“Even thoughI,during the proving quests of my youth, acquired a large sum of what’s now in the clan hoard.”
“As I’ve told you before, she’ll gladly share coins with you if you’ll fulfill the one request she’s made of you since the war ended. I’m here today on her behalf to remind you of your familial duty. I’d even go so far as to consider it a favor if you flew off to obey Mother’s wishes so thatIdon’t have to hear about how magnificent your strength and athleticism and stamina are and what an utter waste it is that you haven’t used your male essence to impregnate a suitable female.”
“I suspected it wasn’t a craving for my wit that brought you.”
Zilek laughed. “Your wit. That’s rich. You’re too busy being surly to amuse anyone. For the sake of your patrons, I hope your kitchen knives are sharper than your wit.”
“With such flattery, you’re certain to receive favors regularly.”
“I don’t regularlyneedfavors. I only wish you’d obey Mother’s one request. And that I wouldn’t have to hear about the desirable physical qualities you apparently demonstrated in such abundance during the war that the Clan Sunclaw females want you above all others to sire their offspring. Never mind that you and I are from the same clutch and practically the same. Further,Ididn’t let a scruffy human archer almost shoot my eye out in the heat of battle.”
“Do youwantto mate with the Sunclaw females?” Jildarin asked. “I’ll happily send you in my stead.”
“Not particularly. They’re as crabby and temperamental as you and have a tendency to pedanticallyinstructall the males around them. I can imagine how mating with one would go. Ahead of the event, she would probably send a list of requirements for her satisfaction and bite my head off if I mixed up the ordering.”
“That sounds accurate. And I was only shot because I flew across the valley and over the enemy frontlines to risk their wizards and archers so that I could destroy that dreadful gnomish contraption that was shooting our kind out of the air.”
“Yes, you’re very brave. I do adore hearing about your exploits. Does the scar itch in bad weather? It was quite a deep gouge and with a mithril arrow. Those are painful.”
“I’m aware,” Jildarin said. “The female who was responsible came today to the diner.”
“What? The human archer?”
“Yes.”
Out in the street, a horse pulling a wagon clopped past.
A moment of silence followed, and Rylana wondered if the brothers were looking toward the open door. Had they realized someone lurked outside?
Since humans had no inherent magic, not the way so many of the other intelligent species did, they generally made good spiesand assassins because magical beings couldn’t detect them, but a dragon might see, hear, orsmella human.
“Did you slay her?” Zilek asked. “You must not have, or you’d be in a better mood. To slay an old nemesis is most satisfying.”
“You know the laws of Tranquility forbidslaying. Or changing into a dragon outside of one’s lair.”
“Yes, it’s tedious to obey the mandates of such lesser species as gnomes, whether they and their city are backed by the new god or not, but it is also appealing not to be hunted down by overly ambitious soldiers out to prove themselves. Was the human archer here to slayyou? That should also not have been permitted by the peacekeepers.”
“Her weapons were tied, and I did not detect mithril in her quiver.” Jildarin's voice held a growl when he added, “Shedidthrow a knife at my eye.”
Rylana bristled, forgetting her wariness and half-tempted to stalk in to defend herself. She’d only thrown the knife because he’d turned into a dragon and tried to incinerate her.
“She must be drawn to those atypical emerald orbs of yours. I believe that’s one of the attributes the Sunclaw females find appealing. It can’t beonlyyour strength and stamina that draw them.”
“I doubt it’sappealthat sends the human female’s projectiles in my direction. You can tell Mother that I’m busy and will not mate with anyone right now.”
“Are you certain you can’t fly away for a couple of days? As I already said, it’s tedious for me to have to be the intermediary. Besides, you know that we dragons lost a significant number of our kind during the war. As mighty as we are, the enemy had so very many troops to hurl against us. Orcs, dwarves, humans, and even ogres and trolls who are usually too busy beating upon their chests to band together with the other species. We need to do ourpart to replenish the numbers of dragons soaring up and down the Icefang and Skyfang Mountains.”
“I understand, but I have no desire to spend time with the Sunclaw females. They’re Mother’s contemporaries, almost past egg-bearing age, and, as you yourself pointed out, they’re more aggressive and overbearing than our sisters.”
“Aggressive and overbearing?” Zilek asked. “You are describing all dragon females.”
“So, naturally I should want to fly home and spend time with them.”
Rylana shifted as another wagon passed, the driver peering curiously in her direction as a breeze stirred her hair. This wasn’t the conversation she’d expected to listen in on, and she felt guilty for eavesdropping. All she’d wanted to learn was if there was a way she could help the dragon she’d wronged, but she couldn’t do anything to assist him with his home life.
“You need only lend your essence to the procreation process,” Zilek said, “not bond with one forever. I’m certain, if you did so, Mother would reward you with gold from the clan hoard.”
“That’s not how you gotyourcoins,is it?”
