.”

  She frowned. “I am not sure of that. My father has never mentioned it, nor have any of my aunts or uncles.”

  Kreelo smiled. “I might have been mistaken, but it was something that I was warned of when I arrived here.”

  “They may have told you that to keep you away from their daughters.”

  He cocked his head. “That could be. It is a flattering thought.”

  She sighed, and they walked toward the pie shop. “Of course, you would find it flattering.”

  He shrugged. “I had very little to my credit when I arrived ten years ago. I traded on my looks and intelligence.”

  Aeli chuckled. “That is frank.”

  “You use what you have when entering a new situation.”

  “I thought you grew up here.”

  Kreelo smiled. “I did. When my sister was born, my father was promoted to a position in the senate, and my mother took up residence in Breaker City.”

  “They don’t live together?”

  “The commute is only a few hours if you travel with wings.”

  “Right. Of course.” She smiled. “They wanted to get away from the mages?”

  “Magic was a factor. The mages were threatening the council at the time, so it was decided that we move on. I helped them move and returned to my council position here.”

  “Oh, right. You were assigned to the council here.” She stated it as if she had forgotten.

  “Yes, but I would have remained here regardless. Something about Rekker keeps me coming back.”

  Aeli looked around at the streets filled with karros and other conveyances, the shops, the people. There was something charming about it. “I confess, I don’t think that I could be at home anywhere else.”

  A delivery vehicle glided by on a cushion of magic.

  Kreelo grinned. “There is a definite rhythm to life here that is infectious the moment you get used to it.”

  She couldn’t argue. “There aren’t many mage cities in the world. I am very glad I was born in this one.”

  Councillor Kreelo opened the door of the pie shop, and she led the way to the counter.

  Morsco was loading trays of pies onto the sales racks. He turned, and his grin was slow when he saw her. “Miss Warrok. It is nice to see you.”

  “It is nice to see you as well, Morsco. Can I get three of the steak and mushroom pies before the afternoon rush takes them all?” She smiled pleasantly.

  “Of course.” He moved easily for someone with such massive shoulders. The rest of him was built along the same lines. He looked like his father. Every inch of him was designed to be a baker, lifting huge bags of flour and working the pies into shape.

  He slid the pies into a bag and smiled. “Anything else?”

  She glanced at the councillor. “Would you like one?”

  He nodded. “Please.”

  “Another steak and mushroom pie for the councillor. He is making sure that I get home safely.”

  Morsco glared at the other man, and he reluctantly gathered another pie and slid it into a bag.

  He was handing it over, and Aeli stopped him from crushing the pie during the handoff. She spoke to him in a low tone. “I wouldn’t want to have to switch one of my pies for his, but since he is doing me a favour, it would not do to leave him with a shattered experience of this shop’s wares.”

  He looked at her in surprise and nodded. “You are right. Eight dollars, Miss.”

  She removed the funds from the pocket inside her wide belt and unfolded it. “Here you are.”

  He nodded. “I hope to see you again soon.”

  Aeli nodded and took the bags. “I hope so, too. Thank you, Morsco.”

  She led the councillor out, and he got the door for her once again.

  Once they were outside, he muttered, “He has affection for you.”

  She grimaced. “It happens. According to his mother, I am a magnet for male attention. I really don’t see it.”

  “You have a self-possession that most women of your age are missing. It is an exceptionally attractive feature.” He murmured it softly.

  “Thank you. I suppose. I don’t see it.”

  The remainder of the walk was done in silence, and when they got to the shop, she smiled at him. “Well, this is me. I will trade you the pie for my herbs.”

  He grinned and handed the bundle over. “Here you are. Are they really that good?”

  “They are the best of their offerings, aside from the seasonal blueberry. The apple is fine, but the blueberry is amazing.” She took the parcel and handed him the single pie. “Thank you for the walk. It was nice to just talk to someone without being quizzed for a change.”

  “For me as well. I am so used to folks seeking things for their shops, their streets, their neighbourhoods, it was just refreshing to chat. Do you think we could do it again sometime?”

  Aeli felt a pang of guilt. “Ask me after tomorrow.”

  He frowned but took the pie. “I will. Good evening, Miss Warrok.”

  “Good evening, Councillor Kreelo.”

  She bowed slightly and went into the shop, closing the door behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was blushing. She could feel it.

  She took one of the pies out and left the remaining two in the heater for her father.

  Munching as she walked, she headed to her lab. She had four hours to get the spell ready, and after that, it would have to sit for twelve. She had to get going before she changed her mind. The chance to apply for apprenticeship was the perfect in to the heart of the council. If she could banish enough dragons, the weight of the spell would increase with every dragon that ended up ejected.

  Now, she just had to eat and get the ingredients mixed and charged into a ball of energy. It was a good thing that the first part of that problem was taken care of.

  She checked her father’s notes and double checked. Two hours of mixing, grinding, and dripping had yielded a small ball of paste at the bottom of her mortar.

  Aeli closed her eyes and focused. Yes, she wanted to do this. Yes, it would mean that Kreelo would be sent out with all of the others, but it would be better for the city at large to be controlled by the mages. She would apologize in a letter later.

  She exhaled slowly and concentrated on the small lump of herbal paste. She extended her hands around it and pulled via the en
ergy patterns. It was like taffy, she pulled and folded and pulled again until she had a ball of power that hummed and bonded to the herbs.

  She carefully set the ball in a suspension tube and made sure it was secure before she washed her hands and then splashed her face.

  It was done. All she needed to do was take the ball of magic to the council hall and drop it. She wiped away the tears as she cleared up the residue of her preparation. It had to be done. She didn’t know why it hadn’t been done earlier, but it had to be done.

  The dragons had to go, and she was the one who would banish them.

  Chapter Four

  Aeli got dressed in her other feminine day outfit. She paired the skirt, belt, blouse, and boots with the long, loose robe of a mage candidate.

  She went down to her lab with a holding pouch and checked on her spell. It was there, glowing and humming softly. She tucked it into the small pouch and stiffened her spine.

  Her father had enjoyed his breakfast, and he was now working away at the new plants she had just received, pruning off leaves until the plant was doomed.

  “Father, please leave enough for the plant to survive.”

  He smiled and kept working. “I need to get enough for our orders, Aelemilial. Are you going out?”

  “I am. I expect to be back in an hour or so.” She didn’t want to tell him what she was up to. He would know soon enough.

  The council chambers were surprisingly free of mages. She stepped up, and Kreelo smiled at her.

  “I am here to apply for my mage license.”

  One of the dragons gave her a bored look. “Who are you?”

  She stated her name. “Aelemilial Warrok.”

  The dragon shook his head. “No. We are not giving that crackpot any more power. He has had enough insane plots for one lifetime without giving him another mage under his roof.”

  Aeli was grateful to him. He had confirmed her purpose. She nodded. “Fine. I will go.”

  She turned, and while she fumbled with the ball of power, it spilled to the floor and rolled until it was in front of the council.

  Five dragons leaned over to look at the ball of energy, and then, it flashed, sending them up and out of the city via a blasted hole in the council hall roof.