“What are we doing?” I ask Briony, who’s been leading the way.
“Blaze,” she explains. “He’s been hiding out in the Highlands, but I think it’s safe to bring him back now, don’t you?”
I nod in agreement.
She peers out toward the forest that looms on the far side of the field, somewhere beyond its boundaries lies the beginning of the Highlands, although from here the slopes aren’t visible, even on a clear day like today.
“I just don’t know how to reach him,” she says. “Sometimes he seems to read my mind and comes when I need him. Sometimes I’ve called him and he’s come, but those times he was always much closer. And sometimes the little tyke just ignores me altogether.”
“I wouldn’t overthink it if I were you, sweetheart. Just call him. And if he doesn’t come, well, we’ll tackle that problem and we’ll work it out.”
She steps onto the field, the grass frozen with a layer of thick frost. She steadies her shoulders, looks up into the sky, and calls the dragon’s name.
We both stare up into the sky, light and wispy blue, not a hint of cloud.
Nothing happens.
She shifts on her feet, the frost crunching under her weight, and calls his name again. I squint at the horizon, peering over the tops of the tall trees of the forest.
I think I see movement.
I realize it’s just a crow.
I think I see a flicker.
It’s nothing but the wind and twisting air currents.
Then I see a dot. I squint harder. It catches the sunlight, shines golden under its rays.
“There!” I shout, pointing it out to Briony. “Is that him?”
She squints too, shading her eyes with her hand. “I’m not sure.”
After a few minutes, even over the distance, it’s clear – it’s the great dragon. I’m amazed by how fast he is now, covering the distance in no time at all and soon swooping over the treetops and landing in front of us. He grunts his unhappiness about the cold ground, lifting each foot in turn and shaking off the frost from the soles of his feet. Then he nudges his snout against Briony. She leans into him and slides her hands up and down his great snout.
“It’s good to see you too, boy,” she says, kissing his scaly skin.
I step forward too and pat his strong neck. This creature still wows me every time I see him. I spent my childhood obsessed with dragons – imagining them, reading about them, drawingpictures of them. I never for one moment thought I’d get to meet one. I’m utterly fascinated by him; the way he moves, the way he acts, the way he seems completely and utterly devoted to our little mate.
“Such a good boy,” Briony says, kissing his scales a second time. “Thank you for coming when I called you.”
“Yes,” I say, “and for rescuing her once more.” I shake my head, not wanting to think about the circumstances if he hadn’t whisked her to safety back at the Eros mansion. “I wish you weren’t the only dragon we had.”
I spend the next few moments watching, enraptured, as Briony fusses and coos over the giant creature. She’s leaning into his body, arms wrapped around him, cheek pressed against his scales, when her gaze finds mine and she frowns.
“Do you think those girls will ever stop trying to sleep with you?” she asks.
“What do you mean?” I say, my mind a little whiplashed by the sudden change in conversation. “What girls?”
“‘What girls?’ Seriously? Henrietta and Lynette, of course! Beaufort, Henrietta was practically naked back there, all laid out on that sofa, making eyes at you. She might as well have had a sign pinned to her forehead: ‘Come and get me, big boy.’”
I blink. “I didn’t notice.”
She takes a step away from the dragon, an eyebrow shooting up her forehead. She rests her hands on her hips.
“You didn’t notice,” she says, obviously not believing me.
“No,” I say. “Honestly, I didn’t.”
