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Argent proved to be annoying as a passenger. So very, very annoying. And demanding.

The food wasn’t up to his standards. The bed too small. The clothing scratchy.

By the third day at sea, Griff contemplated dumping him overboard. Only the fear of what a retaliating dragon could do kept him from it.

It didn’t help the man didn’t prove forthcoming with answering their questions, keeping the replies short and unsatisfying. Like at their last dinner.

“Why do you collect gold and stuff?” Griff asked, wondering about the hoard.

“Because I like treasure.”

“But why do you like it?”

“It’s shiny.”

The reply made Griff snort. “That is the dumbest reason.”

“Why do humans collect it?” Argent countered.

“Depends on the item. Jewelry because it’s valuable and pretty. But some of the things in your hoard, the chalices and gold plates, serve an everyday purpose.”

“A dragon uses its hoard to bargain. Humans are easily bought. And you might scoff, but there is pleasure in staring at pretty things.”

“Is that why you requested a mirror for your room?”

“Is there anyone more perfect to stare at than me?”

Monty, who’d been quiet for once, snorted. “You ain’t that pretty.”

“Says the jealous boy.”

“Am not,” huffed Monty.

“It’s perfectly natural to envy me all the things you didn’t inherit. It must not be easy going through life with your little…” Argent’s gaze dropped to Monty’s lap as he smirkingly said, “mind.”

Monty turned red and took a swig from his mug.

Talking to Argent proved quite the experience as the dragon didn’t lie or hide, but at the same time kept pointing out humanity’s inferiority—according to dragons.

“I am curious, if the egg resurrected you with all your memories intact, why change your name?” Simhi asked. She often chatted with Argent, to Monty’s annoyance.

“A new life deserves a new title.”

“How did you choose it?”

“Lance did, in a sense. He said the sheen of my scales reminded him of liquid mercury. But Mercury’s been used as a name before. I do like the look of dark silver though, hence Argent.”

Griff changed tangent. “Can we talk about Zhos?”

The name brought a grimace to Argent’s lips. “Must we?”

“Yes, because while you might want to ignore it, we can’t.”

“Fine.” Argent sighed. “What do you wish to know?”

“Where did it come from?”

“A bad place not of this world. It crossed over during a rift that formed during a particularly rare celestial alignment.”

“Meaning more of its kind could come through?” Simhi queried, brow creased.

“Possible. Guess we’ll soon find out.”

“What’s that mean?” Griff asked.

“The rift opens every thousand years or so. The next one is in a few weeks.”

That dropped all their jaws.

“Should we be preparing?” Griff clenched his fists rather than throttle Argent for only just now telling them of this danger.

At the query, Argent shrugged. “For what? Keep in mind this rift has been opening and closing for thousands and thousands of years, usually without mishap. Zhos was the first being from the other world to cross through it.”

“And you didn’t kill it?” bloodthirsty Simhi asked.

“We tried. It proved impervious to flame and claw.”

“It obviously had a weakness, or it wouldn’t have been trapped,” Griff pointed out.

“It does have one: dragon blood. It paralyzes Zhos, but don’t think you can use mine again,” Argent growled.

Seeing the angry spark, Simhi steered the conversation elsewhere. “What of dragons? Are you from elsewhere as well?”

“We’ve always been here. It is humans who arrived from another place. A world that was dying and we generously took you in.”

“Hold on a second,” Monty drawled. “If it takes the blood of one of your progeny to turn you into a man, then how did the first dragon fuck a woman? I mean, you don’t have a dick or a clit when you’re a giant lizard.”

“Ah, now there’s a good mystery. It’s like that of the chicken and the egg. Which came first? That actually isn’t a memory I have.”

A cryptic reply that of course had Griff blustering, “Wait, I thought you dragons hatch over and over again. How couldn’t you know?”

“Because I didn’t create the first one.” Argent shrugged. “And the one who did never told us how they managed it, just presented the child to us when it reached the age where it was interesting.”

“That still doesn’t explain how they made the baby,” Griff huffed.

“It happened because of necessity,” Simhi replied. “Dragons might not usually be male or female, but for the purpose of procreation they can choose a sex to propagate the species. I imagine in this case, nature—and a bit of their innate magic—also allowed them to take on a more suitable shape.”

Argent laughed and clapped his hands. “Oh, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were one of the blooded. Such a clever girl.”

Simhi beamed. “Seems rather obvious. After all, the frogs on Saarpira did it. Remember, Cap? Geordie brought those two slimy fuckers from that merchant in Okkilam only to realize he’d been sold two males. When they escaped, no one thought anything of it until they multiplied.”

“I still say Gordie mistook a frog’s clit for a tiny dick,” Monty muttered.

“Frogs don’t have clitorises,” Simhi retorted.

“Did a male frog tell you that? More likely they just couldn’t find it.”

“Like most men, right Monty?” she sweetly replied.

“I know my way around a woman’s body. Any time you want a demonstration…” Monty offered with a leer.

“As if I’d want to be with a womanizer. Ha!” Simhi exclaimed.

“It’s been months since I slept with anyone. And not for lack of offers,” Monty hotly refuted.

“Whores aren’t finicky so long as you pay. Why not admit you’re just cheap?”

“Children, take your flirting out to the deck.” Griff pointed to the door.

“I am not flirting!” Simhi huffed.

“Yeah, because you don’t know how,” Monty taunted, obviously wanting to die.

Simhi jumped to her feet. “That’s it. Meet me on the deck with your weapon of choice. It is time I beat your ass.”

“I don’t need a weapon to put you over my knee and spank you.” Monty pushed back his chair noisily.

“We’ll see who gets spanked.” Simhi stalked out followed by Monty.

Griff glanced at Kreed who’d been silent the entire time. “You going to stop it?”

“Nope.” Kreed poured himself a glass of whiskey. “About time they both admitted they like each other.”

“That’s like?” Argent asked in puzzlement.

“It is for them. Drink?” Kreed refilled the dragon’s cup.

“Trying to get me drunk? You’ll need more than that puny bottle.”

“Is that a challenge?” Kreed drawled.

Griff could have warned Argent that Kreed could drink any man under the table. But then again, who knew what a drunk dragon might say?

Not much, as it turned out. Four bottles of Kreed’s special brew later and Argent lay face down on the table, snoring.

“Guess I win,” Kreed chuckled, eyeing the prone body.

Griff fingered his half-full glass, having only drunk sparingly. “Why do you think Argent really wanted to come with us?”

“’Cause he didn’t want to be alone?” Kreed said with a lilt.

Griff shook his head. “I think there’s more to it than that. From the sounds of it, I’m thinking he let Avera take those stones. Eggs. Whatever you want to call them.”

“You heard him. Dragons don’t share territory.”

“More like Verlora wasn’t big enough for two or more. You saw how one dragon decimated it. Verlora is basically a large island. Just like Daerva. The only place with any kind of room is Merisu. It’s massive. Lots of people. Lots of herds. Lots of wild places. Plenty of space for dragons to hunt.”

“You think he wanted the eggs to go there? But how could he have known they’d end up in Merisu? The little queen’s plan was to take them back to Daerva.”

“Could be Argent always knew she’d be captured.”

“You think he can tell the future?”

Griff’s brow creased. “No, because otherwise, he’d have never let himself be used to put Zhos away. You saw how peeved he is about being dormant for so long. That said, it’s possible he gets premonitions. Something like, if Avera takes the eggs, then it will turn out good.”

“You could ask him,” Kreed stated, eyeing the snoring man.

“As if he’d tell the truth.” Griff snorted.

“He seems honest. Too honest,” Kreed grumbled, most likely peeved about the fact Argent told him a man his size needed a bigger head, so he didn’t look like he lacked intelligence.

“There’s honest, and then there’s omitting details. I think Argent is holding back on us.” And Griff didn’t know how to get him to spill.

“You want me to lug him to bed?” Kreed offered as the hour got late.

“Nah. I got him. I’d hate for you to stumble and smash his head by accident. I doubt he’d be understanding.”

“Yes, sir, Cap, sir.” Kreed attempted to salute and poked himself in the eye instead. “Ouch.”

“I do believe this is the drunkest I’ve ever seen you.”

“Yeah.” Kreed grinned wide-mouthed, teeth showing, eyes sparkling.

“I thought he almost had me, but I pulled it together at the end.” And with that boast—and a belch to shake the timbers—Kreed stumbled out of Griff’s cabin and immediately hit a wall that the sailor swore moved.

Then he slammed into his cabin door that he claimed was locked—it wasn’t—and missed his bunk.

When Griff passed the cabin, with Argent slung over his shoulders, he saw his friend snoring on the floor. Simhi wasn’t there to stuff a dirty sock in his mouth. Still fighting with Monty, or off drinking and playing cards with the crew?

Griff entered Argent’s cabin, which had changed since they’d set sail.

Somehow, despite a lack of physical resources, the walls were a lighter shade of wood as if freshly sanded.

The room was warm, as if heated by a stove, and lightly scented, the aroma reminding him of a spice often used in desserts.

The upper bunk had been dismantled and placed alongside the bottom to create a larger bed.