“Ready to see Uncle Viol?” I asked Lazuli on the way to his room.
Lazuli let out a tiny, eager growl.
They couldn’t speak yet, and hadn’t yet had their first shift, but that was normal for a dragonet their age. I enjoyed this sweet age to the fullest, and I couldn’t wait to see the person they’d become.
Viol answered on the first knock. “What?” he snapped before his gaze fell on Lazuli in my arms. “Oh. Hi, sweetie.”
“I wasn’t aware we were that close,” I joked.
He arched a brow. “Using your kid as an emotional shield is dark-sided, Cobalt.” His cold expression broke into a smirk. “I like that.”
“Speaking of emotional shields, let’s talk... Violet.”
Viol’s dark eyes flashed. He bristled like a jungle cat about to spring, but when I plopped Lazuli in his arms, all his bluster fell away. His face warred with itself. Eventually it settled into a half smile, half snarl as he snuggled a very happy Lazuli close to his chest.
“What do you want?” Viol growled at me.
I didn’t bother wasting time. I’d already skipped straight to conflict by addressing Viol by his full name. There was no use beating around the bush now.
“What happened to you?” I asked quietly.
He side-eyed me. “Gonna have to be specific.”
“You know exactly what I mean,” I said, matching his unyielding tone. “As a teenager, when you left the island. What happened? What changed you?”
Viol stared at me for a few long moments before yanking his gaze away and glowering in the opposite direction. “Why do you care?”
“Because you’re my brother, and I love you,” I said.
He groaned. “Gross. You’ve been an overemotional sap since you became a dad.”
I decided not to bring up the fact that if anyone was uncharacteristically emotional about the concept of parenthood and children, it was him.
“It’s not gross, and I don’t care if you think that,” I stated. “It’s the truth. You’re different than you were back then. I just want to know why.”
His face hardened. “It won’t change anything. So, why don’t you focus on menow?”
I blinked. That statement rewired the way I thought about the situation. He had a point. Sating my curiosity wouldn’t help Viol with whatever inner turmoil he faced—but supporting him in the present moment would.
“You’re right. I’m sorry,” I said.
Viol stopped scowling. Just as his words perplexed me, mine had the same effect on him.
“No matter what happened, just know that I care, and that I’m here for you. We all are,” I promised. I gently took Lazuli’s paw and patted Viol’s chest with it. “Even Lazuli.”
The last of Viol’s guard crumbled. He breathed out a rough laugh. “Especially Lazuli.”
I remembered Muzo back at my hoard chamber. I itched to return to his side. He’d made it abundantly clear that he wanted somespecialalone time.
“Do you feel like babysitting this afternoon?” I asked Viol.
Viol hiked Lazuli up in his arms with a grin. “Do I? What d’you think, Laz? Should we have a play date with Ruby and Heather?”
Lazuli playfully chomped his finger, which in dragonet terms was a resounding yes.
* * *
I returnedto my hoard to find Muzo bouncing off the walls like a kid overdosed on sugar.
