Dragons Luck

Eighteen

Tuesday night and nothing to do.

Griffen sat alone in the Irish pub. It was rare, the pub being so empty. Especially at night. Yet here it was, 10:00 p.m. and he and the bartender were the only occupants. They had both agreed on a Hammer horror-movie fest on one of the movie channels, but then had slipped into silence. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, but still Griffen was searching his mind for a topic, any topic, that could get a decent conversation rolling.

He was saved when the door opened and Flynn strolled in. Griffen noticed with some amusement that Flynn never seemed to dress down. All his clothes were of high quality and, if not tailored for him, of a very good cut. Even at his most casual, his shirts tended to be silk. Griffen waved him over and, relieved to have some company, bought his first drink.

Then silence descended again.

Griffen bristled as Flynn turned his attention to the TV. He hadn’t run into the other dragon often, and still had many questions for him. Especially after his meeting with Estella. It had raised questions not only about the groups at the conclave, but about dragons as well. At least, how dragons seemed to be perceived by others.

It wasn’t till Flynn caught his eye and tossed a glance at the bartender that Griffen caught on. When things were busy and noisy, there wasn’t much problem talking about things that you might not want overheard. In a dead-silent bar, there was no way they could talk dragons or ghosts or shifters without drawing too many questions.

Well, almost no way; this was the Quarter after all. Ghosts and voodoo were common enough. Still, Flynn wasn’t a part of the local scene, so maybe he didn’t realize that. Griffen shrugged inwardly and thought up an easy solution.

“Hey, Flynn, how about a game of pool?” he said.

Flynn turned his attention to the tables and frowned a bit. Seeing his obvious hesitation, Griffen was afraid the silence would win. Flynn looked almost disdainful of the idea.

“Well… how about we make things interesting?” Flynn said.

The bartender stepped up to them.

“Legally, I can’t allow any betting in the bar,” the bartender said. Then he looked around at the emptiness and shrugged, smiling easily. “So keep your money in your pockets and settle up outside, and if anyone comes in, keep your traps shut.”

Griffen nodded his thanks and walked over to the back table. A bit of etiquette he had picked up since coming down to New Orleans. At least in a bar like this one, with two pool tables. If both tables were open, and you chose to shoot on the table closest to the bar, it was an invite for the bartender and anyone sitting there to feel free to watch and comment. If you went to the far table, people, bartenders especially, tended to give you your privacy.

Flynn walked over, still seeming reluctant, and started looking through the bar cues for the one that seemed most true. Griffen started to rack.

“Five thousand a game good stakes?” Flynn asked.

Griffen paused with a ball in his hand. He felt like shaking his head to clear his ears, sure he’d heard wrong, and looked up to find Flynn smiling broadly.

“If you don’t feel the pinch, what’s the point of playing?” Flynn said. “Five thousand isn’t much, but it’s enough that losing stings.”

“More than stings,” Griffen said, suddenly a lot more wary.

“I did say we should make it interesting. If you lose, put it down on your taxes as consultant fees.”

Griffen realized that this was more than to make the game worthwhile. Flynn seemed to be testing him, gauging just how much his advice was worth to Griffen. Of course… he just might win.

“Well… all right, but I’m using my stick.”

“Fair enough. I would if I had packed one.”

Flynn selected a stick and began to chalk it while Griffen unlocked one of the small lockers the bar kept for the pool players and began to assemble his cue. A good stick versus bar wood was always an advantage, but Griffen had never seen Flynn shoot and had to assume he was good. Five-thousand-dollars-a-game good.

“Straight or French Quarter League rules?” Flynn asked, surprising Griffen again.

“You know the local league rules?”

“But of course; the ball and hand is a very interesting twist for a position player. You didn’t think this was my first trip to New Orleans, did you?”

“Straight, please,” Griffen said. He had just begun to pick up the league rules and wasn’t confident enough yet to risk it.

“Drop the ‘please.’ You really need to learn to throw your weight around more,” Flynn said. “Especially if you hope to keep control of this conclave.”

“Still not sure how much control a moderator has or is supposed to have.”

“It’s always better to be in control. And it’s always easier to start from a position of control and power than to try to scramble for one when you need it.”

“Yeah but—”

Griffen got cut off as Flynn lined his cue up and broke.

The eight went in the pocket.

Griffen stood there, stunned.

“Another?” Flynn said, exuding confidence while keeping his voice bland and innocent.

Griffen had seen eights sink on the break before. It took both skill and luck, and was something he had never pulled off before. It wasn’t usually repeatable. Usually.

“See,” Flynn said, “now I’m working from a position of power. It makes you hesitate because you aren’t sure just how much power. If you come on strong, others toe the line. Especially if they are already nervous about dealing with a dragon.”

Griffen nodded and began to rack again.

“And what’s to keep them from seeing you as a bully?” Griffen said.

“Why should you care? Beyond it doesn’t matter how they see you. If bullying is what it takes to get the job done, why look for a weaker tool?”

Griffen didn’t have an answer but didn’t like the question. Flynn broke again, this time nothing fell, and Griffen stepped up to the table.

“Why would the other groups out there be so worried about a dragon trying to take them over?” Griffen said.

“They are afraid. Fear makes them stupid. They know dragons could rule if we chose to, and don’t think to ask why we should bother,” Flynn said.

“You really see them as that much less?”

Griffen had a three-ball run, then missed. Flynn stepped up to the table.

“Why wouldn’t I? Shifters, spooks, spell slingers. They don’t have anything we don’t have, and none of them have our power or variety.”

“But within their own sphere aren’t they stronger? Can you take all the different animal forms a chimera can?” Griffen said.

Flynn had a four-ball run, but miscued when Griffen asked that question.

“No, but then I never really got into shape-shifting. I like myself as I am.”

“What about the fairies, the changelings? I haven’t heard about what they can and can’t do.”

“They are letting those nuts in this year? I didn’t know their standards had gotten that lax. Those aren’t fairies, not really. Oh, they claim they are part of them, but have no proof. In fact, I’ve never seen or heard of any real evidence there are fairies,” Flynn said.

Griffen was down to the eight, but the shot was lousy. A bank into the side pocket was his best bet. He missed.

“Okay, the changelings, then. What can they do?”

“Well… okay, you’ve got me on that one. From what I’ve heard on rumor, they have a wide range of powers, but each one has its own unique gifts and styles. Only no one has any proof on whether the stuff is real or some form of hypnosis or illusion. You know the old legends of fairy gold turning to trash in the morning? Same deal. The effects don’t often seem to last.”

“Often?”

“Again, there are rumors of more, but nothing I would put any credit into. Plus everything I’ve heard says they only have limited control over their powers. Kind of flighty and undisciplined. Shouldn’t be too much trouble for you.”

Griffen watched as Flynn put ball after ball away. Including—eventually—the eight. Griffen winced and felt his bank account shrink by another big hunk.

“Another?” Flynn asked.

“Double or nothing?” Griffen said, voice strained.

“Now, why would I let you off the hook that easy? Then you wouldn’t learn anything.”

Flynn grinned, and Griffen found himself racking again. Flynn broke, and again nothing fell. Griffen began to shoot.

“Okay, since my ‘consultant fees’ are mounting up. I’ve been a little worried about security. I can only be in so many places at once. What if something goes wrong?”

“You’ve got a crew, don’t you?”

Griffen winced again, thinking back to his talk with Jerome.

“Let’s just say they are busy elsewhere.”

“Hmm… remember what I said about throwing your weight around? If you are the head dragon, you need to act like it.”

Griffen had run the table. He was aiming on a fairly easy shot on the eight.

“Didn’t I hear a rumor about you and some drug dealers?” Flynn asked.

Griffen miscued, and came close to scratching.

Flynn smiled and stepped back up to the table.

“Only a brief incident,” Griffen said. “Why?”

“Well, seems in this town they would be ideal. Good for thug work. Let’s face it—expendable. And not likely to talk about any weirdness they might see, not to anyone who matters and will listen anyway.”

“I really don’t think I want to end up owing anything to that lot.”

“So make it a cash deal up front, no favors or anything,” Flynn said.

“Well… if things got desperate… maybe,” Griffen said dubiously.

Flynn scratched with two balls left on the table.

“Damn!” he said.

Griffen took the cue and very carefully lined up his shot. He looked at Flynn to see if he was going to speak, then checked his shot again. Much to his relief, he made it.

“Only other option would be some type of tag or mental tracer. An amulet or coded ID badges or something like that,” Flynn said, and began to put his stick back.

“Don’t you want another game?” Griffen said.

“Nope. Always quit while you’re ahead, kid. ‘Thus endeth the lesson.’ ”

Griffen watched Flynn leave the bar. He couldn’t bring himself to be too angry. Back in school he had pulled similar stunts when playing cards.

He never realized just how it felt.