“Lizards don’t, but dragons do.”
And with my epic announcement, what did the big and strong Bruce do?
Fell like a tree in the forest, causing snow to puff to the child’s delight. As for me? I seriously rethought my choice in servants.
Chapter Eight
Through the roaring in my ears, I heard Zaza babbling as she tottered to me and patted my cheeks with her mittens.
As I lay in the cold snow, I concentrated on breathing. In. Out. It didn’t do much to help with my shock. I couldn’t believe I’d just had a hallucination. I thought myself done with those. Even odder, my incidents were usually triggered by loud noises that had me ducking for cover. This time, I’d completely traversed into loony bin land. I’d imagined Percy speaking. Could it be my imagination shifted into overdrive because of the book?
“Stai bene, Bru?” Zaza kept tapping my face and I opened my eyes to see her peering at me and beaming when she saw me looking back.
“Bru sveglio.” She clapped her hands.
“Yes. He’s awake, if useless at the moment.” Said with a hint of disgust, the voice gravelly and feminine all at once. Not Nicky’s. Or Zaza’s. So, who?
I turned my head to the side to see Percy standing close by with arms crossed.
“Did you just talk?” I whispered.
“Yes, and I have to say, your reaction was completely uncalled for.”
“But… that’s impossible.”
“And yet there are words coming out of my mouth,” was the sarcastic reply.
“Nope. Nope. This isn’t happening.” I shut my eyes tight. “I am not hearing a lizard talk. I am sane. Nothing wrong with my brain. I’m probably still asleep.”
“Argh.” The annoyed grunt came with a cold smack to the face. The snowy mess slid from my cheek and I opened my eyes in shock.
“Did you just throw a snowball at me?” I exclaimed.
“I did and I’ll do it again if you insist on being a moron.” Percy crossed its short arms again and managed to look indignant.
“I’m having a nervous breakdown,” I huffed.
“No, you’re just having a hard time coming to terms with the fact I’ve finally decided to grace you with my grandeur. Being overwhelmed is a natural reaction. Humans can be fragile when presented with someone as exalted as myself. A good thing we dragons enjoy the reverence. However, my patience as you attempt to come to grips with the honor I’ve bestowed upon you isn’t infinite,” Percy warned, wagging a finger. “Pull yourself together.”
So many words, crazy ones at that, but one stood out. “You’re not a dragon,” I blurted.
“Says the expert.” Definite sarcasm in that reply.
“Dragons aren’t real.” I knew that for a fact.
“And yet here I stand in front of you.”
The claim led had me eyeballing Percy, a reptile shorter than Zaza and not that impressive if you ignored the talking. “If you’re a dragon, where’s your wings?”
“Coming. Another few more moltings and they should appear. Keep feeding me well and it will happen soon.”
“No fucking way this is happening and I’ll prove it,” I muttered as I got to my feet. Much as I didn’t want to look and sound off my rocker, I needed a reality slap, and I knew just who could give me one.
Zaza babbled and held up her arms before I could take a step, her demand I lift her being the whole reason this craziness began. It seemed obvious that she wanted to be carried by me now that Percy had so rudely pointed it out.
I grasped her under the armpits and carried her like a live bomb to the chalet. I bellowed as I approached the door. “Nicky!”
She must have been close by because the portal opened and she glanced at me with a worried expression as she reached for her child. “What’s wrong? Did Zaza soil her diaper?”
