I chuckled. “We certainly can be.”
“Tell me more about this weapon—the greatest weapon on Earth.”
“Dude, that was supposed to be a warning.” I shook my head. “My people were like you. They wanted to feel equal. Safe. Their enemies had big weapons, so they had to make something bigger. It went on and on until the weapon was so large, so powerful, that using it would destroy entire continents, possibly even the entire world.”
“Why create a weapon like that?”
“It shouldn't have been created. That's what I'm saying. With the creation of that weapon, all the other humans got scared. They had to have one too. Now, every superpower on Earth has one. But no one can use them. If they did, their enemy would immediately fire off theirs in retaliation. It's called mutually assured destruction. You kill me, and I'm killing you before I die.”
“Great Gods,” one of the other men whispered.
“We don't need that weapon,” Valen said. “Just one that makes us as strong as the Dragons.”
“And you think that waving a weapon in their faces will make Dragons respect you?”
“Yes,” Enor growled. “And you know we're right.”
I sighed and shook my head. “Look, I sympathize with you. I do. No one likes being looked down upon. But even if I wanted to help you, I can't. Only a few people on Earth know how to construct weapons of the sort you're after. It's a specialized field. One I know nothing about. It would be like one of you going to Earth and some humans demanding that you tell them how to perform Metal Magic.”
“We are not Ricarri.” Enor crossed his arms.
“Exactly!” I pointed at Enor. “And I'm not a weapons maker. All I know is how they function. I can't tell you how to build them.”
“Learning about the way something functions is the first step in understanding it,” Valen said. “And understanding is a step toward creation.”
“All right. So, you want me to tell you about the weapons of Earth?”
“Yes.”
“And say I do. You're just going to let me go afterward?”
“Yes.”
“Bullshit!” I pointed at Valen. “You can't do that. I would lead King Kaspian right back to you. So, I'm dead. Either way, I'm dead. So, fuck you.” I flipped them off with both hands. “You ain't getting shit from me, you bat-winged assholes!”
The men looked at each other.
“Duke Demetrius, we are not your usual Tyasmorans. We are magic users. We can enchant you so that you remember none of this.”
“Oh.” I went back to the bed and sat down. “That changes things a bit. The thing is—I don't know if I can believe you. You could have said that just to make me think I'll live through this.”
“We don't want you dead, Duke Demetrius,” one of the other men said. “If you died, King Kaspian would go into a rage, hunt us down, and kill us.”
“Then he would die,” Enor muttered.
“And we'd have to take our chances with the next king,” Valen added. “As much as we don't like the way Dragons look down on us, King Kaspian is not as bad as others. He treats people fairly. The next king may not.”
“That thing about him dying if I do is real?” I believed Kas when he said it. I did. But I didn'twantto believe it.
“Oh, yes.” Valen cocked his head. “Has the King not informed you about all the intricacies of matehood?”
“Uh, I wouldn't know if he hasn't told me everything, but he did mention the dying thing. I hoped he was exaggerating.”
“There have been rare instances when a Dragon survives the death of their mate. But that usually involves some magical assistance.”
“Shit,” I whispered.
“So, will you help us?” Valen straightened his shoulders. “I swear to you that we will not hurt you.”
