Penny sat back in her chair and sighed. "But, it could be a good thing, too. After all, having two dragon-shifters working together, not to mention the additional support staff you propose, would severely decrease the chance of corruption. It could still happen, mind you. But it'd be less likely, given all the dragon-shifters involved in keeping the clan running."
Honoria tapped her hand against the arm of her chair. Asher remembered her having the same tick when she'd been younger, and it was the only sign she was anxious to hear a verdict. The dragonwoman asked, "So may we compete as a pair?"
"The others will no doubt make a fuss. We'd have to extend the chance for them to compete as a team, too." She looked at each of them. "Do you still want to do this?"
They both nodded, but Honoria spoke first. "Of course."
"Right, then I need to call my boss first and then Stonefire."
Asher's brows drew together. "Why do you need to talk with Stonefire?"
The human answered, "They are the other English dragon clan, and probably the one you'll be working with the most closely. It's essential you two get along. Given what I know of Bram Moore-Llewellyn, it shouldn't be a problem. However, I need to clear it with him first."
It was on the tip of Asher's tongue to say fuck Stonefire, but he held back.
His dragon spoke up. You'd better. And while I know you hate having others in charge of your fate thanks to what Marcus did, Bram is different. Everything we've read about him says he's a good bloke, and he doesn't want to control everyone.
Maybe. But you also know that Stonefire has been steering a lot of the changes in the UK whilst we were imprisoned. Who's to say they won't try to change things here, too?
We'll be meeting him soon enough. Save judgment until after you can interact with him in person.
Since Asher had been talking with his dragon, he'd missed Honoria's question. But the human spoke again. "I'll have an answer for you tomorrow. The next stage of the leadership trials won't be for a few days anyway, so if you can compete as a team, you'll know before then. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have loads to do in the next few hours."
Standing, Asher exited the office and Honoria followed. Only once they were outside the cottage used by most of the former clan leaders did Asher speak again. "I don't like other clans having a say in what we do."
Honoria rolled her eyes. "They were going to play a part in choosing Skyhunter's leader anyway, so I don't see the big deal." Her expression softened. "Besides, how much do you know of Stonefire's leader?"
He shrugged one shoulder. "Not much, only what I could read. I've never met him. However, judging from what I've absorbed, he's had a lot of sway with the DDA for the last few years."
"Not exactly true. His mate is a former DDA employee, and she has a lot of contacts. Not to mention the human mate of another dragonman wrote a book which helped humans see us as more than monsters. And then there's the other human mate who has a videocast series introducing aspects of dragon-shifter life to the general public. If anything, the humans of Stonefire are doing a lot of the influencing."
"How do you know all this, Ria? You weren't even in the country."
~~~
Honoria had wanted to leave the cottage and propose a joint training session with Asher. However, he voiced his doubts and then asked her how she knew so much about Bram and Stonefire.
Asher's tone hadn't been accusatory, just curious. It was the only reason she hadn't scowled and pulled him into an abandoned building to give him a scolding.
The downside to potentially being a co-leader team was that they needed to project trust and cohesion in public. If she needed to chew his arse out, it would have to be done in private.
Her dragon spoke up. Good. Then it gives me a chance to take control and give him a lesson my way.
Ignoring her beast, she replied to Asher's questions, "Just because I was thousands of miles away doesn't mean I didn't keep track of what was happening back in the UK. Even though my parents are dead, I'd still hoped to return at some point."
"If not for the trials, would you have come?"
She looked into the distance, studying the softly rolling hills that surrounded Skyhunter on most sides. England was so much greener than back in Northern California. "Yes, although maybe not this soon." She looked back to Asher. "I still have some family in the UK, after all."
Her English cousins had gone to the Northern Irish clan and still hadn't returned to Skyhunter.
Her dragon spoke up. We can invite them back once we're in charge. Surely they'll trust us to keep everything in line.
I hope so. It'd be nice to have more family nearby.
Don't tell me you miss our cousins in America? They bloody annoyed us to no end.
Maybe. But they stood at our side when we needed it.