“Hoo!”
More sparks and applause. Tomás gurgled happily.
Maya felt light-headed.
“Has he slept at all?” she asked nobody in particular.
Corin replied, “Not yet. But he might be willing to make the attempt now he has mastered breathing fire.” He soundedproud.And strangely shy.
Maya’s heart made an odd thud as she looked up at him.
He saw I needed help this morning, and he made it happen. Immediately.She swallowed over a sudden lump in her throat, then held her hands out to Tomás.
“Come here, baby. I’m so proud of you!”
Tomás raised his arms, and she scooped him up.
“Has he eaten anything?” she asked nobody in particular.
“Everything he could see,” Corin informed her seriously. “I told him—” His mouth twitched, humor warring with a wary pride that she’d never associated with him before. “I told him that dragons need food to fuel their magic fire, and he took the hint.”
Had Corinenjoyedplaying babysitter to Tomás? Something in her softened. If things had been different…
Tomás wriggled, flinging his arms around her neck and beaming up at her. Then he smiled at Corin, rolled over, and tucked his face into the crook of her elbow. She stroked his back gently, hardly able to believe…
“He’s asleep,” she breathed. “I can’t remember the last time he went to sleep that quickly.”
“Are you counting the literal entire night you spent up with him?” Corin asked dryly.
“Well, no, but…” Maya shook her head. Tomás’s weight was warm and heavy in her lap. It reminded her so much of whenhe was only a tiny baby, and had refused to nap unless she was holding him.
And there had never been anyone else to help her, then. Not friends, and not…
Not Corin.
Oh, great, now she was going to cry.
She blinked her eyes clear and looked up. “The firepit? Really?”
“He was trying to breathe fire!” Apollo raised his hands in mock-defense. “We had to be outside, in case he actually managed it. And he must have seen you or Mrs. H’s guests using the fire. He knew exactly what it was for, and decided it was a throne especially designed for him.”
She had a sudden vision of the four of them roasting marshmallows as her son happily puffed little fireballs at them, and squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she still needed more sleep.
“But how did you know he was trying to breathe fire? And how—” Her throat tightened. “If he only calmed down because you made him think he was breathing magic sparks, how am I meant to keep that up? Do one of you two have to hang out with us all the time? What if he figures out it was all a trick?”
She’d aimed the questions at the whole group—rapid-fire, somewhat panicked—but Corin answered.
“That might be best.”
Maya groaned out loud. “I’m so sorry,” she said to Felicity and Apollo.
Apollo raised his eyebrows. Felicity snorted. “Don’t be silly. We’re your friends. And we’ve got this ridiculous magic for a reason. Might as well use it for something other than making drinks.”
“Ridiculousmagic?” Apollo asked her, placing one hand on his chest and playing hurt.
“So ridiculous. The ridiculous-est.” She grinned up at him. “And it’s not like either of us has a real job, so we can hang out with you and Tommy, no problem.”
“Ihavea job,” Apollo protested.
