(Week Nine Part Two really is coming soon).

Fiona Asks:

Dear Salia,
Hang in there, sweetie! It’s going to be OK.
Just wondering, how old are you?
Fiona

Salia replies:

I’m trying, but dragons are scary.

I’m seven years old

—

Author’s note: mjkj’s question this week was too spoilery but he asked a question in his comment on Monday’s part which I can answer, so I’m answering that instead.

mjkj asks:

Yes, of course the dragons need to eat, but why does it have to be speakers?

Ystelyan sighs and then replies:

Because they’re who are here. Well, that doesn’t really answer your question, I’ll try and explain. Speakers aren’t precisely the only creatures in Talonyka that we can feed on – goblins, other dragons and the rare Talonri… er humans who come here are all potential food as well. Speakers are just the most numerous .

Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Can’t they eat normal animals rather than intelligent creatures? And the answer, bluntly, is no. We’re psychevores or possibly thaumavores – it depends on your definition. The energy we require for sustenance can only be found in creatures possessed of a certain level of consciousness and preferably a certain amount of power – though only the former is strictly necessary.  Normal animals just don’t have what we need.

I suppose we could seek out some other inhabited world instead, but I’m not seeing how that would be any better. Conscious beings are conscious beings.

Anyway we like it here.