“And here’s the man of the hour.” His mother soundedproud.“Waking everyone up for breakfast? I see some things don’t change. Miss Flores, I didn’t tell you on the phone, but Corin always used to…”
“I’ll put a pot of coffee on,” Maya said vaguely. “Corin, could you show your mother to the living room—”
“Oh, I’m perfectly happy in the kitchen!”
Tomás jumped from Corin’s shoulder into Maya’s arms, perfectly happy to be clucked and fussed over by their guest as they walked through to the kitchen. Corin lingered behind a moment, reaching telepathically for the sparkling golden light that was Apollo Jenkins’s mind.
*I thought you were going to warn us if any other dragons approached the town?*
Apollo’s thoughts were muzzy with sleep. *You didn’t warn me that your MOTHER might show up. I was still fast asleep when she scratched on the perimeter. Do you know how close I got to flinging her over the water by reflex?*
Some of Corin’s shudder of horror must have got through, because Apollo laughed. *You’re lucky I’m the one who woke up, not Felicity. Your mom took it fairly well, considering.*
Corin frowned. *While we’re on the subject.*
*Aha. Dylan and Tally’s mysterious dragon sightings?*
*You heard?*
*It’s their favorite game. Yesterday afternoon they banded together to defeat yet another dastardly intruder, calling upon the combined forces of their secret Atlantis water-griffin friends to cast out the mean dragons.*
*It’s … a game?*
He felt Apollo’s shrug through their telepathic connection. *The real thing was scary. They want to make a version ofit they can win at. You were worried there was another real dragon sneaking around? I’m hurt. I wouldn’t let that happen.*
*You let my mother in.*
Apollo’s laughter sparkled in his thoughts. *That’s perilous for you, not the town. It doesn’t count.*
To Corin’s surprise, laughter echoed from the kitchen, as well. He stared at the half-open door. *I have to leave for a few days,*he told Apollo. *I’ll need you to look after Maya and Tomás.*
*We would do that anyway,*Apollo said. *Are you off looking for anything in particular?*
Maya had turned on all the kitchen lights; the golden glow poured through the doorway into the darker hallway. Deep inside Corin, the duskfire lay dormant, but waiting.
He sighed.*I am. Something impossible.*
The smell of coffee filled the air. He joined the others in the kitchen, and within a few minutes they were all seated around the table, coffees steaming in mugs in front of them. Tomás had retrieved a small portion of his hoard and was gripping the watch in one sticky hand as he demolished banana muffins with the other.
“You’re leaving?” His mother blinked twice. The second blink was over-exaggerated and directed at Maya. “He’sleaving?”
“I have something to discuss with my grandfather,” he said stiffly.
“Oh-h-h?” Igraine’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, perfect timing, then. I’ll stay and catch up with Miss Flores.”
“Mother—”
“I think that’s a great idea.” Maya sipped her coffee.
He stared at her in disbelief. “You do? No offense, mother—”
“No, no, none taken. I did appear out of nowhere, after all.” His mother smiled like the cat who’d stolen the cream and performed a faultless takeover of the dairy farm.
“There are more things I’d like to ask your mom about. And she did come all this way.”
He reached out to brush the back of her hand with his fingers. “If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure. You have your own research to do, and your mom has a lot to teach me about parenting a dragon shifter.”
