Karma was furious. After everything she had done to
help Gillian and uncover her father's secrets, the stupid wildclaw had booted her out as soon as the moment came to actually meet Thorburn. Maybe it was none of her business, but that didn't change her frustration. She had come so close, and yet she hadn't learned anything more than the fact a bogsneak named Thorburn was apparently involved.
A tiny part of her had wondered if maybe she could have actually gotten along with Gillian in time. The prospect of adventure seemed fun, and he seemed sweet enough. But he had proved he was no different from the rest.
Karma swung open to the door to the Siren's Call angrily. She moved to storm angrily to her bedroom in the back so she could fume over this properly when she was suddenly stopped by her mother and Zeal.
Karma could immediately tell something was up. Both dragons were grinning ear to ear like complete fools, and her mother was exchanging excited glances with Karma and Zeal. The spiral rolled her eyes and tried to push past the irritatingly happy couple. Zeal moved to block her.
"Karma, Zeal and I have some news," Her mother finally said, after apparently realizing that her daughter wasn't going to say anything.
"What is it?" Karma huffed impatiently. She really wasn't in the mood for this.
"You tell her," Seaberry nudged the skydancer with a giggle.
"No, you should tell her," Zeal nudged back, barely disguising a grin.
"Oh, alright," Seaberry's grin grew wider and Karma felt a growing sense of dread. "Karma, you're going to be a big sister!"
"What?!" Karma fluttered back, completely caught off guard. Of course, she should have seen this coming, but she didn't think her mother was
that stupid! An accidental nest wouldn't be far out of the realm of possibility, but if she deliberately chose to have a nest with this dude...?
"Your mother and I have had an egg," Zeal clarified.
"I'm not a hatchling, I picked up on that thank you very much," Karma growled.
"Aren't you excited?" Her mother drooped slightly.
Everything in Karma made her want to explode in response.
Of course she wasn't excited! Her mother had provided a good enough roof for them, she supposed, but how could she
possibly expect that they'd suddenly become one big happy family? How could she be so naive, after everything that happened? Couldn't she see that true love didn't really exist?
"That's great news," Karma managed to mutter, then she slipped past the couple to retreat to her room.
What a day this was turning out to be.
"How are you doing?" Violet looked up as Jett approached, sliding into her booth in a hidden corner of the Siren's Call. The spiral just fiddled with her half-empty drink cup. She had just overheard Zeal and Seaberry telling Karma about their nest. It was not the first time Violet had heard them speak of the news, but it still hurt.
"I'm fine," She lied, not meeting Jett's gaze. She had noticed the skydancer drifting further apart, but she hadn't realize just how much she had cared for him until he had slipped away.
"I've got something that might cheer you up," Jett grinned.
"What?" Violet perked up, trying to distract herself from her heartbreak.
"Thorburn's plan worked!" Jett exclaimed, looking a little giddy. "A dragon named Gillian came today with news of the treasure! Thorburn's promised to help him look for it, but of course it's all just a trick. When we find it, we'll take it and split it three ways, and leave Gillian out in the cold!"
"Three ways?" Violet asked.
"Yeah, Zeal withdrew himself earlier today. Some nonsense about having a family to raise or something. Between you and me, I think he's going to make a run for it soon," Jett shrugged. "He doesn't strike me as the family type. It's a good thing you got out of things with him now, before you got hurt."
It's too late for that, Violet thought bitterly. She swished her drink around the cup, staring down at the table. She didn't know what to tell Jett. She had realized she had only ever agreed to take part in all this because Zeal wanted to, and then she agreed because she wanted to make Jett jealous. Double-crossing some poor dragon didn't really seem like something Violet was into, but she couldn't say no, not when Jett was so excited, not when he had such big plans. He was depending on her, she couldn't back out.
A part of her just wanted to go home, back to her parents, but the way Jett looked at her, eyes aglow with excitement and admiration, something within her melted.
"That's great news!" Violet faked a grin and downed the rest of her drink. "When do we start?"
So, I don't know if any of you listen to The Adventure Zone, but that new episode of Amnesty is really something.
Also, if the RNG could stop giving me one-egg nests, that would be great, thank you very much. This is my third one-egg nest in a row, and while I'm definitely not complaining about Coldstorm or Boo, or the fact that this guarantees me the hatchling because I have an at-least-one-survivor-per-nest rule, I would like some variety and some more clutchmate lore.
Death streak was a no go, thankfully, though I can't help but wonder how much longer this no-Coli spell will last. I was getting Coli items left and right when I was on my Coli hiatus, and then the moment I decide I'm good to go in the Coli again, nothing. I like my characters alive though, so I can't really complain.
There's a part of me that's tempted to snoop your lair to find out, but I'll wait for the chapter to be released. I can be patient. I hope.