235 Split Pathways (1/2)
A little curvature of the lip that spoke of an understanding that for once, the dragon had a means to get back at the higher blooded dragons that had lorded over him, forcing him to kill those similar to him.
”I understand,” said Gronn simply, for simple seemed to be his motto. He immediately stood from his chair, the wooden structure groaning under his scaled and muscled weight. ”Then. I go now. I must not waste time.”
Gronn put one of his burly, brick-like hands meant for beating and clawing on his other arm, setting the digits around the curvature of his bicep. Without batting an eye, he tore his arm off with utterly unchanging expression.
Sindra reacted, jerking back into her chair as her feline eyes widened, her black pantherian tale standing tall in alert. Cicero looked away and put a hand to his mouth, evidently unused to casual dismemberment.
But everyone else around the table just sat there as if Gronn had done something as mundane as taking a coin out of his pocket. Old Thane even nodded in respect that the dragon could tear his arm off like that with so much ease.
”Here.” Gronn put his arm on the table. He did not bleed from his wound, nor did the detached arm leak any blood. Courtesy of the exceptional salamander trait regeneration that exceeded that of even troll kind.
”Dragon heal fast,” said Tia wonderingly as she looked at the arm. Half-hungrily, too. ”Me dragon too. Can I do that?”
Gronn looked at Tia, his sloped, slanted brow ridge intensifying his yellow-glinted stare. ”You can. With training.”
Tia cocked her head and smiled at Gronn. ”Then, mister, will you teach me?”
Gronn narrowed his eyes and opened his fanged mouth, his stiff body language evident that he was going to refuse this request, likely understanding he was going on a one way trip. But, looking at Tia's wondering face so filled with nothing but genuine curiosity and hope, he said, ”Yes. If I come back.”
”When you come back,” corrected Li. ”If you make a promise to her, I'm the one that's going to be keeping you to your word.” He motioned to the arm on the table with his chin. ”And not even death is going to keep you from breaking that promise now.”
Gronn grunted in agreement before he turned to leave the room. ”Farewell.”
===========
”A being of very few words. A wonder you could get along with him,” remarked Sindra to Cicero after Gronn left.
”I quite liked that aspect of him,” said Cicero with a shrug. ”At the least, there are no underlying machinations in his words. He speaks simply and truthfully. Quite the reprieve from the intrigue infused nonsense flung around among the oratory of the senate.”
”You would be surprised,” said Cicero. ”He can be discreet when he needs to be. And his skin is possessive not only of marvelous regenerative ability, but also of reflective capacity capable of rendering him invisible.”
”And you?” said Sindra, going down the list of potential loose ends and suspicions brewing in her head.
Li was thankful she existed, because if it was not for her, he would be the one asking these questions, and he had to admit he probably would not have thought of as many of them considering his power let him be a little less wary than he could be.
”Was he not your guard? Your means of travel?”
Cicero laughed. ”Oh, dear Sindra, do you not remember the stories I bought you when you were a child? A dragon would never allow one he does not respect to ride him. No, I shall arrange one of our spies to smuggle me out of this city when the time is right.”
”And I will accompany you,” said Meld. ”My assignment is still to the North, after all. It would only be fitting.”
”Then shall we get moving?” said Cicero. ”We are no dragon. By the time Gronn has crossed the northern border, we will barely be out of this city. Ah, how primitive southern transport is. And how taxing it is to my brittle back.”
Meld stood up and nodded to Li. ”We will take our leave. Expect us on the road north in a few days when the armies have marched out of Riviera and the city has calmed. For the good of this realm, I wish you the best.”
”I will trust your judgement on getting north,” said Li. ”Good luck.”