Chapter 14: The Matriarch

  Catherine watched the valet take Victoria’s old sedan to the parking garage below the tall building. She did not want to contact me, because that would mean she fucked up. If Catherine fucked up then that meant something had seriously gone wrong, but that was not always the case. However, Catherine was Catherine and I knew that she could generally handle things on her own.

  Except this time.

  She turned toward the steel and glass building stretching toward the heavens. A massive dragon motif hung over the entrance and stared menacingly over all who dared enter. It was, of course, designed to feel like that. Even designed with doors that could easily swallow a semi-truck twice over. All of it was made to look fit for the dragon who lived there.

  In a land where elves and dragons coexist with humans, some compromises must be had. Such as dragon lairs being relegated to whatever property they could clamor for. Chessa's lair was her house and property around it. Guns and clothes were her hoard. Another dragon may have furniture as theirs, and some may have flying machines of all types.

  It was cars for me, but not your average sedans. The Museum of Land-Based Vehicular History contained everything from ancient wagons charred by time to modern sports cars that approached speeds some consider impossible, and even locomotives.

  My prized possession for this decade was front and center when Catherine walked through the main door; a long nose sedan with ancient styling once belonging to a singer in past times. It was polished up and silver trim gleamed every light illuminating it. Grease and old concrete permeated the air, giving the feeling of walking into a garage.

  A gift shop sat to the left of the main display through another doorway. Guarded stairs behind the car led to Catherine’s destination. She walked past the receptionist’s desk and the small line of museum visitors. The changeling did not need to check in at the front register. Hell, she could just fucking walk right by the guards without any issues and they’d simply nod.

  Even wearing cargo pants, a tank top, and a cold weather jacket, she wouldn't be stopped. The guards had their orders not to stop her as she walked past them and climbed the stairs. With each step, Catherine,’s heart pounded in her chest. I can't do this… she’ll eat me!

  Seventy years in the family was a long, long time, but she was not blood. Not even close. A random chance encounter caused Catherine to come under my gaze, but she would not trade it for anything in the world. She had a family, she had a business, she had everything she could ever want. She did not need Nael, so why was Catherine working for him when she told me that she never wanted to haul for her step-father again?

  She slid her hand along the cold metal railing and she stared at the floor and climbed the steps. There were cameras and detection spells watching her ascent to the third floor. The changeling knew exactly where they were placed, because she’s visited the place many times over the last century.

  It took her longer than she thought to reach the door she was looking for. She pushed it open as warm humid air rushed inside the stairwell and caressed her face, toying with her hair. Green grass and a forest greeted Catherine as she stepped through the door. No guards were needed when the boss could turn into a building-sized creature capable of throwing a fully loaded semi-truck like a child throwing a wooden toy.

  What should have been a simple office floor with rooms and cubicles looked more akin to ancient forests with thick tree trunks stretching toward a bright blue sky. A thick canopy shielded any artificial sun from breaking through, causing them to have to install lights in the tree trunks and break the illusion. Birds called out in the distance as Catherine slowly walked through the forest, keeping an eye on the path.

  Catherine knew that to stray from the path would mean death. To touch anything would mean death. They say the Matriarch is very protective of her domain and not gentle. Her breath was toxic. Any mortal who dared to inhale it would die the most horrible of deaths.

  For I should know, because one of my underlings just stepped inside my lair. She tried being as quiet as a snake, but changelings are known more for their grace through crowded urban cities than a tranquil forest. Meaning, the woman trampled through the brush when she meant to sneak, feet crunching leaves and twigs as any forest creatures scattered from her.

  You would think someone raised in the woods would be quieter, but no. Catherine was a blundering fool who did not notice the woman in a metallic green dress following behind her. She went around a tree to her right, followed by making another right back toward the way she had come from. It was a bit concerning, really. Catherine should know better than to blunder around blindly in my realm.

  She was not paying attention as I steadily approached her, outstretched hand reaching for the woman’s shoulder. She dipped out of the way, causing me to continue following her. It was not out of trying to be funny, but rather. I wanted her to see if she was being stalked.

  Catherine’s mind swam with concerns over what I would do to her. I knew this, because I picked up her surface thoughts as I followed her around. And she knew there were only three options to leave my lair. You don't call me and tell me we need to talk about a delivery when you have been fucking that delivery up.

  She finally turned around and beheld my beautiful gaze. Catherine’s eyes widened in surprise as she took in my metallic green dress, my very dragon-like golden eyes, and my dazzling figure I worked hard to keep. She bowed to me without saying a word.

  I waited a few seconds and allowed the moment to creep by before I motioned for her to rise. “What did you wish to speak about?” I asked. I already knew thanks to Telas and others keeping watch on her, but I wanted to hear it from her.

  “I fucked up,” Catherine replied. She gulped audibly. In her mind, she was worried I would devour her on the spot, but why? There was no call to do that. Yet. I did not need to read her expression to know the changeling was quaking in her shoes when her purple eyes could not even stay on me for more than a second.

  “Do explain. I would like to hear it from your lips.” I gestured for her to walk away from the egg chamber and led the woman away from certain death. If she kept walking toward my eggs, I would have given her a warning, but if she continued? I would tear her head off in an instant. It didn’t matter how many years you served me, you don’t get within sixty feet of my eggs.

  She told me how her and Areannia were assigned the load, but she tried to tell the broker no. She called the man and said, ‘Look, I can't take the second load. I can go to Portside, but I'm not allowed to go to Rocklin. We need to schedule a transfer at some point.’

  ‘I don't care,’ the man said. ‘You agreed to this run, so keep those wheels turning.’

  She did not want to accept it, but she knew she was fucked. By accepting the initial starting loads out to Bimyar and Amarillo, she would have to take the whole contract. Not just ninety percent of it. So instead of merely calling me when she was offered the loads to explain the situation, she chose to take the whole contract.

  This entire situation was her fault and she knew it. I could see the stress in her brows and the subtle twitch of her ears and fingers. The situation was a problem for me, because Catherine was a very loyal driver who had no previous fuck ups for almost a century. She met my son-in-law by pure chance, but that chance meeting was a good thing for her. We entered a mutual relationship that flourished both of our careers.

  However, she made a mistake and she knew I did not tolerate mistakes. But, as old as I am, if I punished every underling for a simple mistake then I would be surrounded by people who wanted to kill me. There were other options than devouring her or fitting her for cement shoes. Slowly, I reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling Catherine into a side hug. She tensed up for a moment before she relaxed when she realized I was not going to kill her. Yet.

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  “Catherine,” I began as I shook my head, “Catherine, this is not a good look on me. I have to call your stepfather and explain why the load needs to be transferred to one of his drivers. Do you have any idea how long we spent setting this load up?”

  She shook her head.

  “Two centuries. It took two centuries for us to get everything aligned so a driver could deliver the Stonegrinder load. Palms had to be greased, spells had to be cast, politicians bribed, elementals calmed; you can see how important this was for Ventros, yes?”

  She nodded.

  “Ventros is dying. The Plains of Eternal Flame are creeping ever westward and scorching the land. You did not realize that what you carried was vital to the survival of not just you, but the whole planet.”

  Catherine bit her lip. She truly had no idea, as was planned. If the driver knew what they carried then they might not deliver the load because it was worth a fortune. But, she should have informed us why she couldn't go into Rocklin rather than just saying ‘I am not allowed to go’. The poor girl was banished from the city by her stepfather. Going to the city was risking death already. If she opened with that then she would not have had to come to me in the first place. We are criminals, yes, but even we understand issues.

  Instead, the changeling chose to contact Naelthras while under a human disguise and say she was the driver assigned to the contract. I suppose a payout of 200,000 dollars for five loads is hard to ignore for anyone. And it was on me to realize the ruse before it went this far.

  I gently squeezed her in the hug as I shushed the woman and turned it into a regular hug. Her dam broke and the waterworks flowed as if it would sway my judgement. I was tired. Tired of this world, tired of people looking to me for help. I just wanted to go home, but my home was gone. Just as Catherine had no home.

  She returned my hug and cried into my shoulder, ruining my dress but it was just cloth. Her sobs filled my ears, reminding me of so many people who came through my lair. So many people they were just a blur of faces and problems. She was a lot like me in a way, at least how I used to be before the ‘incident’ that brought me to her world. The changeling cried until she fell asleep in my arms. The stress of so many weeks of worry and lack of sleep ripping her apart.

  She was tired just as I was tired. We are two eggs in a clutch and neither of us have a good out for our situations.

  There was still the matter of her punishment, because I cannot let it slide.

  *** ***

  Catherine awoke to find herself face to face with my gargantuan dragon form laying next to her in the grass with the artificial sun bearing down on us. One of my wings shielded her from the harsh light, as warmth radiated from my body to hers. As much as I wanted to keep my human form, my wings itched profusely. They needed to stretch, they needed to see the sun. I had to fly, but it was too early for that.

  If I, Lady Ventrosa, took flight in the daytime, people would notice. And that just won't do right now. I was supposed to be hibernating for the next six years. But we are not here to talk about my tale of how I just wanted a few decades to myself.

  We are here for Catherine. And Catherine was currently feeling her face. Her purple eyes fluttered as she pressed her fingers into her cheeks followed by running them through her dark green hair, and then touching the grass.

  “Okay, so I’m alive,” she said quietly. “But I'm inside her lair and she's…” her voice trailed off as she looked up at my glittering vibrant green scales. She smiled sheepishly. Oh fuck… I’m not leaving, am I?

  “Something on your mind?” my powerful voice echoed as I cocked my head.

  See, most mortals find a dragon's presence to be profound in some way. Either sheer terror or awe inspiring were the two general emotions. The problem with Catherine was that she was fucking a dragon who was around half my size, if not smaller. Her wife was the one to watch out for.

  Chesathas the Ancient Wyrm of Death was a formidable opponent in her prime. Capable of taking down much larger foes like me with her guile. She never fought fair either, and that is why dragons did well to avoid her gaze. Even me. But now, as she’s approaching a half century in age? She wasn't even fit to fly. I suspect she will be seeking out her homelands in the next two decades to find her final landing spot, and then Chesathas shall greet Death with open wings.

  Catherine nodded slowly. “Yeah… Can I go home?”

  “On one condition.” My head lifted up as I craned my neck to look down on the changeling near my side. “Bring me your semi,” I told her, her eyes widened once more as I continued, “park it in the workshop lot, leave your keys with the mechanic, and return to your wife. She needs you in these trying times.” Slowly, I shook my head from side to side. “I met with her the other night and it was… concerning.”

  “You want Stevie…?” Confusion laced the changeling’s face as her eyes shifted from purple to red, to pale blue, and back to purple. Her hair went from forest green to silver, to blonde, and back to dark green with the shift in her eyes. Fear swirled in her mind as she tried to comprehend my request. She thought for sure I was going to make her a nice mid-decade snack. I already had a couple of elves earlier in the week, so she only had to worry about cement shoes.

  But everyone knew that minions were to be punished when they fucked up. However, I could not punish Catherine that same way. Even though she nearly ruined a job I spent two centuries creating. Catherine was a made woman. She owed her whole business to me, she ran jobs for me, so if I punished her the same way minions get punished, what does that say about me?

  I nodded slowly. “I know how much the truck means to you, but I must simply have it for my collection. Stevie is one of the few outworlder semis in working condition. My minions tell me her frame is more rust than steel, and Fire Lung keeps the ash holding it together rather than bolts. You can see my point of view, yes?” I waved a forelimb about as I flexed my claws. “Or would you rather I find out what your shoe size is on our next ferry trip together?”

  There were other ways to make a changeling disappear, but it was about the message. If she just disappeared without a trace then no one would know why. Of course there would be rumours fueled by my minions, but no one would be able to prove it.

  “I…” Catherine’s words caught in her throat. Stevie was her everything. Even more so than the dragon she was fucking. She couldn't simply give it up, but there wasn't another option. There was nothing the changeling had that I wanted, except for her semi.

  She took a deep breath. “I… I know where the Portal is.”

  “You what?” It was my turn for my eyes to blink in confusion. She knew where the portal to the Other World was?! “Preposterous!”

  “I know where it is, because I know where it isn't. It is not on Empress Isle like everyone thinks. Part of it is in a place that is always moving with feet humming, heart beating, fire breathing. The Lonely Road calls the Mirror home.”

  “And the rest of it?”

  “Bridgeport. A cursed home.”

  I snarled at the woman. “Do you take me for a fool, Catherine? If the portal was there then they would have told me! I am Lady Ventrosa! I, Lady Ventrosa the Thunderclaw, know everything. I know what you are going to say before you do, I know what your wife is doing right now. I know what your sister and mother are doing. Do not presume to lie to me about the portal to save your semi. I do not need you alive to collect the vehicle, but you will give me the keys.”

  “You want to return to America, don't you?”

  “How do you know about that?!” I snapped, my voice echoing once more, wings flaring out as I glared at her.

  To her credit, Catherine didn't flinch even though she was scared out of her wits, her hands trembling with fear. She folded her arms across her chest to hide them and put on a brave smirk. Brave, because most any other minion would be swatted across my lair for it. Catherine was my loyal employee for seventy years. You don't just kill someone who has given you that level of service.

  Hardly any missed deliveries, barely any questions asked, but most important of all; she flies under the radar. I can trust her to discreetly deliver cargo. By extension, she gets recommended for jobs to other families, which is how we ended up in this mess. She lied. Just as she was lying about the portal. She had to be!

  Yet, as I skimmed her thoughts, I saw it; an intricate full-length mirror centered on a platform with wires running to and from it, missing a foot tall rectangle. It was indeed inside a house that lived in a destroyed city. But Catherine was sneaky with her thoughts. She didn't think about where the house was located beyond the courtyard, so it was blank, forcing me to growl at her.

  “It's all over your face, eh?” the changeling said. She stepped into the light and tossed a hand in my direction. “When I look at you, I see a dragon who longs to return to a home they lost. You don't look like you want to be here anymore.”

  My eyes narrowed as I slowly closed my hand around Catherine. She didn't resist as I picked her up as gently as I could. The changeling was right, but I was in control of my emotions. I knew what was on my face at all times. She was lying, so how did she know?!

  A heavy growl left my throat as I brought the copper skinned changeling to my eye and glared. “You’re speaking dangerous words, Catherine. Do you know that?”

  She nodded slowly. “I do. Doesn't change the truth, eh?”

  It does not. But she should not know. She could tell the others and if word got out I was not from their world, I'd be ruined. They would be looking to replace me as ruler of a country named after me.

  My growl failed at making her quake in her boots, and the threat of cement shoes was moot in light of her knowing where the portal was. I only had half of the information and not the useful half. She had the rest.

  Slowly, I set her back on the ground. “Where is the portal?”

  She threw her hands to her side. “Do I get to keep my truck?”

  I wanted her semi almost as much as I wanted to go home. To go back to an Earth that was lost to me. The ‘Other World' as it was known to the masses. A mythical place from beyond the void where the fires of destruction had not touched.

  “Take me to the portal and I will decide then.”

  She folded her arms across her chest and frowned. “I forgot where it is.”

  “How do you forget where a portal to another world is?!” I boomed, my wings spreading wide once more as my tail swished from side to side, slamming into a tree with an ear piercing crack.

  “Well,” Catherine began as she gestured in a random direction, “I woke up inside the house, so I don’t know how to get there, but I know the house when I see it.”

  “That is not at all helpful. What street is it?” I asked as I lowered my head to her level and stared into her eyes.

  “I don't fucking know!” She stepped away as she sliced her hand across the air and glared. “The place was ruins when I was there, I woke up in the house with a migraine, spent three fucking weeks in a time loop, then was blown up before I could leave. I awoke in the high elven trench where they told me I was going to live, but just barely. Do you think they have intact street signs?!”

  Another growl built up in my throat, but I suppressed it and stared at the changeling. Insufferable! Did she not have a map? Did she tell no one of what she saw?!

  I turned away from her and walked deeper into my lair. “Come!” I yelled, “We will get to the bottom of this. You may yet keep your semi.”