Once, Da had told him of the dragons of the central plains, many who lived among Indian reservations where they weren’t disturbed. Some lived among humans, and lived richly and well-off – as Ciarnath did.
Ciarnath was a vice president of IBM, with an office in St. Louis, and it was there that Drake went on Monday after class. Ciarnath was an Irish dragon, like Da, but affected a cultural, English manner. Ciarnath was a distant cousin, his great-uncle’s progeny. She had established herself, had many human children who were given up for adoption and was on her third generation at being a worker in IBM.
One of the youngest members of the upper crust of IBM, she had also affected a male human body. It was probably the only way she could become a vice president of such a large multi-national corporation.
Drake saw the IBM building and landed on the roof. He shimmered and changed into a young man in a dark blue suit. He tried the stairs, and they led down, to the lower floor, which led to the elevator shaft. He had to climb down a rickety ladder and force open the elevator doors.
They opened onto an executive suite. He dusted himself off, and walked across to a set of large glass doors. Behind it was a formidable older female receptionist.
“Hello,” he said, with his brightest smile, “I am here to see Mr. Eric Mills.”
The woman looked him up and down. “And who are you?”
“Stilfor, son of Donach, son of Kilkenny.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Just tell him that.”
He stood waiting. “Mr. Mills, there is a…Stilfor, son of Donach, son of – Yes, I’ll send him in.” She got up, putting the phone down. “Follow me, please.”
Drake followed the woman through another set of glass doors to an office that overlooked the St. Louis skyline. There was a balcony there, with a set of glass doors. To his right was a console with TV’s going. To his left was a young man, about ten years older than him, leaning up against a huge mahogany desk.
“Thanks, Tammy,” he said, and caught her eye. “You don’t need to document this.”
The woman blinked, and left the room, looking confused.
He launched himself from the desk, walking over to Drake. They spoke in Draconic, a language that was older than the dinosaurs. “What brings Donach’s son out to see me?”
“I need some help, and I don’t want to ask Da.”
“So you’ll ask me? What makes you think I’ll help you?” He narrowed his eyes. “I had to perform a memory wipe to keep her from remembering you.”
“I thank you and appreciate it,” Drake said.
“What is your problem?”
“I know a dog mage.”
“So?”
“Da hates mages.”
“So?”
“He knows what I am.”
“So?”
“He wants a familiar, and needs to know what familiars we can have.”
Eric stopped. “’We’?”
“I’m going to teach him.”
“I’m not seeing what the problem is, Stilfor.”
“I don’t know much about familiars that mages have.”
“Do you like dogs?”
“I’m sorry?”
Eric sighed, “Do you like dogs? Cats? Fish? Birds?”
“Well, I don’t have a problem with them.”
“Domestic animals are fine, then. You know better than to eat them, right?”
“Of course, I do,” he said.
“What about bats? Butterflies?”
“I don’t like fleas.”
“Nobody does.”
He frowned. “So domestic animals and small animals?”
“Do you think he’s going to actually get a penquin or a kangaroo?”
Drake laughed, “No.”
“Then there’s your answer. Now, you owe me.” He stroked his chin, thinking. “Hm, I think a good Pinot Noir would do nicely. 2003 to make your life easier. Make sure it’s from France.”
“I don’t have a lot of money –“
“But you can have it.” He looked steadily at him. “Sell something.”
“No, you know how that would—“
“Yes, I know what that does. Or ask your father. Oh, wait, you can’t, because you came to me with this question, and he’s going to want to know why you need a money for a wine for some man in IBM.”
Drake sighed.
“You have your quest. Now go to.”
“Do I have a time limit?”
“When is your hedge witch getting his familiar?”
“Soon.”
“Then soon, Stilfor. I want that bottle in my hand by the time your witch gets his puppy.”
Drake bowed. “Yes, Ciarnath.” He would shop online and have it delivered. Hopefully it wouldn’t put too much of a dent in his budget.