Jaax furrowed his brow as he ambled along, most of his attention lost in thought. He would deal with this inconvenience and then move onto the next one, the matter of Cierryon’s men moving in like the coils of a snake.
The darkness of night still clung to the hidden corners of the city, but Jaax preferred it that way. As his claws scraped the smooth cobblestones below his feet, he instead thought about the information he had gleaned from Jahrra the night before. She had been reluctant to admit to what Neira had told him; that Shiroxx had shown up unannounced, trying to gather information from her.
It made Jaax grit his teeth as the fire in his chest smoldered. Why was Shiroxx so keen on knowing every single move he made? And why would she solicit Jahrra for that information? Was she trying to somehow belittle the girl in Jaax’s eyes? Somehow prove that all the slander she’d been whispering to him about his ward was true? It made his skin crawl that Shiroxx had steeped so low as to pester Jahrra, but below the irritation and disgust there glowed a spark of satisfaction. Jaax was proud of his ward for her dealing with Shiroxx: the female dragon was definitely a master of manipulation and Jahrra had handled her quite well.
Blinking up at the bare trees now flanking the main road through Lidien, Jaax realized his destination was near. He released a great puff of air and narrowed his eyes. He could feel the fire brewing even hotter in his chest and he had to force himself to calm down. It wouldn’t do any good approaching Shiroxx in such raw anger. He knew it would probably end that way but it was best to begin with a calm demeanor.
The side street leading up to the large cottages in Shiroxx’s small neighborhood appeared before him and Jaax turned left, the twitter of the morning birds accompanying him. The climb was short, for this hill wasn’t as steep or large as the one his own house sat upon. The torches in front of Shiroxx’s pale pink dwelling were black and unlit but the sun was only moments from cresting the eastern horizon. Jaax stepped up to the front door, a great carved oak construction similar to his own, and pulled the rope attached to a large bell hanging outside, ringing it once.
A few moments passed then Jaax heard movement inside. A servant finally slid the great door open. Jaax eyed him curiously as he beckoned him inside.
“I need to speak with the mistress of the house, the dragoness Shiroxx.”
A handful of housemaids peeked around the corner, then bowed and walked briskly away. The Resai man who’d opened the door gestured for Jaax to follow him and was led into a large sitting room to wait.
Having nothing else to do until Shiroxx arrived, Jaax glanced around the room with curiosity. It was much more ornately decorated than his own great room and the overabundance of rich fabrics, detailed tapestries and vibrant rugs made his headache worse. There were several floral patterns of which none matched and many pieces of gilded, overstuffed furniture that would never be suitable for a dragon. Portraits of epic proportions covered any bit of wall that wasn’t draped with a tapestry and the edges of the great windows were composed of stained glass.
The sickly sweet scent of perfume and incense stirred in the air and Jaax had to resort to breathing through his teeth or else be sick. He eyed the fireplace in a bored fashion and noticed that several logs were perched there, waiting to be lit. Jaax would have done the honors himself but he feared the combination of added heat and the overpowering scents wafting through the sitting room would just be too much for his senses.
Sighing, he found a comfortable patch of floral carpet and sat upon the floor. He curled his tail around his feet and kept his senses alert, facing the great door that led farther into the house. Jaax eyed the tall clock in the corner of the room, a device owned only by the most affluent, and grew more and more irritated as the minutes ticked by.
He waited nearly an hour, keeping a tight rein on his anger the entire time. He needed to be calm and collected when Shiroxx appeared. He had an inkling that she might suspect why he was here at such an early hour, and her delay had nothing to do with her servants getting her to rise from her sleep; it had everything to do with her desire to arm herself against an impending attack. Jaax considered all this as he waited; preparing himself for how the other Tanaan dragon would react to what he had to say.
The muffled sound of commotion shortly followed by a brisk opening of the smaller side door jerked the Tanaan dragon from his contemplation. He lifted his head and eyed the Resai man from earlier with scrutiny.
He held his head high but offered Jaax a customary bow. “Her ladyship will be with you shortly.”
Jaax merely nodded, a sharp jerk of his head. Not that the butler would care; he hadn’t even lifted his eyes to acknowledge his lady dragon’s guest from the time he entered the room until he left it.
A few moments later the larger doors swung open, once again by the efforts of many attendants, and Shiroxx stepped through, looking like a relaxed queen come to deal with a pleading peasant. Jaax wrinkled his nose in absurd interest. He knew their kind descended from humans but it was a bit ridiculous to try and dress as them. What Shiroxx wore could only best be described as some sort of robe, despite the light, sheer weave of the fabric. The strange gown trailed easily behind her and shimmered like gold, the same gold that decorated her head in a twisted circlet. Like all dragons, the Tanaan also possessed that obsession that their reptilian brethren were famous for: treasure-hording. However, most dragons hid their treasure away as opposed to airing it out in the open for all the world to see as Shiroxx did.
“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.”