Dray
My brothers come to a screeching halt when they see the dragon towering like some kind of huge fairy tale monster behind the five of us. He’s whining, tail swinging from side to side, swiping through the grass like a scythe, smoke billowing from his nostrils. I’m guessing the dude really didn’t appreciate the whole displacing thing.
Briony whips away the leash she’d formed with her magic and strokes her hand down his long snout, shushing and comforting the dragon who, despite his enormous size now, attempts to lean into her, nearly squashing her in the process.
“What the fuck is that?” says my youngest brother, Dirk.
I stride right up to him, swing my arm around his neck, forcing him down, and run my knuckles through his hair. It’s platinum white like mine, except he wears it short and spiky. Looks fucking ridiculous.
“What do you think it is? Did you lose all your brains while I’ve been away, you stupid, fucking dickwad?” I say, laughing. “It’s a dragon. What else would it be? A pumpkin?”
“But, but, but,” he says, wrestling back at me and trying to free himself from my grip.
My other brothers – the twins – stand there gaping at the monster who’s now licking his tongue up and down my Little Kitten’s face.
“Is it going to eat her?” Dob asks, and am I imagining things or is there a slight tremor in his voice?
I laugh again, pushing my youngest brother to one side and coming for the others now. Dob’s so entranced by the dragon he doesn’t see, and I manage to get a firm punch in his gut that has him wincing and doubling over. Deny, his twin, takes a jump backward, predicting my strike, but I still manage to cuff him around the earhole.
“Of course he’s not trying to eat her. He’s her pet.”
“Pet?” Deny screeches. “Dragons aren’t pets.”
“Says who?” I say. “There haven’t been any for hundreds of years. Who says he can’t be her pet if that’s what she wants?”
His eyes swing from the dragon back to me. “That’s your girl, right?”
I nod. He blinks. I guess he didn’t expect me to ever be so indulgent with a girl, let alone a girl from Slate Quarter. He has no idea. Little Kitten has me firmly wrapped around her pinky finger. So firm I wouldn’t be able to wiggle free even if I wanted to. But I don’t. I’m quite happy to be exactly where I am.
“Is he dangerous?” Dob asks, rubbing his stomach and attempting to roll back up.
“He’s a dragon,” I say. “Of course he’s fucking dangerous. He just spent the last two days firebombing demons. If he wanted to, he could burn our house down in one breath.”
My three brothers take a decided step backward. I turn around and wink at Little Kitten, then hold my hand out, beckoning her forward. She plants a kiss on the end of the dragon’s nose and then comes trotting forward, letting me takeher hand in mine. I yank her against me, wrapping my arm around her waist.
“We thought you were still out in the demon realm. Mama said the Empress sent you there on a mission,” my youngest brother says. “We didn’t know you were coming home.”
“No, it was a last-minute decision and I’d like our presence here kept secret, okay?”
My three brothers nod obediently.
“This is Briony,” I say.
My three brothers assess the girl with just as much wonderment as they assess the dragon.
“The Light wielder,” Dirk says.
“Yep,” I say proudly. “And trust me, she’s even more fearsome than the dragon.”
“Nice to meet you,” Briony says, holding out her hand to my brothers.
They all stare at it like any second they expect it to zap them or fry them or something. I cough loudly, and they all jolt, and then Dob is shaking her hand.
“And nice to meet you too. I’m Dob,” he says.
She smiles at him, and I swear that sucker blushes. I don’t blame him. She’s probably the most beautiful girl he’s ever met.
His twin brother thrusts his hand forward next. “Deny,” he says.