Dragon Assassin by Piers Anthony & J.R. Rain

Author:Piers Anthony & J.R. Rain [Anthony, Piers & Rain, J.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-03-04T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Mephisto had a portal similar to Dubi.

“There are a few such portals in the Realm,” he explained, as he led us to a room in a turret high above. Or maybe it was a castle keep. What the hell did I know? I was just a private dick from Los Angeles.

Anyway, there was another such archway—similar to the one in Dubi’s potion room. Also in this room were paintings, and these were of Mephisto himself, many of them showing his hunting prowess. In one, he was standing over what might have been a bear, an arrow projecting from its heart region. There was also another painting of the great dragon, what Rose had described as the Dragon King. In this image, the great dragon was laying waste to a great army. Dragon King indeed.

The room also appeared to be another potion room, of sorts. Although not as profuse as Dubi’s, it was clear that Mephisto was no slouch. The man must certainly practice his share of magic, whatever that meant, since I wasn’t exactly sure how magic worked.

“Many of the castles and fortresses are built over the portals,” added Mephisto. “It makes transportation easier for royals and nobility alike, not to mention escape when and if the castle is under attack.”

With that, the once-solid wall beyond the archway dissolved into an open grass field. Beyond, I recognized what was the princess’s less foreboding castle.

Princess Rose gave her father a final, curious look. Curious, at least to me. Was that regret in her eyes? Sadness? Or a silent signal?

Either way, both nodded subtly, and together we slipped through the portal.

We might as well have walked through a normal doorway—and not a magical one. With a simple step we were through the portal and standing in the field. I turned quickly, but saw only an endless expanse of gently blowing grass...and a quickly descending dragon from above. I gasped.

It’s just me, human, thought Fiera.

Indeed, Princess Rose clapped once and rose up on her tip-toes, holding her hands out to the rapidly descending dragon. They shared a private exchange, and I was reminded again of how much my world had been changed, when I watched a woman I cared for—heck, loved—nestle with a flying serpent.

I’m not in Kansas anymore, I thought. Or Los Angeles.

Once girl and dragon had been re-united, and greetings warmly expressed, I asked Fiera if we could ask her a few questions. The dragon looked at me sharply, snapping its triangular head up from where it had been nuzzling the princess, reminding me very much of a horse and her girl.

The dragon paused and I knew it was scanning my thoughts rapidly. I kept them open for now.

Its great head seemed to nod once. I guess the cat is out of the bag, she said, and I nearly smiled at the use of the popular American idiom, recognizing that it was Dubi’s translation magic at work.

You were once human, I said.

It nodded again, a very human gesture, then lowered its long neck.

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