I glanced at Ruv, who looked just as shocked. “I thought you said this used to be an aviary.”
“It was,” Ruv said, taking a stuttering step forward. “It was dead. There was nothing but sand and stone on the inside from what we could see.”
“When was the last time you were here?”
“A year ago. Maybe a little more.”
That… I didn’t know what to do with that. “Those trees. They’re older than that.”
“He did this,” Kevin said, sounding just as awed. “The dragon. When he woke. He did this.”
“Godsdammit,” I said. “I don’t know anything about dragons.”
“If it makes you feel any better,” Kevin said, “apparently neither do I. Why can’t I do anything like this? The only thing I can do is be amazing at everything I do.”
“Most everything,” Gary said. “And don’t feel intimidated. I’m sure this new dragon is lacking something. I mean, it’s obvious that all dragons have their flaws.”
“You weren’t complaining about my flaws when I had you on your back, you hussy.”
“Hussy? I’ll show you hussy, you gigantic—”
“Hey, Gary.”
“Yes, Sam.”
“Shut up.”
“But he—”
“No.”
“He started—”
“No.”
Gary gaped at me. Then, “That made me tingle. I can see why Knight Delicious Face gets off on you being all grr.”
“Nope,” Ryan said. “Not even a part of this.”
“You’ve never seen the interior?” I asked Ruv.
He shrugged. “As much as it can be seen when looking from the outside in. Remember, it was dead inside. Not like this. It was Prikasa. This is… not. You can feel it, can’t you? The dragon. The magic.”
Yes. I could. And the closer we were, the more it pulled. It didn’t hurt, but it was borderline pleasurepain. I was all but ready to charge into the dome, to immerse myself in it. I was able to hold back.
Barely.
“We shouldn’t all go in,” I said. “I don’t know how easy it’ll be to get through the growth. It’ll be… easier if it’s only a couple of us. If we had to run.”
“I’m not letting you go in there without me,” Ryan said. “So don’t even think about saying it.”
“I wasn’t,” I assured him. “You. Me. Tiggy.”
“Shouldn’t I go in?” Kevin said. “I am a dragon, after all. You might need me.”
“How would you feel had another dragon tried to enter your keep?” I asked.
“I would have torn him limb from limb!” Kevin snarled.