I couldn’t wait until Tommins could see his own gift, which was a massive wooden sign that read, “Welcome to Moonvale, The Heart of Magic.” Redd had already told him that he would have to wait until morning to see it, under the light of the two suns.
I caught Fiella’s eye and nodded, signaling that it was time.
Time for the final gift.
I bent, retrieving the last box from beneath the table. I set it down carefully, sliding it to Ginger. She sat up straight, looking flustered. “Oh, you didn’t have to?—”
“Just open it, Ginny,” Fiella interrupted. She was actually vibrating with excitement, bouncing on the balls of her feet. A glance around the room told me that Redd and Tandor were just as excited.
She looked at us suspiciously. “What is it?”
“Open it!” I ordered.
With a heavy sigh, she pulled the lid off the box.
And then she promptly shut it again, shoving it in my direction. “No.”
“Yes!” I insisted.
“No way. I’m not worthy.”
“Yes, you are, Ginny,” Fiella said. “You deserve it more than any of us.”
I lifted the lid to peer inside, and nearly jumped out of my skin.
In the box, nestled into a small blanket and sleeping peacefully, was a tiny green dragon, surrounded by the fragments of his broken shell. He had hatched sometime during the festivities and was apparently content to nap until he wasdisturbed. He peeked an eye open, glanced around, and then shut it again before resuming a sleepy breathing rhythm.
Tears ran down Ginger’s freckled cheeks. “Are you sure?”
“What’s his name, Ginny?” I asked to prove a point.
She sniffled. “Brambleby. His name is Brambleby, or Bramble, for short. He doesn’t mind Bram, either. Why do I know that?”
“Because he’s yours, girl!” I shouted. “I told you!”
She stood, gathering me into a tight hug that squeezed the air of my chest. “Thank you,” she whispered into my ear. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
I patted her back. “I might have some idea.” I pulled back and wiped the tear tracks from her face. “Now, let that baby sleep, because he’ll be a handful when he wakes up!”
After many tearful hugs and heartfelt thanks around the room, my heart was fuller than ever before. It felt near to bursting.
Even Hex and the cats had snuck in while we were exchanging gifts, curling up in front of the fireplace with the sprites and the dragons.
My makeshift zoo, growing day by day.
As the day transformed into dusk, and then to night, folk trickled out, donning their cloaks and saying their joyful farewells as they went.
But our group remained, drinking and laughing and simply enjoying the company.
It was the perfect evening.
Until a knock sounded at the door. Which was weird, considering it wasn’t locked.
“Come in!” Tandor called, his deep voice booming in the large room.
Nothing happened.
“It’s open!” he yelled again, louder this time.
