I Alone Breed Dragons

Four weeks passed, not a single attack had happened, neither had Maltie returned with any info.

Time is something I have, there’s no loss in waiting. I sat, hand resting on my raised knees, at the height of a mountain, watching over the new training. They had shifted from physical into magic training, following instruction. The progress was slow — good news, I had asked for someone I believed was a great teacher. Madel — just yesterday, seated in my chamber, I received a letter from her. Randal had reached a certain mastery in his metal affinity, her job there was done, returning back to the dragon kingdom to help with the Peace Knights. A flexible hand taking over the training would be a bit better for the peace, after a full month on brutal physical drills.

Speak of the devil — I sense Madel’s mana from behind. I turned around, pulling my hood back as I stared at the distance. An emerald-colored wing, dragon, cloaked in armour. Madel, flying over. She spotted me and waved her hand. She spread her wings, reducing her height as she landed softly, without disturbing the dust. A smile crept up her lips.

"Supreme General, sir." Madel saluted.

"Seriously?"

"You now hold a military position which I’m now under. I have to address you properly. Also, I wanted to tell you how honoured I am to be on the Peace Knights."

"It’s not a big deal." I waved it off. "How’s Randall and my family?"

"They’re doing good, sir. Also, Anya still wants you to remember your promise. While Randall says he already misses you."

"What of my mom?"

"She didn’t send any message, except she wasn’t really happy you weren’t writing back home regularly."

"Of course she isn’t."

"Also, I met Baroness Maltie on my way." She pulled out a letter, then handed it to me.

I clocked the letter reluctantly. It wasn’t sealed, not an official letter, just written. I unfolded the paper. Her writing was flawless, like she had rushed in writing it — something urgent.

"Let’s Meet." That was all that was written, nothing else. The rest of the letter was more of a poem, disordered, different verses merged together, only "let’s meet" stood out, concrete. On the paper was a cork, wine, with a skull symbol on the head — twin brothers. Something is wrong.

"Madel, when you saw Maltie, where was she headed towards?"

"Town, the walls of Kingston."

"Was she in a hurry?"

"I would say so. She didn’t say any other words, than ’give this to Walter,’ then walked away."

A fleeting moment passed in silence. Judging by Maltie’s activities — spies, information brokers — she had gotten herself into a web. Someone was after her for something she found, that was my only wild guess. Although, at the back of my mind, I was fighting to convince myself this wasn’t a trap. I don’t know what’s in her head, what she had planned out.

I’ll just find out myself. If this smells of something snakey, then I’ll kill her.

Twin Brothers wine brewery in Kingston. Very convenient.

"Madel. Tell your commander I’m stepping out. I might not be back tonight."

"Yes, sir!"

The town of Kingston was more busy this time of day, with the sun still blazing at the peak of the day. The rolling cobblestone road, shops with customers patronizing, chattering among themselves, tailors, shoemakers, with items on display. This was the commercial district of Kingston. I mixed in with the pedestrians, dressed to match, out of my dark cloak into something more suited — a tuxedo. I paused at a crossroad, new to Kingston, to ask around. Luckily there were service carriages. I walked up to one, tossed a gold coin. "Twin Brothers wine brewery," I said.

He doffed his hat.

I climbed onto the carriage. He whipped the reins of the horse, rolling me straight to my destination.

I watched from the window, the scenery. Not long after, the carriage slowed. I shifted the curtains — ahead was a huge building, with carriages packed outside, shipping carts out.

"We are here," the rider announced.

"Now where is she?" I didn’t drop from my seat in the carriage, stayed longer.

"Umm, sir?" Two knocks on the door. "We are at Twin Brothers wine brewery. Sir."

"I know," I muttered. "Is she here?"

The carriage door then opened, and Maltie climbed in. Covered from head to toe by a long coat, wings folded under the coat, her horns hidden under a long hat. She settled by my side, pulled close, burying my face in her cleavage. The scent of her fragrance, soft, filled my lungs. I didn’t resist, lingering in the hug.

She pulled away. "You’re a lifesaver." Her chest dropped.

"What do you mean?" She shifted the curtain of the carriage, looking outside. "They left."

"Who left?"

"Someone was trailing me," she said, eyes still stuck outside, looking around. "Remember, you asked me to check out suspicious activities not related to dragons? Well, I found some, but it went deeper than I expected. I dug up more information than I ever intended. Then something started tailing me."

"Stronger than you?"

"Definitely." She shut the short curtain back and leaned back into her chair. "I was planning to engage in combat when I was away from Kingston, so as not to complicate issues for us. If I had fought in the town, the destruction that might have followed — lives would have been lost. So I kept running till I reached here. But the moment you stepped into town, I think they felt your presence and fled."

"Good for them. So you called me for a rescue mission?"

"No... the next thing I’m about to tell you is very crazy, unbelievable. First, the activity — I could get info about a different race, with green skin, elf-like ears. What I’m about to tell you is restricted by the queen from being revealed to anyone. Do you know about goblins?"

"I do, in tales," I said, keeping a straight face.

"Then you should know, in my world they were part of the magical races." Maltie paused, she studied my face to get a reaction, but because I already knew this, I didn’t show any shock.

"Why do I feel you’ve already been told?"

"I have. So you believe goblins have invaded our world?"

Maltie nodded. "Certainly. We can’t let anyone know. Especially your humans, it will stir up worry."

"Now we’ve got the trail on them, we have to act. Before they can — give me all the information you have."

"It’s documented, but I don’t carry it around. But here’s one more thing you have to know... someone in the council is working with them."