Dragon Queen (Avery Rome Book 3) Read online

  “Good thinking, Rome. Let me put a call in to the armory and have something run over. It will take a few minutes?”

  “That’s fine. Thank you for being so helpful.”

  She actually meant it, but everyone else acted like she was being funny. That wasn’t her intent, but she smiled anyway, since the people around her didn’t seem to think she meant it to be mean or upsetting, either.

  Then they waited. It was a bit awkward, at first, until Lydia started chatting. That was friendly seeming, really. Enough that Avery felt more at ease with them all.

  Her voice was very nice. Smooth and controlled on a level that probably meant she was different from others as far as that went. She had claimed that, so it could well be true.

  “I’ve never gotten to go to another world. What’s it like?” That was addressed to Dumas, who child or not, comported himself very well. As if he’d had lessons in such things.

  “Different than it is here… We use far more magic. Less machinery, though we do have some. Austra… You call that place Australia here? They use devices like you do. Computers? So do the Moon and Mars cities and stations. We speak Standard at home, so that’s different too. Really, as far as the people go, while there are some differences, they don’t seem that large. Some people are good and kind, others are less so.”

  Avery had found that to be the case almost everywhere she’d ever gone in life, so simply smiled again and nodded. As she did that a tall man, with blond hair and a firm build, wearing a tan uniform like the others, jogged into the room. Holding two nineteen-eleven nine millimeters. They were in holsters, but the design was very familiar to her. Her guess would be that they held standard nine bullet magazines, but that could be off, since she wasn’t at home at the moment. The size looked right for that.

  The man looked at Director Turner first, then at Lydia. His face as a bit skeptical seeming, and he waited.

  Turner waved at the secretary.

  “Lydia is going to Thomson’s world as his security detail. Line walker Rome suggested she be armed. There was a last minute substitution of who was supposed to come and get him. It seems safe enough, but it isn’t a horrible idea.” She sounded nearly bored with the idea, but made significant eye contact with the man who had come. From his shirt, it seemed his name was Lancaster.

  “Right. I can show you how to use these?”

  Turner snorted very softly, the sound making a wave of blue appear in the room to Avery.

  “Right, Thomson and Lydia will need that, I think. We can’t take long however, since Rome has a time schedule. From the sound of it she’s needed for her people’s Presidential election?” That got the woman to stare at her again, then smile. “Which probably means she doesn’t dress up like this all the time. That really is a nice dress.”

  As the weapons were passed over, first to Lydia and then Dumas, Avery nodded.

  “I just attend a Human high school most of the time. We’re on the first day summer break, but the clothing for that is very different. When I was at battle camp our uniforms tended to be more like what you have on?”

  The woman tilted her head then.

  “That sounds military. Do all the kids go to things like that there?”

  Avery shifted a bit, then looked at the woman directly and shook her head. It was an effort to collect data, and not just a normal question. That was painfully clear in the flavor of her words.

  “Not really. My people… They’re a Shifter supremacist cult, um, kind of like Amish Gypsies that change shape, if that makes sense? Originally. They hold that being a Death Serpent is a great evil, so when I turned, they tried to kill me. I was supposed to be a Raccoon. In the fight, six of them died. After that I was sent off to military training for three years, since there just wasn’t anyone else who wanted me. The Shifter Nation isn’t big, so we make money by being mercenaries. The Humans outnumber us about, oh, I think it’s three thousand to one or so? We’re out now. A known thing. That’s kind of new, so I’m the first one of us to go to a regular school.” She felt kind of stupid, going over her whole life like that, but went on anyway. It was the military uniforms. The woman had hinted that she needed to report and was clearly in charge, so it felt natural to do that kind of thing. “Um, I was taken in by two Vampires. Edom Freeman, the Ambassador at Westfield and Eve Benson, the Vampire and line walker…”

  She was about to blush, when the tall man looked up from where he was explaining how to point and fire the weapons. It was good information, though he was focusing too much on shooting for center mass. Then, without a lot of practice, these two probably wouldn’t do even that very well. Not in a fight to the death.

  He nodded, however.

  “Eve Benson. I’ve heard the name. She’s the Ambassador to Will Baker’s world, isn’t she?”

  That wasn’t addressed to Avery, but rather to Dumas.

  “Yes, Operative Lancaster. I haven’t met her personally, myself. We should, I think? My work here, as liaison means that I should reach out to people like that. Lydia’s position as well. How we should set that up, I do not know. It can be difficult to track and follow comings and goings between worlds. The times don’t always flow smoothly or evenly, though they feel similar when you are in them.”

  Avery had no clue as to that. Time didn’t really feel like anything to her.

  “I could come and get you two and take you to her, sometime? Or bring her to you. That… I don’t really have a sense of time. I mean at all. I have to measure and count, using a watch. Otherwise I just kind of live. She could come on her own, too, but that might…” She looked down at the floor then. “I’m a little shy at times. She isn’t. That’s hard to remember. I can ask though?”

  Lancaster looked amused at her discomfort, but didn’t comment on it directly.

  “That sounds good. We should set something up here as well. Lydia is in charge of that kind of thing, I think?” He glanced at Turner, who went slightly still and nodded.

  “That’s right. If we’re getting dignitaries in we should set some things up with some political types. Senator Roberts at the very least. Maybe see if the new President wants in on that kind of action? Probably not personally. We need to hold him back, in case we get any world leaders coming in. You understand.”

  It was clear that the lady was teasing a bit, instead of being serious. The thing was, that really did make sense. Eve was an important person, and very nice, but not the kind who would care in particular about meeting a President or ruler in particular.

  The tall blond man went back to work, and then, after a few minutes of basic explanation double checked that both of the others had the weapons belts on correctly. It looked very funny over the seamless velvet looking clothing that Dumas had on, and totally correct on Lydia’s right hip. The man patted both and made sure it was perfect, before standing back.

  “So, what kind of threat situation are you going into?”

  No one spoke for a moment, so Avery did, getting his basic idea. He wanted them to come up with a plan.

  “We’re traveling node to node. Do we have a booth on the other end or an open situation, Thomson?”

  The boy didn’t hesitate at the funny words, even if he was working in a second language. His accent wasn’t very thick at all, but he’d spoken of using Standard at home. He wouldn’t have called it that if it were simply English with a different name.

  “We can come in to a hut on the other side. We need to move to the Thomson residence, in County Thomson, but we have one of those very close. My brother is in charge of allocations for that kind of thing, which worked out very well for my family. Those are basically very powerful shields. There should be no danger on the other side. I… I don’t think that these weapons will go through a space worthy shield, though. I don’t have anything that I can lend to Lydia that would. There really shouldn’t be any threat there however. It’s my home…”

  Avery nodded at that.

  “We can move from there. I’ll take Lyd
ia through first, then Dumas. We can all stand inside the booth until we move out. Then I’ll lead, going out. That way these two will be at my back if I’ve betrayed them. Though… They’ll need to aim for the head, in that case. If I get shot, I’ll just change. Probably into my second form, but that’s twelve feet tall and armored. It takes me a few minutes still though. I can do it faster, but not while unconscious, so hitting me in the back of the head, then running would be the best bet. Please avoid doing that, however. I don’t want to ruin my dress.” The shoes either. Even if it sounded silly to say.

  No one insisted that Lydia get more backup, or that an older person go in her place. In fact, Lancaster just smiled at Avery then.

  “Got that you two? Go in behind her, and if the situation isn’t what it seems, aim for her head, first thing. Stay ready for that kind of thing Lydia. Her telling you that isn’t wrong, but could mean that she has a way to beat it ready to go. How long will you be gone?”

  Dumas answered that one.

  “We have a lot more time on my world’s side of things. Nearly, or slightly over, eight to one. It will probably take an hour, so call it ten minutes here?” He looked around, but Turner nodded.

  Then she moved in and gave the boy a hug. It wasn’t tight or anything, being more like what you might use with a regular friend. Lydia got one as well. Avery didn’t, but there was a pat on her arm.

  “Be safe. If you have any trouble, come right back here. All of you. If you get a chance, stop in here before going home, Rome? We can set up a schedule for some of those meetings.”

  “Yes, ma’am. We should be underway now, unless you have further orders?”

  “Go. See you all soon.”

  They went. Lydia looking a bit strange as they walked, though Dumas seemed content enough. As they rounded the corner, then opened the red booth, the girl spoke.

  “This seems a bit much, doesn’t it? Weapons and all that…”

  Avery smiled and shook her head.

  “Not really. You’re the only guard for a very important person. Having a plan and a way of enforcing it just makes sense. Here, let me…” She moved fast, getting the data of where to go from Dumas, then taking Lydia by the arm and transporting her first. With the booth door open. They were actually standing inside the node point, so, other than moving her gently to the side, they didn’t have to walk through it to travel. That felt strange, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

  When both of the others were in place, Dumas opened the door, which led to a street. That was strange looking, being made of cobbled stone which was flat but slightly shining on the top. Almost glittering. No one waited to attack them however. Dumas put a small hand on her back and leaned past her. Peeking carefully, but actually making sure of their situation. It was exactly correct.

  “It looks clear. We need to go around to the right. The gate is over the small bridge. We have a moat…”

  That was just the honest truth. The place, when she swung around to look at it, was a stone castle. One that had several towers, a twenty-foot-high stone wall of cut stone and, as promised, a fairy tale waterway around it all. There was a wooden bridge that ran over that, with two guards just past it, on their side of things.

  Lydia, walking in the back, made a pleased sound.

  “This is awesome. I should have brought a camera. This whole thing is great.”

  Dumas nodded, his mouth pulled up at the edges.

  “It’s a bit old fashioned, but I like it. We should go in and at least introduce you to the butler. I’m not certain who else will be here at the moment. I was gone for half a day, which means four or so have passed here. A lot can happen in that kind of time.”

  He spoke to the guards, who managed to look at them and seem relaxed, even if they looked strange to them. It was hard to work out what they were saying, but she could kind of get the basic idea. Dumas told them that they were from a different world, like Ambassador Sin. Except that the one in red was from yet another world, all together.

  That seemed enough to get them inside.

  They weren’t met at the door, since the boy lived there and didn’t knock. Then they were led over to a room that held three people. It was to the right, but the stone inside caused the deep sounds of their heartbeats and movement to flow, giving her a blue overlay map of everything around them for a good way.

  At the mouth of the room, which had rich hangings on the wall, and an interior space of at least twenty feet by twenty feet, they stopped in the door. The words from within were all in English. When they were noticed, one of the people, a blonde woman who was thin, pale and about an inch taller than Avery’s five-five jumped up and moved at them. Fast. Much more so than a Human being should have managed.

  “Lydia? Is something wrong?”

  The girl giggled a bit then shook her head.

  “Not really. It seems like Human Troy got into a fight, so they had to send in Avery here to get Dumas back in time. Or a little late, as it turns out. We didn’t know the new person though, so I was sent to make sure he got back all right.”

  The other people stood as well. One of them was familiar, being Countess Thomson. She looked like Rutha Samson, except that she actually smiled at people and seemed to be a kind soul. Unlike the wife of the Shifter President. It was a cruel thought to hold in regards to an Elder, so Avery let it go, moving a step closer to the woman. Behind her was a giant of a man.

  He was familiar as well, being an eight-foot-tall, slightly big eared, version of Troy Lopez. That or Tobin Peterson. The man smiled at them though, and seemed friendly.

  “Well met!”

  Dumas got a hug, from his mother, who turned and touched Avery on the arm gently.

  “Avery? We met, I think?”

  She nodded.

  “At the Yoghurt World on Mars? I recall that. It was the first time I’d ever gone to another planet like that. It’s very nice to see you again.”

  Avery jerked upward, looking away in the distance as a large pressure wave hit her. The world flashed a brilliant blue from it, as the wave resonated and echoed inside of the stone keep.

  “Um, an explosion?” She pointed in the direction that the blue wave had come at her, followed by a very soft popping sound in the distance. “Not a bomb… I don’t think. That way?”

  No one ran out of the room, but the large man, who had dark hair and blue eyes, which was different than Troy had going on, nodded.

  “Right. We should check that out. I can…” He was interrupted by a man running into the room, his face worried. Nearly panicked. He spoke rapidly, in a language that was hard to make out perfectly.

  “Mum? There’s been a bridge collapse on the other side of town. One of the constables thought to call the Count for aid, but I can’t reach him.” This wasn’t spoken in English, but the blond woman from Lydia’s planet translated for them. It happened automatically, which helped a lot.

  The Countess went wide eyed.

  “Is anyone hurt? We should go and give what aid we can.”

  Avery winced, but didn’t say anything. Calley would understand her staying to help people in need, after all.

  “I need to change clothing. Not that I have anything with me. Well, no help for it. We need to go.”

  Everyone in the room just nodded, and Dumas reached inside his shirt, and then passed a small token on a string over to her.

  “Clothing amulet. I have a Tam-Car, we can use that, if you don’t mind riding in the back, Prince Gerent?” The boy didn’t do anything for a moment, until the man just nodded and moved toward the door.

  “That sounds good. I have a jump ship as well, if that would serve? Also, a Tim craft. I left my jump ship at the main port at the capital here.”

  The Countess took over then, as everyone started to change clothing. Just shifting into plain brown outfits. Sin, the Ambassador, moved into a tan IPB uniform, much like what Lydia had going on. The color was a little off, but it was close enough no one else would notice.

  T
he woman, who wasn’t that old, being in her mid-twenties at a guess, waved at her.

  “Just strip and put that on. We don’t have time to find a dressing room.”

  That nearly made her freeze, until Tarsus, the one inside of the demon library in her head, suggested she actually do it. It was embarrassing, but she shimmied out of the dress, moving quickly. She had very small, lacy underwear on, though they weren’t truly sexy or anything. No bra though, since she didn’t need one really. No one actually stared at her though, the Ambassador just helping her get the amulet on. Then she tapped it deftly for her.

  That was useful, since Avery would have probably had to tuck it into her mouth to do the same thing. That, or kiss the stone, making contact with her tongue. Magic didn’t work on her, but it did inside of her. Apparently, it could cover her on the outside as well, which was interesting to learn. The fabric moved away from her, a lot like cloth would. So, she didn’t just poke through it or anything, like she had the hut.

  That simple tap made a brown outfit show up, much like what the Countess, Dumas and Prince Gerent were in now. There were boots as well, so she didn’t have to go barefoot.

  Then they jogged. Carefully and with decorum.

  The Prince was a giant, but also seemed powerful in the magics of that place. At least he pulled a single amulet from around his neck as soon as they were in a clear area outside. Then he made a strange craft appear.

  “Get in! We must make good speed!”

  Chapter four

  The flight was silent, except for some speaking and pointing. The craft made no noise at all. Not even a rush of air around them. It floated, with only the slightest sense of movement, but before Avery realized they were underway, the thing was stopping to settle over the scene of what had happened.

  On the road was a man in a bright blue and white uniform, who held what seemed to be a cell phone in his hand. It wasn’t held up to his head however, just in his palm. He looked down into the mess that had been made. There was a river, and the remains of a bridge going across it. Down in the water was what seemed to be a brightly colored car, as well as a man who was in the driver’s position. Behind the whole thing were logs. Lots of large, brown, freshly cut and trimmed trees. That and a man trapped under them. Beneath the water.