“I will guard it carefully,” Arran says as he turns the die over, his thumb gliding over each side as he studies it.
Bodin shuffles to the door and a somewhat goofy grin pulls at his mouth, making his tusks look more prominent than usual. “Thanks for a great evening. I really had fun with you boys. But now my wife needs me to carry her home and make sweet, sweet love to her until the early morning. Or maybe I needherto make love tome? But loving shall be had,” he declares, looking damn near jolly at the thought. “Maybe tonight is the night I put a baby in her. Wouldn’t that be great? Tilly would look so beautiful carrying our child. She’d—” And like a switch has been flipped, Bodin straightens up, his eyes clearing and his skin blanching to a lighter shade of green. He doesn’t say anything else, just opens the door and disappears into the night on swift, steady feet.
None of us even deems to wager what that’s about, then Arran and Ren are off while I’m left alone with my thoughts, waiting anxiously for Eleanor.
I pace up and down my living room, peering out each window facing the southern hills—from where Eleanor, Audrey, and Viggo will approach to go back to Cape Easton. Myheart’s in my throat as I debate how I should approach Eleanor, practicing what I should say, and wondering if I should even say anything at all.
Maybe it’s better if I let Eleanor go on with her life as is. Without me.
After all, it’s been over two decades and she’s been fine. I’ve been fine.
My dragon huffs his frustration at my indecision and pushes against my chest, clearly determined to make his opinion heard. Throughout my life, we’ve often been at odds, typically only agreeing on Starry Hill and our love for the ocean.
But then I look up and see Eleanor as she comes down the hill, arm hooked through Audrey’s and a broad grin on her face as she laughs at something the other woman said. I think back to the game I’ve designed for my friends and, as Game Master, wonder how I’d encourage the knights to challenge themselves with this chance encounter.
Scales flash down my back and my arms, my feet already moving before my mind has fully processed what I’m going to say. I simply can’t waste the opportunity to talk to her at least once more in this lifetime. On this fact, my dragon and I are very much aligned.
