Warsinger by James Baldwin (most important books of all time txt) 📕

It was a long walk and carriage ride back to the College, and by the time we arrived, I achieved a debuff I’d never had before:

[You are Sleep Deprived! -2 to all stats, -10 to all mental skills, 2x Stamina drain!]

I felt the small drop in stats like a kind of sluggishness, but even so, I was wired when I got out of the carriage. Karalti was waiting for us in the yard outside the warehouses, her nose turned to the sky, her wings flickering with tension by her sides. There were quite a few people hanging back from her, just watching her or praying to one of the Nine as they contemplated their first Real Live Dragon, TM. Rin was already there waiting for us: as a member of our party, she could see our dots on the map.

“Hi guys!” She bounced and waved, loaded down like a Himalayan porter in a backpack almost as tall as she was. Her Artificed familiars, Lovelace and Hopper, were carrying luggage as well. “How did it go? Did you have fun?”

“Lots of fun.” I wagged my eyebrows at Suri. She smirked back to me.

Karalti craned her neck toward us, radiating impatience. “About time you dragged yourself in.Weren’t planning to back out on me, were you?”

“What? No?” I grunted aloud. “Had a good time. Ate a lot of food. Not enough food, apparently.”

Karalti snorted, and stiffly flexed her wings before sinking down to let us mount. I helped Rin up, then Suri. Rin’s turrets were able to Spider Climb now, so they skittered up like a pair of robot crabs and clung onto the saddle. I followed up last, but as soon as my hand touched Karalti’s wing, a pulse of … something transferred between us, an electrical current that tingled through my nerves in a pleasant wave. The dragon’s scales were hot, as if she’d been flying for miles. Her scent was very strong. Strong and sweet, hanging in my nostrils like perfume.

“You stayed here, right?” I climbed up, far less gracefully than usual – partly due to the Sleep Deprived status, and partly due to the boner that just would not quit. If I was alive, I’d probably be getting ready to go see a doctor. “You didn’t go flying?”

“No.” Her mental voice was terse. “Tell Suri and Rin to buckle in.”

“You could tell her,” I teased.

“I don’t want to.” Karalti got to her feet, shook herself a little, and began to preen her claws and muzzle. “I want to go home. So buckle up and hang on.”

Chapter 31

Karalti was silent through the short flight, teleportation, and landing. I could sense she was eager to get Suri and Rin off her back – and me, for that matter. The dragon stamped and pawed as I got down, and once Rin and her turrets were on the ground, I felt Karalti’s mind press into mine. “When you’re done, take my saddle off, please.”

“Unequip it?” I asked. “Karalti, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired.” She snorted a cloud of steam into the cold night air. “Hang back with me?”

“Uhh… sure.” Remembering what I’d said to Suri before, I doubted she was just tired. “Let me say goodbye to Suri.”

“Thanks so much, Karalti!” Rin tentatively patted Karalti on the leg. “I’m so sorry to have to ask you guys to run me around. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t important.”

“What are you working on?” I asked.

She linked her hands behind her back and hopped up and down. “It’s a secret! I still have some adjustments to make, but you’ll find out tomorrow morning. Just promise me something?”

“What?” I caught Suri around the waist as she slid down.

“Promise you won’t be mad.” And with that, Rin winked and then jogged off into the castle grounds before I could say anything.

Suri yawned as she unequipped her fancy clothes, and put on her regular underlayers: a dusky rose halter top that laced at the front, and a pair of clinging doeskin leggings that hugged her legs in interesting ways. A slow, lazy smile spread over her lips as I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.

“You kids have some good clean fun,” she said. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“After tonight, I think the list of things you wouldn’t do has to be pretty short.” I rubbed the area on her neck where I’d bitten her. Thanks to the magic of HP regen, the wounds had already healed, leaving nothing but a set of pink marks that would fade by morning.

“What can I say? Prison life doesn’t leave much room for modesty.” She rubbed her cheek against mine, then danced back. I smiled at her, holding her hand until she tugged it from my grasp and sauntered off toward the barracks, where she’d made her room.

“Ugh. Finally.” Karalti tracked her as she left, her nostrils flexing.

“What’s gotten into you?” I frowned up at her. “You were all sweetness and light this afternoon. Now you’re jealous?”

“I’m not jealous.” She began to preen herself again, grooming in a way I’d never seen her do before. She brought her hands up to her chin and ran her claws over it, almost like a gerbil washing its face.

“She said, jealously.” I held up my hands. “I’m just saying there’s a track record, okay?”

Karalti lowered her head until the tip of her nose was even with mine, and as she did, a cloud of scent descended over me. Karalti normally had a subtle, sweet scent that I loved, but tonight, it was like she had doused herself in a mixture of ecstasy and opium. My skin tingled, my fingertips vibrated, and heat - real, living heat - spread through my nerves and into my muscles, making them twitch and flex and pump. They weren't the only thing that swelled, either.

“Holy shit.” I swallowed thickly. “You know, Tidbit, I’m not sure… but I think I know why we can’t