Page 52 of Courting the Dragon King

“Only to me because I’m her creator,” Wraith said.

Umbra lay on the ground before them, tongue lolling.

Elias reached out to touch her, but his hands passed straight through her body. “Ah! I really want to pat her!”

“You can’t?” Gerard asked.

Wraith shook his head. “Only her creator can touch her or be touched by her.”

Gerard stared at Umbra as if thinking. “So does that mean she would be unable to attack anyone?”

Wraith nodded. “She can’t touch and thus can’t harm anyone. Although, I suppose she could technically attack me⁠—”

Umbra jumped to her feet and barked. Gerard sat up straight, fingers moving towards his dagger sheathed at his waist. But Elias’s hand shot out and gripped Gerard’s wrist, stopping him.

“I would never attack you! Never!” Umbra said. “Not in a million eternities! I love you with everything inside me!”

Wraith stroked her. “I know you’d never hurt me. You’re such a good girl, and I love you too.”

Umbra lay back down, resting her head in Wraith’s lap, which Wraith patted. Elias laughed, and Gerard exhaled.

“See, Gerard. She is just like a big dog.” Elias gestured to Umbra. “Nothing to be scared of. Konrad was just being silly.” Then he leaned towards Umbra. “You’re just a big old sweetie, aren’t you?”

Umbra’s tail wagged faster.

Then Elias looked at Wraith. “So you know how you can talk to ghosts.”

Gerard’s eye widened, and his gaze snapped to Wraith.

But Elias just continued, “Does that mean you could ask them for information, like how they died or who murdered them? I’m just thinking that such a skill could be very helpful with finding out who is plotting and working against the treaty.”

“I could ask.” Wraith shook his head. “But it is rare for them to remember their death, and those who do tend to get very confused about the details. The living world becomes less fixed for them, and what is truth and imagination blur. You can’t trust what the dead say.

“I met a distressed ghost who told me her jealous sister stabbed her in her sleep. She kept screaming and yelling about wanting bloody revenge. Her rage was so strong that she had physically manifested somewhat. No one could see her yet. But they could hear her enraged cries. She could also throw objects.” Wraith paused.

“But then I discovered that she and her sister had both died in a house fire that started because of a faulty chimney. Turns out, the sisters hated each other in life. So when she’d tried to remember how she died, I think she just came up with a story that made sense to her.”

In the end, Wraith had forced her on. There was no changing her mind about what had happened. She just kept screaming and searching for her sister so she could hurt her. “I doubt questioning the dead for information would be very helpful.”

“That’s a pity,” Elias said.

“I could try though.” Wraith could ask the dead dragon king about what had happened to him. “But don’t get your hopes up that I will find out anything useful.”

Umbra lay on her back, and Wraith stroked her belly.

“She really is just like a dog,” Gerard said, awe in his voice. “Just like a normal dog.”

As the afternoon continued, Wraith found himself listening more and speaking less. He wasn’t always sure what Elias and Gerard were speaking about. But Wraith didn’t mind not really following. It was just nice to be around those who didn’t seem to dislike his company.

Gerard and Elias talked about the treaty and other attendees at the peace assembly. Wraith didn’t recognise many of the names.

Elias then talked about a woman named Colette, who had been at the assembly but who now was with her family in Voltaria. Apparently, she was in correspondence with a Lord Wolf, which her family were a bit concerned about. Soon Colette would likely join Elias and Gerard in Draconia once the peace assembly was finished.

Wraith let their voices flow around him.

The light began to fade from the room, and Gerard stood. “We should get ready for dinner.”

“We’ll see you soon, Wraith and Umbra,” Elias said. “It’s been nice spending time with you both.”