Too late. Gone was the last sweet potato—and rice cake, too. I put my hands on my hips and flashed the boy my most irritated scowl.
“What?” He gave a half shrug. “Swimming all this way makes me hungry.”
I was still staring at him, at the thick stripes of green wisped about his temples; it was a color I’d never seen before on anyone—even the pale-haired merchants who came from the Far West. His skin had little warmth to it, but there was a pearlescent sheen. I couldn’t decide whether he looked bizarre or beautiful. Or dangerous.
Maybe all three.
“You’re…you’re the dragon! From the other day in the lake.”
He grinned. “So you do have a brain. I was wondering, after you fell into the lake.”
I met his grin with a glare. “I didn’t fall into the lake. I dove into it.”
“All for that bird, I recall. Thatenchantedbird.”
Remembering Kiki sank my spirits. I dusted the crumbs from my sleeves and began to turn away from the lake.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to the festival. My brothers will be missing me.”
He was at my side in an instant, his fingers catching my sleeve and pulling me down to sit. “So soon?” He clickedhis tongue. “I found your bird for you and saved you from drowning. Don’t you think you owe me some thanks? Stay a while. Entertain me.”
“Entertain you?” I repeated. “There’s a whole festival back there.”
“It’s all human games, nothing of interest to me.”
“You’re not even a dragon right now.”
He wasn’t. In his current form, he was a boy, a young man not much older than I. But with green hair and ruby eyes and sharp, clawlike fingernails.
“Howareyou human?”
“All dragons can do it,” he replied, his grin widening. “I haven’t practiced shifting into human form much until now.” He blew at his bangs. “Always thought humans were boring.”
I crossed my arms. “Ialways thought dragons were majestic and grand. You were hardly larger than an eel.”
“An eel?” he repeated. I thought I’d made him angry, but he burst out laughing. “That’s because I haven’t grown into my full form yet. When I do, you will be impressed.”
“When do you reach your full form?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. All I knew of dragons was from legends and stories, and those told little about dragon adolescence.
“Very soon. I’d say in a human year. Two at most.”
“That isn’t very long at all.” I sniffed. “I can’t imagine you growingthatmuch in a year.”
“Oh? Let’s make a wager, then.”
I leaned forward. My brothers loved making bets with each other, but they never let me join in. “What wager? Dragons aren’t known for keeping their word.”
“Wealwayskeep our word,” he retorted. “That’s why it’s so rarely given.”
I gave him a pointed look. “What are you proposing?”
“If I win, you invite me to your palace and cook a banquet in my honor. I expect a thousand dishes, no less, and all the most important lords and ladies to be in attendance.”
“I only know how to cook one dish,” I admitted.
“You’ve a year to learn more.”
