Now I was sitting barefoot on the grass in Griddish’s backyard. Isaac and Logan stood a good distance behind Griddish so they didn’t affect my “energy,” while the pack milled about in the background, watching the elf with a curiouseye.
Seeing Griddish up close in the daytime, I found myself examining his features. His eyes were crystalline and hypnotic. He smelled of oil and freshly-cut wood, and the air around him charged withelectricity.
He leaned in close, peering into my eyes for an unnerving amount of time. Then he sniffed me, smelled my breath it felt like. When he rocked back on his heels, he looked down atme.
“What are you?” he asked,mystified.
I froze. Panicked. Unsure if we could trust this guy yet or not. He’d figured out what Logan was and seemed in awe, but I wasn’t sure if he should know about me. I met Isaac’s eyes and he cleared histhroat.
“She is unique,” Isaac answered, and the elf looked hurt that Isaac hadn’t told him exactly what I was, but henodded.
Griddish walked over to his tool table and pulled out a small wooden trunk. With a grunt, he hefted it over, setting it down before me. He paused for a moment, letting his fingers caress the carvedwood.
“Yalash was better at this,” hestated.
My heart ached for him then. It was awful to lose a loved one, someone you were especially close with like a parent or sibling. What I wouldn’t give to have just ten minutes more with my mother. Hell, I’d sell mysoul.
“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” I encouragedhim.
He chuckled. “If I get it wrong, you couldcombust.”
My eyes widened and Logan spun his head in Isaac’sdirection.
The good druid looked at Griddish. “You’ve been doing this thousands of years. Do not doubt yourself now.” The druid’s voice was calm, so I tried to take strength inthat.
The elf nodded, straightening his back, and peered down at me, not yet opening thetrunk.
“I’m going to ask you a series of questions. You must answer honestly and quickly. Don’t overthink it. Do not lie and do notfalter.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. What kind of weirdness wasthis?
“If you could be a cat or a dog, which would you be?” heasked.
The ridiculous nature of the question had me in shock. “Answer!” heyelled.
“Dog!” Ishouted.
‘I’m telling Mittens,’Logan taunted, and I ignored him, trying not tolaugh.
“Chocolate or caramel?” Griddishquizzed.
Pssh, as if that was a competition. “Chocolate.”
“What color is your magic?” He rubbed his chin as the wheels spun in hismind.
“Purple.” I was pretty sure he already suspected I was a hybrid, and I didn’t want to combust bylying.
He raised an eyebrow at that and movedon.
“Do you believe in love at firstsight?”
I looked at Logan, faltering for a second, embarrassed. “Yes.”
Logan grinned. Egoboost.
“Final question. If you could have one gift, would it be to fly or to readminds.”
I paused, my mind getting stuck. I wanted to say fly, but technically I could already fly. Reading minds might be cool, but would I want to be stuck in everyone’sdrama?
