But I kept trying.
“You’re lucky that you’re a cat and will never have to knit anything,” I said to Sookie as she watched me hurl the ball of yarn across the room in frustration for the second time. “It sucks.”
She simply meowed in response.
CHAPTER 9
Kizzi
Itwirled the magnifying glass in my fingers, making sure I inspected every single inch of the two remaining dragon eggs. I held the green one up higher, seeking a better angle.
There were hairline fissures, sure, but those were nothing new. They had been there since the first time I examined the scaled eggs. And a few tiny, shallow scratches that might have been a figment of my imagination.
The eggs were not going to be hatching. Not right now, at least.
And thank the Old Gods for that. One dragon was hard enough to wrangle.
My familiar was doing most of the heavy lifting. Hex, the purple sludge, was a surprisingly adequate babysitter, all things considered. They kept the dragon occupied by slithering around the room, popping bubbles, and, when necessary, physically restraining the little creature.
I refused to let myself think about how adorable it was, because it could have been a ticking time bomb. Quite literally.
Casper, fluffy as ever, curled up on my lap, her tail swishing idly back and forth. I couldn’t tell if she was entertained by the baby dragon or irritated by it. Probably both.
“What are we going to do with these monsters, Casper?” I asked as I set the egg back onto the counter. “They’re taking over.”
Casper meowed quietly in response.
“I know right. It’s madness.”
I had spent my morning finishing up the Merry Day gifts for my friends and trying my best to keep Ember entertained.
I wastired. I ached for a nap, a cup of hot tea, and a warm pastry.
Like my wishes had manifested themselves, a muffled knock sounded on the door.
“Oh! Sorry, my friend.” I nudged Casper onto the floor, where she scurried away, looking disgruntled. “Coming!” I called to the door, unsure if anyone could actually hear me through the protection enchantments.
As quickly as I could, making sure to glance over my shoulder to glare pointedly at Ember so the sprites would keep him in check, I tugged the door open.
Tandor, looking as bright and handsome as ever, quickly scurried inside, letting in a small burst of frigid air. “Delivery,” he said warmly.
He clutched a sack in one hand, and two mugs in the other. The scent of ice, warm pumpkin, and berry tea drifted in beside him. It was almost as comforting as Tandor’s clean rain scent. I inhaled greedily. “Hi.”
“Hi, little witch. I’ve come with gifts. Green tea with blueberry and Mitz’s fresh pumpkin muffins.”
I happily snatched the sack from his hand while he set the mugs aside. “Pumpkin, my favorite.”
He grinned. “I know.”
Tandor slipped his arm around my waist, tucking my head under his chin and squeezing his body to mine. I let the sack of pastries drop to the table and wrapped my arms aroundhis middle, squishing my face into his chest. “I love you,” I muttered, the words muffled against the fabric of his cloak. “You always know exactly what I need.”
“As I love you, my beautiful, dragon-wrangling witch.”
“Did you finish your Merry Day gifts?” I asked.
“I did. Now it’s just a waiting game.”
“I wonder what it is,” I joked.
