Chapter 8
“I have them.” Hestia’s voice came over the radio. Even with compression, her excitement leaked through. It was her first hunt with the harem and the idea of teamwork was very interesting to her. “Elena, they’re on their way to point gamma.”
“Where? I don’t see them.” There was a pause. “Sneaky little things, aren’t they? There they are. I’ve got them. Watch out, they’re very hard to see. ”
“Hestia, proceed to point delta.” Lucretia instructed.
“Yes, alpha. I am moving to point delta.”
Nicodemus crouched at the end of a small gully that bordered a thick stand of trees. Mist swirled in the wind and the morning sun fought to break through the overcast sky. Lucretia stripped water from her hair and glanced in his direction. “It should only be a few minutes.”
He nodded. “We’ll only get one shot at this. Tabitha, are you ready?”
“Yes, sir; I should get at least two.”
“I’ll get more than you,” it was Naomi. “Three at least.”
“Kitty, you will not.”
Nicodemus exchanged a grin with Lucretia. “Ladies, each of you takes two. There’s no need to be greedy.”
“Hestia, be alert, they’re coming,” Elena warned.
“I see them. I’ve got the left, you take the right.”
Sir, they should be approaching you in a minute or so.” Apparently Hestia’s excitement was contagious, for now Elena had caught it.
There was a flicker of movement in the woods and one of their quarry paused at the edge of the tree line. Nicodemus took a moment to admire it. Its camouflage was incredible, its coat a blend of green, brown, stone gray and thin irregular strips of gold that would make it almost invisible in woods or in a field. Its ears rotated as it listened for a heartbeat and then several more poured past it into the gully and moved along it in an instinctive search for cover that led them straight to Nicodemus and his pokegirls.
“NOW!” Lucretia bellowed. Nicodemus’ bow jumped and an arrow took the leader just below the base of the throat. It staggered and collapsed as Tabitha used hyper quick attack to suddenly be in the midst of the group. Her spear stabbed twice and blood sprayed as another fell.
The group scattered as she took a second with a stab that pinned it to the loam. There was a muffled crack as Naomi snapped the neck of one of them with her telekinesis. She yowled and used tackle to jump on another from behind, sinking her teeth into the back of its neck and raking at its throat with her claws. It made a muffled gasping noise and went down beneath her weight.
Hestia fell like a thunderbolt on another, using dive to snatch her prey from the ground and slam her into a thick tree. She slid to the ground in a welter of broken branches and leaves as the Whorizard stalled and dropped to the ground.
Lucretia used vortex to suck four of their rapidly escaping prey into the air where Elena was waiting to finish them off.
Then the survivors were gone in a blur of motion as they disappeared into another stand of trees. Nicodemus did a quick count as his pokegirls dragged their victims to the center of the clearing. “Ten. Not bad at all.” He pulled knives from his pokepack and handed some to Lucretia and Brenda. “After we’ve cleaned them, we’ll go ahead and bath in that stream we saw. Good job, everyone.”
Lucretia looked at the other pokegirls. “I’m pleased, ladies. We’ll definitely shut up Harrison when we return to the wagon train with ten KATTLE to his one.”
Hestia nodded. “How long will these last?”
“Not long,” Brenda replied. “There are sixty Ponytaur to feed plus the drivers and their harems. Hunting should probably take place every day.”
Elena looked curious. “Ponytaur are vegetarian. Why should we count them?”
“Any pokegirl can eat meat.” Brenda corrected her, “and Ponytaur do prefer to be vegetarian. However, they’re expending a lot of energy pulling the wagons and they can’t eat enough grains to cover that, so they eat meat too.”
“What about the marrow?” Hestia was eyeing one of the KATTLE with interest. “And the rest of the choice bits?”
“We killed them,” Nicodemus replied, “so we get the best parts. We’ve earned it.” He started cleaning the first KATTLE. “We are probably the best hunters the train has, so we’ll have to get more than anyone else to cover for the rest. I’ll be swapping out the driving with Isabella every day, so some of you will be hunting with her when I’m busy. Make me proud.”
“We will,” Lucretia replied confidently. “Hestia, Elena, into the sky, we’re going to need a security detail. Naomi, Tabitha, it’s time you learned how to use a knife.”
***
“Master, may I have a word with you?” Brenda settled next to him on the rock. He’d finished bathing and was lying nude while drying off. The harem was done too, but bathing had degenerated into water fights that were still going on. He’d deliberately hunted ahead of the wagon train so it would come to him and, therefore, he wasn’t in any hurry to head back.
He glanced at her and nodded before turning his attention back to the water fight. Hestia had shown some signs towards impulsiveness and he wanted to keep an eye on her. “What is it?”
“Sir, Lucretia told me some about your past and we were wondering if Murchison knew about your scars.” She ran a finger over the scars on his chest.
“He did.”
“Do you think he might have told Malcolm about them or left records of them somewhere they could be found?”
Suddenly, it seemed cold. “That’s entirely possible and well within the profile of his psychological makeup.”
“They can be used to identify you, sir.” She put her hands in her lap. “I can remove them.”
Nicodemus blinked and turned to stare at her. “How? They’re completely healed.”
“It would be painful, sir, unless we drugged you. I would have to remove the skin and all the scar tissue below the skin and then combine curaga and regeneration tears to heal you without scarring. Before I joined your harem, I read an article about how it was being used for plastic surgery.”
“How much skin would you have to cut off?”
“Sir, the scars run all over your chest and stomach. It would be fastest and most efficient to remove all of it and grow you completely new tissue. If we proceed that way, the work would take hours at the most. If I were to cut and remove each line of scarring, it would have to be done in stages and would take days to complete.”
“Would this be under a local anesthetic or general?”
Sir, that would be your choice, but I would recommend general anesthesia. Lucretia, however, thinks that you will insist on only a local.”
“Lucretia is correct. I don’t want to be unconscious.”
“Then, local anesthesia is the only way to proceed, sir. We purchased the necessary drugs before the wagon train left London. Lucretia thought that on the trail would be the best time to discuss this with you, since we already knew we would be hunting and it would provide the necessary time for the surgery. If you’d proven reluctant, the drugs would have been returned to the medical kit that you asked me to put together. They were purchased for that, I just got some extra.” She smiled hesitantly.
He patted her leg and her smile grew happily. “You did the right thing. You’re trying to help and a bit of initiative is a good thing.”
“Thank you, sir. My previous owner didn’t think it was. He didn’t like us to think.”
Nicodemus rolled over and kissed her hip before sitting up. “That’s part of the reason you’re here, now. He didn’t think either.”
“Yes, sir. May I say, I am much happier here. You haven’t beaten me for something that wasn’t my fault.”
“I haven’t beaten you at all.”
No, sir, you haven’t. But if you do, I know it will be because I am being punished for a failure on my part and not for someone else’s.”
He nodded. “True. But I’m hoping not to have to administer that level of correction at all. Most beatings don’t do much good anyway.”
“Yes, sir; I can see that. You prefer to use positive reinforcement. However, sir, I suspect you will use whatever tool is required, if it becomes necessary. So do we all, and since we don’t like beatings, it is another incentive to excel.” She cocked her head. “If someone does need beaten, I think you would do a professional job of it.”
“I think I would too. Still, remember that incentive and don’t give me a reason.”
She shook her head violently. “That, sir, will be no problem for me. My memory of the discipline I had before coming here is more than sufficient to tell that it’s not something I enjoy.”
***
“Are you cooking because you’re the girl?” Isabella looked up to see six strange pokegirls, all Ponytaur.
The tallest one turned and clubbed another on the head, knocking her sprawling. “I’m sorry about her manners, mistress.”
“You seem to have it well in hand.” Isabella gave the Dutch oven another stir. “I’m cooking because Nicodemus drove today and whoever doesn’t drive that day does the cooking. He’ll cook tomorrow.”
“Thank you for bothering to answer her question, mistress.” The lead Ponytaur glared at the one she’d hit. “If I may ask, is master Nicodemus reading again?”
Isabella bit back a smile. “He’s over there.” She pointed with the spoon. “He’d read here, but it’s not conducive to dinner getting cooked.”
“Thank you, mistress.” She led her group away in the indicated direction.
After dinner, Isabella grabbed Nicodemus by the arm. “I’ve got to ask, why are you reading to our pokegirls and why did new ones show up tonight?”
He looked into the fire for a moment. “I wanted to bond our Ponytaur to us as much as possible, even though they belong to Bucket. I know they tell stories to each other, so I thought I’d tell stories too. They can’t read, so anyone who can gets an automatic jump in their estimation, so I decided to combine the two concepts and read stories to them. We’re working on Aesop.” He chuckled. “They really like stories with morals. It turns out our pokegirls like the stories, too.”
“What about the ones who showed up tonight? They’re not ours.”
“No, they’re from Tarquin’s wagon. Apparently they heard about what was happening and got a bit jealous. Apparently the highest ranked Ponytaur pull his wagon.”
“Won’t Tarquin miss them?”
“I don’t know. I know he spends part of his evenings with his lover. Perhaps he lets them roam at that time.”
“Lover? Pokegirls can’t be lovers.”
Nicodemus shrugged. “That’s a matter of semantics, but I was talking about Sheridan Bucket.”
“They’re lovers?” Isabella sounded shocked.
“I think so. They sleep together and not always with pokegirls.” He scratched his chest idly. “I don’t see a problem with it, do you?”
“No,” she responded slowly, “it’s just not what you expect from Tamers.”
“I’d think you’d find it refreshing. Most people only think female Tamers can be bisexual.”
She looked at him curiously. “Are you?”
“No, that’s never interested me.” He frowned slightly. “I don’t mind them coming over to listen to the readings, but I don’t want us feeding or taming them. First of all, it might anger Sheridan or Tarquin and second…”
Isabella finished the sentence. “Second, you’re taming ten and I’m taming five. That’s more than enough. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
She nodded. “Did you make a decision about what Brenda suggested? It was disturbing when you mentioned it to me, but after thinking for a while I realized it could be a good idea.”
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it and yes, I’ve pretty much come to the same conclusion you have. I’ll have it done sometime on the last leg of our trip to Magikunt. If there’s a problem, Naomi can take me back to London and nobody here will be the wiser.”
***
“Good evening.” It was Bucket. Tarquin waved on his other side.
Nicodemus gave them a smile and pointed. “They’re over there. Isabella is reading to them.” Isabella had decided to give reading a try when he was cooking and had found to her surprise that she liked it. Lily and Kay adored it too, and Ana, while claiming it was boring, always ended up on her right side when she opened a book and the reading circle formed.
Sheridan looked over and grinned. “So that’s where they’ve been going. I’d wondered about that, however that’s not why I’m here.”
Nicodemus waved them to seats around the fire and gestured at a teapot steaming on the edge of the flames. “We’ve got some tea if you’d like it.”
“Thank you.” After the men had been served, Sheridan leaned back. “We’ve been on the road for two weeks now and I must say you and Isabella are better than most I’ve had drive for me. In fact, I’d like to move you to the second wagon in the train. You’ve earned it.” He frowned. “However, I’ve got a problem and I need your help.”
“What is it?”
“Cecilia Stanton. She keeps straggling and it’s getting worse every day. No matter where she starts out, she ends up at the back of the train. She’s slowing us up and it’s reached the point where something needs to be done. Not to mention the fact that if she drops back any farther, she’ll be in danger from ferals.”
“You want to put us at the end of the caravan.” It wasn’t a question.
“Quite perceptive,” Tarquin responded. “I told you he was smart as well as cute. If we put you at the end of the caravan, can you keep her from straggling?”
“What are my options?”
Sheridan scowled. “At this point, I don’t care as long as you don’t kill her. She’s putting us, as well as my livelihood, in danger. Each of you signed a contract making me as much in command as a captain on a ship. I’ll back you if you need to do something about her.” He sighed. “I was hoping that you could show her how you got your team to work so well together.”
“If I drive her wagon, she’s likely to decide that she’ll need a constant chauffer.” Nicodemus poured himself some tea. “If that happens, Isabella might kill her. She likes her days off. In addition, she and I are bringing in the Lioness’ share of the meat, so if we’re both driving, you won’t be eating as well.”
“I was going to ask what your secret was.”
“We don’t use firearms. KATTLE have learned that the first sound of a gun means to run and not stop until you can’t run anymore. Pokegirl attacks they treat differently and they can be herded to a killing ground.”
“We can’t afford for you to stop hunting. We need the meat,” Tarquin commented. “We’re making really good time because the Ponytaur are eating so well. If it wasn’t for that, Stanton would have made us really far behind schedule. We won’t catch up without that meat.”
Sheridan nodded. “Can you help?”
“I’ll see what I can do, but first I’ll have to talk to Isabella.”
Sheridan nodded. “Can you do it right away?”
Nicodemus nodded. “I’ll talk to her after the reading is over and then I’ll come see you. It should only be a few minutes.”
***
“So that’s the situation.” Nicodemus looked around the campfire. Isabella, his harem, Isabella’s harem and the six Ponytaur of their team were gathered around. “We’ve earned the second wagon spot, but Sheridan needs us in the back more. While not the best place to be, we’re the ones he trusts to do this right.”
The Ponytaur grinned at each other and at him. “Sir, if master Bucket needs us at the end of the caravan, then we will eat dust with pride.” The lead Ponytaur spoke for them all. “I’m not sure how we can make someone else’s team work better, but I suspect you have an idea of how it might be done.”
“Thank you, Cherry. I do have an idea and I’ve already discussed it with Isabella. What I want to do is make Liz the lead of Stanton’s team and bring her lead into our team to see how things can be done. In the meantime, I’ll ride with Stanton and try to explain to her how she can help.”
Cherry grinned. “Sir, I’m not sure letting Liz taste any more power will help your team when she comes back.” The rest of the Ponytaur, including, Liz, burst into laughter.
“I’m sure you can keep her in line. If there’s a problem, you can borrow Tabitha.” Instantly, all six pokegirls turned to stare at the Rapitaur, someone they’d quietly idolized the whole trip.
Tabitha gave them a humorless smile. “If my master tells you you’re going to get a butt kicking from me, the only way to stop it is if you kick your own rumps. If he tells me to beat up whoever Cherry wants, you know it’ll happen.”
Cherry grinned and gave Cerise a hard look. “If you want to swap mares around, I’ll take Vivian for Cerise.”
“Cerise has been pulling just as hard as anyone else.” Nicodemus watched as Cerise blinked and straightened up. “I won’t improve Stanton’s team by weakening mine. However, you might have a point. I’ll put Liz and Cerise on Stanton’s team and they can show the others how it’s supposed to be done. Vivian and one other mare can join our team for a couple of days while the rest of Stanton’s team learns from the best.”
Cerise turned pink and looked proud enough to burst.
“I’ll go talk to Bucket and tell him what we’re going to do. In the meantime, everyone get some rest.” He winked at Cherry. “None of your usual shenanigans and everyone needs rest more than they need tamed. Lucretia, you’re with me.” He turned to Isabella and dropped his voice as the meeting broke up. “I’ll be back in just a bit. Bucket sounded like he might try to start this up in the morning. Personally, I think that’s the best way to proceed. If we tell Stanton that we’re going to be doing this and she gets a chance to brood all day, there’s no telling what will happen.”
“What if Toni causes trouble? You know she’s been looking for a fight the whole trip.”
“Stanton needs to learn to control her Psi-Dyke. If she can’t, then I’ll deal with Toni.” His smile never reached his eyes.
Lucretia touched his arm. “We will, sir. If she so much as looks at you with an expression I don’t like, I’ll have Ruth beat her into unconsciousness.”
“Considering I’d last about half a second against her, you go right ahead and do that. Oh, and let Hestia help. She needs to practice her teamwork.”
***
Sheridan Bucket gave him a grim look as Nicodemus came up with Liz and Cerise. “I talked to Stanton and she is not happy about this.” He shrugged. “She feels that having you give her lessons is some kind of insult and that it shows I don’t feel she can be depended on.”
“She can’t. That’s why I’m doing this in the first place.”
“Try not to put it so baldly with her. And watch out for Toni, she’s angry.”
“Is she? Maybe that’ll make things easier in the long run.”
Bucket gave him a bewildered look. “If you say so. In any case, thanks, Azrael.”
“Don’t thank me yet, I haven’t improved anything.” He led the two Ponytaur to Stanton’s wagon. “Cerise, take Vivian and the lead mare back to Isabella and then come back right away. Liz, let them know you’re in charge now.” He released Lucretia and Ruth. “I’ve been warned that Toni is feeling put out this morning.”
The Umbrea grinned and fangs flashed in the light. “She’ll be knocked out if she gets too irate, master.”
“Don’t start anything unless Lucretia or I tell you to. I would be just as happy if we can straighten things out peacefully.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Lucretia motioned ahead to where Toni could be seen standing next to the tent, her arms folded as she sent a glare in their direction.
“Remember what I said, no trouble unless ordered. Then take her down fast and hard. Combat mode delta.” Ruth grinned again and bobbed her head in assent.
The Psi-Dyke waited until he was close before advancing until they were nose to nose. “I don’t like what you and Bucket are doing to my mistress and, if you hurt her any more, I’ll eat your lungs.” She grabbed Nicodemus’ arm in her claws.
“Ruth!” Lucretia had barely spoken her name when the Umbrea blasted forward using quick attack.
Toni was still holding Nicodemus by the arm and when Ruth hit her she took a chunk of his arm with her. Nicodemus turned white and clutched at the wound as Lucretia scrabbled at his belt for Brenda’s pokeball. Blood oozed around his fingers as the G-Poindexter materialized.
Toni tried to get free of Ruth’s clutch so she could teleport, but only screamed as Ruth sank her teeth into the Psi-Dyke’s right breast and tore it off.
Toni responded by raking her claws across Ruth’s eyes. The Umbrea immediately buried her head against Toni’s abdomen to protect them. When Toni screamed again and began struggling violently, Nicodemus realized Ruth was eating her way into the Psi-Dyke’s belly.
Brenda started healing his arm and he looked at Lucretia. “Don’t kill her. Help Ruth to finish her.”
Lucretia nodded and used quick attack to race forward, taking her mace from her belt. Two of her hands held Toni’s head still while the other two raised the mace and hammered her with it in the face until the Psi-Dyke went limp.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY POKEGIRL?” Cecilia Stanton stood in shock where she’d frozen after coming around the wagon. Behind her, Liz grinned.
Lucretia spun her mace expertly and blood misted the air. “It’s a lesson in manners.” Ruth popped her head up and started licking blood from her muzzle, watching intently, her ears focused on the conversations swirling around her.
“Brenda, heal her and bring her to consciousness.” Nicodemus checked his arm. “Thanks, by the way.”
“You are welcome, master. She’s likely to be violent when she wakes up. Should we put her into restraints?”
“No. Ms. Stanton, you might want to take more positive control of your pokegirl when she wakes up. If she lays a hand on me again, I will kill her.”
“We will, sir.” Ruth grinned and rose to her feet as Brenda kneeled beside Toni.
“Ms. Stanton, I’m here because, somehow, your team of Ponytaur isn’t working well enough to keep up with the rest of the caravan. I’m going to spend today working with you to show you how you can improve the situation. I’m loaning you two of my best Ponytaur while two of yours are going to my wagon to learn from Cherry how things are supposed to work. Since people usually learn best by doing, I’m not going to drive your wagon, you are.”
Some of the hostility on her face faded. “You’re not here to take over?”
“I have my own wagon and responsibilities to it. I’m here to help you do better, nothing more.”
She nodded slowly and glanced over as the Psi-Dyke groaned and tried to wipe blood off her face. “What did Toni do?”
“She laid hands on my master.” Lucretia was standing near Brenda protectively as Toni slowly sat up.
Stanton sighed. “I’ve warned her that her temper would be her undoing, but maybe she’ll listen to you.” She raised her voice. “Toni.”
The Psi-Dyke looked at her. “Yes?”
“I think Nicodemus has something to say to you.”
“Really? I’m not sure I want to hear his apology.”
She blinked when Lucretia started chuckling. “You want to hear what he’s got to say to you, because if you don’t, you are going to end up French kissing my mace again.” She hefted it suggestively as Ruth laughed.
“Toni?” She twisted to glare at Nicodemus and blinked when Lucretia twirled the mace. Her glare died as she considered how close the Ladyien was to her. “I’m not here to make your mistress look bad. I’m here to help her improve enough that she can hold her own. Your help would make this go more smoothly.”
Her eyes narrowed and suddenly she winced. Nicodemus cocked his head. “Did you just try to read my mind? If so, then you deserved that.”
“Bastard.”
“No, my parents were married.” He turned back to Stanton. “Ms. Stanton, if Toni is willing to help, she can act as a conduit to my mind so you can see what I do and get some ideas as to how you might help your Ponytaur work well. If she’s not, then I’ll get Naomi to act in her stead.”
Ruth leaned close to Toni and whispered quietly. “If you agree to help and then you hurt my master, then nothing anyone can do will save your life.”
The Psi-Dyke glanced at Lucretia who smiled and nodded cheerfully. She swallowed heavily. “I’ll help.”
***
Isabella frowned at Nicodemus as she watched Toni and Cecilia approach. “Why is she here?”
“Considering the circumstances, it seemed only polite to invite her to dinner.”
“I am your wife, not her. Please remember that.”
“Yes, I’d been meaning to talk to you about you being my wife for a couple of days.”
She blinked and suddenly looked wary. “Oh? What about it?”
“Are you sure you want to have this talk here? I’ve recently had to pull up your Tamer entry.”
She rose and grabbed his arm. “Ana, keep working on dinner. We’ll be right back.” She led him away from the fire and into the darkness as Lucretia welcomed their two guests and made excuses for her master.
Finally, she stopped. “I suppose you want to know what happened.”
“I think I know how it happened, I’m just not sure why?”
“How do you think it happened?”
“I think that Nellie copied the information from the manifests when she was setting up our equipment for the Blue League. I remember you checking it afterwards and you didn’t say a word.” He gave her a curious look. “Is this something you wanted?”
She suddenly looked pensive. “Look, Nico, you’ve protected me just like you said you would. Not even my parents did that. They were more than willing to throw me to a man just because his family was pure and rich enough. The one time I got hurt with you, it was my fault for not listening to your advice. You treat me just like you treat everyone else and that’s all I’ve ever looked for.” She raised a hand when he started to speak. “I’m twenty six years old. I’m starting to get too old to be a Tamer and I should be looking to settle down and do something with my life. You’ve got good plans and I want to be there to make them work with you.”
“I thought you didn’t want children.”
“I don’t want my life to be nothing but children. Yes, I know, a ranch will have a lot of that, but they won’t be mine and, somehow, I know that if I’m doing this with you, it’ll be ok.”
“You let them tack my last name onto yours. Unless we get a divorce, you’re stuck with it.”
She smiled. “It’s not hard to spell, Nico. How do you feel about it? I thought I could tell you about it once we were on the ferry to Ireland, with an audience, so you wouldn’t summarily kill me and dump me overboard.”
He gave her a faint look of amusement. “I don’t know. I don’t love you and I’m not sure I can.”
“That’s ok. I did some research into your condition. Someday you may feel emotions towards me and someday you may not. In any case, you’ve been a good husband to this point and I don’t think knowing we’re actually married will change that.”
He shrugged. “You really want to tie yourself with someone like me? That’s not exactly rational.”
“We don’t live in a rational world, Nicodemus. It stopped being rational three hundred years ago. If I have a daughter, I may have to watch her turn into a pokegirl. What’s rational about that?” She sighed. “What’s right about that? What did we do to deserve such a punishment? Nothing.” She took a deep breath. “We didn’t choose the world we live in, all we can do is choose if we are going to live in it or if we are going to give up and die. I think being with you is the safest place I have found so far.” She took his hand. “So, can I stay with you?”
“Why not, we can be broken together.” He shook his head. “Isabella Maria Carmen de la Vega Azrael. I don’t think I want to be mister de la Vega Azrael.”
“You don’t have to be. All you have to be is yourself. We need to get back to our guests.”
***
Sheridan Bucket ran his fingers through his hair. “I thought you might get her to improve, but she’s become the best driver I have, besides you and Tarquin. How did you manage that?”
Nicodemus exchanged an amused look with Isabella. “We made her part of our little group and gave her some pointers. Her biggest problem was she was fighting her team and that was from the fact that she didn’t have anyone to let her rest. Toni is abysmal driving and way too heavy handed with the Ponytaur. So, what we did was to change our rotation and add her into it. Isabella drives two days and Cecilia drives two days. I drive a day on each wagon on their off days.”
Isabella nodded. “Now each of us gets off one day in three, which lets us all get a bit of rest.”
“How would you like to work for me permanently? I can pay you more than I am now and it’s not a bad life.”
Nicodemus shook his head. “Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think we can accept. We’ve got business in Rosslare. Isabella and I have been discussing it and it’s time for our life on the road to come to an end.”
“Could I inquire as to the nature of your business?”
Isabella glanced at Nicodemus. “We are going to make a go at a pokegirl ranch somewhere around Killarney. We’re hoping the ranch in Rosslare might let us get the apprenticeship requirement out of the way with them.”
“I’m sure that’ll be good for pokegirls, but, personally, that’s a shame. I could have really used you. The two of you make a great team.”
Nicodemus smiled. “You know, I think you are absolutely correct. No matter what we do, we’ll make a good team.”
Isabella turned slightly pink.
Bucket nodded. “Well, if you change your minds, let me know.” He turned his Ponytaur and rode for the head of the train.
“Nico, did you ever get any response from that Dragoness’ family?”
He nodded. “They didn’t want to pay what I was asking for her. I wanted 750,000 SLC. So I put her up for auction a week ago.”
“How’s the bidding looking? If we don’t get a good value for her, I might keep her myself.”
“That won’t be necessary. If we decide to raise Draco, we’ll get someone not so particular. Besides, the bidding won’t close for another two weeks and we’ve already gotten some very nice bids on her.”
“How nice?”
“Let me just say that if her family did come up with the money now, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Good. We’ll need all we can get for the ranch. They’re not cheap to set up or to operate.”
***
Nicodemus Azrael – Coordinator
Ladyien – Lucretia
Thundrix – Elena
Umbrea – Ruth
Espea – Naomi – royal purple
Rapitaur – Tabitha – blood bay with gold feathers/mane – Clydesdale form, 17 hands high,
G-Poindexter – Brenda – Noncombatant
Whorizard – Hestia
Isabella Maria Carmen de la Vega Azrael – Master Tamer with storage rights
Ka-D-Bra – Kay
Amachamp – Ana
Ponytaur – Lily