Page 34 of The Dragon's Pet
“This human book,” he said, handing it to Eldor. “I found it in the wreckage of one of their buildings when we first came here. It was this book, in part, which gave me the idea to take a human and make her my pet.”
Eldor turned the slim volume over in his hands and read the title. “The Little Prince? What does this mean?”
“There is a talking fox in this book,” Vyktor said. “A talking fox who is trained by a boy to become his companion. His pet. This talking fox says to the prince… you are forever responsible forwhat you tame. I am responsible for Aria. I tamed her. I made her mine. And I must follow through. I will not leave her here alone when the retreat comes. I will stay with her, and I will see what this world has to offer me.”
Eldor’s expression became gruff. “Are you using a book for juvenile humans to tell me you intend to ignore the order to withdraw?”
“I am saying someone should stay behind to keep an eye on them. Someone should watch over this world. Someone should ensure that they do not open another portal, and if they do, someone should be here to try to stop them, or mediate the result.”
“And you will be this man, will you? Because of a human you call pet.” Eldor shook his head. “Your head is clouded, Vyktor. Your judgment is not what it could be. It was a mistake to become attached to the woman. She should be set free and you should return to our realm.”
“I do not wish to.”
“Then what will you do? Live here on this cold planet for the rest of your days? Play with your pet? They will hunt you when we are gone. They will blame you for all the pain they have brought upon themselves with their foolish acts. They will persecute you, Vyktor. It would not surprise me if they killed you.”
“I am not easy to kill,” Vyktor smiled. “I do not fear the humans.”
“You should,” Eldor growled. “They are small, they are soft, but they possess a spirit like no other, and their passion for vengeance and violence is unparalleled.”
“But they can also be kind and gentle and thoughtful,” Vyktor replied. “Besides, I am sure I could learn to pass among them. What I do know is that Aria could never survive in our realm. But I can live here. I could live well here, Eldor.”
“I will not give my permission for that suicide mission.”
“I do not need your permission,” Vyktor replied bluntly. “I follow the orders I choose to. I am not a vassal to you, Eldor. And if I am to live here, I will owe fealty to nobody.”
“If you stay, you will be lost to us,” Eldor replied. “Your name will be written on the wall of the ones who were.”
“So be it.”
Vyktor was firm in his resolve. When the dragons flew home to roost, he would not be among their number. He would remain on the Earth plane with his pet, and he would make a new life among the humans.
“Fortunately, I do not think that will be an issue,” Eldor said with a cold smile.
“What do you mean?”
“Aria is no longer with us.”
Vyktor surged forward, forcing Eldor to retreat several steps. “What did you do to her?”
“I sent her to the humans. She came to me and explained that you were refusing the safest plan, for her to approach her people with the terms of our retreat. I would say that I am disappointed in you.” Eldor gave him a derisive look. “But you know that already. Your judgment since taking that woman hasbeen severely impeded. Fortunately, she seems to know what is best even if you don’t.”
Vyktor swallowed his anger. There was no time to lose in beating Eldor to within an inch of his existence, though he very much wanted to do that. He had to find Aria. “I am going after her. She needs protection.”
“She doesn’t need protection,” Eldor said. “You just want her to need it. She was one of the few people who learned how to fly almost as well as we do without wings. She overcame the human horror of height, and you think she needs you to hold her hand as she delivers a message?”
Vyktor couldn’t argue with that. It was just as it had been when Aria had made the argument, except in her case he could threaten to cage her. That threat would not work with Eldor—and he supposed, it had not worked with Aria either. Vyktor was really starting to hate being in the wrong.
“How will she return?”
“There is no way for her to,” Eldor said. “There is no reason for her to.”
“What!?” Vyktor’s shout of rage was so loud and powerful that the mountain around them shook with the energy of it.
“She has served her purpose,” Eldor said coldly, his eyes gleaming with ice fire. “We have learned what we needed to learn, and she has carried our message to the humans. If they agree to our terms, they will move their machines of war away from the portal and we will make our exit within twenty-four hours.”
“Where is she?”
“I flew her from the mountains to a nearby town. It was largely deserted, but she informed me that she could take it from there. Very inventive, your pet. She clothed herself within minutes from clothing the humans had left hanging outside for reasons best known to themselves, and took one of their flightless machines which rolls upon the roads they’ve ruined the countryside with.”
