He’s shaking his head as he drives away.
The work coat doesnot workaround my wings, but I drape it around my body from the front, hooking the shoulders over mine backward.It’s not exactly warm, but it’s much, much better than what I had before.
When Norm drives up, I’m relieved.Three more cars have passed me in the growing light, and two of them stopped and drove so slowly, I was worried they were calling the cops.Unfortunately, Norm drives a Kia, and it’s very small.I almost can’t cram my stupid wings into the car.
“Do I want to know?”He’s got one eyebrow raised.
“I’ll explain everything, but I need some clothing,” I say.“And I’d really like a shower.”
“It also looks like you could use a nap,” he says.“No offense.”
“I’d really like one,” I say.“But I have very little time.”
“I thought you died,” he says softly.“They showed video clips, Liz.It looked...bad.”
“I did, actually, but Gideon brought me back.”Norm never trained at the same MMA gym that I went to with Gideon, but he heard about him plenty over the years.
“It almost looked like you were on the dragons’ side,” Norm says.“But clearly not, if you’re here, dragon-free.”
“About that,” I say.
His eyes widen.
“I am kind of on their side, but it’s not what you think.They never wanted to attack and kill us.”I sigh.“They came for something they left here a thousand years and change ago, and without it, they’re all dying.”
It takes me the entire drive back to his place, but I explain what happened in broad strokes.By the time we reach his cute little green house, he’s stunned.He’s staring straight ahead, his hands still at ten and two.
“Wow,” I say, just to say something.“Your house is great.”
“Thanks.”He parks in the tiny garage, kills the engine, and turns sideways to stare at me.“So why are you here?I honestly never thought I’d see you again.”
“I’ve been helping them find the heart—the thing they need.In the process, I caused a bit of a mess.”
“How so?”
“You’ve seen that dragons can ensnare humans,” I say.
“Enslave us, you mean?”
“It’s not like that,” I say.“Well, I mean, it can be.Sometimes it is, but I really liked my dragon.”
“Youliked?You don’t like him now?”
“He died,” I say honestly.I don’t explain more, in part because I’m too tired to go into it, but also because the humans think Azar’s dead, and I’d rather not tell them he’s not.I really do think Norm will help us, but...talking to him’s still a big risk.And if he does betray us, I’d rather limit how much damage he can do.
“What do you need from me?”
“The dragons...have you ever seen cartoons like Tom and Jerry where they try to fix something but it only gets worse?”
He shrugs.“Sure.”
“In trying to help them...”I cringe.“I kind of made things worse.The only dragons who can eat right now are the ones who are bonded to a human.”
Norm’s eyes widen.“What?”
“Basically, any of them who don’t bond a human will...”I draw a finger across my throat.
“They’lldie?”He swears again.“You’re serious?”
