Chapter 18

Chimerick's Bar and Grill, Roya Lane, London, England, United Kingdom

Gen stared at the small black cube in her hand, feeling the weight of it like a sledgehammer on her shoulders. Apparently, that's what it had become when it was the downfall of its last wielder, Porthos Galopin. The witch who had killed him, tricked Bellumferrum into becoming a giant war hammer. Porthos had exhausted himself carrying it into battle and then was too depleted to fight. The witch, Mefora Payne, had intimate knowledge of the weapon of war and knew how to feed it the wrong information.

So, it was a unique situation, but proved that the weapon wasn't foolproof. It had many downsides, the first being that one never knew what it was going to become and had to be prepared for anything. If Gen didn't know how to use a spear, then she'd have to adapt really fast in the blink of an eye. Also, because Bellumferrum relied on connecting to both the consciousness of the person who wielded it and their enemy, it could be tricked. So there were many factors at play.

The weapon was kind of a head trip for Gen, and she wasn't sure that she wanted it as her main defense. But it felt like she had been given an honor, taking it when it could only be passed after the death of the last user.

"I don't really understand how to use this," Gen finally said, pulling her gaze away from the small black object and looking across the bar table at Sophia, Rose and Elvis.

Elvis laughed quite loudly as he took a sip of beer. "That's what she said."

Rose shook her head. "Gen won't get the reference. She hasn't seen The Office or anything else from this…millennium."

"She has to start somewhere," Elvis said, guzzling down another sip.

"Will you take it easy there?" Rose asked the Chinese dragon. "That's like your third beer."

"I'm drinking for two," he argued.

"No, you're not," she replied, pursing her lips and glancing at Gen. "I hope that your dragon isn't as weird as mine."

Sophia laughed loudly at this, taking a sip of her own beer. "Fat chance of that. She's a Beaufont. Lunis is about as nutty as a Reese's peanut butter cup."

"That's true," Rose said, nodding along, taking a sip of her water as she glanced at Gen. "You're screwed. What's His Name is going to be insane."

Gen chuckled, wiping her own drink from her mouth. "I don't know what his name is yet or what his deal is and why everyone seems so peculiar about him. I'm really anxious to know what's wrong with my dragon. I've joked to him that he's a runt." She looked directly at Sophia, hoping she'd give something away.

Sophia held up her hands in surrender. "I don't know what Quiet, Mahkah and Hiker know. They won't tell me. But it's apparently a big deal. Maybe he's the king of comedy and will really annoy the older dragons with his puns."

Everyone at the table laughed, all of them taking the chance to sip their drinks.

"I just don't get how this cube-thing works." Gen laid Bellumferrum on the table. "Like, does it only work in battle? Or what if I need a tool in a non-dangerous situation? Can I use it then?"

"I could use a bowl of pretzels right now," Elvis said and then burped. "See if it will make those."

"I think that you should drink less," Rose muttered at the dragon before giving her attention to Gen. "And from what I understand, it's to be used when you need it. So you simply hold it and make a request. But I'm sure that with practice, you'll figure it out."

"So, if I held it right now and said, give me what I need, what would happen?" Gen mused.

"Only one way to find out." Sophia waved at the cube, encouragingly. "See what it does."

"Well, do you think that's safe?" Gen asked, looking around the busy bar, which was full of strange types like giants, gnomes and fairies. She wasn't used to seeing them all mixing, since in her day, the races stayed separate.

"I think that you have to experiment with it, or you won't know how it works," Rose offered.

"Okay, well, I guess this will tell me if it works when I'm not in danger, since this place is relatively safe." Gen reached out and picked up Bellumferrum.

"I don't know," Elvis muttered, cutting his eyes to two guys across the bar. "Those types look pretty sketchy and like they might try and steal my girls."

"We're not your girls," Rose said, rolling her eyes at the red dragon, floating next to her.

"Really?" he countered. "Because your name must be Google, because you have everything that I've been searching for."

Rose groaned. "Wow, I don't think I can take it anymore." She smiled at Gen. "Please, indulge us. Ask Bellumferrum to help you. Let's see how it does."

"Okay," Gen said, wrapping her fingers around the cube. Apparently, once Rose gave it to her, it was hers to do as she wished. Rose had made the choice of who it went to and that was set in stone at this point.

Closing her eyes, Gen concentrated, feeling the object in her grasp pulse, like it was coming alive. She felt it beat, as if it was a heart in her palm. There was an echo in her mind. A vibration in her chest. And then she saw the light even with her eyes closed.

Her hand moved as something grew in it. But the morphing was so natural, like she knew how to conform to make space for the change. And then both her hands were around something soft. Something supple. Something that she needed.

With her eyes open, Gen looked at the object that Bellumferrum had become—amazed. She glanced at Rose, Sophia and Elvis. Laughed. And pressed the object to her.

"It knows how exhausted I am," she said, squeezing the pillow that was Bellumferrum to her. "It's telling me to sleep."

"It will serve you well for all of your life," Rose said, with a smile. "I knew you were the right person to give this to."

Sophia nodded in agreement. "It's the perfect weapon for the woman who will need it all. You have the one thing you can never destroy and will help you in all situations."

Gen smiled at the soft white pillow, realizing that she simultaneously had the hardest and most useful weapon in the world to use. She'd always have to think to employ Bellumferrum. But for a woman such as Gen, she would have it no other way. It was a weapon she couldn't break because it was fit for her.