Questions and Answers

HAEL

Our Rolls Royce drove through the Skeleton Quarter. Every inhabitant of this wretched place turned their heads in awe at the alien vehicle gracing their streets.

Loch and I were on a mission, and nothing would stop us.

Dane and Aneurin had poked the sleeping beasts. Stealing from Twin Leading Breeds would bring them nothing but pain and suffering.

They had taken something that was ours, and we would get it back.

Loch was resolved to make them pay, and I couldn't agree more.

In the past, we’d have simply flown out to the mountains and taught them another lesson. But after Zak left, Loch and I became more cautious. Who knew how many more dragons had joined them by now? We couldn’t trust those vagrants to fight fairly.

The fact that Maddie had given them access to our residence was one thing. That she had allowed them to sneak out with Dragonstone was something far worse.

Loch and I still weren’t sure how the twins were able to break in and take it. Req Tower was impenetrable. We had a state-of-the-art security system. Nothing and no one passed through our doors without us knowing.

How had they done it?

It was no matter. Two fucking druggies craving another fix would risk anything to get what they wanted. This risk, however, didn’t warrant reward.

Quite the opposite, actually.

As for Maddie, she would have to pay for disappearing on us.

Since Loch had returned to his usual self, he'd been more willing to forgive some of the rat’s minor indiscretions.

This time, he would not be so kind. And I wouldn’t hold him back.

Our car finally came to a halt. We stepped out of the cool confines of our ride into the sweltering sun.

It was time to get some answers.

LOCH

The druggie ran as fast as his fucked-up legs could carry him.

It was no use. I barely had to exert any energy to keep up.

“It’s no use, Kellen,” I yelled. “You’ll never get away.”

“I didn't fucking do anything, man!” he replied breathlessly.

Hael and I knew this rodent from Club Emerald. He had caused trouble there on more than one occasion. We were merciful to him before, but if we didn’t get any answers…

I relished in what we would do to his fragile little body.

“We just want to talk,” I said.

“Fuck that! I know what kind of talking you do!”

If anyone had information on Dane and Aneurin, it was this fucking nobody.

It didn't escape our attention that he was also a dragon. Although, with all the drugs he'd taken, he was just a shell of his potential.

Maybe if he survived this interrogation, he'd make for an adequate addition to our horde…

~Never mind. Fuck that.~

Just when the little burnout thought he might have a chance to escape down a side alley, Hael was there to block his path.

With a simple shove, he flew into the nearest brick wall and collapsed to the ground.

“You didn’t have to make it this hard,” Hael said. “We only want answers.”

“Well, I don’t got any!” Kellen replied.

I stepped hard on his ankle. He screamed in agony.

“For your sake, you better hope you have answers,” I sneered. “Tell us about the twins, Dane and Aneurin.”

Kellen’s eyes looked up in fright.

It was obvious he knew the names, but I was interested in what else he might know.

“Please, my ankle,” he squealed.

I relented and removed my foot. Kellen grabbed his ankle pitifully.

“Talk, weasel, or we’ll rip that foot clean off your body,” Hael growled.

“They’re not here!” Kellen answered.

“We already know that!” I replied. “Tell us when they were last here.”

“Dane and Aneurin haven’t been in the Skeleton Quarter for weeks.”

Hael and I shared a look.

Hael

Weeks? But we only noticed the missing Dragonstone recently.

Loch

He could be lying.

Hael

And if not? He knows what we’d do to him. I hate to admit, but this little scumbag might be telling the truth.

I grabbed the collar of his shirt in my hand and lifted him clear off the ground. His hands wrapped around mine, but he couldn’t pry himself free.

“Tell us ~everything~ you know about them,” I said, “or this will be your last fucking conversation.”

“Once they left, they never came back. Not even to get a fix,” Kellen stammered. “It’s like they just went fucking survivor man or some shit.”

“How many are with them?” demanded Hael.

“A lot,” Kellen replied. “From the sound of it, they’ve got their own little village. A lot of other dragons have gone out there to learn from them.”

“Have they asked you to join?” I asked.

“No, man. Dane and Aneurin only want clean dragons,” he admitted. “I just can’t quit overhead. You know?”

That meant their little commune had grown exponentially since Zak had left. Not only that, but they were trying to strengthen the members of their pathetic little horde.

I’d heard enough. I tossed Kellen to the side and listened as his hurried footsteps echoed down the alley.

Hael’s eyes were piercing as they met mine.

If the twins hadn't stolen our Dragonstone, then that meant…

Loch

Do you know what this means, brother?

Hael

We’ve been after the wrong rat.

Loch

The brothers could have sent someone else to take the stone.

Hael

We both know that’s not really possible. There’s only one true culprit.

Loch

Indeed. And it’s long past due for her punishment.

MADDIE

I looked out at the otherworldly terrain and was totally breathless.

The Dusk Mountains always made the faraway towers of Requiem City seem so small and insignificant.

Every time I’d visited Dane and Aneurin it was the same majestic feeling…as if there was magic pulsing through these mountains.

I never questioned why Dane and Aneurin would want to leave the hustle and bustle to try and find themselves in the wilderness.

I walked the narrow path over the rocks and through the trees. The rays of sunshine glistened through the leaves.

Up ahead, I heard voices and picked up my pace. That must be Dane and Aneurin!

As I pushed through the foliage and emerged into the large clearing, the sight surprised me.

It wasn’t the voices of Dane and Aneurin.

There were ~dozens~ of people here!

I walked around the encampment and realized the faces were all watching me. Last time I’d been here, the twins were just getting things started.

I had just been impressed that they had a healing pool and a treasure cave. But now they had their own small village!

I spotted Dane and Aneurin surrounded by what I could only describe as groupies. Groupies! These guys were junkies only a few weeks before.

“Hello, there,” said a female voice.

I turned to find a young woman smiling brightly at me. She wore a light cotton dress, and her hair was in braids. She looked dazzling.

“My name’s Summer. It’s nice to meet you.”

She extended her hand, and I accepted her handshake.

“I’m Maddie. Nice to meet you too.”

“~The~ Maddie? Oh my gosh! Dane and Aneurin have told me so much about you,” she said. “It’s nice to see another friendly face at the commune.”

She gave me a quick, unexpected hug. It felt weird to be so welcomed by a stranger.

Hell, at least she wasn’t trying to kill me…

“How did you find out about this place?” I asked, still shocked.

“I can’t really explain it,” she admitted. “I met them one day in the emergency room. Dane was badly wounded. After I helped them…I just couldn't get them out of my head.”

So ~this~ was Dane and Aneurin’s new lady! I remembered them mentioning the cute nurse they had met after their fight with Loch and Hael.

~Ugh. Loch and Hael.~

Just thinking about them hurting Dane made my blood boil.

Summer continued. “They asked me to join them out here and I just said…well, what the heck!”

She motioned around the camp.

“Pretty impressive, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah. It’s fucking unbelievable,” I replied. “Who are all these people? What are they doing here?”

Summer smiled at me but shook her head.

“It’s kind of difficult to explain,” she replied. “But I think they feel the same pull I did. Some desire to be out here with the twins.”

“Not gonna lie, if I didn’t have my own unexplained desires to stay in the Dobrzyckas’ orbit, I’d be baffled too,” I said.

Summer nodded in understanding.

“It’s probably best to talk to the leaders themselves,” she said.

~Leaders?~

“Oh God,” I said. “Please don’t tell me this is a cult.”

She laughed loudly before taking my hand in hers. Together, we walked over to Dane and Aneurin.

The twins finally noticed my presence and beamed with joy.

“Maddie!” they shouted simultaneously.

“You finally made it back out here,” Dane said, smiling. “What do you think?”

I took another look around.

“It’s amazing,” I said.

“It’s a big improvement from last time,” Aneurin added. “But it’ll just keep getting bigger.”

Finally, I found enough of my voice to speak.

“Is this your…horde?” I asked.

“You know it,” Dane smiled.

Damn. It had grown exponentially in such a short time.

I looked at the two former druggies and felt a sense of pride. Loch and Hael were having trouble finding new dragons to join their horde, but Dane and Aneurin had followers without even trying.

It showed how true leaders should act: instead of putting people down, they should build them up.

Even though I was happy for Dane and Aneurin, I didn’t totally understand why they were building a horde. What was it all for?

The twins noticed my confusion.

“You’re probably wondering why we’re building a horde,” Aneurin stated.

“She was asking a lot of questions,” Summer chimed in.

I nodded my head.

~Yeah, and I want some damn answers!~

“It might not make total sense,” Dane began, “but it’s just something we’ve been feeling.”

“Ever since you helped us discover our real powers as dragons,” Aneurin added, “we’ve had a nagging feeling that something is going to happen.”

“Something bad?” I asked.

The twins nodded gravely. The smile on Summer’s face faded.

“There’s a war coming,” Dane said solemnly. “We don’t know how we know it…we just do.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d heard someone mention a war. My stomach began to twist into knots as I realized that if everyone could feel it coming…it must be real.

“Couldn’t you lie and tell me you’re feeling weird from eating some bad food?” I asked.

They didn’t crack a smile. Instead, their faces grew even more severe.

“At first it was just Dane and me,” Aneurin continued. “But we needed more. If there is something ominous on the horizon, we can’t face it alone.”

“Whatever’s coming is bad, Maddie,” Dane said. “Real bad.”

Aneurin nodded his head. “And it could destroy everything that we’ve ever known.”