"How about you, Pet?" Jandra asked. "You've never mentioned your family."
He shrugged. "I'm a thoroughbred. I know my lineage. I know who sired me, and the mother I came out of. I know I have five half-brothers, six half-sisters, and two full-blood sisters. But dragon favorites don't really have family lives. I went to live with Chakthalla when I was five. She thought young humans were cute, in the same way you might think a puppy is cute."
"Oh," said Jandra. She'd known this, of course. Many dragons over the years had assumed she was Vendevorex's pet. She'd never really understood before how Pet and she shared such a common experience of being raised by dragons rather than humans.
"I'm not the most introspective person in the world," Pet said. "But looking back, when I think about all the women I seduced, I feel really bad. I used my finely bred looks and Chakthalla's wealth to earn the affection of tavern wenches."
"From the way you bragged about it, I thought you saw that as sort of a privilege."
"That was an element of it," said Pet. "On a deeper level, I was seducing women because it made me feel human. I craved human companionship. Chakthalla would never have allowed me true love, or life-long mating. As long as I was still her faithful pet and could breed with other pets, she didn't care about my trysts. All my little conquests were a substitute for a love I could never experience."
Jandra felt an unexpected sympathy well up within her at these words.
"Perhaps you should try introspection more often," she said. "It suits you."
"Until now, when I've looked inside myself, I've found nothing there," he said. "I was so empty, Jandra. But, fighting at Dragon Forge, I feel as if something has filled me. The human bond I could never find sleeping with the village women-I feel it, at last, with my fellow men. I would gladly give my life to save anyone in that fortress."
"Even Ragnar?"
"Especially Ragnar," said Pet. "He's the will that drives our army. And Burke… Burke is the brains."
"And what are you?"
"I'm just a soldier," said Pet. "And it suits me."
"Well, now you're an ambassador," she said. "Let's hope you're up to that role as well."
Pet said nothing as the clouds above continued to roil.
Invisibly, Jandra led Pet toward Shandrazel's tent. There were angry shouts coming from inside. Was that Hex's voice?
Jandra pushed aside the tent flap. The interior of the vast room was cold, but still a welcome sanctuary from the winter wind. As she dropped her invisibility, the two sun-dragons at the center of the room looked toward her. Shandrazel looked unhappy.
"Have I interrupted something?" she asked.
"Nothing important," said Hex.
"It's nothing important only because my brother believes that nothing is important," said Shandrazel. "He advocates letting the world spin into chaos. He's willing to enumerate the faults of the world, but unwilling to do a thing to fix them."
Hex calmly said, "I've long maintained that anyone who thinks they have the right to fix the world is doomed to failure by their own arrogance."
Shandrazel dismissively waved his fore-talon, as if trying to clear the air of such a preposterous utterance. "This discussion has ended. I see you've brought back a fellow human, Jandra. Do you plan to introduce our unexpected guest?"
Pet pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing his face.
Shandrazel's eyes widened.
"I need no introduction, sire," Pet said.
"How… how did you get here?" Shandrazel asked. "Are you fighting for the rebels?"
"I am," said Pet.
"I knew you weren't at the talks seeking genuine peace," Shandrazel said. "All along, you were-"
"No," Pet interrupted. "No, when I was at the talks, no man in that room had more faith in your promises than I did. I believed your fine words, Shandrazel. I believed your philosophical arguments, and I trusted that you had nothing but the best interests of mankind at heart."
"I still do!" Shandrazel said. "I will still be the king who brings an end to kings. I will be the dragon who brings an end to human slavery and inequality."
"You say that while commanding an army where the menial labor is performed by slaves."
"I would have no need of an army if you humans hadn't launched a war!" Shandrazel snapped, spittle spraying from his jaws. "The nearby river runs red with the blood of dragons you've slaughtered. How can there be peace in the aftermath of such an atrocity? There can be no peace until there is justice. You humans have left me with no choice but to crush your rebellion, and return Dragon Forge to the earth-dragons."
In contrast to Shandrazel's temper, Pet sounded very calm. "If the earth-dragons need a new city to build a new foundry, let them have the Free City. It was designed by dragons. It should house dragons."
"Don't be absurd," Shandrazel said, his voice trembling. "Dragon Forge is the historic home of the earth-dragons. They won't-"
"I'm told that Dragon Forge was built by men long ago," said Pet. "If it's history that drives your decisions, then you will support mankind's claim to the town."
Shandrazel narrowed his eyes. "You've stolen the city by violence."
"Yes," said Pet. "And dragons rule this world by force. We can argue endlessly about which act of violence spawned which act of revenge. Back in the palace, however, you said something profound. You told me that history had ended. You declared the dawn of a new age. Do you still believe those words?"
"What are you talking about?"
"If you must declare an end to history, a stopping point for old grudges, let it be today. Take your armies home and allow Dragon Forge to remain in human hands. Show us that history has ended, and that you're willing to open a new age of peace. Show us that your fine words actually mean something."
Jandra held her breath as she watched Shandrazel's eyes. She couldn't begin to fathom the thoughts racing through them. Hex, meanwhile, was standing nearby with his wings folded to his side, with a look of something approaching amusement.
Shandrazel let out his breath slowly. He said, "Pet, you're a fugitive. With a single shout, I can summon my guards and have you bound in chains once more."
"This is a fine threat to direct at a man who's come to talk," said Hex. "I can tell you learned diplomacy from our father."
"No," said Shandrazel. "Father would have already killed this man. Pet, you may freely leave here. Tell your fellow men in the city that there will be no further negotiations. Your position is unacceptable. Dragon Forge must be liberated. Humans took the fort in a single night. I will give you a single night to flee. Come the dawn, we shall retake Dragon Forge and slay everyone we find within its walls. Reinforcements have arrived through the day. You humans no longer enjoy the element of surprise. You shall fall."
"You'll let us abandon the fort?" Pet asked. "You wouldn't hunt us down?"
"No," said Shandrazel. "Anyone who flees and leaves behind their weapons will be spared."
"But if we take weapons?"
"There's no corner of my kingdom where you can hide."
"So, it's a kingdom again? Not a Commonwealth?"
"I misspoke," said Shandrazel. "Our old patterns of thought die hard, I fear."
Pet scratched his beard, as if he was thinking over Shandrazel's offer.
He looked toward Jandra. His shoulders sagged. His eyes looked mournful as he said, "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
Pet answered her by swinging his fist toward her. Her enhanced eyes tracked his hand as it approached her face. The knuckles were cracked, and caked with red clay. She recalled the first time he'd stroked her cheek with his soft and gentle fingers, back when they'd first met, at Chakthalla's castle.