Zina laughed. “Well, hopefully wyverns are like these little guys – they don’t start breathing acidic venom until they’re a little older. Hopefully these ones have a little more growing up to do before they start breathing fire.”
“That has its good and bad points,” Trent mused as he stood up, heading toward the kitchenette. “Ireallycan’t be bothered making breakfast just now – it’d be nice to just hold a piece of bread on a fork and let them do the toasting.”
Laughing, Zina came over to join him in the kitchenette, Dusty and Goldie following closely at her heels. Now that he looked at them, Trent could see both of them were holding the two-dollar coins he’d given them yesterday in their mouths, just like tiny dogs with a favorite toy.
They scampered across the floor, ducking and weaving between Trent and Zina’s feet as they got their breakfasts together. Whatever discord had been between them yesterday seemed to have been forgotten, Trent thought with relief. Maybe they’d just been hungry and sleepy – or maybe they’d come to an agreement during the night not to touch each other’s stuff.
“Here you go, little guys,” Trent said, as he put their breakfast plates down on the floor. “Eat up.”
He watched them, amused, as they both realized they’d have to put their treasured coins down if they wanted to eat – Goldie seemed to figure it out first, carefully placing her coin down by her side, before starting to devour her chicken mince. Dusty seemed a little more reluctant, but then, the lure of broccoli overcame him, and he placed his coin down on the plate before snapping it up in his jaws.
“I got some eggs,” Trent said, turning to Zina, as she rummaged in the mini-fridge.
“I’mwayahead of you.” She grinned as she emerged, holding them. “I can’t really say I’m that well-known for my cooking, but I make a mean scrambled egg. Well, I think so anyway.”
Trent smiled at her, feeling his heart flood with affection. “Then let me handle the toast.”
Fifteen minutes later and they were happily scraping up the last of their – truly amazing, Trent had made sure to tell Zina – eggs, while hot coffee steamed on the table. Trent hadn’t realized how truly ravenous he’d been until he’d started eating.
“Wow. That was amazing. I feel like I could go another round,” Trent said, leaning back in his chair.
“I remember someone saying exactly the same thing last night,” Zina said, smirking at him a little and raising an eyebrow at him – though Trent could see her coloring a little as she said it. “Sorry, that was super cheesy. I don’t know why I said that.”
She covered her face up with her hands in embarrassment, but Trent couldn’t help but be charmed. Zina had seemed so stoic, so serious. She was clearly no-nonsense, and took her work incredibly seriously. So it wasfascinatingto see her playfulness come out – even if itwaskind of cheesy.
“Hey, no need for embarrassment,” he said, laughing and reaching out to her, gently pulling her hands away from her face. “That was cute – you made a joke!”
“Not a very good one,” Zina muttered, still blushing a little. “I clearly need more practice.”
“Well, I think bad spontaneous jokes are better than good rehearsed ones,” Trent said truthfully. “What’s life without a little cheese?”
Zina laughed, even if it seemed a little reluctant. Then she glanced over to where Goldie and Dusty were still finishing the last of their breakfast.
“I guess we better start getting ready to take these guys to their new home,” she said, her voice suddenly tense.
Trent could understand why, but he was still disappointed at how quickly her smile and playfulness had disappeared. Looking down at where Dusty and Goldie were gazing up at them with their wide, golden eyes, expectant and hopeful of getting more food, probably, he felt his own sense of humor shrivel a little within him.
“I’m gonna miss these little guys,” he said softly, and he reached down to tickle Goldie under her chin. She reacted with an exuberant littlecheep cheep! Grrrup!and rolled onto her back, clearly expecting more where that came from.
“Tahnee couldn’t be very precise aboutwhenthe contact would be showing up to collect them, but she did tell mewherethey’d be,” Trent said as he tickled Goldie on her surprisingly soft belly as she wiggled joyously about on the carpet. “There’s a small pub on the main street called Joy’s, and it shouldn’t be too far of a walk from here. I can go wait there until they show.”
“Alone?” Zina asked, voice apprehensive.
“I think it’d be for the best.” Reluctantly, Trent straightened up. Goldie let out a littlegrruppp!of protest, but then she got to her feet, picked up her coin, and started wandering around the room sniffing at random objects as if she was investigating. “It’d be safest for you to stay here and keep an eye on these guys – there’s no way we’d be able to keep them quiet if we have to wait a while, and besides which…”
Trent trailed off, unwilling to worry Zina more than she already was, but he could see from the look on her face that she understood him perfectly.
And besides which, if the Bloodhound and his offsiders show up, it’s better if you, Dusty, Goldie and the egg are mostly out of harm’s way.
“But if something happens, how will I know to come looking for you?” Zina said. Her tone was measured, but Trent could still hear the anxiety that throbbed just below the surface of it.
Trent gave her a small smile. “I’ll text you?”
“Be serious,” she snapped, and then sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m worried about how this is going to go. Besides being sad to see these guys go. Even though Iknowit’s for the best.”
“There’s nothing to say you can’t visit them once this is all done and dusted,” Trent said, standing up. He knew that it may not be that easy – well, itdefinitelywouldn’t be that easy. Zina was still a wanted woman. Her agency had put out a burn notice on her. It was entirely possible that Hargreaves weren’t the only ones who were trying to hunt her down right now – in fact, it was more than likely they had more things to worry about than that. Trent himself should have taken her in the moment he first laid eyes on her again. He didn’t knowhowthat situation was going to shake out, but right now, he thought he should focus on one problem at a time. Right now, his priority had to be Dusty, Goldie and the egg.
“Maybe so,” Zina said softly. “But still, I need to know what’s happening. Even if only so I can get these little ones to safety if the Bloodhoundisin town.”
