“And the arrows just exposed the desire—or lack of—in her heart.” Eros straightened his stance. “But, like I said, perhaps directing your, uh, energies to other pursuits would help you. And you can find someone who could be your mate.”
“We already have our mating rituals back in Drakkoria,” he pointed out.
“Oh? And how did that work out for you?”
Hektor opened his mouth then quickly shut it.
For centuries, his kind had been relying on their mating ritual—a largescale matchmaking event where Drakkons who were ready to be mated could meet many women at once—to find their partners. It was at one of these events that he had met several young women and eventually focused his efforts on Eleanora. After a long courtship, he was ready to take the final steps to make her his.
Then Eros arrived on the fateful day.
“I suppose you have a point,” Hektor relented.
The corner of Eros’s mouth tugged up. “I’m not saying you should use this job to find someone, but perhaps it could be a stepping stone for you to figure out what it is you want, whilehelping others. Maybe you’ll find your purpose in life while you’re at it.”
“But what could I possibly contribute to your team? I don’t have any useful skills, unless you count amassing treasure as a skill. Or blasting anything or anyone with fire.”
“You said you were an enforcer, correct? That means it’s your job to protect your people?”
“Yes.”In a way.
In the olden days, the fiercest Drakkon warriors were given the title of enforcer and were tasked to protect the security of the citadel, their people, and of course, their treasures. These days, however, with modern technology and because people didn’t dare try to invade Drakkoria, there really wasn’t much to do.
Sure, he still had his duties, had his orders to follow and patrols to do, but no one in hundreds of years had tried to sneak in or attack the citadel. He and the other enforcers often joked that if their ancestors—the ones that fought in the war against the Titans—saw how easy the job was now that they didn’t have to fend off robbers and invaders, they would surely be disappointed.
“Do you do anything else in Drakkoria? Aside from growing your hoard? Do you volunteer or have other jobs?”
“I am also on the Drakkoria Council.” It was a seat his family had since the beginning, passed on from father to son. This meant he sat in many long, boring meetings about how to best increase their gold production and their wealth. It was why he signed up to be an enforcer, as he didn’t like just sitting around and talking. The seat would always be there, and once he started his own family, he could give up the enforcer position.
“And you were born and raised in this realm and know all about Alindale and Vale Crossing and its people?”
“Of course. When I first took my seat on the council, I spent a lot of time traveling to other cities and territories, as well as welcoming trade delegates to Drakkoria.”
Trade was the number one source of wealth for the Drakkons, so they always had to stay in touch with the other cities and territories and build alliances with other races. War and instability were bad for commerce, after all.
“Perfect. Believe it or not, except for Medusa, we don’t have any locals on the team. People who know the land and can guide them as they search the land.”
He scratched his chin with his foreclaw. “I still cannot imagine how I can assist in finding these progeny of Zeus.”
“You found me didn’t you? Say…how did you know I was here, anyway?”
“Er…” He swallowed audibly. “I have my sources.”
Well, one source, really—a certain trashy gossip blog that had the entire realm gripped, with everyone waiting and refreshing their screens for the latest update.
“EROS SPOTTED IN ALINDALE! ARE THE GODS AMONG US AGAIN?”
Embarrassment crept up his neck at the thought of having to reveal to the god of desire and love that he was a regular reader ofLifting the Vale.
Eros waved his hand dramatically. “See? With your knowledge and network, you could be a great addition to the team. We would pay you handsomely of course, plus, like I said, this could be your chance to branch out, find your purpose, and see the world. Why don’t you try it out for a couple of weeks, and if you don’t like it, you can leave anytime you want. We can provide you with whatever you need, including a place to stay in Alindale.”
Hektor paused. He didn’t really need a job; his hoard was more than sufficient and his investments continued to grow his wealth.
However, the rest of the proposition did intrigue him.
That, and if he left Drakkoria, he wouldn’t have to run into Eleanora and see her belly grow with another’s child.
“Alright, I accept your proposal.”
