Dragon Hunter

Chapter 26: War Council

It was nearly a half hour later that they were finally finished with the bath, dried off and dressed. From there Vannea suggested taking breakfast in her office, a massive, sumptuously decorated space in shades of gray, silvery, and slate, filled with personal touches and Vannea's energy.

This was the High Priestess's sanctum, the most protected place on the entire temple grounds, and, beside her bedroom, where Vannea felt safest. And suggesting they breakfast together here meant the young priestess obviously was not only feeling safe in Cooper's presence, but also wasn't ready to step back from what they were experiencing even though their war council loomed in the next couple of hours.

"So, my operatives on at least seven other core worlds report mentions of this Zrakesh," Vannea said as she put some sort of spread on what appeared to be a baked roll, the piece of bread still steaming from the temple kitchens. It had come along with a variety of meats, fruits, and other breads on a platter and a jug of some kind of juice, which sat on a small table the stewards had brought with the platter. She then handed it to Cooper, who nodded in thanks from the comfortable chair he was sitting in, before she started preparing the other half for herself.

Cooper nodded.

"I think that pretty much seals it," he said. "Zrakesh is the dragon that needs to die first." He took a bite of the roll and found the yellowish spread was something like honey, sweet and buttery at the time.

"Any mention of other command dragons in more than one location?"

Picking up a report from the top of her massive desk, carved from some dark material similar to wood but gray and textured with whorls and runs of silver and black throughout, Vannea nodded as she took a bite of her half of the roll.

"Two or three," she said after chewing and swallowing, leaning against the desk's front to scan over the report. "I'll make sure we note them in council. They're probably Zrakesh's lieutenants."

"Nice. We drop those fire bats at the same time, and we'll be in good stead," Cooper noted.

"Fire bats," Vannea said with a nod. "I like that."

"All yours, free of charge," Cooper replied and the noriquien woman chuckled.

"Why thank you, good sir," she retorted with a playful smile before sobering slightly. "I think we should consider secondary operations against imperial bases on every other world outside of Neladrin, to take advantage of the chaos killing Zrakesh should trigger."

"Good idea. Any effort to degrade the quality of their forces, we should take!"

The playful smile returning, Vannea's brow lifted.

"Degrade the quality of their forces?" she repeated. "That sounds like jargon to me, Coop. You sure you're not military??"

Cooper grinned.

"No. But involve yourself long enough with militias and you start talking like them. I think it's a way of thinking." He sobered.

"Seriously, though. Chaos in Eska pushed the dragons into taking were-form to go at the defenders at ground level. If you can catch any dragons in were-form, perforate them. They're more vulnerable in that form. And you don't need me there to do it."

"You know they went to were-form to counter you, right?" Vannea deftly noted.

"Yeah, but that doesn't invalidate the point," Cooper retorted.

Vannea chuckled.

"No, you're right. By the way, you sure are cute when you're fired up," she said, pushing away from the desk to step towards him. Then she carefully straddled him, putting her arms around his neck.