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I self-edit and admit that editing isn't my greatest skill. I apologize in advance for anything I missed.
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CHAPTER 23: Compersion
Night had well and truly fallen by the time Kendra had finished listening to the story that the dragon and his wives told. She kept thinking that she'd reject it wholesale if she had an ounce of sense.
Men in dragon's bodies?
Travel to other worlds?
The amount of self-sacrifice they appeared to have engaged in?
It was all preposterous; ridiculous. It was absolutely ludicrous to believe a single word of it. She hadn't heard such far-fetched tales since living at the orphanage where they read fables. It seemed the chances of the story being true were about the same as the sun failing to rise in the morning.
And yet...
She frowned.
A significant part of her training had been in lie detection. Being able to tell the truth from lies had been important in her previous line of work, and she was better at it than most. She hadn't seen anything to indicate they were lying. Occasionally leaving things out? Yes. But given how many times she'd attacked them she didn't blame them for keeping some things back. As far as she could tell, they were all being perfectly honest and truthful about their story.
And if they were...
If they really were the people they made themselves out to be...
She frowned.
She didn't like the idea that she had been the bad guy.
If
they were telling the truth -- and that was a big "if" -- then she certainly had been.
"Kendra?"
The dragon huntress realized her attention had wandered from the threat at hand and her eyes snapped up. It was Taloni. The Fey girl had walked up to her at the ship's bow, but the rest of the Argo's crew had remained near the quarterdeck.
"I thought you'd like some food." She said, offering her a plate.
Mid-way through the story, the high elf pilot had told the burly crewman to pull the firepan up and she'd started dinner. It was just roast venison and biscuits cooked over the firepan with some mulled wine, but it smelled good to her. Much better than the steady diet of dried food she kept on her airship. Dried food kept longer, but wasn't nearly as appetizing.
"I'm fine, but thank you." She replied as her stomach growled slightly, wishing that she trusted food from the dragon's proverbial kitchen.
Taloni gave her a piercing look. "We didn't poison it."
Kendra smiled. "How'd you know I was worried about that?"
"I heard your stomach growl. The only reason I can think of that a hungry woman would turn down food was if she thought it was poisoned."
"You're very perceptive for someone so sweet."
"Thank you." She beamed. Then she grabbed the fork on the plate, took a small bite of everything, and again offered the plate.
Kendra took it, but didn't take a bite.
"I promise, it isn't poisoned." Taloni said once she'd swallowed.
The dragon huntress nodded, not adding that there were a few poisons which were deadly to humans that didn't affect the Fey at all. She took a small bite of the salt venison. It wasn't bad, and certainly better than the dried cuisine she was used to.
"Why are you all being so nice to me?" She asked after swallowing her first bite.
"I think Ethan is nice to you because you saved my life. He's really protective of his wives."
"I heard." She replied, remembering all the points in the story where his protectiveness had caused problems.
"Could someone who's that protective of his wives be all bad?"
"I once knew a crime boss who was that protective. If anyone so much as said an unkind word about his wives or kids he would..." She thought better of relaying the specific details. "Well, they were never seen again."
"Hmm." Taloni mused. "Ethan isn't like that though."
"Oh?"
The Fey nodded. "If someone insulted Alana, Beth, Rachel, or I-- "
"Wait." Kendra interrupted. "Rachel? Why Rachel? I don't remember him marrying Rachel, or even bonding to her."
"No, he hasn't." She cocked her heard to one side. "I don't know why people keep doing that; including her when they think of Ethan's wives." She shook her head. "Anyway, Ethan is protective, but he could let a comment pass. He wouldn't like it, but he's not so... so..."
"Over-protective?" Kendra offered.
"Yeah. He let me fly out to talk to you even though he was worried about my safety."
"I would never hurt you Taloni."
"I know." The Fey beamed. "I hope one day you'll feel the same about Ethan and the rest of the crew." She made a thoughtful sound then added. "Well, maybe not Raklan."
Kendra made a non-committal noise in response. A part of her wished for that too. She wanted to believe their story. She wanted to believe that she'd found a few truly good and decent people in this world. She didn't think it likely, but she wanted it to be true.
Her mind wandered back to Luminar Kossel's prediction that the dragon was her last chance to have real friends in this world. If their story was true -- and that was still a big "if" -- then she could
almost
see that, except with Ethan of course.
She shuddered.
However nice the rest of them might be, he was still a dragon. She wouldn't be friends with a dragon. Ever. Maybe his wives, maybe his crew; but not with the dragon himself.
* * *
Selene had managed to keep her mouth shut while Yvonne and Smithbond questioned Hailey. Yvonne did most of the asking, shooting pointed looks at Smithbond whenever he asked a question. He would always fall mute when she did this, seemingly cowed into silence by the purple-haired woman.
Selene knew better.
This was all a 'good cop, bad cop' act. She had considered pointing this out a few times, but didn't think doing so would help Hailey, Jason, or Melinda. The willowy woman explained all about what the Ten Kingdoms were like seemingly without reservation. She refused to even mention Ethan or anything pertaining to him, but otherwise was an open book. Hailey also seemed to gain strength from having Jason and Melinda there too. Selene guessed that the ex-slave wouldn't have been this forthcoming without her two best friends next to her.
Brilliant.
She realized this was another layer of the interrogation at work. Smithbond had maneuvered things so the interrogation took place in a location he could control, but with people that Hailey was comfortable around. Plus, it wasn't in an interrogation room at all. It was a much more relaxed, casual setting. Or at least, as relaxed and casual as it could be in a prison cell.
He was certainly brilliant at manipulation, but that was just one more reason not to trust him. He had a very 'ends justifies the means' attitude which Selene didn't share. She was willing to bend a rule occasionally for a good cause, but he had crossed several lines that she wasn't willing to cross.
Ever.
"Okay, I think that's enough for tonight." Yvonne said as Hailey paused to take a drink of water. "I don't have the authority to move you out of this room or release you, but at least I can make you more comfortable than
he
did." She shot Smithbond a look.
"Sergeant!" She barked towards the door, summoning a man in military BDUs. "Get these people a hot meal; the best you can get from the mess hall."
"Yes ma'am." He replied.
"Oh for God's sake, don't call me 'ma'am', you'll make me feel old."
"Yes sir." The sergeant corrected himself.
Yvonne opened her mouth to correct him again, but apparently thought better of it. She glared at Smithbond again before turning back to Hailey. "Look, only he can order your release, but if you'd be willing to talk more tomorrow, I think I can convince him to have you home by the end of the day."
"Really?" Hailey and Melinda said at the same time. Jason looked skeptical.
Yvonne turned to Smithbond with a glare. "Right." It wasn't a question.
He nodded mutely.
Hailey and Melinda smiled, Jason narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything.
"Okay, sergeant, get them that meal on the double." Yvonne ordered, then turned back to them. "Enjoy and sleep well."
They left without mentioning Selene or even looking at her, so she stayed where she was. Hailey and Melinda looked very relieved, but Jason didn't. He glanced at her and she guessed that he had noticed what she had. She had almost said something, but if Smithbond was telling the truth about letting the three civilians go, saying something might jeopardize that. Even if he wasn't telling the truth, then saying something could make Hailey clam up, resulting in him resorting to more violent methods to get the information out of her. Saying something didn't seem like it would end well, but keeping quiet might. Hailey and Melinda both seemed oblivious, so she decided to let it go, and apparently Jason did too.
The food arrived several minutes later, complete with flimsy plastic utensils.
Having not had a meal all day, all four prisoners tucked in with gusto and it was pretty decent food. There was a medium rare steak that was decently seasoned, mashed potatoes that she would've eaten seconds of, and some steamed veggies that all but a dedicated carnivore would appreciate. It wasn't 5-star, but it was good.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm beat." Selene said with a wink as she thought about her recently-healed injuries.
The others chuckled slightly, then most nodded.
"Yeah, been a long day." Jason agreed. "Now, there's just the matter of sleeping arrangements."
Everyone looked around at the two cots that were provided for four people. Each cot was wide enough to fit two people, but not comfortably.
"I can take the floor if I have a blanket." Jason offered.
"Absolutely not." Melinda and Hailey said together.
"You'll catch your death of cold." Melinda fussed.
"And you'll wreck your back." Hailey added.
"No one should sleep in the floor." Selene agreed.
Melinda and Jason had been sitting on the same cot most of the day, while Hailey and Selene had been sitting on the other. The couple had been sitting close together, while Selene and Hailey had maintained a respectful distance.
"Well, these arrangements seem like they're working to me." Selene had noticed some tension between Hailey and the couple and thought dodging it might help.
"Um..." Melinda glanced at Hailey, then Jason. "This particular cot is actually..." She looked at it. "Um, I think the baby might not like it so..."
Selene raised her eyebrow.
If they'd had a contest for the flimsiest excuse of all time, that might be a contender.
Apparently, Jason thought so too because He looked at Melinda with a reproving expression. "If you have something you'd like to say, then please just say it."
