Is this some kind of ritual? What is he doing with them?
I reach out to take my copy ofAshes & Embersoff the top of one of the towers and a swirl of ink appears at my side. The dragon’s hand clamps down on my wrist, and he pushes me back until he stands between me and my books.
His low voice is loaded with danger. “Don’t touch them.”
“They’remybooks,” I snap, yanking on my wrist.
He doesn’t release me. “They must remain like this.”
“For your dark summoning?” I ask. “Let go.”
He doesn’t abide my request.
“I need them,” he murmurs and his jaw flexes.
I laugh. “What, are the books keeping you alive?”
“Don’t touch them,” he snarls.
I’ve heard people get obsessive, and I know dragons of myths really like their treasure, but they won’tdieif they don’t have a hoard…right? Oh, who am I kidding. I don’t know how magic works.
But he can’t hurt me—so he says.
“Or what?” I ask defiantly.
Oscar meows as boldly as me.
“Or I will do unspeakable things.”
I lift my chin and place my other hand over my chest. “You can’t hurt me, remember?”
He leans closer. “I don’t have to harm you to ruin your life.”
Against my will, a conjuration of all the things he could do fills up my mind. He could tear apart my home and my business. He could pee all over my clothes, or my food. That’s not overtly harming me…but so gross.
He could imprison me.
A shiver rips down my spine, and I jerk away again. His grip is rock solid, immovable, and though it doesn’t hurt, panic trickles back into my thoughts.
“That’s better.” He sneers. “Youshouldfear me, pink flesh. I’m the horrible dragon.”
Gone is the man who helped me to my feet moments ago, and in his place is a wretched monster. I yank once more and he lets go. I stagger back, cradling my wrist.
We’re at an impasse.
He won’t leave.
I can’t leave.
Bastian stalks through a gap in the book towers then sits at the center of the pile. His tail wraps over his lap and around his hips, and he rests his hands on it in a meditative pose.
My phone buzzes somewhere nearby and I hunt for it. It’s light enough to see the outlines of the wood burning stove and something that resembles a freezer chest. Sitting atop that is my device, still at twenty percent power. I grimace as I snatch it up and see all the Instaframe notifications I’ve missed.
Well…here’s one for them.
I whirl around and open my camera app, then snap a picture of the altar of books. The dragon is barely visible among them in the darkness, looking like a specter.
My thumbs fly across the keyboard.Turns out hauntings are real in Northern Wisconsin, and sometimes they’re hugeassholes. #DragonThinksMyBooksAreHisHoard #SecondChanceFantasyBooks #BookstoreBullshit
