Dragon Queen (Avery Rome Book 3) Read online

  She didn’t know, but they did have more time there than they would have in her world, so she nodded.

  “I think so? A big meeting sprung up while I lazily slept. The mission, the one I spoke to you of? It went well. The Governing Body of the Alede is dead. Their mind controlled slaves are being helped and Kaitlyn the line walker’s mother has temporarily taken control. She’s giving that up however, after the election. The people that are being put forward all seem better than the ones that were there, so there’s that.” It kind of made sense to her, but the reason Valerie wasn’t running had to do with her young age, not anything else.

  She was only a hundred and seventy, after all. All of the people in the running were at least four hundred.

  Being waved at to follow, Will guided her away from the lights of the glowing port and the giant palace there. He was wearing only a deep red cloth around his middle again, which seemed to be how he dressed when at home. His feet were bare, though she’d seen him in sandals as well a few times. That and in boots.

  “We have a bathing pond over here. If this beast works, I’ll make a loop or two and then we can test the lights on it. It’s really just a combination of different things, none of which are new. Then again, I haven’t gone to proper school to learn to do this kind of thing, so you have to act all impressed if it turns on at all. That sounds right, doesn’t it?”

  “It really does, actually. After that, I need you to come away with me. It will be a few days, I think? We have places to go and people to meet. Then we need to come back here, for the next IPB camp out? I’ll do the pickup and all that, but…” She hadn’t really asked if it was all right to do it at all, and felt bad, after a moment.

  Her friend just walked, at a good clip, toward the smell of dampness. It wasn’t far away or anything.

  “I have that set up already. We’re also having some botanists coming in, from space? Ysidril. They can be a bit scary looking, but the IPB people get along with them well, so far. Wonderful beings. Here we are. Let me…” He set the striped and glowing rock, which looked a bit like a football, down on the sand next to the water. Then, touching it, he pointed in the air, drawing a line there, which showed up as a nice clear blue color. Parts of it changed as he moved his hand around, but it was bright enough to see by. Not read a book or anything, but she could tell where the water was.

  When the line moved back into the pond, his finger slid over one sigil, which started a deep roar of moving water. It managed to glow more brightly, to show where it was.

  “Ha! I’m not completely incompetent then. That will show them on the Moon, won’t it?” He grinned, then started making the light change colors. First through the rainbow, then in stripes, dots and finally designs that looked like trees, if stylized ones, floating through the water constantly.

  “Now I just have to remake this, so it’s larger, and can stretch out over a few thousand miles. It should take salt out of water, but short of going to the ocean I can’t check that right now. Good then. Well, I should leave a note for Aunt Taman? I can also leave this up. I’m sure I made fifteen different mistakes, at least to her eyes. She’s a bit like Master Mark is with food. It isn’t that she means to be harsh, but you’d better be perfect, or else.”

  That was a thing that Avery recalled herself. The man was sweet even, right until it came to food. Then you needed to make certain he didn’t have a lash in his hands when he was coming at you. Not literally, but it had certainly felt that way on occasion. Bente was the same though, with her orders, so it wasn’t an unknown to her. Or apparently to Willum.

  “We should hurry? I promised to have you back home in an hour, my time. I also need to report in to Lancaster at the IPB. I don’t know how to find him though. I guess I need to wake people up? It should be night there as well. It seems to match my world that way pretty well.”

  Leaving the glowing stream of water, which floated by the power of magic through the air itself, Willum patted her on the shoulder.

  “I know where his room is if we have to wake him directly. We should probably bring him and some of the others in on this project. I mean, these Larval clones attacked here at least, and probably have gone to other worlds. That means that bringing in resources only makes sense. Plus, I know that Team Two is getting bored over there. Since the last war, when Bridget killed most of the threats herself, they haven’t had much to do. We can sneak them over for this?”

  That didn’t seem likely, since they were a government operation, but Avery nodded anyway. What they did in alternate realities wouldn’t really count back home, as long as it didn’t bring a greater war to their spaces.

  Leaving the note meant actually changing the front door of the grand palace to have words on it, so it wouldn’t be missed. Will did that part for them, knowing the language and what to say. He read it off for her.

  “Dear Aunt Taman, I have run away with Avery Rome. Will be back with babies and in need of borrowing gold for our upkeep inside the year. Willum.” That should work, don’t you think?”

  Avery walked outside, then stood for a bit, warping space, allowing them access into the void. Willum got the idea, walking through it smoothly, as one might with a shortcut in local conditions. When they came out, the man doing his own work, they were both in the transport hut next to the command center.

  “That was… Fantastic, Avery. Can you teach me how to do that? Or is it a Dragon thing?”

  They walked out into the night, with Will in the lead. They tried to go into the command center, but it was empty, except for June, who was an energy person. On the way out, she spoke, following Will as he marched away. His clothing shifted, away from the simple cloth tucked into a rope belt, into an IPB uniform. It was perfect, being all in tan, with everything being formed to look real. Including some fake wrinkles in places and dust on his boots.

  “I think you could learn to do it? It takes focus, but you have that. You already have to do it a little to get into and out of the void at a node point. It just takes longer to do it from and to alternate locations. More or less it’s just a twist in space and time. In the center there’s functionally nothing, so it leads to the void. That’s all really.”

  He made a noise at her which was not friendly, but his face was bright enough.

  “Lancaster is in building five. Most of the Operatives are. He used to be the head Agent, but he was Infected about a year and a half ago, I think. He has fire powers now. Also, high level military skills, since that used to be his job, more or less. This way. We should be quiet, since half the people will actually be sleeping, this time of day.”

  The steps going upward were made of cement, and very solid, so they didn’t make noise going up them really. Not that Humans would be bothered by. To her it was pretty loud, but that wasn’t going to bother anyone else there, that she knew of. They had to climb all the way to the top floor though, where Willum knocked gently on the correct door.

  That had three doors opening at the same time. Lancaster looked sleepy, but took things in quickly enough.

  “Baker. Rome. Was the mission a success?”

  “It was. Perfectly so. All the cakes were really well received. We have another one. A military planning session? Clones from my world have been attacking others. We’re going to take out their base, if we can. It’s official and sanctioned I think. Willum has done the recon on it himself.” She wasn’t going to beg for help, but Brian from the camp out walked over then, as well as a very attractive man with tan skin. He was thin and moved a lot, but wasn’t anyone she knew.

  He also seemed to think that he should be included in whatever was going on.

  Brian spoke for them, however. His face was a bit tense, as he stared at her.

  “That sounds like our job then. Let me get the needed people for this. Who’s in charge of the particulars, on the other side?”

  She didn’t really know, so made something up that was probably going to be about right.

  “Tarsus, the Greater Demon
. He’s more or less their leader, as much as they have one. Reasonable for that kind of being. There are important people from a lot of the other governments as well.” She guessed. It wasn’t a thing she was certain of at all, to be honest.

  No matter what she thought about people from other worlds, the IPB was efficient, even in the face of new information. By the time they’d moved back to the box, there were two other people standing there, ready to go. One was Director Turner, the other a man in a black suit who Avery had never met before.

  They were waved to a stop, with her being ordered to go over the whole thing again. Then Willum was asked to go over the same information, adding in everything he had about the operation, the clones and the location in question. It didn't take long, really.

  Finally, Turner took a deep breath and waved at the red glowing hut.

  “Let’s go and see about this, then? We need to go in as advisors at first. We can always add more help later, if it’s needed. Brian, stand by to take us out of there, if things get hairy. We need to be careful from the sound of it, so we don’t spook the natives.”

  That was the truth, Avery knew. To that end she took them all through the front of the house, making a bend in space there for the transport. They still had people coming out to look at them arrive, since it was clear that all of the Greater Demons and line walkers could feel them getting there. Brian, who was the first one to arrive, held up a hand in greeting.

  “Demon Zack? I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “Brian!” The Greater Demon walked over and gave the man a hug. It had a lot of back pounding to it, but when they broke off he spoke to the others, seeming very certain of things. “These are people from Brian’s world. The IPB… They have powers, as well as military combat experience that might be useful in this. The Dragon Queen enlisted their help as advisors. Come in, I think this is enough to start with?”

  The meeting that followed was mainly led by Will, Zack and Lancaster, for some reason. Willum made sense, having committed the base layout to memory. He’d even found maps and worked out what was needed to take the place out.

  Lancaster had ideas, but Zack did as well, so it kind of worked out well enough. The interesting thing was that no one else was putting in their two cents worth on the matter. Even though a lot of them had military experience. It was nice, in a way, since Avery would have figured on a lot of arguing going on about everything. Lancaster however, insisted that they get more information before attacking.

  “We likely have time, unless we get word of an imminent threat. Can we get satellite data on this? I take it that we’re not the side with a space program, here?”

  They weren’t, but Tarsus smiled. It was the kind of expression that promised unusual things.

  “We can arrange for that. Finias, I think you have some knowledge in that kind of thing?”

  The man who looked older, and was drinking the world, nodded.

  “Yes. The Mistress of Souls and I can handle that portion of the information collection. There is a small matter of payment?” The look was for Tarsus, who seemed to think it was a fine enough idea.

  Avery shook her head. Things would be too hard in the war to come if they had to pay every single Greater Demon for every little thing.

  “No. Not on this kind of thing. Your payment is the same one we all get. The continuation of reality. If you were working for Tarsus, then it would make sense that you’d get paid. Or any other Greater Demon. Working with me however, means that you can just look out for your own interests for once. Even if others benefit from what you’re doing. It’s a rule.” One that she just made up, and probably couldn’t explain.

  Bente clapped a few times, but giggled.

  “Very well. That’s unusual, but also makes sense. If any of us needs to do such a thing in the future, we simply have to entreat the Dragon Queen to stand for us? It can come up, from time to time.”

  There were nods from some of the others then. One of the Greater Demons, who looked like a square faced and slightly asymmetrical woman, just shrugged.

  “I can work with that. Luckily Avery is one of my very bestest friends. There has to be a way to profit from that kind of thing.”

  That meant the demon was Ann, The Rotted. Avery smiled at her and waved with her fingers a bit.

  “That will make things run more smoothly. So, how long will it take to get that data? I’ll run between worlds with people?”

  That, it seemed, would take about a week. No one seemed to find that as being too long of a time, really. They were able to break up after that, not really having a plan yet. Not to take the base over or kill everyone involved in things. That sounded really hard, right until everyone was leaving, and several people approached her.

  One of them was a very nice looking dark haired woman. One who looked like Taman Baker, only taller.

  Willum bowed to her. Then the blonde woman next to her.

  “Mistress of Souls? Technician?”

  They both bowed back to him, making direct eye contact. The dark haired one spoke, her voice mellow.

  “Messenger? So nice to meet you, finally. I was just going to ask the Dragon Queen to transport me to the IPB reality. We’re supposed to have a sleep over soon. That would be a good place to hold it, don’t you think?”

  Will smiled then, and nodded.

  “Probably, we need to clear that with Director Turner… Let me…”

  Avery didn’t know if bringing in Greater Demons was a good plan, but ten minutes later there was a visit planned for the next evening. She needed to go and get Gwen Harrison for that as well, of course. It meant that she was expected to go and find Bente, Allison and Keeley the next day, so that she could take them to the right location.

  At the moment, Marcia and the others needed to be taken home, however. A thing that Brian Yi did, removing all of them at one time. Will muttered something right next to her, in Standard.

  “Show off.” He seemed impressed though, rather than jealous or like he was belittling the man for his obvious power.

  Avery smiled at it though.

  After all, it was a good thing that different kinds of people existed. The thought shocked her for a moment, but it was the simple truth. One that she actually felt, deep inside.

  They needed powerful Humans, with their cleverness and in the case of some of her new friends, their abilities that no one else had. The Greater Demons were much the same, really. The world wouldn’t work the same way without them. They weren’t tainted and unclean at all. They were essential.

  They all were. Shifters, Vampires, and even those like her. Dragons.

  It was what she was thinking as everyone else left for the night. That none of them were lesser beings. They all had a reason for existing. A place in the greater scheme of things. In the end they ended up with Will, Phillip, Eve, Edom and herself. Looking around, Willum held up a single finger.

  “Could I steal your Phillip away? We can make certain that the camp is ready for the IPB vacation. We should consider planning from my world as well, in the future. We’ll have more time there, if nothing else. We can see to getting space craft as well? The Larval had one of the old kind when they attacked Avery and myself. We can come back in a week, to get people from the base there?”

  Avery nodded, getting the time difference, at least as far as such things could be understood by her.

  “Tomorrow night. That will work. I need to…” Actually, she didn’t know at all. It probably wasn’t going to be anything all that important, really.

  Edom cleared his throat, his eyes glinting a bit. It wasn’t a happy thing at all. In fact, there was a bit of darkness behind his eyes at the moment. Pausing, the Vampire took a deep breath first, then seemed to rush slightly into what he needed to say.

  “I… believe there’s a personal matter shaping up for you, Avery? It seems that the Shifters have an agent tracking your old people. The Gray. They’re traveling here… right now. In fact, they seem to be on the edge of
the city here, not far away at all. My understanding is that the plan is for them to come and try to kill you?” On the last line, about her being killed by a bunch of Raccoon supremacists, the man actually smiled a bit and cleared his throat wryly.

  Eve actually laughed. It was dark as well. A thing that didn’t normally surface in her demeanor, day to day. There was a soft tint of red to the center of her eyes. No fangs popped down, but anyone that knew her kind had to understand that she was stopping herself from simply moving out and committing an act of violence.

  “Which is about as stupid as anything I’ve ever heard. It’s like they haven’t paid any attention at all to Avery’s story over the last few years. Ambushing her as a child, unaware of what was happening didn’t work for them, so now they think that just rushing you is going to do anything other than have them dying? If you want I can go and take them all out for you? Fuck… We can send in the trainees and these idiots would still lose. Really, anyone in this room could do it and not even take damage from it.”

  Avery flagged a little, then shook her head. The situation, at least for a long time, hadn’t been about The Gray as a threat to her personally. From the first day she’d turned, becoming one of the unclean to their messed up way of thinking, she’d been too much for them.

  The issue was, and had been, all about her not wanting to harm the people that had raised her. They weren’t perfect. In a lot of ways, they were dark and twisted… They’d still been all that she’d known for a long time. Their ways had been hers. Worse… Each of them was trapped in the same way that she and Leslie had been. Killing them, or at least the men, might end their tribe and give the women and small children some chance of forming a better life for themselves.