The Awakening (35 page)

“Ah, my dear Raejaax! What brings you calling at such an early hour?”

Jaax grinned, that characteristic grin of his that would make Jahrra turn and run for the hills if it were directed at her. But it wasn’t Jahrra who’d tested him this time, it was Shiroxx and she had no idea what his gesture might entail.

Jaax didn’t answer. Instead, he opted for letting the silence linger a moment more and mingle with the smoky incense. Shiroxx merely smiled, her pale brown eyes glittering but after a while even she grew restless. She released a melodic laugh before speaking again.

“Come now, Jaax! Do tell me what this is all about. Might I flatter myself and consider this a personal visit? No matters of the state of Ethoes or politics to be expected?”

Shiroxx moved then, sauntering over to the small corner of the room where Jaax had managed to find the least amount of garishness. She came almost right up to him but he did not move or flinch. His malicious grin, however, was gone.

“Why else, then,” Shiroxx nearly whispered, “would you sneak through the city before sunrise to waken me? What so presses your mind that you would speak with me under the cover of early darkness?”

Jaax gave her his full gaze then and she actually stepped back in slight shock.

“My, that look could scorch a forest without you even summoning your fire to thought.” The female dragon gave a dry laugh, but it was a weak effort.

Jaax watched her back away, making herself comfortable upon several cushions in the opposite corner, far away from where he sat he noted with some satisfaction. Shiroxx may have charmed her way through life but she would have to try much harder if she were to succeed with him. Jaax wasn’t so easily fooled, or seduced.

“Why else, you ask,” he finally spoke, his voice sounding rusty, even to him. “I am not here for the reasons you so narcissistically suggest but for a visit and a conversation that happened a week ago.”

Shiroxx, who had been gazing at him through half-lidded eyes, a serene smile plastered on her face, suddenly became frozen. Jaax was sure she would have turned white if her scales would allow it.

“Visit? Conversation? Jaax, I make many visits and have many conversations on a daily basis, you know this. Am I to recall a single one and this one being as old as a week? And when most of these callings consist of frivolous talk and inconsequential gossip? Am I to believe you, of all dragons in Ethoes, consider one of my social callings to be important enough to drag yourself, and myself I might add, from our much needed sleep?”

“The visit and conversation of which I speak is neither frivolous nor inconsequential,” Jaax snapped, baring his teeth in a half-snarl.

Shiroxx curled her own lip in defense. “Oh, pray, do tell me what some sniveling little whelp of a noble lord’s making came whining to you about. If one cannot handle the pressures of court and politics one should stay at home, locked away in their manor house where no one has to suffer their intolerable presence.”

Shiroxx had apparently dropped her act of the innocent damsel and was returning to her normal self.
Good
, Jaax thought,
let her dig herself deeper.

“I am not speaking of some rude passing comment you made at a social dinner or luncheon, I am here because of something far worse.”

Shiroxx arched a brow and glared at him, demanding with a look and her body language that he get on with it and tell her why he had dragged her away from sleep so early.

“Last week, while I was away on business, you paid a visit to my ward.”

Jaax thought it best to refer to Jahrra as such.
Keep this a business matter. Don’t make it personal, that is what Shiroxx wants
, he reminded himself, hoping he could stick to that advice.

Jaax saw the fire in Shiroxx’s eyes flare for a moment, but she quickly composed herself.

“And is it a crime then, to call on the chosen child of Ethoes and see how she fares without her doting guardian at her beck and call?”

Jaax ignored the insult and pressed on, “It is a crime when the one visiting is there to pry into matters that are not her affair and to stir trouble where it is not needed.”

Shiroxx was silent for a moment and for once Jaax was unable to discern what she was thinking.

“And what is it that you think I said or did to her?” The female dragon’s voice was soft, almost alarmingly so.

“That you inquired after my whereabouts in a conniving way,” Jaax said simply.

Shiroxx laughed, an almost genuine one this time. “Oh, is that all? I simply inquired as to where you might be! I came calling to visit with both of you and asked only to discern whether or not I should come back some other time.”

“And yet you decided to stay, despite my absence.”

Shiroxx snorted and rolled her eyes. “And your point being? I had a visit with the girl without you hovering for once. Is that so bad?”

Jaax glared at her. He was tired of her excuses. “It
is
when you question her loyalty to me and give her false ideas about my loyalty to her.”

Jaax was practically growling. He was standing now and had moved across the cushion-strewn floor, forcing Shiroxx to rise as well and take a defensive position. If he had been a cat, his hackles would have been raised and his tail a bottlebrush. Instead, an aggressive growl escaped his throat and his reptilian tail twitched in irritation.

“We have worked very hard to come to an understanding and respect between us, Jahrra and I, and I will not sit back and allow you to pull that apart, thread by thread, with your selfish, self-indulgent trickery.”

Shiroxx, seemingly fresh out of denial and excuses, shot back, “The little chit has not a care for what you do or where you are, no matter how much you’ve deluded yourself to think so! You should have heard her. Her lame excuse for not knowing your whereabouts was that you give information only when it needs to be given. She could care less! What sort of trust and respect is that? How can you defend someone without even the slightest inkling of loyalty?”

“Then she knows me far better than you do,” he hissed in return, “and that, my dear dragoness, is the purest example of loyalty.”

Shiroxx was speechless and not because she chose to be, but because Jaax had driven her to it. That fact gave him great satisfaction.

Before she could revive herself from that blow, he drew breath and continued on, driving the nail farther in, “I have also received word from several of my associates that you have enlisted a spy to help you with your
hunger
for information.”

Shiroxx blanched, then hissed, “Who accuses me!”

Jaax smirked, but it held no humor. “And you wish me to tell you names so that you can go and teach them a lesson? I think not. You are far out of line Shiroxx and your behavior will no longer be tolerated.”

Shiroxx opened her mouth to argue, but Jaax beat her to it, “In light of recent events that were fully and purposefully under your own control and execution, I, Raejaaxorix, Head of the Coalition for Ethoes, hereby discharge you and excuse you from all duties pertaining to the cause we so seek to bring about. Your services are no longer needed nor desired.”

The words had been memorized long ago to be used in just this kind of situation and despite their overindulgent nature, it was necessary for him to use them today. He, nor any other member of the Coalition, could continue to accept Shiroxx’s erratic behavior. She acted purely on emotion and although one’s feelings were intrinsic to their group’s purpose in this world, it was extremely dangerous to operate on emotions alone. Besides, she posed a danger to Jahrra and Jaax would not allow that. Her actions before had been questionable but this time Shiroxx had clearly crossed a line.

The red dragon stood in her ornate sitting room, a mix of emotions playing over her face: shock, irritation, longing and most significantly, anger. There may have been some regret and sorrow lingering beneath the surface but Jaax knew it would only be for selfish purposes. Shiroxx rarely felt guilt or empathy towards others.

Finally, she found her voice.

“How dare you! You cannot cast me aside like some used up resource, after all I’ve done for–”

Jaax’s sneer was apparent in his voice as he cut her off, “You have done
nothing
for the Coalition worth noting. Don’t presume to tell me I am being unfair.”

Shiroxx bristled but quickly regained her composure. She softened her stance and took on the air she often wore when about to apply some sweetly delivered insult. Jaax blew a snort of smoky air through his nostrils and turned to leave. Shiroxx’s servants, nervous from the tense atmosphere their master and Jaax had stirred, pulled on the large sliding door to let the other dragon out.

As Jaax stepped out into the cool winter air, wishing to put as much space between himself and Shiroxx, the female dragon purred after him, “I hope this little misunderstanding hasn’t damaged our friendship, dearest Raejaax.”

Without turning around, Jaax shot over his shoulder, “Oh no, Shiroxx, our
acquaintanceship
is over. Friendship requires trust and sacrifice, two things you are incapable of giving freely.”

Jaax didn’t wait for a reply, he simply faced the street and pressed on, hoping with a cold dread in his stomach that Shiroxx would not somehow take her revenge out on Jahrra.

His ward was gone when he returned so he went directly to his study, informing Neira that he expected another Tanaan dragon in an hour or so.

“Not Shiroxx,” he said when he saw the look on her face.

The maid released a sigh and said, “Thank goodness.”

For a long time, Jaax simply sat at his desk and let his mind run free. Shiroxx would not accept her ejection from the Coalition so easily; she would find a way to fight. In order to ensure she remained out of the way, he would have to promote someone to her position. It wasn’t the grandest of positions but it required a lot of travel and fierce loyalty to the Coalition; it demanded that the holder of such status become a spy. Jaax grinned despite all the troubles that had weighed down his heart of late. He thought he knew of just the dragon for the job.

***

Neira showed Kehllor to Jaax’s study the moment he arrived. Jahrra was still absent, for it was still early in the day and she would probably go to practice with her friends when they were done with classes. A pang of worry shot through him but he snuffed it out. She would be safe enough with Torrell, Senton and Dathian for now, but he would have to warn her of what had transpired today. He cringed. She wouldn’t like it despite its necessity.

The clearing of a throat drew his attention to the archway leading into the hall. Kehllor stood there, looking far less harried than he had that morning. Jaax had to admire the young dragon, for if nothing else he had a great deal of fortitude. It had taken great strength to come to terms with his guilt and make the right choice about it, only to pull his emotions together and present himself so professionally now. Another good reason why he was an excellent choice.

Jaax cleared his own throat. “Yes, do enter Kehllor.”

The younger dragon obeyed and settled himself into an alert sitting position.

“I visited Shiroxx this morning, as I said I would, and confronted her on her transgressions.” He gave the golden dragon a careful look, then continued, “I also informed her that my many associates in town had told me she employed a spy.”

Kehllor’s nostrils flared but Jaax hurried on, “You were not named. But I did practice my right as the leader of the Coalition and informed Shiroxx that she will no longer be recognized as a member of our organization.”

The golden Tanaan’s entire body flinched that time and his blue eyes widened but before he could say anything, Jaax continued on, “And I would like to appoint you to her old position, if you are willing.”

Now Kehllor gaped. Jaax waited for the shock wave to pass.

“I cannot,” he finally managed.

Jaax nodded.

“You can. From what I gathered from you in the past several hours, and from what I’ve noticed during our Coalition meetings, I believe you are just the dragon we are looking for.”

Jaax held up his forearm to stave Kehllor off from any more interruptions.

“And the fact that Jahrra purposely sought you out to offer her friendship only makes me believe this is the right decision. Her judgment of character is impeccable.”

Jaax gave himself an ironic smile for that statement and by the time he returned his attention to Kehllor, the younger dragon seemed to have finally found his voice.

“I would be honored, of course, but have you even consulted the rest of the Coalition? And do they even know about Shiroxx’s dismissal?”

It was Jaax’s turn to flinch.

“No, but I’m not required to. I know there will be a slight uproar, for Shiroxx has her supporters, but in the end the majority will agree with me.”

He wasn’t looking forward to informing them of his rather hasty actions but he didn’t regret them. Jaax took a deep breath and moved on to the next dilemma.

“Will you be able to return home?” he asked, ready to offer the younger dragon sanctuary.

Kehllor frowned.