Dragon's Destiny (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss #20) - Miranda Martin Page 0,1

at least habitable. It is nothing compared to the City in its glory, prior to the Devastation of course, but that does not lessen their accomplishments.

I listen with half an ear, studying every group of humans we encounter. Hoping that this time will be the one, that I will find her. My mate. The female who will bear my children, whom my soul yearns for, the one Tajss intends to be mine.

It hurts, physically. My stomach cramps, my cock randomly stiffens and aches, and there is a building pressure in my head. I’m quick to anger and distracted.

“Cou-Khabri,” Archion says. “Do you not approve?”

I glare, not letting his slip pass unnoticed. Purposely, I frown and narrow my eyes while stilling my tail, expressing my displeasure. The coloration of his scales shifts to softer, dimmer colors, acknowledging my upset.

“Have I said otherwise?” I ask, though I have no idea why he is asking me if I approve or what he is referring to with his question.

“No, Khabri,” he says.

“When I do not approve, you will know it,” I snap. “I wish to see more of the humans working.”

I want to find her, I think but do not say aloud.

“Of course,” Archion says, leading the way through the City streets.

We survey their work while none of the humans pay us any particular attention. The suns are low in the sky when we’ve finished our tour. My head is pounding and the horns on my head throb with each beat of my hearts. Nothing. Still. She’s here, she must be, this feeling can’t be wrong, can it?

“Have we seen all the humans?” I ask as we walk alone to the airlock.

Archion frowns as his eyes dart towards me but he keeps facing ahead. It’s an odd question and he obviously has questions he doesn’t speak. He scratches his neck then shakes his head.

“I would say no,” he says. “I don’t know the exact population, but we saw the majority if not all of it.”

“Do we not have an accounting of them?” I ask.

“No sir,” he answers.

“Why not?” I ask.

“Sir, one was never ordered,” he says, staring ahead as we continue walking.

The buildings closest to the dome are in the worst condition. The humans and their Zmaj mates have stayed close to the center of the City, congregating apart but not too far apart. The original damage to the City is clearly written here.

I remember Draconov in its glory. As a member of the Order Council I was trained in methods of holding the bijass at bay. Keeping history is part of my duty. I was not granted the luxury of forgetting the horrors of our past. Well do I know the horror of war.

“None of the humans contracted the illness?” I ask.

“No sir,” he says. “It affected the Zmaj only, but Addison believes that the humans were carrying the virus.”

I nod understanding. This agrees with our research, adding veracity to the medical findings.

“Is anyone still ill?” I ask.

“No sir,” he says. “Rosalind and Visidion ordered the City into a lock-down, limiting exposure. They were able to stop the virus, and Addison came up with a cure if anyone does become ill again.”

Archion doesn’t ask questions about the reason for my visit, but I know he has them. All of the information he’s shown me has already been reported to the Council, but reading dry reports is not the same as direct questioning, I have always found. We are in sight of the airlock which we exit in silence. The human on guard duty will not be privy to my private conversations.

Once we’re outside and alone again, I let the silence extend. The warmth of the setting suns soaks into my scales, bringing some semblance of relief from the empty ache. Thankfully, the pain in my head recedes too.

“How are they doing militarily?” I ask.

“Sir?” he asks, actually looking at me with a quizzical expression.

“Militarily,” I repeat.

“They aren’t, sir,” he says.

“Yet they’ve fought off the Invaders,” I observe.

“Yes sir,” he agrees.

“And Ladon found his way to that military base,” I say.

“Yes sir,” he says.

“So I pose the question again,” I say. “How are they doing militarily?”

He doesn’t answer for several strides. I let him organize his thoughts. We have a long journey back to the compound. I study him as we walk and suddenly a fire ignites in my chest. My hearts burn, my limbs grow heavy, and my stomach clenches. How is it he has found his mate and I haven’t? An urge