Odessa jumped at the sound of Jax’s voice, as if her thoughts had somehow conjured him up. She glanced over her shoulder to see him striding toward her through the woods of the enclosure, looking as annoyingly handsome as ever. “How did you get in here?”
“You gave me a key, remember?” He came to a stop beside her and gripped the strap of his satchel with both hands as he looked up into the tree at Bean. “What’s going on here?”
“Mother made me eat poison.”
Jax jerked back with a yelp and threw a hand to the side of his head. “What was that?”
“An outrageous accusation.” She crossed her arms. “He left out the part where he threw a similar fit because I told himnotto eat the pretty red mushrooms and he didn’t want to listen.”
“You didn’t tell me they were poison.”
“I told you not to eat them.”
“I’m glad Jax is here. He’s more fun. You never want me to have fun.”
Odessa pinched the bridge of her nose before turning to Jax with a forced smile. “Where’s Dmitri?”
“He’s on his way. He said he had a few details he wanted to confirm with the head chef before he came.” His voice dropped to a low whisper. “How long has he been up there?”
“Long enough for me to have completely finished with chores in here and then spend a quarter of an hour trying to bribe, beg, and threaten him down.”
“Have you tried being more fun?” The corners of his mouth twitched, and his eyes sparkled with mirth as he sidestepped the punch she threw at his shoulder. “I’m just kidding, Dessy. Dragons his age are like young children—they push boundaries with the people they feel safest with because they know they’ll be protected.”
She blew out a long breath, allowing herself to absorb his words before wrinkling her nose and asking, “Dessy?”
“I’m trying it out.” He flipped open the top of his satchel and pulled out his panpipes.
“Please don’t.”
“It was better than Odie.”
“I like Odie. Odie-ous for feeding me poison.”
She deliberately ignored the temperamental reptile in the tree. “How about you just stick with Odessa, the way you have been?”
“We’re friends and co-workers now. Nicknames are practically required at this point in the relationship. Speaking of which, what is mine?” He lifted his instrument to his lips and began playing a lively, syncopated melody that brought to mind images of flickering flames and bonfire dances.
She gave him a flat look. “Your name is Jax. It’s one syllable.”
Jax continued to the end of the phrase, then frowned at his pipes and tapped them against the palm of his hand. “Nicknames aren’t restricted to a shortening of one’s name. It could also be determined by a defining characteristic or quality. For example, you could decide to refer to me as ‘Handsome’ or ‘Charming,’ on account of me being both of those things.”
He was, but she wasn’t going to admit it out loud. Not when she was cursed and he was leaving and the only way things would end between them would be heartbreak.
When she didn’t immediately answer, he started playing again, only to pull away his instrument with a frown. “My magic doesn’t seem to be working the way it should be.”
“What does that mean?” She looked up to find Bean staring intently at both of them.
“It just means I’m going to have to go about being charming the old-fashioned way.” Jax smiled up at Bean. “You know, as a Bird Catcher, I know quite a bit about swans—like the fact they don’t roost in trees.”
Bean’s head tilted curiously.
“In fact, if I had to guess, I would think that maybe what we have hereisn’ta swan at all. It could be a?—”
His words were cut off by a heavy thud as Bean dropped suddenly to the ground.
“Iama swan. Just like Mother.”
Jax chuckled. “Essa isn’t a swan right now, though, is she?”
