Dai breathed out, looking down at her. Though his expression was still tightly controlled, some sixth sense told Virginia that he was mentally cursing himself. "You know the way that a lot of animals don't usually straight-up fight each other, because there's too much risk of getting seriously hurt? Like, say, sheep."
"Sheep," Bertram said. "Really?"
"In mating season, rams show off their horns to each other," Dai said to Virginia, ignoring the interruption. "The ram with the biggest, most impressive horns gains dominance over all the others. Rams are big, strong animals who could seriously hurt each other in a real fight. Comparing horns lets them avoid that." He gestured from himself to Bertram. "Dragons do something similar, except instead of comparing horns, they compare hoards."
"Thankfully," Bertram murmured, idly turning a hand so that the light flashed from his heavy gold signet ring.
"So the dragon with the biggest, most valuable hoard is the boss?" Virginia said, looking from Dai's unhappy expression to Bertram's smug one and back again. "But...you just have dragon blood, because of your ancestor. Surely this doesn't apply to you?"
"Oh?" Bertram looked sharply at Dai, who glowered back. Virginia had an odd impression of some unspoken communication flashing between them. Abruptly, Bertram laughed again. "Indeed. Dragon...ancestry." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "My. Well, I suppose that is true. And you certainly aren't a proper dragon."
"Dragons have very strong instincts about dominance and submission rituals," Dai said tightly. "They have to, otherwise they'd all have killed each other off long ago. I can't help having those instincts too."
Virginia's heart sank. "Which means?"
"Which means that I am dominant over him, and he is thus bound to obey me," Bertram said. His smile widened. "For example, I could order him to leave the city, right now."
"Go ahead and try it," Dai growled. He took a step closer to Virginia. "You'll find that there are some instincts even stronger."
"Mm." Bertram's gaze flicked from Dai to Virginia and back again. His lips pursed as if he'd bitten into a lemon. "How tiresome. But it is an inconvenience rather than an obstruction." He tapped his forefinger thoughtfully against his chin. "Ah, I have it." He pointed at Dai, his tone turning formal. "Daifydd Drake, by right of dominance I lay this restriction on you—while you are in my territory, you must appear as you do now."
"What? Wearing jeans and a T-shirt?" For a moment, Virginia was perplexed—then she realized that Dai probably didn't usually fight dragons with his bare hands. "Bertram, you can't do that!"
"I can, and indeed, I have." Bertram cocked his head at Dai. "Haven't I?"
Dai's face was expressionless, but his green eyes blazed with fury. "You are dominant over me. Don't think that means I won't punch you in the face."
Bertram raised an eyebrow at him. "A threat, from someone who isn't a dragon shifter? I suggest it would be wise to keep silent, little red, and let me talk." He cast a sideways glance at Virginia. "Unless you want me to...talk."
Virginia had the nagging feeling that she was missing about half of the conversation. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Dai folded his arms across his chest, fists clenched as though he was having to physically restrain himself from taking a swing at Bertram. "It means we have to hear him out."
"Good boy. I'm so glad we had this little chat." Bertram dismissed Dai entirely with a flip of his hand, turning instead to Virginia. "It may surprise you to hear that I have come to make you a very gracious and generous offer."
"You can shove it up your English arse," Virginia said hotly. "No matter what you've done to Dai, you've lost, Bertram. Soon the whole world will know that I discovered Brithelm's burial mound, and that you tried to hide it. Your professional reputation will be ruined."
"That is, of course, assuming that the burial mound is still there," Bertram said.
Virginia sucked in her breath. "You wouldn't."
"Oh, believe me, I would." Diamonds glittered as Bertram ostentatiously checked his watch. "It is now...11:23 on Sunday morning, which by my reckoning gives me at least twenty hours before you could possibly hope to report your find to the relevant authorities. Meanwhile, I have an entire construction team who is just delighted at the prospect of triple pay for working on a Sunday." He gazed contemplatively at the ceiling. "My. How much concrete could they could lay in twenty hours, I wonder?"
"And if Virginia gives you the artifact she found?" Dai said. "That's what this is about, isn't it?"
"Of course." Bertram smiled condescendingly at Virginia. "I am prepared to be magnanimous. I shall trade you the artifact for the rest of the site."
"What?" Virginia stared at him. "You mean, you'd give me permission to investigate it properly?"
"I would immediately halt construction work, and as the landowner give you full access to the land." Bertram spread his hands. "I'll even help you secure the site. We'd announce the discovery of the site together. My reputation will give you at least some degree of credibility, enough to make sure that you secure funding for a full dig."
"In other words, you want to steal the credit," Virginia said. "And no doubt any other valuable artifacts too. Dai's told me how greedy you dragons are."
"Has he now," said Bertram. "How amusing. No doubt that's true when one only has a pitiful excuse for a hoard." He cast a withering glance at Dai. "I, on the other hand, possess so many treasures already, I would be hard-pressed to even notice the addition of one more paltry pile of golden grave goods. I merely have a personal interest in the particular piece you removed. It belonged to an ancestor of mine, and has great sentimental value to my family."
"Sentimental value." Virginia snorted. "Right. Nothing to do with the fact that it's a big chunk of—"
"Ah!" Bertram raised a finger. "If I may offer some advice. It would be wise not to discuss the piece in detail in front of your little...friend here."