No fair!” Knox exclaimed. “Kendra gets her own pool?”
Kendra looked up from her chocolate croissant to the doorway where Knox stood. Vanessa, Warren, Knox, Tess, and the satyrs had gathered to her room for breakfast. According to Warren, Tanu was exploring the fortress.
“Kendra is a former dragon sanctuary caretaker,” Newel said.
“Rank has its privileges,” Doren added.
“I wish I could be in charge of a dragon sanctuary,” Knox said.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Warren said. “It gets complicated when people you love start dying.”
“Or losing their memories,” Kendra said.
“I’m sure it’s hard, but that pool looks like it belongs to a sheik!” Knox exclaimed.
“You’re welcome to use it,” Kendra said.
“How cool to be you,” Knox said. “Stumble out of bed and plop into your pool while your servant makes breakfast.”
“You can stumble out of bed, walk down the hall to my suite, and do the same thing,” Kendra said. “I haven’t tried the pool yet.”
Knox smacked his hand to his forehead. “What good are luxuries you never use? That pool is wasted on you.”
“I never asked for it,” Kendra said.
“What is the pool policy for goatmen?” Newel asked.
“We shed much less than strangers assume,” Doren said.
“So little that shedding is hardly worth mentioning,” Newel said, jabbing the other satyr with his elbow.
“I don’t shy away from the hard topics,” Doren said. “We’re hairy guys, it’s no secret.”
“Anyone can use the pool,” Kendra said. “The servants clean it.”
“Dragons clean your pool?” Tess asked in wonder.
“I guess,” Kendra said. “Unless some of the servants aren’t dragons.”
“I still can’t believe how dragons are treated here,” Vanessa said. “The Giant Queen is more a prison warden than a caretaker.”
“It’s pretty extreme,” Kendra agreed.
“Whatever,” Knox said, coming over to the table and spooning scrambled eggs onto his plate. “We’re at war. Be glad the local dragons are on a short leash.”
“It works as long as the leash holds,” Warren muttered.
“We have to make sure the leash holds,” Knox said. “Too many sanctuaries are falling. Someplace has to survive.”
Kendra had instructed Giselle not to spy on their breakfast. Still, she looked around, hoping her servant could not hear Knox’s insensitive comments. “I don’t think the Giant Queen is open to much help from us,” she said.
“She may not need it,” Vanessa said. “A prison is probably more secure than a sanctuary.”
“The Giant Queen doesn’t understand how bad this war could get,” Kendra said. “But I’m not here just to keep this sanctuary safe. I’m here to find Seth.”
“I second the motion,” Newel said.
“Thirded,” Doren chimed in. “Everything is better with Seth around.”
“We all want that,” Warren said. “We’ll stay on high alert for Seth no matter what else we do. It will help to learn how things work here. Then we can start to organize our search.”
“I have a chance to get some useful information,” Kendra said.
“How?” Vanessa asked.
“Giselle delivered a message to me this morning from a sky giant named Dectus,” Kendra said. “According to her, he is one of the wisest and most reasonable of the Giant Queen’s councilors.”
“That sounds promising,” Warren said. “When can you meet?”
“Open invitation,” Kendra said. “As soon as I want. I thought I might go after breakfast.”
“Do you mind if I join you?” Vanessa asked.
“He wants me to come alone,” Kendra said. “Giselle encouraged me to go.”
“She’s a dragon,” Vanessa said. “Is her approval good or bad?”
“You should meet with him,” Warren said. “The sky giants have always honored their allegiance to Dragonwatch. From what I can tell so far, I think we’re in more danger of being ignored than betrayed.”
“I get the same feeling,” Kendra said, wiping her lips with a napkin.
“Have you heard about the giant killer?” Newel asked. “Doren and I keep overhearing giants and servants talking about him.”
“Not that we have been skulking about the kitchens looking for extra food and listening to the gossip,” Doren said. “He keeps visiting the Giant Queen.”
“I’ve heard mention of him,” Warren said. “I don’t know much.”
“Why would giants want visits from a killer?” Tess asked.
“Who knows?” Kendra said. “We need better information.” She went to her bedroom and opened the door. “You can join us now,” she called.
“I stayed out of earshot, as requested,” Giselle said.
“I’m ready to see Dectus,” Kendra said.
“Excellent choice,” Giselle said. “Learn all you can.”
Raza came to escort Kendra to the meeting with Dectus. She walked beside him in silence until he spoke.
“I trust Giselle is attending to your needs?” he asked.
“Giselle is wonderful,” Kendra said. “I was surprised to learn you are dragons.”
Raza rubbed the silver collar around his neck. “No great shock once you get to know Titan Valley.”
“Do you like some giants better than others?” Kendra asked.
“That is fair to say,” Raza replied.
“Where does Dectus rank?” Kendra asked.
“I was compelled to swear allegiance to the Giant Queen,” Raza said. “Now that I pledged my loyalty, she has it, along with power to punish me if I stray. Were I to voluntarily give my allegiance to any giant, Dectus would be my choice. When he speaks, listen well.”
That gave Kendra plenty to wonder about as they returned to the areas of the fortress designed for giants. Dectus led Kendra onto a system of catwalks that stretched high along the walls of tremendous corridors and chambers. At last a catwalk ended at a white, human-sized door. Raza tugged a rope that rang a bell.
“Enter,” boomed a friendly voice.
“I’ll wait for you out here,” Raza said, opening the door for Kendra and motioning her inside. He closed the door behind her without following.
A giant sat at a massive desk writing on a huge piece of parchment. Dressed in a light blue toga, he hunched over his work, showing Kendra his curly white hair partially wreathed by a laurel. After finishing his sentence, he blew on the parchment, then pinched some sand onto it.
When he looked up at Kendra, the giant smiled, creating deep creases in his aged face. “Kendra Sorenson, I presume?”
“Yes, sir,” Kendra said.
He nodded and stood, taking a
