Dragon Queen (Avery Rome Book 3) Page 27

  Instead of screaming no loudly, the man just nodded.

  “Understood. This is to be a real thing then? I wasn’t aware that it was… Quite so serious.”

  Taman moved in next to her giant of a brother, nodding.

  “Willum has been doing a decent job, teaching him. When he comes back, we’ll have more for Clemance to learn. What, I don’t know yet, but I’m sure it will be fairly intensive. So, yes, it’s pretty real.”

  They spoke politely for a while then, as a glowing copper ship came into view. It was landed, with everyone getting out, before the call ended and the screen flicked to black, before the letters came back onto the surface.

  As they came back, walking over, Taman waved at them all and spoke in English.

  “I think we’re planning a meal here, this evening? Something to the local custom, if that’s all right? That tends toward simple foods, but we can make anything that you might wish that way.”

  Cooking show Mark smiled and walked over, holding his large, professional level camera in his right hand.

  “That sounds good. Can we get prep on that? Who do we have that knows about things like that for this part of the world? Also, Avery, can you do any intros needed? You’ve been doing great work that way.”

  She nodded, then smiled.

  “I’m in, of course. We should get… Will lives here, doesn’t he?”

  That had, interestingly, several of the locals being called into play to help them set up a real banquet, instead of the fruit and vegetables that Taman had indicated was likely. They used her Tiera food device for a lot of it, but Itzel, the woman who Will had placed in charge of the food actually made some of the things for them, personally. Then it looked like they were all eating the food that she’d worked on. It wasn’t true, but it was interesting.

  They ate out of oversized green leaves, shaped into cones. While sitting outside, under the stars. They had a small fire, which was real. They gathered around it, as bugs of at least ten kinds tried to eat them all. That was slightly annoying, but no one complained. Not even Debbie, who seemed to be getting the worst of the attacks. She was slapping at her skin constantly at any rate.

  Right until Will moved over to her, gave her a half hug and laughed a bit.

  “Use your shield? You won’t be able to eat, but it will guard you from the tiny predators.”

  Deb wasn’t the only person who did that, as soon as the food was done. That had been very different, but not bad at all. At least Avery enjoyed it. A few of the dishes were made from insects, but given what they were like in the area at night, she could see that one as being fair. Most of the others had some issues eating them, for some reason. Not Will, or her.

  Phillip clearly made himself do it, faking the idea of it not being a big deal at all. The rest of them varied a lot. Brian, from the IPB, just ate. Like it was a normal meal. Most of his friends refused those dishes and kept to the fruit and vegetable based things. So did her own friends, as well as Tim Baker. Taman ate the local dishes, if with a bit of reluctance.

  It was telling, actually.

  A thing that was getting attention, from Brian Yi. At least he walked over at the end of the meal, and took her empty leaf from her.

  “I learned to eat pretty much anything, in survival training.”

  “Me too. The impressive ones are Will and Phillip then. Possibly Taman?” She tried to look at them happily, which got them to move over toward her.

  Willum touched her arm, gently. Holding it for about ten seconds.

  “I had some training as well. Phil?”

  That got a head shake.

  “Not really. I should probably do something like that, some time. Especially if I can go almost anywhere now.”

  Looking at Will, Avery lifted her left hand, reminded of things suddenly.

  “Right! We’re setting up an exercise for Clemance in a few days. Escape and evasion? We want to get everyone in on it. We have Count Thomson, and a plan to take him in the middle of the night. Debbie and Alan are on tap to beat him, so we should check that out with them. I don’t know if they’ll really be willing to do that, to be honest.”

  Instead of seeming put out, Brian actually smiled. It was a huge and happy thing.

  “Now that sounds fun! A person being hunted through the woods, who isn’t even me? Amazing!”

  Then he collected the others, to work on plans for it.

  By the time they moved back to the tents, a continent away, the whole thing was pretty well put together.

  Chapter eighteen

  Over the next days things went well, for Avery.

  The little show that Mark and Den were putting together was worked on every single day, since taking a break was apparently not a thing that either man was willing to do. They possibly weren’t capable of it. Her actual duties weren’t that hard for it, however. Some cooking at times, over an open fire, and introducing people. In a couple of cases, such as when they invaded Tal Baker’s shop, she acted as the translator from Standard to English.

  Chasing poor Clemance through the forest took nearly two days, but everyone from the IPB was in on that one. Happily, to be truthful. They harried the boy the entire time, using tricks that no one would have expected. Such as telepathy, super-human speed and high level fighting skills.

  The kid was caught. Three times.

  Then he escaped, every single time and finally made it to the safe zone.

  It was impressive enough that even Willum was pleased with how it had all turned out. No one, in any world, was likely to take Clem Thomson easily, after that.

  They did a lot of sightseeing as well. For her the interesting part was going off in Dare Canton’s ship, really. They went to Saturn, which was huge and had colorful rings, made by large aliens that looked like black stone. Then they got to see Pluto, which was tiny really. That was dark, and hard to make out, being so far from the sun.

  After that they went on a trip to see giant world ships, and meet people from outer space.

  In each location, they had a special meal to prepare, since there was no way they weren’t putting things like that in Mark’s show. Even if it was just going to be put up online, it was too good to miss out on.

  In all, it was pretty fun, once she’d gotten used to the idea of shutting off her worry for a while. Still, after fourteen days, she was ready to go home and do some more normal things. Finally. It was to that end that she walked everyone from her world back into the Yoghurt World. It was night time, she thought, when that happened. Eve wasn’t there, but Barb was, along with Lenore Hawthorn. The regional Ambassador, or whatever her position was called.

  The woman, who looked about the right age to fit in with the people that had come back, smiled. It was a slightly tense thing, until she lit on Avery. Then her face softened a good bit.

  “Miss Rome! Are these the people who were vacationing in another realm? Did the trip go well?”

  “Yes and yes. Thanks for asking. It’s a lovely world. If we go again, you should come with us? The time difference is handy, too. We were gone for two days, here, but it was two weeks over there. Less than two days our time, actually. The people are friends as well. I should have a copy of the video that some of the others were taking, coming in a week or so? It might even be worth looking at.” She didn’t know if it would be, to be honest. Not for a Vampire.

  Too much of it was going to be focused on food to enthuse people who didn’t eat.

  “How wonderful. Now, I should meet your friends here? I know Rebekah and Scotty of course.”

  Barb was behind the front counter, working at keeping it clean, even though it probably didn’t need it, really. Then, the place was almost always spotless, because everyone working there stayed on top of things, constantly.

  “Right! Everyone, this is Lenore Hawthorn. She’s a friend of mine. Also in charge of the Western States, for the Vampires. Behind the counter is Barb Fines. She’s the assistant Ambassador here, so if you have anything that relates
to Vampires, you should probably get with her. She’s also a line walker, Phillip, so we need to make sure she feels like she’s part of the group.”

  “On the other side we have Terra, who works with Riley, the Trickster. Alan, who’s down with the Alede, but is one of the Rubber Men, Kaitlyn… You know her, right?”

  That got a nod, and interestingly enough a hug, for the Alede.

  “Then we have Debbie, who’s looking for a job right now, I think. That and Phillip. The first Human line walker from our world. He managed to become immortal and gain super powers without becoming a Vampire.”

  Instead of becoming upset, over having his skills stolen from her people, Lenore smiled. It seemed real, for some reason.

  “That’s impressive! You’re still working here, I understand? Eve set that up for you, I believe? We might also have a daytime position for you, Debbie. Are you interested in that kind of work? It pays slightly more than such a position would traditionally. Then, most places don’t require you to also be a diplomat while you make frosty concoctions and waffle cones.”

  Debbie, carrying her camping gear and clothing in a large cloth duffle, took a deep breath and looked around.

  “That would… Be good, actually. If I won’t just be in the way? I can clean and learn to make things.”

  “Wonderful! I’ll collect your numbers and then have Edom set up a meeting with you? A mere formality, I’m certain. We can also get you into the training program, if you wish to consider that as an option? Or, rather, if you take the job here and wish to, you should court Eve Benson, and get yourself into place. That will leave you looking better.”

  Then, without asking who they were, Lenore glanced at Leslie and Mark. There was no hint that they should be introduced at all.

  Avery did it anyway.

  “My mother, Leslie Rome. Raccoon Shifter. This is Mark. They both used to be slaves of The Rotted. Now they’re her friends. No longer enslaved. They also managed to get powers, while we were away. They aren’t line walkers though. They should try it. Really, everyone should. It’s useful.”

  That got a nod from the head Vampire woman, but no comment.

  Instead she moved to sit down, near a pile of paperwork. She was just in the front, working at a booth.

  Kaitlyn winked at her. Instead of being overdone and silly, it looked alluring. Even to Avery.

  “Okay, we all need to get home then, I think. We can meet at the bookstore in the morning, Avery? Phil? Um, you too, Barb, if you have the time?”

  That got a fake looking blink.

  “I can do that. Call it… Nine? Or earlier, if you want. I should be off at six? I just know that some of you need to sleep, being lazy like you are.”

  Avery shook her head.

  “Only me, for this group. I can be in at seven though, I think. I should hurry home, given that. Unless, Phillip, do you need me to go with you?” He looked like a different person, after all.

  It was him, still, but a nearly perfect version. His mother and father might not get it, she didn’t think.

  “Nah. It won’t be an issue. Unless I get kicked out? In that case I’ll be camping in the back here, all right?” He laughed a bit, since that wasn’t happening.

  Lenore however just nodded.

  “At need. We can probably find you someplace better as well. Barbara, you have an extra room, don’t you?”

  The woman smiled, as if they weren’t playing though.

  “I do. I hardly ever snack on my roommates, either.”

  “Oh? Thanks then. It really won’t be a big issue. I mean, I walk in, come out as gay and mention my new cannibal eating habits, then answer some questions about how I got pregnant in the first place… After all that, they’ll know it’s me and it shouldn’t be too hard for them to accept.”

  From the back, working toward the door slowly, Alan snorted.

  “That’s a real point. Um, say, Phil… You were setting up something with Georgia, right? Could I get you to take me in to see Bridget, do you think? I can’t pay for it.” His voice dropped, going low. Which still meant everyone there heard him.

  It was a good idea though, if he could pull it off. Lenore gave them an interested look as they moved out, but didn't speak until everyone else was gone and it was just the two Vampires and Avery.

  “That’s a new spin on a long-distance relationship.”

  It really was, of course.

  “I assigned Phillip to get a relationship going with Georgia, myself. We’re still dating, but he needs to have something a little more realistic than I can provide. She’s a bit like an Alede, in a lot of ways. Bridget is fantastically powerful and the third in command of her military unit. It’s a good idea to get in good with them, so worth doing, if the boys can pull it off.”

  Some papers were shuffled, the Vampire looking directly at Avery while she did it. She was sitting, and Avery was on her feet. That meant nothing though, since the other woman clearly didn’t feel intimidated.

  “That sounds advanced. Good to know that the line walkers here aren’t going to be dumping everything on Zack. Don’t keep him out of the loop, however? That might not go well. Now, I should probably get with Eve or Troy and see if I can purchase passage to meet with some of these beings, soon. It’s clear that real advancement will be happening for those involved, in the coming decades.”

  “Um…” Avery thought for a bit, the whole room silent for long enough that most people would have spoken, just to fill the awkward silence. Barb just kept cleaning.

  Lenore sat, watching her with a gentle hint of tolerance on her face.

  Finally, she nodded.

  “The IPB Director, Marcia Turner is putting together a meeting. It will be in a few months. Three or so? I’m the messenger for that, between worlds. I could, I think, recommend you, Bey and perhaps Scotty for that? A lot of different people, from several worlds will be going. There’s a lot to discuss and mutual benefit to work out, I think.”

  “That… Would be most kind of you! I can see me begging my way in, and Bey would be a good idea for a first meeting like that… I’m not certain that I understand the inclusion of Scotty Laird the drummer?” Lenore looked over at the small, pale being. He looked at Avery, seeming equally curious about being included.

  “Ah! Two things. One, he’s a Vampire, so in with your people, but also a Shifter, so you know, in-group bias on my part? Even fighting against it, I tend to think of Shifters as being the best people. As long as they aren’t Dragons, of course. Also, he’s the new Shifter President’s great uncle or something like that. They’re close enough to talk on occasion, so that might be a way to get inside with them.”

  “I wasn’t aware of that last piece there. Good idea, then. We’ll need to pass this up to the council, of course. There will be letters and messages passing hands? We simply send those to you?”

  It took a second, but then she nodded.

  “Right. Having them given to Eve, Edom or Barbara will work too, I think. They’ll know where I am, all the time.” Eve and Edom were practically her parents, after all. Barb was a friend.

  A thing not lost on Lenore, who looked over at the Vampire behind the counter.

  “Very good then. Thank you, Miss Rome. I’m certain that any of those others can see to things being delivered going the other way, as well?”

  That bit of business being out of the way, Avery spoke some gentle goodbyes, and used the node in the back to move directly to the shortcut in the back of Ed’s house. Where she lived. No one was home when she got there, but that wasn’t at all unusual. Both Eve and Ed worked most of the time. It was enough that she nearly felt guilty over the whole thing.

  Instead of going directly to bed, she started some laundry going, since they had machines to aid them with that kind of thing. It was a big improvement over using a rock by a river. It was nearly mid-night when she allowed herself to climb into bed. It was soft, after a few weeks laying on the ground.

  At six she was woken up, by Eve,
who stood at the door, and tossed things at her head. Balled up socks, as it turned out.

  “Okay, I can take a hint. I’m up.” She yawned, sat up and caught the next tossed bit of soft footwear.

  The Vampire giggled at her.

  “Good. I missed you, by the way. I also hear that you’re starting right in on the work for Marcia Turner? Bey called me an hour ago, to RSVP. He wants me to thank you, for thinking of him, and all of us Vampires, in this. I picked up some donuts for you, as a reward.”

  “Thanks. I need a quick shower first. Then, if you aren’t busy, we need to go and meet up at the bookstore. It’s a secret line walker meeting. Not that Bey can’t know about it, but we might want to keep things separate from the Vampires, in case they go sideways. It’s about Kaitlyn.”

  “Really? I’m in then. She’s my girlfriend after all. I’ll meet you at the table?”

  It took her about twenty minutes, and she ended up in a nice skirt and blouse, along with a pair of black high heeled shoes that she’d made. They were going to be destroyed if she had to run in them. The sign she was trying to give was that there would be no violence that day. Her underwear was even cute, which was going to be needed for the next bit of work. There was, almost certainly, no way for her to infiltrate the Alede without that being seen.

  Then, because they were really good friends, Eve sat with her as she carefully ate, trying not to destroy her makeup. That was going to need to be fixed, constantly. Bente wouldn’t let her get away with half measures that way.

  They talked, but it was mainly about little things. The trip she’d taken, the people she’d met and that two of her friends were infiltrating the IPB world.

  “Phillip and Alan? Interesting choices. Bey mentioned that to me. The Council is impressed, by the way. They didn’t know that you’d be willing to send your boyfriends in like that. Vampires would, of course, but Shifters tend to be a bit different that way. Nicer, really.” There was no condemnation in the words, as if being kind was a poor plan, at times.