I sniffed. “I was excited,” I agreed, my voice unsteady.
“You weresoexcited. Just look at him up there. He’s having so much fun.”
I did what Redd said, returning my gaze to the dragon perched on my highest shelf. He did look happy. He was watching Hex, where they were curled up on an end table, stiffening into different shapes.
I personally thought the sight of the magical slime was horrifying, but the dragon found it entertaining.
He really was just a baby.
Gathering myself, I straightened, steeling my spine and hardening my nerves. Redd released me but he stayed close, hovering. Prepared to step in at any moment.
I snatched a scrap piece of yarn from one of my knitting projects, tying it to a stick that Sookie had brought inside for some reason.
If cats liked playing with toys, perhaps baby dragons did, too.
Hesitantly, holding my breath, I held the string on a stick out where Ember could see it.
His eyes zeroed in on the string immediately.
“Careful,” Redd said to the room in general.
I swallowed. “Here, dragon, dragon, dragon,” I called in a high-pitched voice. I waved the stick back and forth, letting the string flutter.
It took a few moments, but it worked.
Ember spread his wings, knocking the bowl and scrolls from the shelf, but he didn’t even notice.
He dove.
My scream came out garbled as I slapped my hand over my face, trying to stifle the sound.
I held the stick out as far as my arm would reach, my fingers clamped onto it like iron.
To my surprise, I didn’t hear any shattering crash. From the corner of my eye, I watched a group of sprites leap and dip, zipping through the air to catch the falling items, working together to set them back where they belonged.
My relief was short lived, though, because the beast was charging.
Ember, instead of landing on the ground, chose to land directly on my arm.
He damn near plowed me over. I only stayed on my feet because of Redd’s sturdy grip on my shoulders.
“Ahh!” I shouted as the dragon latched onto my arm with four clawed feet. Paws? Feet? I wasn’t sure.
He wasn’t heavy, but he wasstrong. And he was surprisingly agile, nowhere near as wobbly as he had been the night before in Kizzi’s shop.
He was growing up so fast.
Strangely, that made me want to cry.
Ember swatted at my hand, which was still clutching the stick. I held fast.
“That’s not how you’re supposed to play with it!” I called, my voice shaking. “Let me hold it!”
The dragon tilted his head. He swatted at my hand again, harder this time.
“Ouch!” I yelped. “That hurts!”
Redd grumbled behind me, something that sounded like, “Damned beast.”
