I flushed, my ears growing warm. “Should I try to pick her up?”
“Go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“She could bite my finger off. Or my entire hand, if it would fit in her mouth.”
“She’s not going to bite your finger off.”
“How do you know that?”
“I just know. Now pick her up, or I will.”
This steeled my resolve. I knew Raine would favor Tandor, because all critters did. This was my chance to bond with her first. “Okay. If I lose a finger, there’s a medical kit in a basket somewhere. Don’t let me bleed out.”
“I won’t let you bleed out, princess.” There was a smile in his voice.
Holding my breath, I bent over the lip of the cauldron, scooping the small dragon into my arms.
CHAPTER 12
Fiella
The days before Merry Day passed in a blur of dragon scales, smoking leaves, and icy puddles.
They were the most exciting and exhausting days of my life. And now, Merry Day was tomorrow, and I wasnotprepared. I had managed to finish my knitted gifts, sure, but I wanted to make them even better. I wanted to make sure they wereperfect. And I wanted to wrap them up beautifully and intricately. If I found the time, I would.
Ember, surprisingly, had actually been helpful when it came to knitting. When he wasn’t too busy chasing Sookie around, he helped me keep strands of yarn from tangling, and if I let him play with the scrap pieces, he even helped me keep my rows and knots straight and even.
I wouldn’t have finished the projects without him. I wouldn’t admit that, though. It was too embarrassing to say, “The baby dragon is better at knitting than I am,” out loud.
The dragons could not be contained indoors. Both my Ember and Kizzi’s Raine were relentless in their pursuits for open air, clawing at doors and windows and trying to push through cracks.
After we were pretty sure they weren’t actually murderous beasts, we didn’t want to contain them. They wanted to explore, and we wanted to make them happy. So, we let them roam.
Mayor Tommins wasnotpleased with that plan.
He had scolded me and Kizzi the first time he saw the two little dragons zipping around Town Square, chasing fluffy squirrels and swatting at crispy, crumpled leaves. He had shouted, and threatened, and even crossed his arms and stared at us disapprovingly (which was the scariest part).
But then, like the rest of us, he fell under their spell. He didn’t even yell when Ember caught a pile of leaves on fire dangerously close to his office, or when Raine froze one of the cobblestone paths into a giant icy mess.
He simply laughed, shook his head, and moved along, content to let the dragons play as long as nobody was harmed.
And nobody was harmed, aside from a few slips and singed sleeves. In fact, the entire town was absolutely enthralled.
It was like Kizzi’s love potion fiasco all over again, except this time, instead of obsessing over Kizzi, the folk of Moonvale simply wanted to catch a glimpse of the legendary dragons. Or if they were lucky, pet one on their scaly, horned heads.
The third egg—the green one—still hadn’t hatched. I wondered what affinity it would have. Would it lean toward flame, like Ember, or would it be drawn to ice, like Raine?
I tried to quell my worry. My stomach churned when I thought about the deal that the witch in Rockward had arranged with Kizzi—if the dragon didn’t hatch by Merry Day, we had to return the egg to the mountains.
There was still time. Only a day, but time, nonetheless.
“Hot cocoa?” Redd asked as he dropped onto the bench beside me. I was perched in the park in Town Square, watching Ember and Raine fight over a little stick while a few cats perched on benches nearby, watching the fiasco unfold.
There was no better entertainment.
I grabbed the mug gratefully, relishing the way the heat soaked through my knitted gloves and warmed my stiff fingers. “You’re the best. Did you know that?”
He chuckled. “Who’s winning?”
