Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Frowning, he leaned back and studied my face. “I think it was that moonshine thing you mentioned. Every time I asked questions I either got confused nonanswers or they looked embarrassed. So it’s definitely seen as a government screwup that everyone hates talking about.”
It was good to know all of it hadn’t been our fault at least.
Most of it probably was, but it seemed like the government didn’t see it that way.
“I would think that we’re considered weird and more trouble than we’re worth.” I wasn’t surprised when Pierce nodded without hesitation. “I have a second cousin who’s in a specialized dragon military unit, so I knew there was at least an understanding on that side.”
“Yes, and in the investigative services as well.” Pierce’s small shrug and the way his gaze shifted slightly said that was where he’d ended up. “They seem to think we’re an evolutionary branch from Earth? I don’t know how they got that idea but I was careful not to make them question that assumption.”
Seemed like the best idea to me, so I nodded. “My cousin said every time he used the word magic they’d just nod and start trying to sort it out in terms of science and shifting mass into alternate dimensions. I wasn’t following what he was saying but it seemed ridiculous to me.”
Chuckling, Pierce nodded. “Playing dumb when it comes to the science goes a long way in getting out of those conversations. I just start throwing in legal jargon and asking elementary school science questions. Once you start throwing around terms like black holes and warp drives, they realize you have no idea why your body works and they move on.”
It wasn’t the conversation I thought we’d be having over dinner but I’d never met anyone who knew about that side of things, so I wasn’t going to miss out on the chance. “Have they done studies on us?”
He laughed. “They haven’t. There’s a rumor they tried one time back in the nineteen twenties and from what I could figure out the dragon they basically kidnapped burned down a whole neighborhood and caused a small earthquake. That didn’t help the more trouble than we were worth label.”
Ah.
“So it might’ve been a few things happening right around the same time that’s kept them from doing stupid shit.” Otherwise we’d have turned into a bad horror movie.
“It seems to be that way.” Shaking his head, Pierce reached for his glass and sipped at his water. “At this point it’s easier to make assumptions about alternate dimensions than to ask us questions. I think they’re afraid we’ll take them the wrong way and start causing more problems.”
“Because we would.” The locals proved that. “They tried to drug you to make you more susceptible to staying in town because they wanted to keep you. Let’s face it. We’re not rational and there’s really no way to logically anticipate what we’ll do next.”
We were interesting and a lot of fun under the right circumstances, but we did not think like average humans and that showed on a regular basis.
Pierce looked like he wanted to argue with me, but after a few seconds, he nodded. “Unfortunately. Some of us are a lot more logical than the rest, though.”
That made me laugh. “Only because we’ve been raised around more humans than the locals here. The humans they do have here all seem to be in the know because they just walk away from the most absurd situations without questioning any of it. At the very least the nonsense that goes on here on a regular basis should’ve ended up on the web or the National Enquirer.”
If that was still around?
Pierce chuckled and gave me a pleased grin. “That’s what I was thinking but everyone around here seems to think it’s reasonable.”
“It’s fun around here and I love how accepting they are, but no, it’s not reasonable. I can’t even pretend it is.” Little me even knew it wasn’t how grown-ups were supposed to behave. “I’m grateful that it’s working out for them, though.”
“That is a very polite way to phrase it.” Pierce’s grin said he’d have found a more colorful way. “I’m slowly getting used to them, though.”
He was trying to be polite but we both knew slowly meant painfully slow and against his will.
“I think you’re doing a wonderful job.” He hadn’t offended anyone at all in the meeting or when we’d been at the bakery. “And they like you or they wouldn’t want to keep you.”
Pierce opened and closed his mouth several times before taking a moment. “Yes. It’s very nice that they’re including me in their local customs.”
He was so cute.
“It really is, but do you have any idea why they like you so much?” It might’ve been a rude question but Pierce didn’t seem to take it that way.